becoming a importer?i have a list of indonesian contacts&
- Thread starter eddie
- Start date
I agree completely .
I do not care if I am the cheapest or the most expensive.
It just burns me when someone bitches about how high "all" LFS prices are and how we are inflating the prices.
My customers for the most part , are very loyal (have to be to drive this far ) and I do sell my "props/frags" cheap but one also has to consider the area. Big cities can sell with higher prices than this area.
I have doctors/lawyers/real estate owners etc and they are watching pennies also.
As far as red tape stuff, I once was cited for not having an "exit" sign and my fire extinguisher was ONE week over due for inspection !!!!
I had ONE door to come in and out of and how on earth would a place like this catch on fire ????
I also had to get a variance ($380.00 ) for my door being 1 inch under regulations !!! ( standard handicap access would not work with the construction of the building )
Anyway, I still would like to see the "difference between a "home based business " and retail. My shop is 100 feet from my home, in my back yard and it is a storefront with all the regulations applicable.
I do not care if I am the cheapest or the most expensive.
It just burns me when someone bitches about how high "all" LFS prices are and how we are inflating the prices.
My customers for the most part , are very loyal (have to be to drive this far ) and I do sell my "props/frags" cheap but one also has to consider the area. Big cities can sell with higher prices than this area.
I have doctors/lawyers/real estate owners etc and they are watching pennies also.
As far as red tape stuff, I once was cited for not having an "exit" sign and my fire extinguisher was ONE week over due for inspection !!!!
I had ONE door to come in and out of and how on earth would a place like this catch on fire ????
I also had to get a variance ($380.00 ) for my door being 1 inch under regulations !!! ( standard handicap access would not work with the construction of the building )
Anyway, I still would like to see the "difference between a "home based business " and retail. My shop is 100 feet from my home, in my back yard and it is a storefront with all the regulations applicable.
What right does any one with any common sense have to even question this fact ???
And why do we keep having to "defend" ourselves for it???
I am not a good business person, I like people too and give too much away, but I have the right to raise my prices when the need is there.
Without having to defend myself for doing it.
I do NOT want someone coming to me just because my prices are cheaper.
They should be coming to me because I have damn good quality, never sell them anything not compatable with their system and inhabitants (I have files on all my regulars so I know what is and isn't ) and because they know I will be there for them when ever they need me.
I wish the other retailers could teach ME how to be tough enough to make enough to live a little better. ("motherly types do not make good business types )
Jenn has the right attitude to be a success!!!!!
Phillyboy,
I apologize for coming off like a raving person.
(and posting 3 in a row)
Customers coming in , wrote in a hurry between them,and couldn't reread how my thoughts came out.
If nothing else comes from this BB, I sincerely wish people would stop generalizing all LFS's as ignorant/evil/money grabbers out to take the newbies.
Prejudice is not a good thing, in any field.
All people are not the same, and neither are all LFS.
I apologize for coming off like a raving person.
(and posting 3 in a row)
Customers coming in , wrote in a hurry between them,and couldn't reread how my thoughts came out.
If nothing else comes from this BB, I sincerely wish people would stop generalizing all LFS's as ignorant/evil/money grabbers out to take the newbies.
Prejudice is not a good thing, in any field.
All people are not the same, and neither are all LFS.
I'm not sure how having a larger business equals less frustration. I have 30 employees, two store fronts, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, chinchillas, cats, reptiles and fish all in two impeccable stores (talk about dealing with the department of agriculture) . Sometimes I'd love to be able to just play around with fish, (which is why I got into it in the first place).
While we're discussing it.......
Why do you feel the need to specialize so intensely??? There is a lot of money to be made in freshwater fish without all the maintenance and high prices?? I have dirt cheap prices, minimal die offs and make a 70% margin. It's all aquacultured stuff too. I don't see the point in being in a business that you don't make any money in. And if you want to make some real mone let's talk about dog toys... :wink:
Glenn
Glenn,
Personally, I feel that there is so much involved in teaching, maintenance,research and the extra care needed in this hobby, means one should specialize.
Saltwater coral reefs are my specialty- I love that and if I am going to spend 95% of my life working, it needs to be something I enjoy and KNOW well.
Yes, the money is in the dog collars/toys but money does not give me the joy of someone seeing their first xmas tree worms, etc !!!
And if I was not so good at what I do, the customers would need to replace animals that died. They do not have to, so once a tank is full, they rarely need more than salt and food.
Personally, I feel that there is so much involved in teaching, maintenance,research and the extra care needed in this hobby, means one should specialize.
Saltwater coral reefs are my specialty- I love that and if I am going to spend 95% of my life working, it needs to be something I enjoy and KNOW well.
Yes, the money is in the dog collars/toys but money does not give me the joy of someone seeing their first xmas tree worms, etc !!!
And if I was not so good at what I do, the customers would need to replace animals that died. They do not have to, so once a tank is full, they rarely need more than salt and food.
How many of your customers "start off" with you?? It seems like when you specialize you are typically only selling to those who already know what they are doing and don't need some one to walk them through the baby steps. The place education is needed most is at the initial tank purchase. Do you sell many tank set up or do most people buy them some where else and then come to you afterwards?
Glenn,
Unfortunately, 99% of my customers come to me after another store sold them the undergravel filter/skilter/fluval and tons of additives.
Some of my competitors even SEND these people to me after not knowing what to do to help them !!
Most others have given up with those other stores and find me by reputation.
I only wish they would find me BEFORE they got screwed up in the first place. It would make my job so much easier.
Unfortunately, 99% of my customers come to me after another store sold them the undergravel filter/skilter/fluval and tons of additives.
Some of my competitors even SEND these people to me after not knowing what to do to help them !!
Most others have given up with those other stores and find me by reputation.
I only wish they would find me BEFORE they got screwed up in the first place. It would make my job so much easier.
wow you sound like the best LFS in the nation only prob is you only represent less than 1/8 of 1 precent probably even less than the norm so ....my point is I've not attacked you once despite your repeated provocation at me & still can give you your props for your efforts
just think you should'nt protest as much if your happy I'm happy for you
thats just the type a guy I am
just think you should'nt protest as much if your happy I'm happy for you
thats just the type a guy I am
But that's the problem with specialization. I have dog food/freshwater customers that look at my display tanks every day and then eventually decide to try. Because they're already in the store, I sell them a tank that's large enough, enough sand for a decent sand bed, an Aqua-C skimmer and a copy of Fenner or Tullock. The result is money for me and a happy and repeat customer and some one who will hopefully stay with the hobby. By specializing we end up placing all of the knowledge and experience in places where people have to search when they don't necessarily know what to search for.
You are correct, Glenn.
But, I do not understand why people do not research a hobby like this in the first place !!
We are trying to recreate the conditions that are in the ocean, thats a whole world most people have no idea about.
BB's are good, but they are essentially one line answers and it is important for people to know the difference between a newbie answer and someone like John Tullock's answer.
It takes many, many books,BBs,COMMON SENSE, and asking around for referrals in your local area, to learn the basics and whom one can trust to help you accomplish what you want.
People do not buy their cars at just any dealer, but they will just buy their saltwater tank animals etc. at any shop !!! :?
I agree with the research /reading but that comes with the territory & it dont take long for a addict to pick up on it
but also think most LFS specialize in just their methods & not the several just as sucessful methods that most addicts will learn anyway and experiment with before creating their alfa system
but RO & RC www. should be the first advice given at any LFS IMO
mabey in big bright letters on the storefront window
but also think most LFS specialize in just their methods & not the several just as sucessful methods that most addicts will learn anyway and experiment with before creating their alfa system
but RO & RC www. should be the first advice given at any LFS IMO
mabey in big bright letters on the storefront window
all the more reason to bring the knowledge to them as opposed to making them search for it. Most people don't know how expansive this hobby is. I'd say that most people don't even view it as a hobby for that matter. It's a fish tank. My goal is to create hobbyist out of customers and keep them hobbyist. Most people just plain don't know what they don't know. I don't find an awful lot of beligerance and stubborness as long as the customer can tell that I know what I'm talking about, and that I'm more interested in their tank being successful than I am making the immidiate sale. My first sale is always a book, ( and I have all of them), and reefs.org is on a kiosk in the center of the department. My goal is to make it easier for people to realize what they don't know, and how exciting it is to learn. Not fuss at them for being ingnorant. I just feel like specialization intimidates people ( I know it did me).
I'm not knocking you Glenn, you've got some good points to make, especially from a business standpoint. I cannot argue with your logic. However, as a "general" pet shop, you've got more knowledge of marine/reef than many (dare I say MOST?) general pet supply/shop owners.
As a hobbyist (taking off my retailer hat and going back to when I was ONLY a hobbyist), I would NEVER buy fish from a "general" pet store. I wanted a specialty store who knew their stuff, and usually those niche stores were the ones. I was lucky to find a really good one that 90 % of my purchases came from but we did the circuit to all the LFS every now and then. As loyal customers we got perks and deals, because the owners knew we spent most of our dollars there. There was no Internet then but there WAS Big Al's (warehouse store in our town) and we'd spend a dollar or two EXTRA at Mike and Mary's because we wanted to support them. It's not much different then than now, except the medium is different. Even if I wasn't relying on the LFS for guidance (I got lucky and found a GREAT shop: first thing they sold me was a Moe book), I wanted a place that would make it or break it on their specialty, not make up for cyanide fish (back in the day) with kibble sales.
Anyway -- call me a bit of a snob, but I would not then and would not now, buy marine fish/corals/inverts at the same place I bought my kitty litter. YES I'd buy my cat and dog supplies at the same place, but given the cost of the marine hobby, I'm much more discriminating and I don't think I'm alone, or there wouldn't be so many dedicated LFS.
Jenn
As a hobbyist (taking off my retailer hat and going back to when I was ONLY a hobbyist), I would NEVER buy fish from a "general" pet store. I wanted a specialty store who knew their stuff, and usually those niche stores were the ones. I was lucky to find a really good one that 90 % of my purchases came from but we did the circuit to all the LFS every now and then. As loyal customers we got perks and deals, because the owners knew we spent most of our dollars there. There was no Internet then but there WAS Big Al's (warehouse store in our town) and we'd spend a dollar or two EXTRA at Mike and Mary's because we wanted to support them. It's not much different then than now, except the medium is different. Even if I wasn't relying on the LFS for guidance (I got lucky and found a GREAT shop: first thing they sold me was a Moe book), I wanted a place that would make it or break it on their specialty, not make up for cyanide fish (back in the day) with kibble sales.
Anyway -- call me a bit of a snob, but I would not then and would not now, buy marine fish/corals/inverts at the same place I bought my kitty litter. YES I'd buy my cat and dog supplies at the same place, but given the cost of the marine hobby, I'm much more discriminating and I don't think I'm alone, or there wouldn't be so many dedicated LFS.
Jenn
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