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  1. #11
    Registered User Angel619392's Avatar
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    Re: I want to start making and selling HDPE cages

    Quote Originally Posted by Alien View Post
    Looking forward to see where this goes.
    So do I, I have a lot of momentum on my side right now so I want to keep pushing forward. I love the process of figuring out all this stuff(my plan).

  2. #12
    BPnet Veteran wnateg's Avatar
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    My hesitation with buying from a lesser known seller would be the risk of them going under and then not being able to get matching enclosures. Not much you can do about that, but just my viewpoint.
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  3. #13
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    FYI, the HDPE cages I had were Pro-lines also.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  4. #14
    Registered User Angel619392's Avatar
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    Re: I want to start making and selling HDPE cages

    Quote Originally Posted by ballpythonsrock2 View Post
    So are you planning on going big and starting your own little company or is this going to be like a hobby and just doing it yourself like in your basement or garage?

    I know the one complaint people have on here about these kinds of enclosures are the long wait times. The companies custom build them with individual orders. But the quicker way would be to build a few different styles which are designed the most popular way stock them up and sell and see what goes. And listen to peoples input's.

    Maybe some poster who like these kinds of cages (like dakski) can post what they like and would like to see come with your cages. You could build say 4 different styles in different sizes, stock them up somehwere and then start making more to replace the ones that sell the best. But you might need to hire some people and have a place to produce and store a few. (Unless you can come up with one style almost everyone likes in different sizes.)

    In this day and age of bankrupcy's I would make sure I have the money in your bank first before shipping. And send them in a fairly timely way packaged in a way they would always or most likely arrive in tact and un-broken. If you can do this quickly and have nice cages people will start buying and bragging about them.

    Having your own business can be a gamble but I have seen some people do well having their own business, but it is a bit scary at first for them but then they end up helping others have employment.
    Going big is not really what I'm trying to do. That statement is vague in itself but to be more clear I want to fix a problem I see in cage building right now. Everything else will follow with that because I want to make a website as well so (Cages , website) go hand and hand , plus a youtube channel. But I do want to start locally selling these reptile cages all over california first so shipping is not bad and people can give honest reviews. I will try an get people to post on these forums to give brutally honest reviews... So if you are in cali we can work something out, of course I'm open to other states but I'm not comfortable yet myself because I want people being comfortable in buying something.... I wouldnt want someone looking at it like a risk.... Plus in state shipping is much cheaper if things go wrong , I can fix things and ship back for cheap instead of across the country

  5. #15
    Registered User Angel619392's Avatar
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    Re: I want to start making and selling HDPE cages

    Quote Originally Posted by Craiga 01453 View Post
    It sounds like you have a pretty solid plan in place. And I definitely think there's a place in the market for another quality enclosure option.

    If I'm being honest though, I personally wouldn't purchase an enclosure without being able to see it in person or at least be able to hear some testimonials from reputable sources. I'd have a real hard time dropping AP comparable prices on an unknown enclosure.

    I think your best bet would be to start selling locally. Hit some expos and bring some examples of your "standard" sizes as well as show some of your "customizable" options.

    Reputation goes a long way, and without any reputation at all I think you'll have a hard time with online sales. But I could be wrong.

    I wish you the best and I'll be watching to see how you do. Good luck!!
    I appreciate the feedback... Reputation is the biggest hurdle of course but it will come. I'm in no rush and I do live close to the San diego expo so it's nice to be able to do that and maybe show up there for a few days showcasing my cages. Maybe sell a few. But hey I agree with you, if I w as s the buyer I'd want to see reviews and hear peoples opinions on a product. I totally understand and would do the same so I see it from that perspective as well, and proactively researching , seeking feedback and then action is what it comes down to.

  6. #16
    Bogertophis's Avatar
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    Even though I'm not going to be your customer (because, well, I like glass...) I do think there's a niche for your cages if all goes well. And California is a good
    place to start, there are more snake-keepers in California (I'm a former resident of many years) than in many other states, so wish you best of luck. You
    should be advertising to the various herp societies there too, once you get up & running.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  7. #17
    Registered User Angel619392's Avatar
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    Re: I want to start making and selling HDPE cages

    Quote Originally Posted by Weremey59 View Post
    Honestly, as a part time business owner and working the trades for most of my life, if there is anything I have learned it's that your quality of work will always speak for itself. If you are good at what you do and create perfection everytime, reputation will come naturally. I have very much thought about selling my own racks as it's very easy for me to do. I built my own PVC racks and it went really well. The joints are perfect, its square, its strong and it looks good. What more could you ask for. The hardest part I had when I first started contracting was convincing a customer that I am competent at doing the work. Especially being a 22 year old kid. This was because of my lack of a portfolio so the first few jobs I only made 25-50% profit. Now it's much higher however when I quote a job I can show them very close examples of MY work, not come good searched work that it "will look close to this".

    My part time company is a hobby but of course I like having the supplemented income of the work. Just don't get into this thinking you can half ass the craftsmanship. If the words "close enough" ever come out of your mouth, just re do it. Believe me you will be glad you did it in the long run and in a market as saturated as it is with good workmanship, you will fall to the side if you decide to cut corners.

    Just my 2 cents, I love seeing guys try to start up things like this.
    Well I appreciate the feedback and your perspective.. I want to private message you about how you manage your time by the way , I just like learning so maybe I can learn some things (: . And yeah I have sold many things before I've always been competent in researching my competitors and doing due diligence but on a much smaller scale for different things in different industries. My philosophy is if I dont like what I'm selling I cant sell it, because I have to know the product I have to be able explain it to people etc. It sounds corny but I have to really like what I do in order for me to excel in it. Just the truth...

  8. #18
    Registered User Angel619392's Avatar
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    Re: I want to start making and selling HDPE cages

    Quote Originally Posted by Weremey59 View Post
    Also,I've never seen cages made with PVC foam board. I built everything with 1/2 PVC solid sheets. Expensive but awesome finished product (about $115 here in snow mexico) It likes to bind in table saws though, router tables are the way to go if you have access to one.
    Actual solid pvc sheets are over $200 bucks for 1/2 inch thick. Trust me I know , its pvc foam board that your using . If your literally making them for yourself and not selling I can believe you use pvc sheets like actual solid pvc because theres no profit in buying real pvc sheets and making cages for the purpose of profit..

  9. #19
    Registered User Angel619392's Avatar
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    Re: I want to start making and selling HDPE cages

    Quote Originally Posted by Gio View Post
    Every cage here is HDPE.


    These are Pro-Line cages from Constrictors NW. Ed Lilley no longer makes these cages, or cages period.

    The only other HDPE maker I know of is Monster Cages. Mathew Martin is still in business I believe.

    I have really enjoyed these cages and have no regrets going with this material.

    You may fill a niche if you go into business as I don't think there are many cage makers using HDPE.

    All of my cages are naturalistic and set up for display, yet they are still easy to clean and maintain.

    Best of luck.
    I got my idea from proline cages. Ed is where my idea came from because I see his product was superior in every way compared to PVC cages but unfortunately it was too expensive for the buyer , and PVC just works. Not even trying to start this into a PVC wont off gas debate but it does 140 degrees is its tolerance before it gets structurally weaker and starts to off gas. Chlorine is the main toxin that is bad for your health in PVC(Poly vinyl chloride). As opposed to HDPE which tolerates 248 degree before becoming structurally weak and off gassing, though it's not really toxic you dont want to inhale anything.

  10. The Following User Says Thank You to Angel619392 For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (01-08-2020)

  11. #20
    Registered User Angel619392's Avatar
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    Re: I want to start making and selling HDPE cages

    Quote Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    Even though I'm not going to be your customer (because, well, I like glass...) I do think there's a niche for your cages if all goes well. And California is a good
    place to start, there are more snake-keepers in California (I'm a former resident of many years) than in many other states, so wish you best of luck. You
    should be advertising to the various herp societies there too, once you get up & running.
    Hey bro listen , I like to listen and learn you dont have to be a customer I like just taking about reptiles and anything related. And yeah california is great. I know alot of local breeders I want to sell to them too it's a good way to get started.

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