CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

Just wondering what would be your ideal pet store?

Would it be:

All big tanks 55gallons and up with limited selection? or just alot of smaller tanks with a large variety? (can't be both room is a factor)

Normal type of store? or one that specializes in predatory type fish? (and other choice animals)


In a store what would be more impressive :
two large glass tanks (500 gallons) at the doorway or one large (1,000 gallon) walkover pond

Would you be more likely to go to a store that has quite a few rare fish and some normal fish? or a huge variety of common fish and a few oddballs?


Do Saltwater fish actually draw anyone to a store?or is that just something people buy later from a store they like?


Let me know what you think,

I'm starting to kick around the idea about opening a store but by doing it I'll probally lose a few local stores (the whole competition thing) that buy my babies now so I'm trying to figure out what would work best,if it's worth it and what the general public wants or likes in a store.

I really just don't like many local stores anymore and have a chance to lease a building in march or april,so trying to figure a few things before then.


So Far:
I'd be able to stock a store with:
florida,hawiian and indo (shri-lankian) saltwater fish
cichlids bred here
Piranhas - I've got a source (maybe my on babies too)
imports from south and cental america - got a supplier
bearded dragons (bred here)
chameleons bred here
leopard geckos (bred here)
other reptiles almost any kind (I've got alot of friends in reptiles)
I've got suppliers for crickets,feeder fish and rodents
I'm sure I can order livebearers,tetras and such from a few places - if needed

How much backlash do you think I'd get from all the current local stores if I sold 1/2 of my live animals to the public at or below what they pay wholesale? (thats one big thought still)


Throw me some ideas,since I'd be selling (if I do this) to the public ,alot of this stuff would depend on peoples general oponions rather then just what I'd like so let me know.

sounds a little like the store that Adam is planing to start. maybe your on to something

welll.....within a 10mile radius from my house....i can name like 9 fish stores...cus we live in the city....

usually, the american owner stores tend to sell fish more expensive, while the asian stores sell for cheaper...(lol im asian)

anyways...the LFS i work for (my favorite) was one that specialized in birds...and a little of discus, goldfish/koi...that kindda stuff....they have cheap/healthy fish and tend to get the most traffic out of all of them....the fish there was like 75% the prices of other stores...

my second favorite one is the huge huge one they have...its like a warehouse....they have nice designs, settings, and a huge 2" thick acrylic 1000g tank.....they dont get much traffic but the store is huge....and they have huge varieties...yet, not much cichlids....they dint have JD or GT last time i checked....the thing the specialize in are flowerhorns (100$+ each..all the way up to 1500 each)....i think theyre overpriced.....BUT the store has a lot of types of supplies/parts...etc.

my 3rd favorite is a store thats kindda like the first one i describe...but theyre more expensive....they have less variety, but they have a lot of adopted fish from people who got rid of them...they also have some illegal fish, like piranhas (marked as pacus)...man eating catfish...some of the snakehead things...and sometimes have the baby turtles which are illegal under 4"

anyways....my idea here, is to open the store and have a big sale...to get customers. not only you sell fish that are rare...you MUST sell a lot of the cheap fish for like beginners...cus THOSE are the ones who buy more...cus they keep dying...lol....feeders is a must...and good service, prices viewable, and a lil info bout the fish being sold written on/by the tank....i think all you need is about 3 display tanks, one marine, 1 for like small fish...and one huge tank for like big agressive and/or arrowana....(thats wut all asian stores have...arrowana...lol)....setting examples will get more people to buy...

remember...people like the words ..."grand opennning sale"...
50% off all fish...but raise the price.....lol

only my oppinnion...i was bored so i wrote this hekka long

I reallly think that you would have to keep the beginner fish because I believe thay make the most money for the store. I think 2-500 would look great when you first walkin kind of like a hallway.

I think you will just need to biuld a comstumer base. Once you get stilled in and you have regulars they will spread the word for you as long as you supply them with just about anything they need. Around my area there is a lot of fish store but none of them can get any kind of fish you want at any size except one. They are a little more expensive but I like how if they don't have something in stock and I can't live without I can just ask for it and a week later they will have it ready for me.
I think as long as when you start you have lower prices than your competition you will be able to get by but as you get more notice from the public you can raise prices to average and still get by.
I think another big thing is the knowledge of the staff. Some store employ idiots that know nothing about fish. So they spout of here say info to people and so it causes a problem. I won't go to a store that doesn't have a good knowledgable staff because who knows how they have been caring for this fish that I'm going to buy.

I think 2-500 would look great when you first walkin kind of like a hallway

I was thinking that,but then I was also thinking a huge pond like 4 or 5 of the Macourt ponds ran together would look cool and filled with Piranhas it could handle unwanted customers and shoplifters

I think another big thing is the knowledge of the staff.

Definatly! and not sure how easy it will be to find people.

you MUST sell a lot of the cheap fish for like beginners...cus THOSE are the ones who buy more

Good point,even though I don't like those kinds of fish

remember...people like the words ..."grand opennning sale"...

yeah I've learned that going to fish and reptile shows over the years, just like how it's amazing that @$5 you'll sell one thing but price the same thing at $4.99 and you'll sell 10 or price something at $3.00 sell one,price it as SALE 3 for $10 and even though it's actually higher priced people are still more willing to buy


I've got a while to debate this so at least I'm getting a little better ideas as to what would work best if I decide to do it.

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?aquariums&1044803401

check out that deal.....very good deal if yer gonna start a store and need a lot of tanks....

thats IF you live close to that area to come pick it up if you wanna buy it...lol

that deals ok but if you buy that stuff new wholesale (with a retail location,busuness liscense etc..) all at once you can get it for about half (undrilled),unless the pumps on that group are super expensive.

I have been in retail now for A LONG TIME (too long i sometimes believe ). I was a manager with Wal-Mart for 8 years, and for the last 7 years have been a store manager w/ Office depot. I know we dont sell fish (;)) but my store does a substantial amount of volume (over $9 million last year, and aprox. 4,500 customers per week). I have been assigned to several "problem" stores in different markets to help clean them up, and get the sales back on track. Typically, what has the largest impact on sales is service. A friendly, knowledgeable sales staff is well worth whatever payroll it takes to employ them!

Also, product availability is very important, but it doesnt mean you have to stock everything. Start developing relationships with vendors and other resources so that you can get most things that your customers need.

Pricing is important, but probably the least important of these 3! Customers dont mind paying a little more if they feel they have been treated well, you know your products, and that you will stand behind them in the event they have problems. From my experiences with LFS, it wouldn't be hard to have the "best price in town"! It is not uncommon to see 200% or 300% mark-ups, around here anyway. There are numerous retail "guru's" that have different thoughts about pricing. Some believe that large mark-ups produce large profits. This is true, but I've always agreed with the Sam Walton theory...buy it as cheap as you can, mark it up slightly and generate more sales volume, producing the same amount of profit. Also, if you sell more because your much cheaper than anyone else, your coming in contact with alot more customers, thus building a much better customer base! This will give you more "word of mouth" advertising which is much more effective than anything printed on paper!

As far as the store layout, you need to start with something that is practical as far as maintenance and your beginning budget. I would imagine you will have minimal resources for payroll and maintenance costs until you get the store "on its feet". Set it up so that it is appealing to you, customer friendly to shop, but still cost effective. Establish your reputation first, then you can continously expand, adding a larger assortment of products.

it's amazing that @$5 you'll sell one thing but price the same thing at $4.99 and you'll sell 10 or price something at $3.00 sell one,price it as SALE 3 for $10 and even though it's actually higher priced people are still more willing to buy

Another Sam Walton theory. Wonder why Wal-mart is the largest, most profitable retailer in the world...and employs more people than the US government!!

people like the words ..."grand opennning sale"... but raise the price

LOL,,commonly refered to as "price baiting"...if proven, federal offense with loss of business license and possible time in the big "fish bowl" .
Good luck stilllearnin,, from our emails, and your posts in here, I'm sure you have the knowledge to do this!
DonB

you can't keep this a secret,now I know which - buddy of mine - Jay was refering too.
I say go for it! then it'll be closer then your house for me to get fish:)

as for you making people mad you did that when you started wholesaleing so whats the difference and who cares? LOL

Why stall and debate tank sizes - just pull all your old tanks out of your dads garage and start selling some fish.I know theres gotta be 100 tanks in there sheeesh


I will brainwash the rest into you tommorow when I stop by:)

I wasn't "keeping it a secret" it's just an idea still.

as for you making people mad you did that when you started wholesaleing so whats the difference and who cares? LOL

I do, wholesalers didn't like me then (some still don't ) I see no point in another price war and this time I cann't afford to lose $ and I can't make everyone mad I can only sell so many fish retail unless you want to commit to buying all my fry? Rember even though I deal with these people,when one throws a fit they all stick together half of the time,the few years I've dealt with some of them means nothing to the 20 years or more some of them have dealt with each other.

I know theres gotta be 100 tanks in there sheeesh

I think theres actually 86 in there but those are all 10 and 15 gallon tanks,some don't hold water and thats not really a group of tanks to setup a store with.



DonB
You sort of nailed some of my self-debateing on the head!

Start developing relationships with vendors and other resources so that you can get most things that your customers need.

This I have now,but some of the good wholesalers (fish and hard goods) in this area only sell to like 1 retail outlet in a given area,so if other stores complain it could end my supply and possiable my outlet to sell my fry.It'd be like wal-mart buying from k-mart knowing they can't compete

Typically, what has the largest impact on sales is service. A friendly, knowledgeable sales staff is well worth whatever payroll it takes to employ them!

I'd agree with that for the most part but two other things I'm thinking about (since you seem to know retail) are Location and customer (or brand-know what I mean) Loyalty.

This I have now,but some of the good wholesalers (fish and hard goods) in this area only sell to like 1 retail outlet in a given area,so if other stores complain it could end my supply and possiable my outlet to sell my fry.It'd be like wal-mart buying from k-mart knowing they can't compete

I understand, but why can't YOU be the "wal-mart" here? Vendors work off of commission, and wholesalers have included a mark-up in their wholesale price to you. Both are out to generate sales for themselves, and earn profit. These people would much rather sell to multiple businesses than just one. Plus, if you maintain the "mark it up a little, and generate more volume" theory, you will be purchasing alot more quantity than the competitors, helping to solidify your relationship with your suppliers.

Rember even though I deal with these people,when one throws a fit they all stick together half of the time,the few years I've dealt with some of them means nothing to the 20 years or more some of them have dealt with each other.

Its sad, but in the very competitive retail environment, someone has to lose! If your going to enter the competition, you've got to have an "ace" over the others. The only things customers want are service, selection (either in store or by some means of ordering), and a reasonable price. When small businesses "stick together for 20 years" it allows them to pretty much do what they want, and you are going to shake that up a little .

I'd agree with that for the most part but two other things I'm thinking about (since you seem to know retail) are Location and customer (or brand-know what I mean) Loyalty.

Of course a good, highly visable location is important, but remember that the better the location, the higher the lease will be. If you have the operating budget to sustain this,,go for it. If not, find a low budget location, rely on establishing you reputation, and expand from there. If you have the three things I spoke of before (Service, product availability, and price) people will find you!
Customer loyalty has to be "built". Our CEO says that customer service is "not only what you do for the customer, but how you made them feel". If your customers feel like they had a good shopping experience (service), got what they wanted, and paid a reasonable price, they'll be back. If they had a bad or average experience, they probably still got what they wanted, but there wont be anything to bring them back. There was nothing there that made them "feel" any better than your competitors. These customers will simply shop out of convenience, at whatever store is closest to them.
DonB