fishguy

I can’t understand why jetskisteve/nicks are saying corals/fish are so expensive when at the reef club meeting they were selling coral for around $60. This does not seem to be much better priced than the retail shops who have to pay staff, gst & tax etc. Even the new aqua medic skimmers and T5 lighting that I looked at was not that much cheaper. Selling in the backyard is always going to be cheaper.. “Common guys you are not doing it for freeâ€. So don’t expect aquarium stores to do it for nothing, they do have to make a living and provide enough income to keep the business going in the long run. I have seen Alois quarantine facility, and to be honest I don’t know how he does it. He has a full time job and then has to spend about 3-4 hours a day looking after the tanks. Other importers have staff to pay and can’ drop pricing if it is going to be sustainable. Bad mouthing the shops and importers does not do the hobby any good especially if you don’t have any experience in the business. Even if jetskisteve/nicks sell to the shops because they are so cheap do you think the shops will buy everything from them ? I don’t think so as they have long loyal relationship with most suppliers and they are looking for long term supply not the short term and unsustainably supply that any one else has to offer. As far as I am concerned the NZMAS marine club is more of a backyard shop to help Steve/nick in selling coral/fish so that they can undermine the shops. A club is for learning and sharing ideas, not to sell and make profit for self gain. Which shop do you think will stock jetskisteve/nicks products?? These guys have made very slanderous comments about shops and importers , so No one in this country is going to buy from them. When was the last time Jetskisteve/nicks purchased a coral/fish from a shop to support them?? Probably never. I have never seen them in the shop when the coral arrive as I always try to get there so I can get the best pieces before they go. If they are so concerned about pricing why don’t they open a plumbing shop and undersell Mitre 10 etc. as plumbing is so expensive , It only cost about 10-20 cents to make a bend but sell for $4-$5 a item. Why don’t they sell it for $1.?? Maybe they have expenses like rent, wages etc. Prices won’t go much lower as there is an economic cost to run a business. If a shop buys a coral for $15, do you think it is going to cost $30 retail ? I don’t think so as the mark up will be 150% instead of the 100% because shops have expenses to cover and have to meet a certain gross margin to make it worth there while to run a business. Not all coral is going to be sold on day 1 as it takes time to sell it all. No matter what the prices are. Prices might go down in the short term however will go up as they are not sustainable. Pricing in NZ is on par with the rest of the world, It is only seems expensive as jetskisteve/nicks always pick out the lower prices to compare ours with the rest of the world. I remember a shop in Auckland named Aquazoo. it had the cheapest marine prices, however were are they now.?? and were are all the old importers? not around because they could not make any money due to the low prices. food for thought This is my first post and probably my last as I can’t be bothered with these small minded individuals who think they are always hard done by. I think certain individuals need to reflect on there intentions before trying to destroy the hobby to fulfil there selfish short term needs. That’s my two cents worth.