Just my opinion again, JennM--I think if you set up some stunning display tanks with metal halides and tons of SPS corals and made a great display and then also carried a bunch of SPS, not just 2 colonies, then you would have a huge customer base for these corals. I guess its the chicken and egg question, but if you don't have the higher end equipment in stock you will not sell it. You can not sell out of an empty wagon!! Word gets around with hobbyists pretty fast and if they knew you carried the high end equipment and SPS corals they would come, why do you think they go online to get the stuff, the average LFS does not carry it. By high end, I mean a good selection, IN STOCK, of calcium reactors, metal halide fixtures and lamps, top quality skimmers and good pumps, etc. It is not good enough to me able to order it for someone, if they have to wait for you to order it then they will go online and get it faster and cheaper. I think it is all about: 1.)displaying something the hobbyist can aspire to create themselves--a really great SPS tank that appeals to the higher end hobbysist that is willing to spend the bucks and they do exist, 2.) have the stock for the buyer to get right then-- walk them through the set up and then when the tank is really ready they will come in and buy tons--its an impulse buy when the tank is ready they will come in and buy 2,3 or more corals at a time, and 3.) know what you are talking about--get educated on the high end SPS and the equipment and you would squash the market for that hobbyist to go online. If you don't have the SPS display and don't carry the lights and other equipment instock then you never even give a chance to appeal to a more high end hobbysist (= more income for you because they are bigger spenders in the long run, ask anyone that has a >75 gallon SPS tank and they will tell you they have $5000-$25,000 invested in their tanks--are they spending that with you or online??????). The reason that customer went on line is that he must not have been totally comfortable with your advise, maybe because he saw you did not really have experience with metal halides and the type of animals he was interestd in keeping, won't cut it with just a couple in stock in one small tank, you need big displays and a much bigger stock.
Again, this is just my opinion and experience based on years of driving around to many LFS--sometimes driving hours to get to a good store, I'm not picking on you JennM but you have perfectly illustrated why hobbysists go online, the LFS does not offer what they want. Offer mostly softies and a few other corals and fish only and that is what you appeal to--the El Cheapo hobbyists, SPS fanatics spend tons of $$ and will not go to your store because the word is out that you don't carry what they want, "I can get it" or "I can order it for them" is not good enough. I'll repeat again, you can't sell out of an empty wagon!! I go to one store that is a 3 hour drive one way and on Saturday they open their doors after having gotten a shipment of 25-50 or so Acros the night before and within literally 30-45 minutes they are sold out, no exagerration!! High end hobbyists like myself flock to the place but maybe pick up small incidentals at the local store that has one or 2 half dead Acros in stock and only stock PC lights--nobody flocking to this local place and the owner says he won't carry more because there is no demand---sound familiar?? What is that saying---build it and they will come, same holds true for corals and high end equipment---stock it and they will come, a couple of well placed ads in the Sunday paper and a few happy fanatics and the word will spread like wildfire. You've got to spend money it to make money--invest in your business more!
Again, this is just my opinion and experience based on years of driving around to many LFS--sometimes driving hours to get to a good store, I'm not picking on you JennM but you have perfectly illustrated why hobbysists go online, the LFS does not offer what they want. Offer mostly softies and a few other corals and fish only and that is what you appeal to--the El Cheapo hobbyists, SPS fanatics spend tons of $$ and will not go to your store because the word is out that you don't carry what they want, "I can get it" or "I can order it for them" is not good enough. I'll repeat again, you can't sell out of an empty wagon!! I go to one store that is a 3 hour drive one way and on Saturday they open their doors after having gotten a shipment of 25-50 or so Acros the night before and within literally 30-45 minutes they are sold out, no exagerration!! High end hobbyists like myself flock to the place but maybe pick up small incidentals at the local store that has one or 2 half dead Acros in stock and only stock PC lights--nobody flocking to this local place and the owner says he won't carry more because there is no demand---sound familiar?? What is that saying---build it and they will come, same holds true for corals and high end equipment---stock it and they will come, a couple of well placed ads in the Sunday paper and a few happy fanatics and the word will spread like wildfire. You've got to spend money it to make money--invest in your business more!