LA Cherry Picker Wanted.

[Bryan Thompson]

We are looking for a wholesale cherry picker out in the LA area. We need soemone who can provide us with items that our current suppliers can not. If you can help, please email me at [email protected]

Thank you,

 

[Anonymous]

that's not the guy who walks into a wholesaler and 'robs' the lfs's on the other side of the country of the healthier, nicer looking fish by the time the fax stocklists are sent out, is it?

 

[Anonymous]

oh, and btw, are you a brick and mortar store, or an internet 'garage' biz?

just honestly curious

 

[clarionreef]

Atta boy Vitz,
Now you're on the right track!
Steve

 

[Bryan Thompson]

Well Steve and Vitz, nice to see there are such kind people on RDO.

Vitz, We are primarily an internet based business but have several walk in customers in town. We are trying to grow our business so it can be brick and mortar along with online. We currently still have our other jobs so we can invest 100% back into the business. Your “garbage” comments I believe are out of line.

Steve, I can’t believe your comments. Remember as you try to change an industry or make a difference, your own ego can be your worst enemy. Step back and read what you have posted over the last 2-3 months and see how you have changed.

I am not some punk kid with a wholesale license trying to save on some corals. I am looking for a very specific coral and was told to try a few of the LA Cherry Pickers to see if they could locate it for me.

I am so glad you both spend your time being so productive.

Bryan Thompson

 

[Anonymous]

i said garage, not garbage :roll:

was that a freudian slip on your part :wink:

and just so you know, as someone who's worked in retail on and off for awhile, i absolutely detest 'cherry pickers', and the wholesalers who work w/them

while i was working at the various brick and mortars-i had no choice but to work w/those wholesalers-in spite of the fact that many of the items i placed for order weren't available due to 'businesses' like yours

i'm sure you shed no tears for me, though. :wink:

especially since many of the 'cherry pickers' are just private customers, and definitely interfere, along w/the wholesalers, w/the brick and mortar's ability to secure better quality product.

nothing personal- for all i know you may be a nice guy, in spite of the fact that you contribute to breaking one of the fundamental 'golden unspoken rules' of the wholesaler/retailer relationship

please don't try to rationalize what i see as a detestable business practice w/your claim of 'going to be' a b&m operation in the future-you aren't now, and one should first have to bust their nuts to become a b&m store, first, to then get the 'rights' of being dealt w/ by a wholesaler

do you buy from wholesalers in the minimum amounts i was required to, to even have them deal w/me? i think not.

you don't like the way i feel about the way you do business? that's certainly your right- open up a b&m store first, make your purchases the way a b&m lfs has to from the wholesalers, and i'll sing a different tune
:wink:

i think that one of the requirements for any operation to be able to be called/licensed as a wholesaler, is that they sell only to b&m retailers, period-and to strictly enforce the policy of not dealing w/'cherry picker' resellers'

 

[Anonymous]

Atta boy Vitz,
Now you're on the right track!
Steve

:?: :?: :?:

:roll:

i'm beginning to think i don't like you very much :?

 

[Bryan Thompson]

Vitz,

I can understand your opinion and you have every right to it. There are 2 ways to start a business.

One is to risk every thing and go all out and the other is to build slow, invest smart. There are several successful businesses right now that started out of a garage. (mine is not in a garage) One that comes to mind is Premium Aquatics. Great business and great customer service. It started in a garage.

I do have to meet minimums but they are not issues as we usually order 2-3 times the minimum each week. We also buy for 3 different suppliers but none of them can find a supply of a certain coral. Our customers want it and we are willing to pay more for it so we can provide our customers with what they want. We are just trying to provide great customer service by getting them what they want.

Again, I respect your opinion as you are entitled to it.

Bryan

 

[jamesw]

Hi Bryan, I'll say this because someone else never will: I apologize for the rude behavior and comments you just received. He doesn't own a local fish store or work at one anyhow, so I'd just let it slide off you like water off a duck.

If you're looking to buy a specific type of coral and you can't find it through your usual suppliers - you were right to ask about it here. That's what this forum was for.

As for Steve's comment - it's hard to tell if he was being sarcastic or not. I wouldn't get upset about that one until we hear back from Steve.

As everyone knows, cherry picking has been going on for years - so like it or not, it's going to keep happening. If you don't like it, you can always move to LA, or just don't buy from wholesalers that allow it.

Cheers
James

 

[Anonymous]

What exactly are you looking for, orange or red R. yumas? Maybe if you stated what you were looking for, some one might chime in with a good source.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Bryan, I'll say this because someone else never will: I apologize for the rude behavior and comments you just received. He doesn't own a local fish store or work at one anyhow, so I'd just let it slide off you like water off a duck.

If you're looking to buy a specific type of coral and you can't find it through your usual suppliers - you were right to ask about it here. That's what this forum was for.

As for Steve's comment - it's hard to tell if he was being sarcastic or not. I wouldn't get upset about that one until we hear back from Steve.

As everyone knows, cherry picking has been going on for years - so like it or not, it's going to keep happening. If you don't like it, you can always move to LA, or just don't buy from wholesalers that allow it.

Cheers
James

for the record:

up until a week or so ago, i was managing one of the larger lfs's in the southern nj area, and have been working lfsretail/and lfsmanagement on and off since '77

i've also worked in wholesale, retail, distribution overseas for 4 yrs.

and i never directed any personal comments against Bryan Thompson in any of my posts, as Bryan seemed also seemed to understand :?:

my posts are directed to the 'garage'(read: non b&m) lfs industry/proffesion, and the practice of cherry picking at a wholesaler, as being patently immoral, in my opinion, as it relates to it's patent unfairness to the b&m lfs's who must deal with the wholesaler/cherry picking/garage biz types that under cut what most retailers percieve to be a slight to the wholesaler/retailer relationship

how many wholesalers would be pleased if their suppliers sold directly to the store i most recently worked at, either allowing me to view and select their best pieces/items, or caused items they placed on order to not be shipped, since the store i worked at snatched them up as the availability lists weere being read by them?

i've had many dissapointed customers over the yrs as a result of the whole cherry picking practice- and i expect a certain level of 'business trust' w/any wholesaler i have to place an order with, as a representative of the lfs i work for, and as a liaison to the customers of the lfs

i'm wiling to bet i have more retail lfs experience, and ordering experience than either you, james, or mr. thompson, and i percieve your 'apology' as being more directed as a personal misinterpretation, and a small attack, towards my right to a strong p.o.v., and the right to express it strongly

jmo

p.s.-i thought this forum was for all sorts of issues and opinions regarding all aspects of the tropical/ornamental sw fish industry, including sensitive issues and strongly stated opinions, no? :?

 

[jamesw]

Thanks for clarifying Vitz,

Strong opinions are always welcome here - but personal attacks on reefs.org members are not.

Cheers
James

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for clarifying Vitz,

Strong opinions are always welcome here - but personal attacks on reefs.org members are not.

Cheers
James

i wrote:

nothing personal- for all i know you may be a nice guy,

seems to me that i clarified before your rudely inserted apology in my name that i meant nothing personally whatsoever to anyone, here

please point out to me anywhere in this thread where i made a personal attack against anyone on this thread, or how the statements i made regarding bryan thompson, when addressing him personally, were an attack of any sort...you're looking for something that just isn't there, james, and i think/feel it's mebbe a personal thing?(no other possible explanation comes to my mind, at any rate)

the best i can come up with is mr thompson's reaction to a word he misread in my 2nd post, and i, for one, think that you owe me a small apology, for trying to blame me for something i never did,(though it may have been your personally biased interpretation of what i said) and for putting words in my mouth, either inadvertantly, or not

by your own examples/logic posted here on this thread, you owe me that, as much as you feel i owe bryan thompson :wink:

Strong opinions are always welcome here - but personal attacks on reefs.org members are not.

agreed

Hi Bryan, I'll say this because someone else never will: I apologize for the rude behavior and comments you just received. He doesn't own a local fish store or work at one anyhow, so I'd just let it slide off you like water off a duck.

that is both a personal attack, and a misrepresentation of my level of experience, as well, no? (or is that just my personal interpretation of what you said? :wink: )


(if i know someone who is a lawyer, and i state that i hate the lawyer profession-that does not mean i hate that individual because he's a lawyer, i just have issues w/their career choice :wink: )

i'll let it go now- just felt compelled to make sure i was clarified completely

 

[Len]

Now that we've all clarified ourselves, we can move on. I think we experienced a difficulty in understanding and expressing each others' opinions. Remember: what might not be "personal" to you may be very personal to someone else, so please try to be sensitive to your fellow members' feelings. Intentions are important, but more often then not it is interpretations of words/actions that make the difference in our relationships.

In future threads like these, I recommend that members start a new thread to address different issues so that the existing thread can remain focused on answering the poster's question(s). It's better for all parties involved.

 

[Kalkbreath]

"cherry picking is not all that its cracked up to be........The few "jobbers" that are still around in Lax are old hands at it and if your not an old friend.....well.. getting new customers is not the problem for jobbers......the every dwindling supply of hard corals is......There are only x number of Cites each week{that means X number of corals reguardless of demand}.......The real cherry pickers are the online guys based in LA next door to some of the importers.{and thats because they pay their bills......unlike retail stores Vitz} If you want to set blame its the retailers that dont pay thier bills that cause the wholesalers too sell to "cherry pickers"......But its actually the brokers that control the limited supply of weekly corals.........importing hard corals in todays market is all about CITES permits ......Those of us whom had permits years past......get them again this year.......ISNT THAT RIGHT MARY? :wink:

 

[MaryHM]

I don't understand why you directed that toward me, but since I rarely understand anything you say I'm not going to spend too much time worrying about it.

 

[Anonymous]

"cherry picking is not all that its cracked up to be........The few "jobbers" that are still around in Lax are old hands at it and if your not an old friend.....well.. getting new customers is not the problem for jobbers......the every dwindling supply of hard corals is......There are only x number of Cites each week{that means X number of corals reguardless of demand}.......The real cherry pickers are the online guys based in LA next door to some of the importers.{and thats because they pay their bills......unlike retail stores Vitz} If you want to set blame its the retailers that dont pay thier bills that cause the wholesalers too sell to "cherry pickers"......But its actually the brokers that control the limited supply of weekly corals.........importing hard corals in todays market is all about CITES permits ......Those of us whom had permits years past......get them again this year.......ISNT THAT RIGHT MARY? :wink:

?????

.{and thats because they pay their bills......unlike retail stores Vitz}

:lol:

last i heard, new accounts w/most wholesalers are pay up front, and if you're lucky, after a while, you'll get 7 days net

hardly lots of oppurtunitys for that to even be an issue, kalk :?

or are you speaking from personal experience?

 

[clarionreef]

People,
Sorry for the misunderstanding. As an importer I'd like to clarify the issue of 'cherrypicking' a bit.
Cherrypickin is a bad word to many importers who must spend thousands of dollars per shipment to bring in the mass of fish/inverts that make the trade work and provide for bonafide and genuine retailers.
Without these regulars and the asssumptions of volume upon which their orders and prices are based, there is no trade.
Every good, loyal customer wants some rose anemones or some red yumas or some really nice green bubble corals. They also need emerald crabs, arrow crabs, yellow polyps, royal grammas, clowns, anthias etc. that allow an importer to make something and continue to provide product.
Supporting the loyals and regulars is really the point here. To allow a 'cherrypicker' to come in after you spend all day to bake your pie and then scoop his finger thru it...is unfair to the friendly customers who keep you alive and in business.
Theres a minimum and a storefront requirement to protect all the real, weekly customers. To deny them the 'easy to sell' and coveted items is cheating these guys. Especially if you sell them to low-ball internet types whos claim to fame is the low rent ability to undercut everyone else.
Surely this is understandable.
Sincerely, Steve

 

[Kalkbreath]

I don't understand why you directed that toward me, but since I rarely understand anything you say I'm not going to spend too much time worrying about it.

.......Just asking for your @ cents......... since your one of the few persons on this board who pulls permits......and has first hand knowledge with jobbers, cherry pickers, and collections ......"Oh MY! ......{Wizard of OZ music in back ground...}........."JOBBERS" , "CHERRY PICKERS" AND COLLECTIONS ... OH MY! .......Toto jumps into the arms of Mary..... :lol:

 

[sdcfish]

From a wholesalers perspective, jobbing has been a very controversial part of the business. It's very difficult for a jobber to be a plus for any wholesaler unless that jobber sticks with a few main suppliers that don't overlap items too often. It's been a long sensitive road for us as a wholesaler in dealing with these individual companies over the many years and it continues to be.

After all the trials and contemplation, we now only allow one major professional jobber into our facility and there are some guidelines that must be followed not only with the jobber, but with any walk-in customer:

Firstly, our sales reps have first choice and opportunity every day to set aside whatever they need saved for a specific "ship-out" customer. Our loyalty is definately to the "out - of - state" dealer. We also put all the "cherry stuff" into a few tanks that we have marked as "sharing" tanks. Each customer has a right to take one or two pieces from those tanks while being supervised, and depending on the volume and level of customer they are they can get more or less picks from that tank area.

Bottom line is that there has to be a way that everyone can get some of the best stuff...and that is our goal. Jobbers have to maintain a level of fairness with us or the relationship becomes too one-sided and actually could really hurt a wholesaler by letting too much good product go to just one customer. Wholesalers that don't regulate their jobbers are definately struggling more with variety and quality product than those like us that have worked hard on keeping it fair.

We take many measure's so that it's OUR customers that get the best fill rates and premium products.

Their are differences in the customer service rep that you have working with you as each rep works differently. This is a trust building relationship that dealers outside the LA area have to find that rep, that can help them make the best choices and look out for the items that are most needed by their customers. I believe we have the best group of reps in the Industry hands down.

Oh..this business can be fun just trying to make a list of all the best stuff....called my " Hotlist" that I get to work on every day. Fun, fun, fun.

Gealous anyone?????????