Just Trying to Gauge Interest........

[koltsixx]

Okay I'm seriously considering becoming a MFK vendor. I love this hobby and can't imagine a better job than being a vendor. At Least for me it seems like a dream job. I know it would be tough at times, and that it's no easy job, but I think loving your job just makes it a little easier to find a way to overcome obstacles. Anyway I digress my real reason for starting this thread is an attempt to gauge what Fish MFK'ers want at this time from a distributor. What fish are in demand so I can research their cost to me. What profit margins I can negotiate? As well as if possible offer a better price or at least a competitive one to my fellow MFK'ers. I'm hoping that if I do become a vendor, I want to try to create a monthly poll option so I can know a month in advance what you guys want and make arrangements to fill your wants. So please help me out, talk to me tell me what fish you think I should generally include in this pole. I'm hoping to find out the most commonly sought out fish and what fish seem to be in high demand lately. So please suggestions, I'd love to hear your opinions. Then the next step for me will be to create a poll and see what numbers each fish generate. So I can make my business as adaptive as possible to suit the needs of you my hopeful future customer's. Thank you in advance.

 

[nes999]

what do you know? what do you want to sell? you need to tknow your product very well.

 

[koltsixx]

I've pretty much had most of the fish I see on the forums. From Stingrays to catfish to cichlids to predatory characins. To list all the fish I've had and sold over approx. 15 years would be along list. My knowledge about fish is pretty well if I say so myself. From cohab to environmental origins of the fish to routine care. I know about shedding cycles of certain fish, etc... I'm no expert but how many vendors are. I know enough to know several vendors on here have mislabeled fish accidently and in advertantly over charged their consumer because of it. Besides as a vendor the goal isn't long term husbandry but acclimation, checking for parasites, proper quarantine procedures and medication procedures if necessary. As well as knowing the right people to do business with. I don't understand the question though since selling a product and not knowing about it is my problem as there are legal rammifications as well as the loss of my business and monetary gains should I not know what I'm doing. As a consumer all the power is yours if you should feel you weren't satisfied and given a poor product. All the risk is mine. I hope this answer's your question.

 

[nes999]

I'm no expert but how many vendors are. I know enough to know several vendors on here have mislabeled fish accidently and in advertantly over charged their consumer because of it. Besides as a vendor the goal isn't long term husbandry but acclimation, checking for parasites, proper quarantine procedures and medication procedures if necessary.

if you dont know your product. when i come to you with 100 question how will you answer this? the reason i ask you this is i own a small rc car business. i have spend 12 hours emailing and 4+ hours on the phone with a custumer, just to have the buy a 4 dollar part. i dont want you to get in over your head. i honestly rather buy from hobbiest/small businesses then say petco.

 

[koltsixx]

Well I'm pretty avid reader and always researched any animal I've ever purchased well in advance. The only problem I've ever had was selling my fish as I wanted to try my hand at another animals husbandry and either didn't have the room to accommodate or knew the animals weren't capable of a successful co-habitation. Plus I was always worried if I was selling my pets to a dedicated enthusiast. I don't know if it really counts for anything either but I was a Veterinary Technician. I say that cause even though we studied a broad range of animals including things like remora fish to horses mostly the focus was on large animals such as cattle, horses, rabbits, dogs, cats, birds and other farm animals as that was seen as what we would most likely run into on the job. Most of my knowledge of fish keeping has come from personal experience. I have truly thought this out before posting my query. I've already found out about importation regulations, cost of the license, shipping cost's, D.O.A. losses, Cost of many fish and my general overhead. I have tripped along the way in fish keeping, but feel I'm ready now to try such a venture. I'm still trying to hammer out the finer details so I can get as close as I can to finding a general overhead, and that's why I posted the query. Thank you though. I know many people leap before they look, I try not to be one of them. I've taken small business classess as well before starting this endeavor in order to properly use my financial resources and try to prevent future losses due to lacking foresight.

 

[nes999]

one big piece of advice is talk to the people your buying your stuff from in person if possible, if not phone. people will give you a better price if they feel they know you. one product i sell, bearings, i emailed the company they wanted 27cents a piece. mine you they sell for 3-9 dollars a peice at th store. i called them spend 5 min. on the phone and now i get 7 cents a peice witch allows me to spend more on other things.


also when you do get rolling hit me up i have a couple fish i need imported.

 

[I<3fish]

Well... Peacock bass (rare ones) sell like crazy lol.

 

[Deep Blue Sea]

datnoids seem to go pretty fast and so do rare pikes and catfish

 

[koltsixx]

I really expected alot more comments. Everyone always seems to be dying waiting for a vendor to get certain fish. So I really thought I'd have alot more responses. Got 84 views and only like 2 responses that answered with what they want. I was really hoping to get a read on the pulse of what everyone wanted. It's too bad probably gonna go in blind to this. Hope everyone has tastes similar to mine.

 

[Cakilla]

Good luck on your venture, from what I have seen I wouild say datnoids, different strains of P bass, but I would also carry staple fish like JD, O's, birchirs , Rd, jags.... fish like those there always seem to be interest in them .... hope this helps