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What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops?

Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

The issue about job security is a illusion, nothing is secure nowadays. 🙂 No more jobs for life.

I make is sound easy, and it just sounds easy, I am sure that it isn't. But it is not that hard that it cannot be tried.

The issue is when you need time off, that is the bit that I have not sorted out yet.

I think that if I had to setup something it would be anything but fish. I feel that once you start with fish anything can happen, one diseased fish and you could loose all your stock, as usually the tanks share the same filter and sumps.

I have been at my company for 8 years, and the place should close down soon, so I will try my luck at a selling plants, even if it is on a low scale.

The really hard bit should be the accounts, but I think that I will outsource that.
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

There is no risk in setting up something that is already a proven formula there are 1000's of LFS across the country most of them will be making a reasonable living for there owners so the idea works (even for the bad ones)
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

That's what accountants are for! :lol:

Seriously though, there is money to be made and there is room in the market for more aquascaping orientated shops. I'd like nothing more than to see an explosion of 10 TGM's, 10 PlantedBox's, 10 AquaEssentials, etc. open up as dedicated shops around the uk. So if you have the money, know-how, and big enough 'rocks' then go for it! The more the merrier! Its about bringing hard to get products to the masses, and driving prices down. Anything to benefit the hobbyist 🙂

I think stocking fish is essential as its basic bread and butter money that keep people coming back for more. Fish prices are amazingly cheap, but the losses are high (order 300 ottos and you end up with 20 or so survivors in some cases). Even with this, my local MA makes most of his profit from fish.
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

I know that locally we now have a very strong fish/livestock availability, though perhaps not overly specialised. Shrimps for example are restricted to dubious 'amano' and 'algae eater' varieties. I don't know if I'd initially want to stock fish, perhaps something I'd consider later down the line 'if' this doesn't end up a pipe dream! I've had 3 close 'business' startup plans, one got almost to production stage, perhaps it's about time one came to fruition!
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

How about stocking fish but specialised in being suitable for the planted tank? That way if you stocked tetras or similar you would also get passing trade from non-planted tank fish people and try convince them into the ways of the plant?
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

I am aware of 5 aquarium/pet shops in the city, two of which are large brands (Maidenhead and pets@Home). I suspect you'd have to be pretty specialised with the fish to compete strongly...
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

God, 300 ottos and 20 survive? That would be just moral destroying.. 🙁

Maybe just stock livebearers and breed them at the back? 🙂

So pet shops make most of their money on the fish?
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

ghostsword said:
So pet shops make most of their money on the fish?
Click to expand...

Highly unlikely that most local fish shops make their money on the fish, but my local MA do. Aquatics Unlimited (aquatics-online.co.uk) make most of their profit on dog kennels and paddling pools.

You can go in to this and lose your way very easily by following profit over the initial idea of a true aquascaping shop.
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

I was just surprised that they would make money from fish.. 🙂

I would not bother keeping them, just plants, tanks, rocks and wood. And fancy substrate with my pic on.. 🙂

Like to see fish, but would not like to loose the stock over a disease.. Maybe I would keep only arowana, and import some.. that may be the only fish I would look at selling..
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

There is def, alot to be gained from stocking more plants. I buy nearly all plants online/forums, as i cannot be bothered to travel to out of town large LFS'. Thankfully i have a PAH within 5mins walking distance (coventry)thats stocks good tropica plants when in need of good HC.

Losses in fish transport can be VV high in some circumstances due to airports and customs.
I know last year an LFS was telling me how a VVLarge order of fish was lost due to idoitic customs, opening boxes for inspection outdoors.
Fhere are more fish loss horror stories over on Monsterfishkeepers from importers with pix included or Koi Vats full of dead fish.

Some of the Bulf plant suppliers on Ebay Like Mossymo and Last Trading Post are simply Go-Betweens and get a commission of 70pence per item sold.
When I ordered 1200 bunches of Vallis, it was shipped direct from malaysia (growers) and was the best qulaity i had ever seen.

I have been unemployed for nearly a year now, and i am in talks about franchises or going it alone.
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

Maybe discuss it with your local LFSs and arrange a mutually beneficial arrangement (We recommend xxxxxxx for Livestock, They recommend you for plants!) - saves all the bother with livestock!
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

@ Gill .. If you are unemployed you should for sure try selling plants.. Start small and see where it takes you. I would get a heated propagator and try my luck at growing plants that people are always looking for, such as HC, Riccia, etc..
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

You'd have to be very clever to run a profitable aquatics shop without selling at least the most basic fish. Just rock, wood, plants? You'd be hardpushed!
Most Maidenhead Aquatics (and probably most larger aquatics 'superstore' type shops) get most of their sales from pond related goods in spring and summer, and tanks moving into autumn/winter. Then comes dry aquarium goods - foods, water treatments etc, then fish, then lastly plants.
Dry goods generate the most $$$, but the markup % is nowhere near the same league as livestock. Sure you get loses - good importers offer live on arrival, healthy systems, tanks, acclimatisation etc all limit loses. 20 survivals out of 300? Somethings gone wrong along the line, even with otos! Set up a decent system, with tank isolation, UV filters, good maintenance and you'll rarely experience any of the horror stories of total wipeouts.

Forget growing your own plants or breeding your own fish, there's no way you could do this on a scale that is financially viable when you see the pennies some fish/plants cost.
Potential markup on plants is decent, throw some money at a good sale tank and you'll get plants growing rather than dying and get very little waste.

With the know-how it's not overly hard. IMO the hardest part would be the contacts side of things, importers, wholesalers, getting contracts, trying to compete with companies that have hundreds of stores and can hammer prices down. If you offer quality and customer service then given patience reputation will follow, with a strong customer base forming.
If I had the funds it's something I'd love to give a shot. There's always a risk, but the rewards are there. Going down a franchise route with TGM, MA et al would limit the risk, but also limit any rewards. Swings and roundabouts 🙂
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

Thanks, lots of good ideas here, and one of the best threads on this forum, imo.

TGM is a great shop, great tanks, but their kit is just too expensive, and some of it probably overpriced. MA looks good, been at the Morden shop.

In London I believe that something like MA has more chance than a TGM shop, but maybe that is because I am poor.. 🙂

TGM would be the pet shop equivalent of Borders, people would go there to see, browse and spend the time, but probably would buy most the kit online. Look at what happened to Borders in London?

For sure there is a demand for quality high street planted aquarium shops..
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

This is a big discussion and I've often thought about it myself.

I think hobbies are such a niche thing. Especially somethin like fishkeeping/aquascaping. I mean it's growing for sure but in my opinion not enough to take that much of a risk. I often wonder how owners of shops such as TGM and Aqua Essentials live off the profits they make because it can't be that great but obviously it's enough.

I think even if there's a niche in the market (which there definately is in this case) you need to have a 'business head' and probably a great deal of luck to survive - especially in the current climate.

It's definately an exciting prospect though and I'd say if you can afford to and plan it well enough then it would be a great venture.
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

One of the most important things to consider with aquatics and starting up on your own is:
Making lasting relationships with suppliers and Local/Near/Far Stores that you know. The more you get to know them the more likely they are to help you out when it come to setting up your own. This I know from Experience, Some LFS' are more than happy to help with fulfilling your first few orders while your licences are being dealt with. And they are the best people to put you in touch with the most reliable suppliers and transporters. Plus you know what the Loss rates will be depending on Source.
I keep in touch with a lot of stores near and far to make sure if help is needed I can rely on them.

I would say this year is one of the best times to "go it alone", as councils are more than willing to help and property/rental prices are still low enough.
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

Looking forward to some substrate with a picture of Luis.
Also if you open a market stall Im sure I will pop by and take some pics for ya 😀
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

mlgt said:
Looking forward to some substrate with a picture of Luis.
Also if you open a market stall Im sure I will pop by and take some pics for ya 😀
Click to expand...

Cheers Rik, it is well appreciated.. Would like to be the only market stall with aquatic plants and display tanks. 🙂

One display tank would be enough to convince the masses, wouldn't need fish.
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

Untill you tell them they need 25kg of epson salts 😀
 
Re: What's the demand for high street planted aquarium shops

Agree in many ways - I've never seen an aquascaped aquarium in any LFS I've been in, locally or otherwise. I don't think many fish owners have even considered there's more to fish keeping than some elodea and cabomba looking a little forlorn in the corner of the tank.
 
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