Opening a aquarium store & looking for opinions

[wicked2na]

It seems like most aquarium stores have given up on keeping their stores clean. In my opinion most stores nowadays have an abundance of dead or sick fish on display and some nasty coral tanks. I have even seen fish with disease in coral tanks. I know the hobby can get messy, but in my opinion a nasty store is a bad way to market livestock. My buddy always jokes and says we need to disinfect after we go into most of the local fish shops. I am about to open up a shop within the next few months and was wondering what the reef2reef community would see as a perfect store.

I am thinking:
Bare bottom tanks with pvc pipes for fish shelter.
Bare bottom tanks with egg crate for coral displays.
2 week minimum quarantine for any new livestock before it is moved to the front of the store and sold to the public. (we all do this at home why can't we do it in a business environment) whats the rush?
I think something needs to be done about the spread of disease in this hobby and stores owners should at least try and help out their customers with a quarantine system in place.

Customers should be able to see all operations including filtration practices, quarantine systems and our coral propagation areas. You will not be allowed to wonder freely in these area's, but you can look through a glass window. This area would be accessed only by invite & trusted regular customers.

I am thinking a clinical feel, you don't take your dog or cat to a dirty veterinarian right?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, we really want to have a successful store with a great reputation and your opinion is key to our success.

 

[Bootstrap]

My lfs has a 2 week quarantine, and clean enough tanks. The only dirty thing about her tanks is hsir algae..

Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX HD

 

[Steelerfan747]

Hey Congratulations and good luck on the new store. All your ideas especially the quarantine sound great. Only other idea I could add would be to throw in some sales like some of the sponsors due or set up a vip member cards that permit those customers with a 10-15% discount on livestock and try and match internet prices if possible on equipment.

 

[J Rog]

Sounds great to me :clap2:

 

[EyeCatchingCoral]

I would suggest traveling to some of the countries best local fish stores and seeing how they do it. Nothing should be more important than the health of the marine life but some things just are not financially possible so take that all into account. Good luck. I look forward to following news on your new venture and wish you luck.

 

[ddpham]

I used to live in Dallas Tx and my lfs store fishes are quarantined over 6 weeks, his salt water fishes are mostly semi high end. He carried from yellow tangs to even black tangs, flames angels to blue face none of those common goby and cheaper fishes like chromis. The fishes are extremely healthy, my friends and I already kid about his fishes are certified. His prices are reasonable too compare to other lfs. I bought a powder blue, flame angels clown tangs and queen angels and all of them live to be over 2 years and was sold before I moved to New Mexico. I think for me what I look for in a LCF is number 1. healthy specimens, clean and well maintain 2. honest staff3. price and 4. variety.

 

[Squishie89]

Maybe look at this video for some ideas- a tour in Germany whit some friends - YouTube As I think that store is amazing (by the video, never been there).
I think having a main display tank to display some rare/large species of either fish/coral or both (or do a coral display and a fish display). Having fish in tanks that suit them. I hate seeing eels with no places to hide/curl up in or a 2-3 foot eel in a 10-15g. Giveaways or even stamp cards for discounts, mailing list discounts, samples if possible.
If I think of anything else I will be sure to post it.

No. Betta. Bowls. Good lord, every time I see a fish in a tank less than 5 gallons, it just ticks me off to no end.

 

[AHDOnline]

While your QT is nice, your costs are going to go through the roof and you will probably rethink it. I started the same way and no matter how hard you push it people won't pay the extra. No matter how many people say they will pay more most all customer don't even QT anyway so that small small handful won't support your business.

The idea of the store is to get the fish out of your hands into its final home as soon as you can for the health of the fish. Shipping, then QT, then Display, then buying then acclimation then and then can sometimes be worse.

I have three completely separate fish systems. One system take on only new fish, one is for QT fish that look ill or commonly have issue (powder blue, puffer) the third is my "this fish has been here a while" and is my UV/ Ozone system

 

[reefman88]

AHDonline- It seems as though you have pretty impressive credentials, but I just can't bring myself to agree with you. At the fish store I worked at in college, we quarantined all incoming fish for 2 weeks or more. We had three separate tanks for QT so there was always new stock being rotated into the showroom. People were allowed to buy the fish the day they came in but with no guarantee. If they waited the two weeks then they got a weeks guarantee on the fish. Most people would just take the fish from quarantine, but at least we gave them the option to wait or pre-pay for a QT fish.

I see no downfall as long as you go very cost effective on your QT setup. It should cost less than $5-10 a month to run an effective quarantine. (minus the food)

 

[wicked2na]

Thanks for all the feedback, just what we needed guys. We are going to have a fairly large operation going with an online store operating as well and hope to offer the best prices online and to our local customers. We are dead set with a 2 week quarantine. We will offer a refundable deposit on fish that are not yet available for purchase. Great idea with the frequent shopper discount and fish club membership. We are 100% sure we will be a sponsor here and be offering reef2reef exclusive specials too. It will be about 3 months before we get the keys to our building and I think we may have to post our store build here on the forum. I think it would be great to have as many people involved in the build project as possible, just so our store is as close to a reefers dream store as possible. As far as display tanks we decided today that we will have a large 8ft tank separating our store front from our propagation area. We will be sure to keep you all updated with our progress. Any other ideas are always welcome and appreciated.

 

[Dana]

All great input, but one thing I must add is customer service. It is imperative that whoever is working with customers has very good people skills.
My lfs has a couple of people working in the customer dept. who just aren't socially adept. It's really a turnoff dealing with these certain employees. So I can't stress enough about having " people skills" and patience for anyone and any silly question. A smile and a thank you have a great day go a looooong way -)

 

[Obiru]

All great input, but one thing I must add is customer service. It is imperative that whoever is working with customers has very good people skills.
My lfs has a couple of people working in the customer dept. who just aren't socially adept. It's really a turnoff dealing with these certain employees. So I can't stress enough about having " people skills" and patience for anyone and any silly question. A smile and a thank you have a great day go a looooong way -)

Agree 100%. Americans don't really know what good service is because we don't see it too often. Go to countries such as Japan and you'll learn what good service really means. You can't just give it lip service, you have to work at it from the time the customer enters the door until they leave. If you do it right, you will succeed.

 

[Squishie89]

And having the people who work with customers be very knowledgible. I know no one can know everything, but I asked a person at my LFS if they had any pre-cured live rock, and she had no idea what I was talking about.

 

[Dana]

Absolutely obiru!
Squishy, that's something that should without question be known if working a store.
If it were me I think I would have said " absolutely, let me get someone who can help with that "
Sounds better than " I dunno " lol

 

[Steelerfan747]

I have a great idea. I think you should offer everyone of us that gave suggestions a free black tang. Or at least a chromis

 

[fragmatic]

I like your concept. There is no reason your customers can't be allowed to see the QT area if you have clear signage to explain what it is and how it is there for their protection. The like you said you can sell fish out of QT under the customers own responsibility, or hold deposits on QT fish. Experienced reefers will know how to handle a fish that is fresh in and do their own QT anyway. QT fish being held for poor health or disease should be behind a glass viewing area with signage but not in clear view (things in the way). This tank is going to have floaters and you don't want the general public relating that image to your business.

I like your large display tank as a divider between "departments" idea. This can be a "not for sale" tank, because you can't go chasing things around in a nice tank. And that display tank needs to be a knock out!

I think your frag grow area (where you grow corals or put large clumps of coral from the wholesaler to frag and healthy up) should be available to good experienced customers to visit and should be open for discussion. These are the guys and gals who will make large purchases out of those tanks and be helping to restock your frags if you support them with store wholesale value store credits towards retail buys or a similar program. That is how you gain free frag processing labor to break down those large clumps and sell for more $$$ ("Yeah, well, if you like it, frag up this clump for me and earn yourself a 10 bud frag of it"). This of coarse is preceded by a how do we frag talk.

Also, put signs up that you take larger established fish who have out grown tanks for store credits or smaller tank mates.

 

[robf]

Most aquarium stores fail because they don't have the capital required to do it correctly. To quarantine thousands of $$$ of fish for weeks requires ample cash reserves. Also, you need to ensure you have the business experience needed to control your expenses and to manage your employees. Once you are open plan on very long hours and limited business. It takes time to build clientele. Also, plan on setbacks. Fish tanks crash all the time. When they are full of your inventory it can be devastating. Having said all this the business could prove very rewarding if you do it right. Consider opening with limited hours. Perhaps just 2 or three days a week at first to get your bearing. Good luck!!!!

 

[fragmatic]

Most aquarium stores fail because they don't have the capital required to do it correctly. To quarantine thousands of $$$ of fish for weeks requires ample cash reserves. Also, you need to ensure you have the business experience needed to control your expenses and to manage your employees. Once you are open plan on very long hours and limited business. It takes time to build clientele. Also, plan on setbacks. Fish tanks crash all the time. When they are full of your inventory it can be devastating. Having said all this the business could prove very rewarding if you do it right. Consider opening with limited hours. Perhaps just 2 or three days a week at first to get your bearing. Good luck!!!!

Maybe even weekends and Friday evenings while you break in from your other real job, until it catches hold and you get things "flowing".

but, Get your customers involved. Have classes for beginning reefers. Always be upbeat. Always be excited about reefing. Look sharp and smell good. Have reefer discussion classes, and have area experienced reefers lead subject discussions they excel at. Make these classes and discussion sessions well known with bold signage in the store. This gives prospective reefers confidence to buy equipment and get involved in the hobby. Again, get your prospective customers involved and get them excited about reefing, then support them with good guidance --> you need today's up sale, but more importantly you need them to succeed because then they buy 50 X more and become store loyal. They ARE you future as consumers, and you have to keep generating them. New excited customers buy $$$$$ worth of gear, fish, coral, foods, and supplies. Make EVERY customer feel like they are your favorite and are special. When you push the up sale be careful, as customers figure that out they go next door. Make them your long term loyal customer by being straight and honest. "Yes, I would make more money off that fish but it isn't really suited for your tank, this fish would be a much better match". THEY WILL BE BACK! Because you just said volumes.

 

[fyrfytr]

There are some FANTASTIC ideas here!!! I would chime in, but so many people have taken my ideas

 

[robf]

From a marketing point of view if it were me I wouldn't try to compete directly with big web sites on price. In the end, high end items like LED lights and skimmers will have very small if non-existent profit margins. That said, keep a limited stock of good quality hardware on hand. When a pump or heater goes out a customer won't mind paying a few extra bucks for an immediate replacement. They will be grateful. Same thing with bulk items like salt and filter socks, fish food and carbon. Sell RO water but also keep a basic RO/DI unit on the shelf. Replace inventory as you sell it. Always keep your shelves stocked! Don't try to cater to everyone but instead focus on the convenience shopper. You won't be able to compete against the big on-line reef sites for price and selection so pick your battles. If you try to go to war on price, you will only tie up your cash with no return. Make a list of such inventory and raise enough start up capital to do it right.

Having healthy livestock, a good line of dry goods and solid reef and fish nutrition will allow you to make a solid footprint in the local community. I would focus on cultivating new reef customers by managing their expectations. Recruit help from the local community but be careful. You need to ensure you get dedicated and reliable reefers who understand your and agree with your vision. I remember getting into the hobby and how frustrated I was in knowing what to buy. Lighting alone was fraught with a million options and each one very expensive. An inappropriate buy meant hundreds of dollars wasted. Consider creating one or two turnkey systems with tanks big enough to be more forgiving (55 and 110?) that you replace as you sell, complete with all items needed, would help new reefers get off to a good start. Make these turnkey systems are robust, complete and usable. Nothing is more frustrating for a new customer than to buy a "complete" package only to learn the lighting is inadequate for the animals they intended to have. If you can afford it, allow the systems to be put on a layaway plan. This will give the customers more time to study and learn about the system while they pay for it. Provide them with a step by step guide and guarantee them if they are patient and follow the guide your package will work. Getting reefers off to a good start and turning them into long term loyal customers is key to growth and stability. The biggest loss to the hobby are all those folks who give up out of frustration because they don't understand what they are getting into and don't have anyone to help them.