my own store/business...

MOST of my customers at my store have never set foot in an online fish forum like 3reef. It's kinda stressful having to try to teach them and educate every new person that comes into the shop, knowing they will only retain a portion of what I tell them (so i try to dumb it down if I can tell they are noobs). We are in a small town and most of our customers are word of mouth. The shop has been open for 20 years so people know we are there. We have a website but it doesnt get updated much. We post on facebook when we get new shipments of fish in and when we have sells. We also collect peoples emails if they want and we will send out a mass message when new shipments come in.

Something I have noticed is that when people want something they want it right then. If you dont have it in stock they will go somewhere else that does rather than have you order it for them and wait on it. (not in all cases but most of my customers are impatient). So I try to keep a complete selection of equipment. If you are trying to sell an aquarium, you need to have ALL the equipment that goes with it such as the right size skimmer for that tank and the right size light fixture for that tank.

 

As a customer I will drive quite a ways if there is something i think i'll like. I think you should start a facebook page for your store and upload pics of new corals and fish. That would entice me to your location. Other than that, i think a description with services and contact information would be fine on a website if you dont want to do retail web sales.

 

Blue:+1 to that. we are a society of instant gratification. why wait for me to order it...when they can order it themselves on the internet(the ones who DO use it). I totally get that. it is an issue for me when i go to the other stores in town.

Ingtar:for sure. that is the plan. but, im still a ways out, so im not trying to generate too much buzz just yet. dont want the competition trying to step up their game before i open.

 

I hear you, one LFS where I live just did a big sale as the new LFS had their grand opening

 

Haha sounds like your in lexington Ky shopping. They have none of what you want and half of what your looking for. DI resion only one store in town has it in a prefilled cartrage $63, carbon block $43, and all lps & sps $100 each. The other pet stores didn't know what it was and couldn't even get it. Good luck with your buisness.

 

As promised...here are a few pics of the space in progress. 90% of the painting is done. I have the trim of one wall to still do, behind a bunch of equipment. That will get done this weekend. along with the floors. Sanding and painting or dyeing. The floor has been the big hold up thus far and i will be glad to get past it.

After that, its game on. the tanks will be getting set up, sink and water storage and pumps will get put in the back room. more tanks to be on order soon. Fun fun. just trying to keep on moving and getting things done.

 

Go for it!

Good luck to you in all aspects. I know it's going to be an unpredictable ride, but hey, you're right about dreaming it, planning it, and doing it. Atleast you made it to the "doing it" stage. Every contribution will add on to the beautiful pride of all marine tanks.

 

Are the sea horse painted on the wall or is that a pic or something like that but anyway I love all of your brite colors in your place