Wholesalers?

Hi guys and girls,
Ok here is what i need help with. I am researching starting up a pet shop, which would be a reptile oriented shop. I was wondering if anyone had any info or sites of wholesale suppliers, not just for animals but also for supplies and cages, etc etc.

Thanks everyone!

Mike

i suggest you call hagen for starts but honestly, go into a pet store... see the product names... call the company and go from there. it's a lot of work... but... that's just the way it is :P

Thats what i acctually did today, i know that when i worked in a pet store i use to order from big booklets one which i can remember was hagan and i think penn plax. I think i will have to go and look around and maybe even ask the local petstores which wholesalers they use.


mike

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Originally Posted by wildlifewarrior

Thats what i acctually did today, i know that when i worked in a pet store i use to order from big booklets one which i can remember was hagan and i think penn plax. I think i will have to go and look around and maybe even ask the local petstores which wholesalers they use.

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Be aware that most people are 'protective' of their wholesalers.....who would want to give possible competition the name of their supplier?

Also, be sure that you have a few bucks saved up. Alot of wholesale distributors (in any business not just reptiles) require that you spend a set amount of money with them with your first purchase in order for them to establish you as a client.

Take down the names and contact the companies. You will increase your profit if you can get the product from the source instead of through a dealer.

Try Royal Pet Supply.

One of the largest wholesalers in CT for supplies.

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Originally Posted by SPJ

Try Royal Pet Supply.

One of the largest wholesalers in CT for supplies.

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YES! i knew there was one in CT, thanks SPJ! Keep em commin everyone!!

~mike

The best of luck Mike :gj: Keep me posted!

Mike, Central pet is a big dry goods wholesaler in your area. also try Kenlin supply. :)


The live goods wholesalers are a guarded secret, trail and error my friend.

Well i can only give you one wholesellar of live reptiles to AVOID and thats JPpets out of Florida.I have a freind that owns a pet store and he has had so many half dead on arrival reptiles its makes me sick:mad: .Good luck to you on opening your store :rockon:

If you're having trouble finding a wholesaler, maybe you could go through somebody who flips for a wholesaler. There are plenty of those around ;) :)

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Originally Posted by Uncle Festae

If you're having trouble finding a wholesaler, maybe you could go through somebody who flips for a wholesaler. There are plenty of those around ;) :)

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OH MY GAWD!!! LOL....

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Originally Posted by Uncle Festae

If you're having trouble finding a wholesaler, maybe you could go through somebody who flips for a wholesaler. There are plenty of those around ;) :)

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That actually is not that bad of an idea. Thousands of businesses in this country make money by buying and selling items. I know of several smaller construction material companies that do this kind of business.

For example, in order to purchase home windows from a certain manufacturing (or wholesale) company you must order over $60,000 worth a windows a year in order to have an account. Since most small time contractors don't go through $60,000 worth of windows a year, a middleman that has the money to spend comes in. He buys $60,000 worth of windows at a discounted wholesale price, marks it up to the standard market price then sells it to the contractors.

...I can think of tons of examples...but they all follow the same principal.

It is actually very common and helpful to the industry.

when i worked at the petstore we have a company we could order one or two items from - as they ordered in the larger quantities. it worked really well for us.

we didn't end up with 40,000 dog balls... :P

there's good eating on them things. :P




dr del

:rofl: it took me a minute derek... but you got me good! :P

well you know me - I can never resist a good feed line. :oops:



dr del

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Originally Posted by ECLARK

Mike, Central pet is a big dry goods wholesaler in your area. also try Kenlin supply. :)


The live goods wholesalers are a guarded secret, trail and error my friend.

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There is an awesome wholesaler in Shelton CT for marine fish. I'll ask him if he has info on reptile wholesalers.

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Originally Posted by JASBALLS

OH MY GAWD!!! LOL....

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I thought the same thing. LOL.


Wouldn't that make your prices too high in a very competitive market by going thru a middleman?

Most wholesalers will not sell straight to a store. Penn Plex does, and there are rumors of others going direct... it's risky. Manafactures want a wholesaler to stock their product and push it. Not every manf. can have a warehouse, and not every store can do 10 min. orders from diffrent lines to keep their store stocked, so you have comps. like Central... They house what they believe to be the most markatable products, and their sales reps go out and push it. This makes the companies and reps money full circle... Manafactures do spiff programs etc... to ge the reps to push their items they need to move etc etc etc...................

So, if you want to open a store, as mentioned.... contact SEVERAL distributers... because they are ALL going to want you to order from them, especially the ISO (inital stocking order)... Unless you plan to carry only 10 SKU's of product.. I know Central is there, not sure who else..... they own on the Reptile side... ESU and the new Zilla line. But you can buy Zoo-Med, T-Rex, Exo-Terra, etc through them....it's wise IMO to order from at least 2 wholesalers... that way you have access to diffrent product, sales, etc......... My 6 :2cent: :2cent: :2cent: worth... :P

Thanks everybody, great ideas and suggestions. I am currently trying to get into grad school so there would be no pet store for the next few years if ever, but i figured researching early is better than waiting. Thanks to all of you who have made suggestions and comments. Thanks for the support too!
~mike