40 replies to this topic

[deftuch]

hello everyone i am planning to start my own aquatics centre dealing just tropical fish before i include marine and koi ect. i was just wondering if anyone out there who is doing or has done the same and is currently running a small aqautics business, just how hard is it? whats actually involved? is it really as easy as i think it is? what are pros and cons?

[sadguppy]

Well the cons are that you need a lot of start up capital and are unlikely to see a profit in the first year so you'd need a lot of savings behind you. Having spoken to a new lfs business owner it is very tough particularly in the current market and you need to be very marketing and business savvy!

[deftuch]

Well the cons are that you need a lot of start up capital and are unlikely to see a profit in the first year so you'd need a lot of savings behind you. Having spoken to a new lfs business owner it is very tough particularly in the current market and you need to be very marketing and business savvy!

yeah but i see that as the simple things if im honest. maybe i might get in over my head but i think the main part is the fish themselves. if you have good stock youl have good profits. i agree you need at a vey minimum 15 thousand to get going x

[the_lock_man]

The fish themselves aren't particularly profitable - the real money comes from aquarium sales and the other dry goods.

I've often wondered about opening a shop myself. If I ever do, it will specialise in at least one, and probably several, genres of fish. I would probably go for cichlids, livebearers and either catfish or bettas. I would stock every single species I could find within those genres. I would then advertise over a much wider area, particularly to local fish societies, that if there is a particular species of cichlid or livebearer or catfish/betta, then you're pretty muich guaranteed to find it at my shop.

That way, you'll have people coming from a lot further away than if you were just a general aquatics place.

And you have to offer overnight delivery for online sales as well, so that you cast your net as wide as possible.

[StandbySetting]

Stock prices for most tropical fish are around 20-25p for your generic stuff. I wrote a business plan for a business I was planning on setting up and it just wasn't viable, for me to make any sort of profit I'd need to be making £500 a week. That's £26000, after tax and NI it's about £18500, rent circa £6K, looking at £1K for utilities, marketing and advertisement £500. Most of your money will be made on dry goods which is why it's good to buy in bulk and have a website.

[deftuch]

thankyou for your comments. ive breifly worked out that if i run the business myslef, dont take a wage and just live of the profits for a while within 2 years i should be able to expand the business to take a wage and employ others. there is 2 very very tiny stores i know of that have been going a while and both have around 3 or 4 staff. i believe when i open i will be instantly better than they are because il know what fish to stock and what price to sell ect ect. however i wont get nowhere without bringing in customesr. this is where the advertising comes in. something i understand but have no idea how to do it. ve never seen any adds for the 2 stores i mentioned, instead learned through word of mouth. everyones heard of swallow aqautics right? exactly my point

[The Taffy Apple]

I agree with the mention of the current, world wide slump in the financial market.... unless you are stocking and selling specific types of fish (as the lock man mentioned) then ANY shop, being a solitary store at least, would probably struggle through this and the next year.
Fantastic idea though, if i was to come into any considerable money then it is something i would invenst heavily in...but more a 'bespoke', private tank sale and inclusive maintainence company/group.

Terry.

[deftuch]

I agree with the mention of the current, world wide slump in the financial market.... unless you are stocking and selling specific types of fish (as the lock man mentioned) then ANY shop, being a solitary store at least, would probably struggle through this and the next year.
Fantastic idea though, if i was to come into any considerable money then it is something i would invenst heavily in...but more a 'bespoke', private tank sale and inclusive maintainence company/group.

Terry.

yes indeed. if i did open a store. i woudnt just sell fish. i would sell complete tanks, filters, pumps, all equipment ect, food, bogwood, plants. everything. i have a good eye for detail and generall awreness of what people want so ive always had a feeling i may start up a business of some kind

[The Taffy Apple]

I agree with the mention of the current, world wide slump in the financial market.... unless you are stocking and selling specific types of fish (as the lock man mentioned) then ANY shop, being a solitary store at least, would probably struggle through this and the next year.
Fantastic idea though, if i was to come into any considerable money then it is something i would invenst heavily in...but more a 'bespoke', private tank sale and inclusive maintainence company/group.

Terry.

yes indeed. if i did open a store. i woudnt just sell fish. i would sell complete tanks, filters, pumps, all equipment ect, food, bogwood, plants. everything. i have a good eye for detail and generall awreness of what people want so ive always had a feeling i may start up a business of some kind

, maybe have a nose at what these two other shops DON'T sell and take it from there.
Best of luck.

Terry.

[Akasha72]

I don't know if it helps at all but all the profitable lfs' in my area seem to have premises within garden centres - it seems to give them extra trade. I guess people go for plants for the garden and pass through the aquatics bit while they are there and start thinking about digging a garden pond or setting up a tank. They all stock everything that would be needed to do either - pond liners, pumps, fish tanks and everything that's needed. Their fish selection by comparison seems a minor side of the business.
As others have said - the money is in the dry goods not in the fish - unless you get a good reputation going and start stocking something nowhere else does

Good luck with it anyway, hope it works out

[snowflake311]

If you want to buy and sell fish set up a fish room and sell online. Don't pay for a store front. Selling on forums and online you would have a chance to make your fish pay for them self but I don thing you will make much money.

If you want to sell goods you could do that online too.

I have a new lfs that don't think will make it. They guy only cares about saltwater fish and coral. The freshwater fish are neglected it's sad. They guy hardly has any dry goods. The dry goods are where the money is. Fish keepers always need something food filter parts tubes cleaning stuff and the list goes on. A good fish store would have everything you need for fish keeping not just fish.

[deftuch]

I don't know if it helps at all but all the profitable lfs' in my area seem to have premises within garden centres - it seems to give them extra trade. I guess people go for plants for the garden and pass through the aquatics bit while they are there and start thinking about digging a garden pond or setting up a tank. They all stock everything that would be needed to do either - pond liners, pumps, fish tanks and everything that's needed. Their fish selection by comparison seems a minor side of the business.
As others have said - the money is in the dry goods not in the fish - unless you get a good reputation going and start stocking something nowhere else does

Good luck with it anyway, hope it works out

too true! im sure if im the only person working in my business and overall profits are as low as 500 a week. thats survivable if were honest. offcourse its about the money too! but i know i would enjoy running the business even if there wasnt much profit. im a semi skilled carpet fitter at the moment and the moneys alright but its not right for me if im honest. im only 20 but im mature enough to make it work?

[mattlee]

good advice given from snowflake there. the only downside to it is no passing trade and people being put off by having fish posted.

what you have to remember is that if someone want a pair of say altum angelfish then you would have to buy a box full. you could have the rest for months before selling them off cheap or attracting the right customer. a good name for good, healthy quality stock is unbeatable especialy if the price matches too but this could also be your downfall as quality stock wont be cheap....

there are 3 shops that spring to mind that attract customers from all over the UK which are Wharf aquatics, pier aquatics and oddball express, im sure there are more......

wharf for its quality and variety of fish, pier for its quality and rarer species and oddball express is a cichlid specialist who imports using Jeff Rapps and Don Konkel who are very well known suppliers from the states. so they all have different reasons to attract business but all have quality stock.

there has been 2 shops in Leicester close down within the last year and its not suprising tbh as they were a bit run down and had poor stock.

[deftuch]

If you want to buy and sell fish set up a fish room and sell online. Don't pay for a store front. Selling on forums and online you would have a chance to make your fish pay for them self but I don thing you will make much money.

If you want to sell goods you could do that online too.

I have a new lfs that don't think will make it. They guy only cares about saltwater fish and coral. The freshwater fish are neglected it's sad. They guy hardly has any dry goods. The dry goods are where the money is. Fish keepers always need something food filter parts tubes cleaning stuff and the list goes on. A good fish store would have everything you need for fish keeping not just fish.

yeah i know what you mean. only problem with me is i dont have any experience in marine tanks so thats a little disadvantage for a start but with the help of other shops and forums if i did want to stock marine fish im sure i could do it

good advice given from snowflake there. the only downside to it is no passing trade and people being put off by having fish posted.

what you have to remember is that if someone want a pair of say altum angelfish then you would have to buy a box full. you could have the rest for months before selling them off cheap or attracting the right customer. a good name for good, healthy quality stock is unbeatable especialy if the price matches too but this could also be your downfall as quality stock wont be cheap....

there are 3 shops that spring to mind that attract customers from all over the UK which are Wharf aquatics, pier aquatics and oddball express, im sure there are more......

wharf for its quality and variety of fish, pier for its quality and rarer species and oddball express is a cichlid specialist who imports using Jeff Rapps and Don Konkel who are very well known suppliers from the states. so they all have different reasons to attract business but all have quality stock.

there has been 2 shops in Leicester close down within the last year and its not suprising tbh as they were a bit run down and had poor stock.

yeah this is my point. if i have good rare stock. people will remeber me for those reasons. they will say hey mum can you take me to that fish place again this week, they have amazing fish there. offcourse theres so many factors involved, but i believe good stock will give you a firm anchor in the market

[Akasha72]

You would need to mix that good rare stock with 'bread and butter' fish though too. Not everyone wants rare breed fish. A lot of people are happy to have guppies, platies, neons, barbs.
To make a profit you would need to appeal to the widest market possible.

My usual lfs (I have a choice of several in my area) will always take in livebearer fry and they will take them virtually from birth. They give no credit for them - so this gives them 100% profit once they are ready to sell on. This may be something consider doing yourself. If you have a steady flow of regular customers bringing you their unwanted fry it's less you would need to buy in.

I think you'll get quite a few idea's for your business with this thread. We're all fishkeepers so we can tell you what we like and what we don't

[jojouk]

With my limited experience, I will go into a shop that has good livestock variety for fish, then buy my bits (apart from food) online. Food I go to the cheapest place. But then I'm a cheapie.

I think good, rare in that area, stock brings in the customers, then your wit, charm and knowledge sells them the rest

[Craig89]

If your knowledge is freshwater than stick with that for now, don't bite of more than you can chew. Don't forget people will want advice a helpfull tips which you won't have if your new to marine, that's were a good bussiness plan comes in. Stick to freshwater for the first 2 years whilst you learn new skills on the marine side then if the bussiness takes off and your doing well employ somebody that has the knowledge of marine.

Another thing I would say is invest in the aesthetics of the shop choose colours and lighting that works well with tanks.

Look at setting up the web side of things gives you another stream of income and another avenue for advertising.

Know your customer, make sure you speak to everyone that comes through the door don't try be a salesman all the time don't ask "are you ok there" ask open questions get them talking if they don't buy first time they will come back if you give top quality service.

[Jay-93]

Just an idea, but maybe try and start up a breeding project? A whole new business is very risky, but if its just the enjoyment of the fish that you're looking for, look for a rare species, or something that fetches a lot of money, e.g. Zebra Plec, then get in touch with stockists around the country. I think the pressure of running a business may detract away from your interest in fish. But good luck if you decide to do so

[Cazgar]

Playing devil's advocate here.
We all know a business is about making money, so here's the scenario.
Someone comes in wanting to set up a new tank.
They choose the tank, stand, filter, heater, food, plants, substrate etc, then they want to buy fish.
They want them now or they won't buy the tank, & everything that goes with it.
Do you be honest & lose a big sale, or do you refuse & tell them about fishless cycling where they'll have to wait weeks to add fish?
That's the reality, can you do that & go against the welfare of the fish?
If not, then the fish business isn't for you.

[mhancock]

What an interesting thread! I'd love to set up a store and have often thought through these issues.

Hope it works out, keep us posted!