Who needs wholesalers/LFS/etailers, let's do a group buy

[Anonymous]

Vitz,
Are you saying that I should litigate Rob for misrepresentation and selling a company that he did not have ownership in ?
Words of Wisdom Vitz--- This is now becoming a legal issue, choose your words very carefully. There is some l history that you should be aware of. It had nothing to do with me---------- but be very, very careful.

i've said all i have to, and need to, say.

 

[Race]

I will rest my case your honor. No further questions.

Good night, Race

 

[RichardS]

what I hear are businesses complaining because consumers are becoming educated and prudent with their money once they are exposed to other hobbyists in a club setting....instead of remaining oblivious and easily exploited by the trade. What does this say? It reminds us of the realities...and how vested interests work against ethical ideals.

The networking and information sharing advantages of traditional clubs are now provided by the internet completely. The few remaining advantages in regional associations revolve around leveraging buying power and trading/selling cultured livestock. And this is a surprise to someone??? Someone didn't see that coming?? Adapt.

I also doubt that this hobby relies exclusively on the LFS for recruitment. Maybe in 1980 it relied heavily on stores, but now we have a new reality. The idea that the trade 'needs' a lot of B&M stores in order to survive or get 'the word out' ot the general public seems short-sighted.

I agree with everything you've said except the last part. I have many now "advanced" hobbyist's who never would have become involved in the hobby were it not for seeing reef tanks in my store and spending lots of time picking my brain until they overcame the fear of doing saltwater. Case in point, I am ordering a 150 reef setup for a guy who is now a very active hobbyist and involved in our local reef club (as am I). He was started in this hobby four years ago by me when he came into my store and purchased a 2 betta's for his daughters. It progressed from there.

It's in the area of drygoods that I think etailers are having the biggest affect on me. It's hard give someone a valid reason why they should pay me 2-3 times as much for something. They don't know/care that I am paying the same or more to my wholesaler as the etailer is selling it for. Hell, before I opened a store I ordered most of my drygoods online and just like my customers I always thought the stores were just jacking the price up on me.

 

[bookfish]

But Eric you already told us you allow the clubs to buy at wholesale prices. How would selling the best stuff a store gets at wholesale prices be a benefit?

He said he does that once a year, which I think actually benefits everyone in the hobby. Most hobbyists are dying to see what a wholesaler is like on the inside.
I don't know about the group Eric is dealing with, but at similar events (we don't hold events where people can buy from wholesalers as not to step on LFS toes - although, perhaps making it some kind of fundraiser by charging 10-15% above wholesale and then donating that money to something reef or industry worthy would be a great idea) we have raffles with donated product from LFS and with LFS gift certificates, both of which serve to drive traffic to the stores.

Hi All, I'm VP of our local reef club and we meet inside one of our local wholesalers. They are often nice enough to show people around and sometimes even donate directly, but we are very careful to never allow any wholesale purchasing by club members.-Jim

 

[sdcfish]

Just a note off - topic......

A small tornado or super blast of wind blew the roof off our building today....we were on NBC news all day. Located at the LAX airport...it was a super freak incident....everyone is ok...business as usual...just a bit of a convertible situation!

Literally ripped the skin of our roof completely off....it was soo wierd.

Ok...back to business...

Regards.

 

[sdcfish]

Just a note off - topic......

A small tornado or super blast of wind blew the roof off our building today....we were on NBC news all day. Located at the LAX airport...it was a super freak incident....everyone is ok...business as usual...just a bit of a convertible situation!

Literally ripped the skin of our roof completely off....it was soo wierd.

Ok...back to business...

Regards.

 

[Anonymous]

Sheesh, gland nothing else happenned Eric I missed todays news

 

[Race]

Vitz,
While you were sleeping I did a little homework and some guesswork.

ERI E-ric--R-ob and I-RA

ERI E-Exotic R-Reef I-Import

Retailers please make your own assumptions. This is my guess.

By the way, Don Laden and Pet Warehouse also started their dropshipping out of ERI. I bought that company as well so know the history.

I learned much more in my history lesson.

 

[dizzy]

Hi All, I'm VP of our local reef club and we meet inside one of our local wholesalers. They are often nice enough to show people around and sometimes even donate directly, but we are very careful to never allow any wholesale purchasing by club members.-Jim

Excellent Jim and in my opinion this is the way it should be done. It shows some respect for the wholesale distribution chain, and also avoids possibly breaking sales tax law. I still want and expect Eric Cohen to tell us how he handles the sales tax issue. In order to buy at wholesale prices I have to sign a blanket certificate that gives our sales tax number and proves we are entitled to purchase at wholesale without paying sales tax. A business like SDC is required to get this proof that someone has a business license and keep it on file. Without this they must collect the sales tax and send it to the state. So Eric when you allow hobbyists to shop at SDC, are you collecting the sales tax and sending it to the state as required by law? Or are you doing some sort of cash and carry scheme?
Thanks,
Mitch

PS
Sorry to hear about your roof. I'm glad the livestock is fine.

 

[nanocat]

I've been to SDC as a club member on an annual visit. While the prices were slightly less than retail, no way were they wholesale IMO. As an example, I think I paid around $3.50/lb for haitian live rock.

(I don't mean to be ungrateful, I appreciated SDC letting our club visit, but I wanted to allay the fears that we were paying strict wholesale prices).

 

[JennM]

I've been to SDC as a club member on an annual visit. While the prices were slightly less than retail, no way were they wholesale IMO. As an example, I think I paid around $3.50/lb for haitian live rock.

(I don't mean to be ungrateful, I appreciated SDC letting our club visit, but I wanted to allay the fears that we were paying strict wholesale prices).

Did you pay sales tax?

Jenn

 

[sdcfish]

Mitch....

Are you kidding me? I never would have expected something as trivial as this to come out of my post....but I guess you just never know what a person is capable of doing.

Just for the record (to now cover my ass) SDC pays all due taxes to the state of California and runs it's business according to the laws herein and therein, therefore, and soforth....in,out, around and in all encompassing policies, rules, regulations hence forth....etc...etc...etc....but not limited to anything or everything I have said, done or will do....

Please feel free ad to my statement.....enjoy!

 

[dizzy]

Eric,
I can assure you state governments don't consider collecting sales tax a trivial matter. We have to fill out monthly reports and send end the amount we collect, minus the little bit they allow us to keep for doing their dirty work. So you are telling us that you fill out sales tax reports?
thanks,
Mitch

 

[Piero]

gimme a break...
_________________
Rehab message board

 

[Anonymous]

Just for the record (to now cover my ass) SDC pays all due taxes to the state of California and runs it's business according to the laws herein and therein, therefore, and soforth....in,out, around and in all encompassing policies, rules, regulations hence forth....etc...etc...etc....but not limited to anything or everything I have said, done or will do....

 

[Anonymous]

Here is another that is doing basically the same thing. http://www.kaiohi.com/ It looks like they did a group buy for WMAS. If the format works I think it will grow. What they are doing is certainly no more harmful to retailers than the dropshipping wholesalers. In a way it is sort of funny seeing the wholesalers get cut out too. I know many of them already allow the clubs to come in their facilities and sell direct to them at wholesale prices. Now the clubs want to buy at what the wholesalers buy for. :lol:

There's a handful of these now hitting the club scene. I've seen many of these threads on club forums around the states!

FWIW< did you check ou that webpage you provided? Can you count how many fish in the first photo have NOTHING to do with Hawaii, like the conspic and clarion :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Vitz,
While you were sleeping I did a little homework and some guesswork.

ERI E-ric--R-ob and I-RA

ERI E-Exotic R-Reef I-Import

Retailers please make your own assumptions. This is my guess.

By the way, Don Laden and Pet Warehouse also started their dropshipping out of ERI. I bought that company as well so know the history.

I learned much more in my history lesson.

nice to see you're so studious and industrious, and thanx for verifying what i said earlier-exotic reef imports deals only with retail stores, and ERI has been defunct for quite awhile

 

[JennM]

ERI used to also have the name "Biolink" on their invoices. Copied from the Secretary of State of California Business Portal


LP/LLC Number Date Filed Status LP/LLC Name Agent for Service of Process
199626210014 9/18/1996 pending cancel BIOLINK, LLC ROBERT MILLER

Definition of Status:

Pending Cancel: The California or foreign limited liability company has completed the winding up of the affairs and has submitted a Certificate of Cancellation to the Secretary of State. The actual filing and cancellation is pending receipt of a tax clearance certificate from the Franchise Tax Board.

Can't have been that long... the cancellation of the LLC is still pending.

The California SOS is currently revamping the way they list their corporate searches - I couldn't find anything else as I got a "server error" while fishing around for other interesting stuff

All public information, BTW - anybody can find this stuff.

Jenn

 

[JennM]

Found this too..

Corp Number Date Filed Status Corporation Name Agent for Service of Process
C2664134 8/20/2004 active EXOTIC REEF IMPORTS, INC. MARTIN HORWITZ

 

[JennM]

Rob Miller was still posting on this board in October of '06 as "ERI" so one could see how he is perceived to be a part of ERI - is he? I don't know - I don't buy there - haven't in almost 5 years.

Jenn