opening a small specialist pet shop.

call-me-the-man · #1 10/20/2006, 04:09 AM

In the not to distant future, I want to open a small aquatic store, dedicating to rare marine/fresh/cold/corals/inverts water fish, and to the serious hobbists. When I mean rare I mean RARE E.g

Helfrichi Firefish
Moorish idols (eating LOL)
Zebrasoma gemmatum

and so on, but I am after the wholesalers (after the collecters) that have good selection of fis and at a good cost. I have a goldfish wholesaler and Im happy with the quality... But any help would be appreciated. Im really after the people who supply Liveaquaria.com

old salty · #2 10/20/2006, 09:31 AM

If you open it to the public, you should expect people to ask you if they can see the puppies.

Other than that, I wish you the best of luck. I have stayed clear of any employment that would require me to deal with customers, so I really can't help you there.

Holmie_D_Klown · #3 10/20/2006, 09:48 AM

Will this store be mainly an on-line store like liveaquaria, or a LFS-type? Sounds interesting. Wish you luck

MCary · #4 10/20/2006, 10:18 AM

What's your market research tell you? How many people are standing in line to buy $3000 tangs?

Travis L. Stevens · #5 10/20/2006, 10:24 AM

This will be very difficult to do only to focus on the rare and expensive. You have to factor in the number of aquarists that would be interest. Then you have to figure out how many of those have money. As you can see, not many. That's like being a car salesman that strictly sells Hummers, Lamborghinis, and Porsches. It's far and in between for the big sale that keeps you afloat. If you open a shop for the public to view, be prepared for people just to come in and look. You'll also need "insurance". Not the actual stuff, but you're going to have some really mad customers when a $2000.00 fish dies on them. Regardless if it is their fault or yours, in the customer's eyes it will always be your fault and they will want compensation.

Now, you can eliminate some of those problems and open up to more people if you choose to go online with your business or shop and online combination. But with shipping fish like that, there is a HUGE problem of fish not making it through transportation. There is a reason why these fish are rare and expensive. Most of the time, it's not because they are hard to find in the ocean, it's because their survival rate in captivity and shipping is dismal.

That raises another issue. Ethics. I'm a person with high ethics, but I'll say this with a neutral point of view. If you can look past the thousands that die in shipment and captivity just to get one satisfied customer with a fish that lives to the fullest, then be prepared to take a lot of heat from others. It will happen. But in being strong, you have to make yourself presentable and not "rude" in how you take things in stride, or you'll damage your reptutation greatly. That hurts business.

And one last thing to consider. Because big sales will be far and in between, you'll have to find a way to sell bread and butter pieces to keep you afloat. You might specialize in rare and odd animals, but you'll have to keep certain things in stock all the time. For example, as common as clownfish, yellow tangs, and regal tangs are, people still want them and love to see them. Whether you hate them or love them, it's about what the customers want.

Phoric · #6 10/20/2006, 11:06 AM

Take into consideration also that most live fish stores that have been established for years are pulling in very little profit, and it took many years for them to get over the point of loosing large amounts of capital just to get started. If you are specializing only in exotics, which have a much much smaller customer base, you are going to need some serious cash (hundreds of thousands just to start), and not to mention really good insurance and a good lawyer (to deal with all the filthy-rich brats who are ****ed that the $4,000 tang they ordered showed up dead).

Then, you have to compete with large, established companies like Liveaquaria.com, who are already selling both common and exotic species.

call-me-the-man · #7 10/20/2006, 08:28 PM

Thanks for the replys!

I plan to have around 40 display tanks of sizes between 10-800 gal tanks... Ill have around $200000 to open it up so ill have some cash to splash... Selling all types of marine fish like clowns and blennies and then the rares so I have a constant flow of money for not everyone is after a $3000 fish but do for a $20. I have been trying to find a wholesaler but I am having troubles...

Frankysreef · #8 10/20/2006, 08:32 PM

lots of wholesalers around LAX in los angeles

Mishap · #9 10/20/2006, 08:45 PM

What area of the country are you in?

call-me-the-man · #10 10/20/2006, 09:21 PM

oww, and I am not in America I am in New Zealand... So year, 20hour plane trip... LOL

jsdratm · #11 10/20/2006, 09:46 PM

If there are no other fish stores in the area you will probably do OK, but if there are some, you might not get the business you need. I would probably do a combination online and in store fish business. That way, you can compete in both arenas and have a greater chance of success.

old salty · #12 10/20/2006, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by call-me-the-man
oww, and I am not in America I am in New Zealand... So year, 20hour plane trip... LOL

Go All Blacks!!

call-me-the-man · #13 10/20/2006, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by old salty
Go All Blacks!!

Thats the Spirit!

Their is only 4 shops that sell marines and they have two tanks each, and they have damsles, so I have the business I want! Im going online to so i can supply NZ wide. But I need a wholesaler that can ship to NZ for Im going to have 50 tanks for quartine.

Tang Salad · #14 10/20/2006, 10:40 PM

Are you in Auckland?

call-me-the-man · #15 10/20/2006, 11:09 PM

no Hamilton

call-me-the-man · #16 10/21/2006, 02:40 AM

So does anyone know any wholesalers?

www.marinecenter.com/

Where do they get their fish from?

Tang Salad · #17 10/21/2006, 04:11 AM

I don't think you'll find much help on this board, as few people here can tell you much about importing to New Zealand.

Why don't you ask around at some local LFSs?

call-me-the-man · #18 10/21/2006, 05:43 AM

No i know all the info, but I am after the wholesalers/collecters but having great dificulty finding any.

Tang Salad · #19 10/21/2006, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by call-me-the-man
I am after the wholesalers/collecters

I mean that your LFS in NZ should have more information about this .

jsdratm · #20 10/21/2006, 06:13 AM

You can probably slip someone who works at the LFS a 5'er to find out who the wholesaler is lol. I doubt the owner would tell you for fear of getting a competitor.

ZOKU · #21 10/21/2006, 10:39 AM

Best of luck...

Kogo · #22 10/21/2006, 11:05 AM

the reason why rare fish are rare is because they are difficult to find. as a result, those who know how and where to get them keep it guarded. asking them to give you thier sources is like asking them to give you thier business plan.

being able to find rare fish should be your minimal qualification for starting this buisiness you propose, not the final consideration you franticly search internet forums for.

good luck anyway.

skeeter_ca · #23 10/21/2006, 11:23 AM

Well this is a dream almost all fish owners have thought of at one time or another. I have thought of the same thing, stock all the commons but also specialize in the unusual items. My area is unfortuneately saturated already. I have talked with several LFS owners and honestly i don't believe with $200,000 you will be swimming in money. Intial startup equipment and stocking the shelves will eat that up fast. I was told by one of the LFS owners when he opened his carpet cost $30,000. He did not have a large store but it had the be and indoor/outdoor type because of all the water. Before you start to buy anything i would make up an entire list of everything and cost. It would be tragic if you run out of $ before the shop is even open. A comprehensive buisness plan would be the best approach. Look up on the net how to start a buisness and get started on that before you spend one dime. I hope it works out but remember most buisnesses don't make it through year 2. If you use logic and a buisness attitude along with your passion it might just work.

aquadw

MCary · #24 10/21/2006, 12:02 PM

Being in New Zealand changes things. I can tell you that in America such a venture would be fool hardy. Why carry a $3000 tang for instance instead of just special ordering it and elliminate the death of inventory risk. Also Moorish Idols are not rare or even expensive. Just hard to keep alive.

There's I guy I talked to in South Africa that has 3 gem tangs. He caught them himself. That might be who you'd want to build contacts with instead of wholsalers. Specialty, rare, or collectable retailers are usually people who deal directly with other collectors or suppliers. Its not an area that has alot of wholesalers

Mike

DrBegalke · #25 10/21/2006, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Travis L. Stevens
This will be very difficult to do only to focus on the rare and expensive. You have to factor in the number of aquarists that would be interest. Then you have to figure out how many of those have money. As you can see, not many. That's like being a car salesman that strictly sells Hummers, Lamborghinis, and Porsches.

IMO rare/exotic car dealerships make a lot of money.