Need help with opening an online store

[dpetruescu]

Thanks for all your help Jenn, I appreciate it.

It shouldn't be any harder than I've worked so far. Even during the "boom' years, I've worked 14hrs/day. Every few months I would send my fammily to leave with relatives for 2-4 weeks at a time because I had to work. During that time, maybe I would come home once or twice. Otherwise sleep in the office.

And still, companies would be miss-managed, and go under. At least this way it's my own doing. Make it or break it will have no one to blame but myself.

 

[JennM]

Only 14 hours/day? Like the chap in the other thread who "understood he'd have to work til 6 EVERY night...ROFL! I joke and say I work 40 hours a day, 9 days a week -- feels like that. 70-80 hour weeks is normal but I often put in more than that. It's 6:30 Saturday morning and I'm just gearing up for my day - which won't end til 9 or so to night, and this is the weekend!

You'll see.....

Forget days off too - even when you're off, you're on. The minute you turn your back your place will flood

Jenn

 

[Anonymous]

The minute you turn your back your place will flood

Ain't that the truth! :lol:

 

[clarionreef]

Jenn,
If not for my wifes real job, I couldn't be doing this either!
Its hard enought to develop legal, netcaught fish supply...which is eaiser to hype than to produce since there are so few bonafide netcaught fish available in the species that count..
If there is a he wrong businesses.

 

[JennM]

ROFL - "Real" job - that's what we call Scott's job too! It's the only "real" money we earn - and there's precious little of that to go around, eh?

I can't complain - business is fairly right on course with the business plan, a little give and take for the war, the economy, etc. but by and large, it's about where we expected it to be - realistic expectations help - no surprises.

Did I mention the importance of a business plan? Many a venture is tried or NOT TRIED after all the legwork is done on the business plan.

The store next to me opened almost the same day as I did - a video rental place - dude wrote a "business plan" but I'm not sure where he pulled his numbers from - he closed down in December after only 8 months in business. He still had/has to pay the balance of his 1 year lease. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Jenn

 

[dpetruescu]

Did I mention the importance of a business plan? Many a venture is tried or NOT TRIED after all the legwork is done on the business plan.

you are absolutely right. Myselft, wanted to start quite a few businesses but after duing the business plan for them i've decided not to. Had a couple that were quite sucessfull tho.

That is exactly what I am doing now. Running the numbers, looking at ROI, marketing, suppliers, cost etc...

It is pretty sad, that the hardest I've worked was during the "boom" years. Had lots of stress, long hours and for what, did not get much satisfaction... financially or otherwise.

I've seen that the most succesfull business are the onces that one feels passionate about. It's easier to overcome long hours, stress, financial problems when one is passionate about the work one does.

 

[JennM]

I've seen that the most succesfull business are the onces that one feels passionate about. It's easier to overcome long hours, stress, financial problems when one is passionate about the work one does.

You are absolutely right on this one! Glad that you see that, because IMO that's one of the KEY differences why Video Store Family next door to me went bust. I live, breathe, eat and sleep for my store. Sometimes I grumble about the workload and the juggling *g* but truth be told I wouldn't want to do anything else at this point in my life. Video Store Family were infatuated with the notion of owning a business - any business, could have been videos, widgets, anything - they figured after a couple of months they could hire some dweeb to run it for them for peanuts, and they'd have all the prestige and glory that comes from being the "president of a corporation" BAH! Truth is, both of them hated working in the place, they kept foolish inconvenient hours and would rather have been anywhere else, doing anything else and their few customers knew it.

Love what you do - it's a MUST. But still have a good solid plan

A money tree doesn't hurt either.... :lol:

Jenn

 

[mkirda]

So Mary,

You get your fish and call them cyanide free based on trust but you demand that MAC's cyanide free fish are tested? That's not fair!

James,

There is a difference here: Mary is claiming that she is trying to do the right thing by offering fish that are net caught. MAC's standards indicate that the fish will be taken in a non-destructive way- thereby FORCING the issue. The fish are certified to be taken non-destructively, and therefore, without cyanide. Want verification of that? Great! Test them.

But then you get into the fact that the only accurate testing lab is shut down.

Can Mary prove her fish are not cyanide-caught? No. She should just point to her historical mortality levels... That will tell a heck of a lot, right there. Besides, she doesn't have to prove anything because they are not certified. However, if one of her customers did want a cyanide test, she could have them run. She'd just have to pay for them... Not that they would tell her all that much. At least until the old IMA/BFAR lab is back up and running.

Regards.
Mike Kirda

 

[Nancy Swart]

Hi dpetruescu,

Bob Fenner wrote a wonderful two part article for our MASNA Newsletter. They can be found at:

http://www.masna.org/ms/summer2002.PDF and
http://www.masna.org/ms/winter2002.pdf

If you haven't been to Bob's site yet, do check it out at

http://www.wetwebmedia.com

He has a great site that sounds similar to what you're trying to accomplish.

Nancy

 

[dpetruescu]

I have read those articles a while back, but thank you for reminding me about them .

 

[Nancy Swart]

Hmmm...lemme see if I understand this. I live in the boonies about an hour away from the nearest reputable LFS. I need some dry goods but there's a foot of snow on the streets and this is now a 2 hour trip one way. BUT there's a PetCo 20 minutes away. You're all saying then that rather than placing an order thru somebody like Premium Aquatics who only sells captive bred, I should give my business to PetCo? Interesting.

Further, I disagree with those who say the LFSs can spread the word about our reform issues better than an online shop. The Internet can do a better job of spreading the word faster to a larger mass than any LFS.

Dave, if you have the burning desire to do this, don't let anybody discourage you.

Nancy

 

[dpetruescu]

Thanks Nancy. Like I've said before, there is no reason the two can't coesist. For one, most stores, due to their overhead, can't afford to keep a whole lot of inventory, where an online place, due to lower costs, can keep a lot of species that might not move as fast but offers the consumer more choices.

In either case, I don't see why e-commerce is so wrong. It's just a new medium of doing business. Nothing more, nothing less. Same rules apply.

 

[Kalkbreath]

You should be more concerned about competing with the current online stores..............not the retail storefronts........most of the big boys online dont even "stock" their livestock .........they simply order from the wholesaler across the street......{104th street}................with out having to house the live animals.....online stores keep overhead very low and fish loss at almost nil........how will you compete with this ......?

 

[Saltykirk]

Glenn, in all sincerity I don't see how you will manage to be competitive by ordering in the fish and holding them, then shipping to your online customers. Supplies of net caught fish, as you have heard in this thread are still really slim. Most people shop the net for a cheaper price period. If you add a middle man, yourself, you will be more expensive or operate at a lower profit margin. When your first imperator dies, think about how many yellow tangs you will have to sell to recoup. Most onliners don't have the fish they sell. They are "drop shipped" from wholesalers in LA. I'm not pissing on your dream & I commend you for having one. If you honestly need to add income to provide for your family, try pouring concrete driveways on the weekends. It is easier and you can really make some darn good money for a days work. I'm being a little sarcastic but in good humour. I'm a little in your boat. I do aquarium maintenance & I like to provide my customers w/ livestock since the LFS in my area "misses the mark". My customers refuse to buy locally so I job fish for them. An Lfs in your area or one that is within 100 miles may be willing to work w/ you. I managed to establish a relationship w/ an LFS that is about 100 miles from me. Yeah, it is a drive, but I dont' step in dog crap walking in and I don't get fed bull crap during my visit and through the business process. I get good livestock, great advice and I am able to pass that quality on to my maintenance customers. I wish you the best and keep us posted on your victories and shortcomings. I could use advice too from time to time

 

[JeremyR]

I'm getting rich.. I'll be buying the bmw next week...

 

[dizzy]

I'm getting rich.. I'll be buying the bmw next week...

Jeremy,
Make sure it's black. :wink: