Future Plan

marketing is key also, when people think of LFS your store should come to mind.

 

I agree with speedz!! I would like a fish shop to be neat! I hate it when there are shelves and shelves of accessories all over the place!! I would also like to see the names of the fish/plants next to the tank and their diet, compatible tank mates etc!! It adds a really good touch!

 

Knowledge is the power. If you do not know, dont BS. Maybe invest in some good books, leave them in your shop on a prominent place, if you are busy or stump't your customer can page through the books as well. Hardly any one of us go shopping with our books, but all of us have at some time or another wished we had.

 

Brilliant idea! No-one knows EVERYTHING and I have much more respect for those who admit this and are willing to check up the information you require rather than try and spew nonsense and expect you to believe it.

 

Def will do that. i am thinking of having a touch screen system that will have as much info on the fish i have in my shop. I will type out all my ideas and will post it here, does anybody know of the name of that rugby players LFS in cape town. I want to do something like that but better as in do what my customers needs and not what i think they need.

 

They are called NAAC (new age aquaculture).

 

My plan is to have an aquarium shop that will cater to everyone’s needs. I will have a suggestion area, so that the customer can leave their comments and suggestions on what they would like to see, and have available at their request and what they think would benefit the fish in the long term. I will also have about 3 or 4 touch screen monitors that will be for the customer to get information on what type of tank and mates they can keep with there wanted fish. The screens will also be there for customers like me who are too scared of asking what they need and how much it will cost if they want to setup a salt or freshwater tank in all sizes. There will be a big board of the black listed fish and plants for people to be informed. I would also want to find out if there is a company or person to contact if the customer knows of a place that sells or distributes the fish or plants in anonyms or known. I will have as many assistants on the floor to help people in a non sales way. I will offer advice to all my customers, as that is what I am passionate about – “helping people”, and if I make a sale “it’s a bonus”. I will have tanks that have fish from the most common to the rarest, and the rarest will only be on sale unless you can prove to me that you are experienced in fish keeping (is that alright to have that attitude?). I will maybe have tanks for children to see how guppies are bred and posters of other fish. I will have as many plants in stock as possible, and will grow my own in tanks in the middle of the shop floor for the customer to learn about the different stages of the plants’ life. I want to be able to build tanks to the customers’ specs but I will need to have an experienced person doing that. If I have left anything out, please tell me.

 

You know IMHO bigger is not always better. I am the type of person that buys meat from the butcher, not Pn? ,fill my script at the local pharmacy and not the Hyper/super/clickedy whatever. So my idea of the perfect petshop is the cosy personal shop that can fulfill all your needs, looks like a lfs and gives friendly service. I have seen twice in 2 different towns, one on the east rand and in Potch where the small local friendly guy withstood the onslaught of the big multi bucks outlets. Not only withstood the onslaught, but their business actually grew in the face of this massive competition. Both where out stocked, out decorated and out financed and in both cases the opposition fell, because these guys where small enough to care about their customers just as much as they cared about making money.
The short of this is do not overdo it, start small, start correct, keep it manageable.

 

Hmm lol now I feel like a right old (Afrikaans) box. But I understand what you are saying. Rather start small and slowly grow your business. The only problem is there is so many small pet shops in Durban and a huge one in Springfield park that if I don’t start with something different my business is sure to die.

What is Rep power: 1

 

Dont apologise for your thoughts your feelings and never, ever, ever apologise for your dreams.
You have visionary ideas and I truly hope your dads pocket is deep enough to realise your dreams.
Always thought going to the lps must be an entertaining experience.
Best of luck.

Oh I think Rep power means you have said something someone likes.

 

naac botha?

hi Rory!

they maybe a bit new-age..but it's new APPROACH ...

 

Thanks Roger. I always live in the present hope the best for the future and never dwell on the past.

 

Nice words to live by :bigsmile:

 

If you are worried about competition...
In a suburb where there are children there is probably space for a small petshop in the local centre. You will have to focus on bird, dog and cat products too, but that will enable you to establish a shop where you can specialise as time goes on. It will also make the business more feasable. Furthermore your location is probably more important than what you offer. Once there are feet walking past/into the shop your battle is halfway won.

 

Agree with Theo on main points - a successful shop is Location-Location - LOCATION..
If you specialise in fish then it may take a bit longer but can be better in the long run. If you specialise be prepared to import "specials" for people and ship all over the country..
I would be your first customer for specials
If you want more info on this side of things give me a pm

 

I think what we need more than anything in this country is an online shop.

Firstly it solves the location problem, and secondly it caters to all the die-hards where the average LFS does not.

Take this forum for instance, having it around means no need to phone the LFS for advice. Now if only we could buy the stuff here, that is discussed so often.

Even if they don't sell Live Stock, if I could find a single shop that offered me all of the brands of tanks and hardware I would be dealing with them constantly.

I'm thinking Kalahari.net here, but with Fish stuff instead.


If I had the revenue I would start one right now.

 

Sauron that's a good idea it would make life so make easier! TASA should seriously think about it and let us know what they are willing to do!

 

along with that idea, which is a good idea if implemented right, i'd say, i'd use that if it weren't on the main floor where sales staff will probably assail you and ask enthusiastically "HI! can i HELP!?" - judging that, since you are looking something up, or standing still for more than 5 seconds, you therefore want or need someone to tag along for the rest of your visit like an unwanted wart, staring at you with this "i'm gonna make a SALE" expecting stare..
Idunno about others, but in ANY store, i like the help to be visible and approachable, but they should NOT rush me the moment i start slow-browsing their shelves, i usually wanna be left alone to browse and take it all in

i work at garden centre, where we constantly get all kinds of enquiries as to the species, needs, sicknesses, fungus, aphids, where it should grow, why its getting yellow, is the soil correct, does it have special needs, etc. We have staff thats expected to be as informed as possible, we have an enquiry counter just for customer questions, and if there's something we dont know, we radio to the floor for the most informed horticulturists for answers, and if that fails, we have quite a few books that we pull out to help the customers, sometimes we&customers each grab a book... if we cant find it, we take their details and get back to them, leave the BS to the competition

 

Oooooer :weird: This is the age of Aquarius... :blink1: