ideas for store and suppliers needed

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Cedar River Chins

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Okay some say I am crazy for doing this in this unsteady economic world but it is some what of a dream for me..It will come in stages and steps for a 5 year plan..Please note I am not doing this to steal anyone's ideas or products they sell or to steal customers..With that said here it goes.

I am re-opening Nicole/Riven's old chinstore shortly..I will start out carrying a variety of toys, chew,novelity items, treats (chin safe of course) , some medical products, feed, dust, hay, books, the whole kit n kaboodle.. But the only way for me to make this work is to get feedback ..So if anyone has nay suggestions of products or ideas I would love to hear them..What do you need?? what would you like to see??

My plan is to start this way online..for many of my customers I have done this all along..Now I am just expanding officially and legally..the 5 year plan comes in to add more and more items of course..But also to put in a full service pet store on site to service my town as we drive (2 hours to get even dog food). However I will not sell live animals EVER in the store..I am a firm believer that pet stores should sell the supplies not the animals..But I do believe in offering safe products and educating people to the proper care of them.

If anyone has any tips on the business aspect, saving money, keeping costs down, tax deductions I am open to hearing those as well to make sure I did not overlook anything..

for those of you on here who already make your own products to sell..I know there is quite a few and I know your products are good..Some of you I have already contacted..Some I have not gotten to yet..But with that said any of you who are interested in selling to me and having your products listed on the store and eventually in our shop I would feel honored to do business with you..SO please contact me..Of course any products bought by me from you to re-sell you will get named credit for..I will not pass off anyone elses items as my own..I think that is a crappy thing to do..

thanks in advance for any help and services you can offer.
 
So many of these businesses fail because they put up a great site but don't know how to market it. You can't just post on forum and trade links. Most owners and potential owners of chinchillas never come here! With well over 100 million websites it's hard to get noticed.

Search engine optimization is the name of the game. And with their algorithms changing all the time, you'll need to stay up with the latest research.

A five year plan is a great idea, as patience is the only way to win. But just building a store doesn't mean they will come. Look at other avenues to build your site first.
 
Thanks for the replies...
And yes we are working on the advertising and marketing end of it as well..But thanks for the opinion.
When we get to the other pet products part I will definatly keep you in mind

for those who already sell items for chins maybe you would be willing to share your suppliers for toy parts and loofah, willow things, pumice etc..
 
let me know when you get your websit egoing and I will add it to my website under suppliers
 
From a consumer standpoint, I would really like to be able to get dust, various types of wood sticks and all natural (unflavored, untreated, unCOLORED) toy items for my gang... all in one place. There are other items, (Critical Care, Life Line, etc.), but those three are my main online purchases right now. :)

Good luck with your plan!
 
How about lava ledges/landings, seagrass mats and grapevine stuff?
 
I know others are mostly offering suggestions for supplies, but I thought I'd offer a lil advice for the business point of view...

If you search around on the IRS website, you'll eventually find the page to apply for a Federal Employer Identification Number (Federal EIN). You really want one of these, even if you never have any employees. Its been a while since I got mine, but I think it was free. I do remember it took me a while tho to fill out all the information. When completed & accepted, I was given a document I could print at home to use immediately, and then about a week later recieved my official EIN paperwork via snail mail.

With that number, I then applied for a state resale number (here in Michigan, It was on the Michigan.gov website, which took me forever to find, because they have crappy organizational skills when it comes to websites lol). Anyhoo - with the resale number, I'm able to buy things just about anywhere and not have to pay sales tax. BUT it has to be things that I use in my products, or things I'd just turn around and resell.

I can buy fabric & pet supplies at Walmart tax free -- feed & medications at TSC & our local farm supply -- its also accepted by our Family Dollar & Dollar General stores, and many online stores accept it as well (for example, I make/sell jewelry, and one major jewelry component supplier lets me use my resale number)

But do remember to keep track of ALL receipts of anything you buy for your business. Not only things to resell, or make products, but also things like printer ink, computer paper, packaging tape, and so on. Many of those things can be tax write offs at the end of the year.

On the note of sales tax - depending on your state & local goverment, and what exactly you put down for your resale ID number, some businesses are allowed to also buy office supplies & cleaning supplies tax free. Just be sure to double check before doing that, so you dont wind up accidentally getting yourself in trouble for misuse of your tax exempt status.

By the way, I think the pet supply store is a great idea and I hope it goes over well.
~Barb~
 
Another thought to think about is NY sales tax to anyone living within your state. I know from being on another forum for a site that I sell on, NY is really annoying to deal with sales tax, because the tax districts are based on political lines not zip code.
So for your online store, if someone buys within NY you need to charge them the appropriate sales tax %. Normally you can set paypal to calculate that really easily, but because it doesn't go by zip code, paypal doesn't work for it. So you'd have to manually figure out the tax rate for that customer
http://www8.nystax.gov/STLR/stlrHome

Perhaps you knew this already, but I know on the forum I frequent, many sellers don't think of this. So being a business, you'd have to collect the appropriate sales tax and then report it to the government. Maybe you already knew this with selling chins, but just thought I'd mention it :)
 
I am curious to know how payments would be made. Would paypal be used? I could be wrong but I thought they take a good chunk of peoples money just for using their service.
 
They don't take any money from YOU Nicki, they take it from the person you are buying from. Most people tack on a "surcharge" to cover those charges, even though that is against paypal's rules. If you're caught doing that, your account can be deleted. Doing it here or there might be one thing, but on a regular basis through a store is another.

Also, with paypal, as long as you don't have a premium account, which means accepting credit cards, then there are no charges to the seller.
 
paypal only takes a percentage of the money transaction from the seller, so the buyers don't have to pay anything extra. But as a seller, it is something you have to take into consideration. Because they do take quite a chunk out. But also, if you were to go with credit cards, those also take a percentage of the sale, so pretty much no matter what, unless you take checks or money orders, you will loose some money from the sale.
 
tunes said:
They don't take any money from YOU Nicki, they take it from the person you are buying from. Most people tack on a "surcharge" to cover those charges, even though that is against paypal's rules. If you're caught doing that, your account can be deleted. Doing it here or there might be one thing, but on a regular basis through a store is another.

Also, with paypal, as long as you don't have a premium account, which means accepting credit cards, then there are no charges to the seller.
Click to expand...

:) I know. I should've worded it differently. I know it's hard for people to make money when their profits get taken. I didn't know about the credit card thing though. Thanks.
 
The money taken out by paypal you would just figure as an expense for tax purposes. So atleast you aren't taxed on the amount that the buyer sends you, only on your actual income.
 
If it's possible (and not too much of a headache to create and/or implement), I really appreciate it when online stores offer various ways to ship my package. Meaning, it'll list for me USPS, FedEx, and UPS prices during the checkout process - even USPS expedited shipping for extra $ - and I can choose which mode of shipping I want to pay for.
 
Missy,

As you know I wish you the best of luck.

ANd just wanted to add that someone told me that there is a hay that is also good for chins other than Timothy, as you know I like to switch about once a week for a safe treat, so many different types of hay would be a good idea. The one i was told is a good one is Kleenmama's. I don't know if you can get that, but just an idea. Hope it helps some.

Jean (talk to you soon) and again best of luck to you and your store, you know i'll be ordering from you.:dance3:
 
HI guys wanted to thank each and every one of you for your replies and candor..

thank you snickers for the well wishes.

Kristy I will give you a banner as soon as we are open for business..Thank you..

Aneesa- I already will be selling the items you mentioned. but again thank you for the input.

Allie- thanks for all the advice I did take the whole sales tax thing into consideration..And we are getting that all worked out hopefully with the program we are using..

Susansheila- yup we got them..Again thanks for the thought

Jen- we will have different methods of shipping available for the shopper to choose at checkout..As I too like that choice when I order things..

Addicted to chins- yes we will carry other pet supplies after a bit..Hopefully by late spring early summer..And it will be full service not just one or two kind of pets..We plan on all types of different pets products. But we are hoping to master one type before we jump into 50 ya know??

Nicki- As Peg and Allie stated - Paypal will cost me not you..However I am looking into having several options for payment..we will accept Money order, personal checks, most credit cards (no american express) , and paypal also ..But if people pay with money order their shipment will not be sent until payment is recieved..If they send personal check shipment will not be sent until check clears..

Barb- thanks so much for all the time and info you mentioned..I did however go through all the right channels and do have a state and federal tax id number..Also have FDA certification..A wholesalers license a dealers liscense and A re sellers liscence, and last but not least I am workign on the medical certification so I can sell medical supplies as well..

Jean- I look forward to doing business with you and hey you can visit and save on shipping..LOL

Peggy- thanks for jumping in and doing what you do..Ya know I love ya

Seems the biggest part I am having a problem with is getting deliveries..As I live in the middle of nowhere and no one is to happy about sending a semi to deliver up here in the sticks..they want me to buy more then I need or could afford..So I am working on finding a happy medium with them..Hoepfully it will be resolved shortly..
 
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