A
Anonymous
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Hey Guys -
Lets stop any and all insults and derogatory digs.
RDO appreciates your understanding.
Lets stop any and all insults and derogatory digs.
RDO appreciates your understanding.
Do you not order from companies that drop ship drygoods like you don't order from companies that drop ship livestock?
I was speaking to the point of LFS being more convenient, and I don't think one can say that they really are in terms of livestock or drygoods.
sdcfish":3p338muu said:She says it's "absurd" that I would threaten to stop selling a customer if they were undercutting retail prices on items they purchased from us, but do you really think she would feel the same way if a garage seller or me.
Seems to me her opinions are pretty much opportunistic....and since she has repeatedly declared she's not an SDC customer, I would unfortunately say she has a biased opinion of us, although many geniune attempts to her have been made to offer our services. As the saying goes....you can't make everyone happy, but I personally try to...been that way pretty much my whole life, personally and in business. Sorry Jen.
I still think Jen's success as a retailer can shed some light on how others might be successful, and her views might help others in regards to how to run their business....pretty much everyone is here to add to the discussion, and each person can decide for themselves what they like and don't like about comments that are made.
dizzy":2eovycwt said:vitz":2eovycwt said:dude-you're simply prejudiced against electronic commerce, for no really good valid reason-the venue does not determine the quality of the institution-the people behind running it and how it's run, does :idea:
Look dude this stuff works best when not everyone is trying to play at it. Too many stores in one area is usually bad for all of them. I've seen it happen in several places around here at different times. What it generally does is force margins down to the point profitabiltiy is lost and then some go out. What would the average fly over territory retail store really have to add to the etail game? More and better variety or cheaper prices? In most cases I say probably neither. The really successful stores around here in places like Nashville and Louisville aren't ecommersing. I think they realize it is better to take care of their walkin customers than trying to compete with the F&S and Marine Depots of the world.
PS
I think you've been in LA La Land so long you've lost touch with the Heartland. If indeed you ever were in touch in the first place.
Mitch
You mention who's creating the hobbyists? Well I think the internet has been a great credit and source of information for newbies, and with all the cool photos and information online, it's alot easier to learn how to keep a marine aquarium these days by researching online, than by hoping you will get good advice from a busy retailer's $10/hr employee. So I believe it's both the retailer and the internet that generates newbies....and more sources than that. A newbie may go online and do a search for Saltwater fish....do you think that a petstore is going to be the first hit on their search? No..it will most likely be an internet based etailer. So yes, etailers will help generate newbies for the hobby.
Thales":3bzzbzqs said:I think that the Big Boxes have had more impact on LFS than ecommerce.
dizzy":3hvsq2rg said::? Everyone seems to agree retail has taken a hit except for vitz who happens to work for one of the name changers kalk alluded too. If things are so rosy why was that keep the letters, change the meaning of said letters, and change paper owner thingy even necessary?
In the past year or two Fin Den and Fish Bowl went under in Nashville. Both were over 20-year stores and neither have been replaced by independents. I also think I heard Harp's in Evansville,In took the saltwater out of their store. Our Marineland/Tetra/Perfecto rep also closed his long time family independent retail store (St. Louie) to take the rep job. For whatever reason there is a bit of an exodus of 20-year plus stores out of the industry. I was at the Loveland Trade Show two weeks ago and got to communicate with some of the retailers that are holding on. The ones that are doing the best are full line stores with dogs and cats and reptiles and ferrets and lots of high maintenance stuff that is difficult to keep clean.
Another thing that is happening is that some manufacturers are going direct to the stores and bypassing distribution. First Penn Plax and now Hagen. The word I keep hearing is that manufacturers are beginning to see the error of their ways and realize that despite what vitz is trying to say, many brick and mortars are struggling. If there are any retailers out there that want to get a read on the pulse of the industry, talk to the company reps when they come around and ask them. Also our Royal delivery guy quit awhile ago. He worked there for 15 plus years and said it used to be a great place to work. He told me a lot of stores on his routes had closed and the company had to cut "benefits" to employees as a result.
So you can believe that the big box and ecommerse invasion have had a negative impact on most brick and mortar retailers across the country, or you can believe as vitz does that it's just a few bad stores cying wolf.
Mitch
and their fish are simply there as a loss leader to sell crappy setups that people eventually come in to pay me to fix up with proper filtration.
GTR":38i8uxd5 said:and their fish are simply there as a loss leader to sell crappy setups that people eventually come in to pay me to fix up with proper filtration.
Those cheap inferior setups are what sets the hook in many cases. Telling them the truth that it's going to cost them 5k for the new system won't allow you to sleep better at night since you'll be awake thinking about how to pay the bills instead of thinking about how you abused the customers. :lol:
SteveU
dizzy":23qv1hs0 said:vitz,
One reason a business changes its name is to stiff creditors when they go bankrupt. :wink: If the shoe fits. The main reason stores are closing is that others have found a way to buy and sell cheaper than they can. From a saltwater perspective this has been aided and abetted by the wholesalers who enable dropshipping and sell to the low overhead garage guys. The big box have been able to hurt brick and mortars with purchasing muscle. Plain and simple they can buy direct from manufacturers and the save the 35% markup the wholesalers want to make for delivering the stuff to your door.
BTW I don't really need arm chair quarterbacks telling me how I should run my business. I'll certainly listen and relate to fellow retailers, but if someone has never walked the walk then then don't need to be trying to talk the talk IMHO.