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11/01/2009, 03:08 AM | #1 |
Moved On
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wholesale without a store front
are there any suppliers that offer semi "wholesale" pricing of sps/lps without requiring a store front? like if I wanted to start up a small aquaculture business and wanted to sell online/locally. I have several large mother colonies but I would like to triple or quadruple the amount of mothers I have so I can essentially have frags available constantly.
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11/01/2009, 06:51 AM | #2 |
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Different wholesalers have different rules. Some don't permit businesses without a store front, some don't allow jobbers in, everyone has their own ways of doing business. But, there are a number of wholesale livestock places that would sell to you. Just start calling around. They all advertise in the back of AFI.
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Steven Pro, yep that is my real name. Current Tank Info: Twelve 600 gallon tubs located in a greenhouse |
11/01/2009, 08:24 PM | #3 | |
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11/02/2009, 05:20 AM | #4 |
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Yes, sorry for the abbreviation.
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Steven Pro, yep that is my real name. Current Tank Info: Twelve 600 gallon tubs located in a greenhouse |
11/04/2009, 11:35 AM | #5 |
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Just go to the state and get the paperwork. Then you can pretty much buy anywhere.. almost... Where are you located?
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11/04/2009, 11:54 AM | #6 | |
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Ive worked in the FW side of this for a wholesaler, and even legitimate start up fish stores were run through the ringer. They have to be like that. |
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11/04/2009, 03:08 PM | #7 | |
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When I had a shop on the east coast I opened accounts with every wholesaler with $15 worth of documentation, because that's what every wholesaler needs for you to open an account. Opening a wholesale account doesn't matter though, because without connections you'll only be getting brown corals unless you're buying the actual amounts that BIG storefronts are buying. If you're thinking of spending $300 and getting pure gold prepare to be extreeeeeeeeemly disappointed.
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I don't always grow frags... but when I do, I prefer Dos Acros |
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11/04/2009, 03:17 PM | #8 |
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ORA doesn't allow sale to online retailers, only brick and mortor.
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11/04/2009, 04:33 PM | #9 |
code monkey
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Funny, I ordered from ORA several times with my $15 of paperwork, and there's quite a few online retailers that specialize in ordering frags from ORA
When I said every wholesaler I did mean every wholesaler...
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I don't always grow frags... but when I do, I prefer Dos Acros |
11/04/2009, 04:50 PM | #10 | ||
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11/04/2009, 04:51 PM | #11 | |
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I do apologize but right now we are not taking applications for online sales. We currently are only opening accounts for pet shops at this time. We appreciate your interest in ORA. Sincerely, Lisa (removed) and don't roll your eyes again just yet... Here is where they ask for a picture of your storefront: |
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11/04/2009, 05:05 PM | #12 |
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that is great
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11/04/2009, 05:15 PM | #13 | |
code monkey
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Not sure what a "ninja edit" is, and I'm really not trying to be confrontational, just seems that someone was asking reasonable questions and getting very incorrect answers from people with either minimal or no industry experience.
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I don't always grow frags... but when I do, I prefer Dos Acros |
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11/04/2009, 05:19 PM | #14 |
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So i live in california and want to get a liscense so i can buy from the wholesalers. How would i obtain this and about how much would this cost? sorry for hijacking the thread for a sec
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11/04/2009, 05:27 PM | #15 |
code monkey
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You can call them to see what the requirements are, you'll have to google how to get the paperwork for your local area. For walk-ins wholesalers are pickier since hobbyist walk-ins directly compete with their local clients, so expect to need more than $15 of paperwork... Also, local shops will report you if you're a hobbyist shopping there, and you'll get a pretty quick ban.
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I don't always grow frags... but when I do, I prefer Dos Acros |
11/04/2009, 05:34 PM | #16 | |
code monkey
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I don't always grow frags... but when I do, I prefer Dos Acros |
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11/04/2009, 05:59 PM | #17 | |
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I don't wont to discourage you. But, you really should do some math first before rushing out and starting a company in order to buy from a wholesaler to get a few corals. The reporting requirements, sales tax reporting, and quarterly IRS reporting may or may not be worth it depending on what your plans are. Especially being in California. With that said, I owned a LFS in Florida for several years and do not remember ever being put through the ringer. Things may have changed over the years, but I am guessing you should find a wholesaler willing to sell to you. There are a few good books available on coral propagation. The one I just finished suggested strongly that you use your local reef club as a source for corals. It would seem to me you are getting some good advice here from guys that have done it. There really is no magical distributor. Buy things you like even if you pay a few extra dollars while you are getting started. My advice is start propagating as a hobby as see where it goes. |
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11/04/2009, 06:10 PM | #18 | |
code monkey
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I don't always grow frags... but when I do, I prefer Dos Acros |
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11/04/2009, 06:21 PM | #19 |
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11/04/2009, 06:40 PM | #20 | |
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I agree most will not require it, but saying 100% is incorrect. As you try to correct posts, i did nothing different. There are places over seas that export that will not ask you for anything. You meet minimum and pay up they ship you boxes of coral. Back on topic... OP, i agree with DThompson... It probably isn't going to be worth it. A better idea is to search your local reef forum for tank break downs. A lot of good mother colonies can be aquired that way. 808 |
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11/04/2009, 07:08 PM | #21 | |
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I want to kick in my two cents as I notice no one has really mentioned it... On top of the paperwork most (if not all) wholesaler's have a minimum purchase requirement which means that if you go in you have to spend X dollars minimum and sometimes you have to get N number of something to get one of what you really want. You don't just get to pick and choose a few things. So at the end of the day does it really make sense to spend $300 just to get a fish or coral that you were looking for at wholesale price then have to find away to get rid of everything else you had to buy or to just spend the extra and support your local LFS? |
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11/04/2009, 07:15 PM | #22 | |
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11/04/2009, 10:44 PM | #23 |
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all you need is a tax id and a business license whitch is free in florida if your going to do aquaculture.. then you get discounts form mostly any one and enough places to do business on line.... for example.. those ati t5ho bulbs every one likes.... they are 12-14 dollars for a 48" one and they sell for 23-25. all you need is a tax id and business lic to get that discount.
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11/05/2009, 12:06 AM | #24 |
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11/05/2009, 09:36 AM | #25 | |
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