How do you feel about online retailers?

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wbstyles

New Member
Hello everyone!


I am launching a new online web store and just putting my feelers out there to see what customers really want from their online reef suppliers. We would love to hear from everyone to see how we can provide the very best service to customers and be set apart from the competition. Please provide some input and become a part of one of the best online reef stores to hit the market!

Thanks for participating. I look forward to hearing from you all. I really do care what the people want. I myself got tired of other stores not providing the sales and services that I wanted, so I decided to start my own. I do hope you will support us and we look forward in receiving your feedback.

Thanks,

William
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
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to ReefSanctuary, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members
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Hi William - Just an FYI - we would love to have you become a RS Sponsor

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/index.php?page=subscribe

Thanks for joining the forum, and we love to have you taking part in our community. However, we have sponsors who pay for the privilege of having a dedicated forum to discuss their products, promote them in their signatures, and otherwise advertise on ReefSanctuary. Other companies doing the same without sponsorship is a violation of our policy. Reef Sanctuary User Agreement

more specifically (quoted from next to last paragraph on above linked page)
Reef Sanctuary exists for the non-commercial exchange of information. Sponsors of the club are given a forum to promote their business in accordance with the sponsor agreement. All other posts or signatures that are deemed to be commercial in nature are a violation of this user agreement and will be removed. As it pertains to the User Agreement, Reef Sanctuary defines “commercial post” as knowing and willful posts made by private individuals or businesses, directly or indirectly seeking commerce. Additionally, posts made by individuals or businesses in regard to other commercial activities, in anticipation of direct or indirect economic benefit or relief from the subject activity, will generally be regarded as “commercial”. Recognizing that it is impossible to construct a definition which will satisfy every situation or circumstance, Reef Sanctuary reserves the right to determine whether or not a post violates the “intent” of the “commercial post” policy or definition. Violation of this policy will be grounds for removal from our community.

Otherwise, you're welcome to take part in the discussion here but will not be allowed to promote your company/products in any way.

Thanks for your understanding and let me know if you have any questions.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
reefle

reefle

Active Member
Hi!

This is what I would like to see.

A constantly up to date inventory of what is in stock or not. One of the worst things is buying something and then being told its not in stock
Ship within two business days of a completed payment, unless otherwise specified in the item description
a DOA warrantly
Solid Prices
Quick customer response. Within 72 hours. Waiting more than that makes me really distrust suppliers
 
Choff

Choff

Well-Known Member
If you are talking livestock:
- WYSIWYG pictures that are not overly doctored and specify the lighting the photo was taken.

- only put name brands on corals that are 100 pct legit

- shipping pricing. I love the model that coral vendors in Maine uses. He does it by zone giving a NE rate and another rate for the rest of the country.
Also, instead of a single pricing tier to get free shipping it scales. Technically he doesn't give free shipping, just a discount based on how much you spend that can cover part, all or more than the shipping cost.

For example corals and fish are flat rate $35 outside of NE and $20 inside. If you spend $150 you get $15 off, spend $250 for $35 off, spend $350 for $65 off and spend over $450 get $100 off.

For dry goods:
- accurate up to the minute inventory

- up to date pictures of the product. Clarity on the exact model or version of what you are buying.

- if a product has an expiration date I would hope/expect there to be close to a year left. Perhaps offer soon expiring products at a discount.

- either a phone number or very responsive to email.

- loyalty program

- price match against other major retailers.

Good luck!


...stupid auto correct
 
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Fez

New Member
One of the things I like while browsing aquarium hardware is being able to download .pdf specs about the product without having to go to the manufacturer's site. One of the LFS where I live only carries items that he feels are of sound design and not problematic. I also like reading "how to" articles because sometimes you can teach a new trick to the trade.
 
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DaveK

Well-Known Member
wbstyles said:
...Thanks for participating. I look forward to hearing from you all. I really do care what the people want. I myself got tired of other stores not providing the sales and services that I wanted, so I decided to start my own. I do hope you will support us and we look forward in receiving your feedback...
Click to expand...

Ask yourself the question, what is you background in business? Also, are you willing to devote the 70+ hours a week that it takes to run such an operation?

It's all nice to talk about what you and others would like out of an online operation, but unless you have the business background to put together a good business plan, your chances of success are small to none. To exist, a business must run at a profit.

Just one example, can you carry the inventory and ship it out fast enough, and sell at a completive price to compete with existing suppliers such as BRS, Marine Depot, and Amazon? I'd say most people can't come close.

Be really really sure about all this before you carry out your plans.
 
PSU4ME

PSU4ME

JoePa lives on!!!
Staff member
PREMIUM
So many variables to consider when you're trying to build a business that requesting feedback makes it tough. I think the best thing to do is to become active on a forum and interact with your customers and develop a sense of what they want, barriers that prohibit and someone's alternatives to ordering online. If you do that research, then you might have a chance to set yourself apart. Without RS knowing you it's tough to help not to mention its not the purpose of our forum.
 
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wbstyles

New Member
Thank you everyone for providing your feedback. RS, I appreciate you not removing the thread. I in no way wanted to violate any agreements. I also had no intentions of trying to market my business in this forum. I simply wanted to see what everyone else thought about online retailers, and what they did not like. I am kicking off a business, but I did not mention any name, or try to market or promote anything. Again, I thank you RS for allowing this discussion to continue. I will consider sponsorship once my business gets a little closer to launch. Again, thanks everyone for your feedback, and I couldn't agree with you all more.


Wbtyles
 
Snid

Snid

Active Member
I can add a few things...

One of my favorite places to look online is Drs. Foster and Smith because not only do they sell a lot of the things I need, but they also provide educational data for each and every fish, provide helpful tips on how to run your tank, and pretty much try and educate you in every way possible. That being said, there is still room for improvement with any place.

I love scouring YouTube for educational videos. It would be nice to see a retailer help fuel the educational videos available with many at their site. They should be complemented with thoughtful and informative reading material as well. Reading and pictures are great, but videos help turn those mental and 2-D images into something more tangible sometimes.

While on the topic of videos... Video tours of the site would be nice as well. One of the things we can do with our LFS is see how they operate, but online vendors can be a mystery. Sometimes it is frightening buying from the mystery box.

Heck, I'd even like to see videos of the fish and corals that are for sale! I've been formulating a plan of something I was going to propose to Drs. Foster and Smith that I'll share here too. A 180 degree photo booth tank that takes multiple pictures, Matrix Style, of their corals that are for sale that then can be compiled into an image that when you mouse over it can rotate the coral from one side to the next. ;)

Ok... Back on track...

It's a digital world, and things like Skype make communication via video so easy these days. It would be nice to be able to Skype with the online retailer whenever a large investment was being made so that the purchase can be visualized pre-shipping for final confirmation.

Look at me go, pushing the envelope! I do it because the technology is here, but it is not being fully taken advantage of yet. I mean come on! Doctors can perform surgeries over the internet for crying out loud! let's get with the times!!! And don't blame cost... Things like Skype are FREE! I make decent videos on my smart phone that cost $50. There are ways to be technologically advanced and competitive without paying a fortune. ;)

I suggest working with local manufacturers and suppliers that can help you engineer and design your own line of things like Sumps and Overflow Boxes and Custom Tanks if possible. Providing options that aren't available elsewhere might give you something that becomes sought after, that is, if you can design something really worth while for the cost. ;)

Take advantage of something like Kickstarter.com to maybe start funding your endeavor. I know I might be willing to contribute a small amount of something if it meant I got a free frag of something really nice (not cheap like a green star polyp or a random button polyp) later down the road. Sure, maybe you'd be practically giving away a slightly expensive coral frag, but if it helped establish some start up capital it might be well worth it. ;)

Maybe there is a LFS or local Craigslist sellers you could partner with that don't want to take the time or extra measures to be fully online as your are attempting. Sell their items at reasonable prices and split the profits.

If you get to the point where you start having great success, start branching out to nearby LFS in neighboring cities that you deem worthy and hand deliver sales through them so your buyer can observe it in a tank before purchasing. :dunno: That might be too complex. Just brainstorming out loud there...

Good Luck! Competition with quality products and services is only a good thing for us! :)
 
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wbstyles

New Member
Wow! What an amazing write up Snid. Thank you so much for the amazing ideas. I have been thinking about some of these, such as videos and technical reads on certain products or ideas, but not as many ideas that you brought to the table. They are very good ideas and I would like to see how I can make these a reality. Although, I want to get a jump start on implementing these ideas and be one of the first on the market with some of the technical ideas you mentioned, I also want to take my time and do it right. I guess there is advantages and disadvantages on both sides of that fence. Anyway, nice comments everyone. I am really enjoying this thread.

Thanks,

Wbstyles
 
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