hmph..so it aint gonna happen

[Bartman]

Well ive decided..without my business partner :p..that im not going to go through with this idea we had. It seems like everyone thinks we are to young and dont know what were doing to really take us seriously and I dont think we would get any business. Im pretty bumbed this isnt going to happen anymore..but hey we tried (sort of) I guess you guys all knew that wasnt going anywhere fast :p jk.

Well maybe in a couple years down the road, ill resirect this idea and do what I wanted..but as for now..dont look forward to anything I said was comming :D

Just had to sort of vent, sorta thing :p

[Invictus]

What was the business idea again?

[Bartman]

lol, well some people maybe saw my webpage when it was up or the thing it my signature..

I was going to be selling supplies and stuff like tanks, dishes things like that..ive noticed that i cant even begin to compete with some of the prices people sell things at. A glass tank about 20 gallons selling for 40 bucks on the internet...it would cost me more time and money to make any profit, maybe 10 bucks..this was also one of the reason ive decided to scrap the idea.

[Matt_K]

As long as there are places like Big Als and people willing to part with their tanks, basically for $1/Gallon and places like the Dollar Store, where you can get water dishes for... $1.. You're not gonna have much luck selling things like that :D..

[Bartman]

Exactly..thats why i decided to say F it..lol

I still dont understand though how people can sell a 10 gallon tank for 25 bucks with a lid...it would cost more to go and buy the glass?! Can someone explain that to me..is it just as simple as buying in extreme quantity?

[Matt_K]

i would assume those are used.. Buying a Brand new Tank and Lid is a bit more then that.. But once they're used, and with the fact that most people are realizing how much tanks sucks, they're not worth as much as you would think.. I know i wouldn't pay much for one.. Let alone use one.. LOL..

[Bartman]

Yep..I also thought to myself, if my target consumer were people with a lot of reptiles, then they already know ways to save at every point possible. Using margerine tubs for water dishes or rubbermaids now have become huge with breeders.

I think this was a good learning experience..thats forsure

[hhw]

Originally posted by Bartman
I still dont understand though how people can sell a 10 gallon tank for 25 bucks with a lid...it would cost more to go and buy the glass?! Can someone explain that to me..is it just as simple as buying in extreme quantity?

Economies of scale my friend... they buy their glass far higher in the supply chain, in much larger quantities paying only a fraction of what you probably do.

Also, I'm not sure if that's the case with tanks or not, but places like Big Al's may be able to sell certain items near cost and make their profit elsewhere.

[annieb_mice]

Hey.... chin up... just because this idea didn't work out, doesn't mean that something else won't. All you need to do is find a product that people NEED that isn't readily available in your area, and then supply that product. Sometimes it could be as simple as breeding mealworms or superworms or ??? Or it could be something that no one else has thought of .... YET! ;)
Don't give up on owning your own business... and don't you EVER let people tell you that you are too young!! There are kids FAR younger than you who have created their own businesses and are doing well! :)
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[Bartman]

Thanks for the kind words. I also feel like im looked upon by others as just a kid so im not takin seriously...but I can see where they would get that from so I forsure dont blame anyone.

Ill hopefully think of something...I was hoping this would lead to my sort of dream (more of just something that I would love) to own a reptile specialist store. Maybe it just wasnt the time for me to do this.

I also jumped the gun without planning anything lol...I have a great connection for glass and all that but again as I dont buy in quantities they either dont care for my business or sell it for prices that arnt worth for me to buy.

[Thorn07]

You can buy a 10 gallon tank at Wally World for like $9.00 and a lid for like 3.00. Where have yall been shopping?

[Bartman]

Thats crazy cheep..well thats also american. But thats cheep. If i went to get a 15 gallon with a sliding lid it would cost me 60 bucks. I dont even buy them anymore. Its either used or I build one.

[Thorn07]

I thout 15 bucks for a 10 gall and a lid was riduculous but now I feel totally luckyto get it so cheap.

[Matt_K]

Originally posted by Bartman
Thats crazy cheep..well thats also american. But thats cheep. If i went to get a 15 gallon with a sliding lid it would cost me 60 bucks. I dont even buy them anymore. Its either used or I build one.

Where ARE you shopping???? :confused:

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Lol, yah, thats kind of expensive! I know what you mean by "people think im just a kid" Adam! It gets frustrating after awhile! Now, at stores, I complain/correct/get the proper change from employees and dont let them push me around. Anyways, good luck with the rest of your business(if your still going ahead with it?)!

C.

[latazyo]

bartman, nobody knows how old you are by looking at a website, maybe by talking on teh phone, but maybe not...dont let the age thing get to you

[Bartman]

Meh..it wasnt only that. But like I said..I also dont think I can compete with the big name people. No biggy :D

Where ARE you shopping????

Thats not what I pay but thats what ive seen at a store I will not say. I bought one of those when I first got into reptiles thinking that was an ok price :p Now I can get one for 20 bucks...

This little experience also taught me how to build glass cages and that I have a huge hook up for cheep glass. But even with that I wouldnt be making enough profit...so ill make cages for myself :)

[Lisa]

I don't think I've paid more then $1 per gallon for any tank. Some I've gotten for free.

[Bryce Masuk]

I think you would have a better chance if you built cages out of melimine just basic design's that are versitile like 4x2x2 with a glass front you can build one from a sheet of melimine that way material cost stays low and the price stays low they are easy to make and you can make them quick once you get good at it
Because there is no sanding or painting.

Figure out your costs and see what you can sell them at. I bet you wouldnt have too much trouble selling them. You wont be able to find as big of a prebuilt for that kind of price
and a lot of people lay down big dollars for that kind of thing because they dont have the tools or the ability to built it and they have no other option.

Give them that option

[Gary D.]

If I were to go into the cage biz, melamine would be the last. I'd invest in making quality plastics like Jeff Rone or Visions. melamine sels distructs, contains glues etc. I'm not yet sure are not harmful long term, is brittle and weighs far to much to be able to ship.

Build a better mouse trap.

[Bartman]

Yea I was thinking melamine at first..but then someone enlightended me and told me any schmoe with a hammer and nails can build his OWN cage..so why does he need me...and hes right. Most people looking for a cage that big most likely already have experience with reptiles..meaning they know how to look for low price, meaning they dont need me.

[Bryce Masuk]

It doesnt last forever but it doesnt instantly destroy itself its going to last a long time with a snake in it but lizards will wear it out in a few years

I wouldnt ship it do it locally only

I wouldnt even think of driving a nail into melamine it will split I pre drill every hole then screw in the screws

You could probley make and sell them for around 150 bucks or so 4x2x2 will work for a ton of different animal's

You can knock one together pretty damn fast. All you have to do is cut the sheet into 4 quarters then cut one of those in half and screw it together and silicone it then stick in your slider setup and glass

[Bartman]

See but i dunno where you get wood, but the materials alone would cost me more then 150..with glass wood trim etc.

[Matt_K]

A sheet of Melamine costs $23 and is available at any, Home Depot, Rona or Home Hardware... The melamine laminate for the trim (covering the cuts) costs $6 for 50' of it.. Glass track is an average of $8.. So, unless you're paying $110 for two sheets of glass, how is the cost MORE then $150???

[Bartman]

Hmm..well I havnt personally gone out and bought most the stuff..but my dad told me my 5x2x2 cost us 200 with plexiglass, but I recently found out plexi is more..is this true? That could have been the reason for the higher price.

[Mark]

When I use to build 4x2x2 your looking at around $40-50 for the glass. Still lookingf at a $50 profit. The problem was always transporting them.

[Lisa]

Transporting them is something that eats into profit too...

[Matt_K]

Yes, i too have found that Plexi is more expensive..

For my cages, I pay a maximum of $20 for glass (per cage)..

[Bartman]

Yea I have an amazing hook up for glass...ive decided ill take a couple tanks to not the sep 4th show causs i would htink its to late to book a table and we probably wont be ready by then but i think were going to take a couple tanks..glass ones (that the factory told us they would seal for us) and a couple melamine ones we would make..small like 2x1x1 sizes..or maybe bigger if we can get a bigger car..and we'll see how it goes :)