alanmin4304 Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 It is not NZ made. It comes from the same place but also has a markup from the importer, wholesaler and retailer. I see this as similar to Trademe. A lot more trade will happen this way and shops will have to compete with it the same as they presently have to compete with Trademe. In future we may buy livestock and plants from shops and everything else from overseas. Oh the times they are a changin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 Oh the times they are a changin. Indeed they are. I recently got told of a retail store that was losing custom to on-line shopping so they set up a website and now the on-line sales count for 60% of their turnover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 In future we may buy livestock and plants from shops and everything else from overseas. Hate to think how much the fish will cost then.... TBH I'll buy certain things in bulk from overseas, but will try support local retailers where I can because I believe they're the backbone of our hobby. Anything like a pump/heater/filter with the potential for failure I'll only buy from a local store [HFF usually] as I don't want to have to try deal with a warranty problem with an overseas vendor or some non-english-speaking fly-by-night garage trader from TradeMe. If you're going to shop smarter at least give the local stores a chance to match the price. Many times, and not just with this hobby, I've been able to work something out with a local supplier where the price is close to (or even better than) importing myself. And then there's the GST thing, before you moan about shops "ripping us off" remember they can't so easily avoid paying tax... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 In my experience importers and distributors don't get much of a wholesale margin from the manufacturers because they don't buy enough. They will probably not even buy as much as a big internet retailer. So, their buy price including shipping is more than the price on an overseas site. They then have to add on any import taxes, a margin of 5-10% as profit ( and to cover any advertising if they do any ). They have to also cover the costs of faulty products and returns, and retailers going bust on them. The retailer adds a margin of about 40% to hopefully cover the costs of maintaining their bricks and mortar store, staff, product not selling, support etc, and GST. A online retailer doesn't have some of those costs and so can sell cheaper. So, the LFS prices will always be more expensive than importing yourself, unless they're having a loss leader sale, or clearance ... like HFF were doing with those Rena filters ( who would buy one of those if you lived in Tauranga! ). By buying local you do support your retailer who is likely responsible for increasing the numbers of people with this hobby. So, indirectly those added costs are helping the hobby and you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovmoller Posted March 2, 2012 Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 So, indirectly those added costs are helping the hobby and you. The other side of that one is that low cost also helps the hobby... but the awareness has to be created somewhere of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 2, 2012 Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 That is a good point raised re warranty. I would not buy something like a canister filter from anywhere but a NZ supplier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted March 2, 2012 Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 I also would not buy something that would not have its warranty valid in nz. with the heat packs I purchased I only went overseas because i could only buy them one at a time from the shops and even then there were occasions when I could not source any Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zayne Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 went down to the pet shop to day and saw some things twice or three times more than on trademe! i think in this day and age shops need to realize that if we can get items half the price we will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 That is true, but for this hobby specifically, if we don't buy some things from LFS's then soon they'll go out of business and we'll lose the ability to go in and view / pick livestock. I've got a favourite LFS here in Christchurch and I'll support him even if he doesn't have the lowest price as he's doing a great thing for the hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 I like going to the shop for my fish stuff. It helps that my favourite is cheaper and friendlier than most of the others too. I'd only rather buy things online that I don't need to look at first or don't need to try on. Clothes and shoes are too variable, I always have to try first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 I have started to buy from the LFS and not HFF/trademe for my last few purchases (food/pump) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 I don't think I've ever received a GST invoice from a trademe dealer even though some of them are clearly GST registered. That's something your LFS will not get away with. So, that's instantly a 15% unfair advantage these online retailers have .... Luckily I can claim the GST back from a LFS as my purchases are a work expense (office consumables). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the new guy Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 I have purchased some tank equipment from overseas. i consider it to be bought second hand because to send it back for warranty would not be worth it. i could be sending something that cost me $60 and it may cost $50 to send it back halfway around the world so it wouldnt be worth the effort or money. I have decided i will stick to the local shops and trademe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovmoller Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 office consumables :rotf: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc254 Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 Should always buy from a LFS If you dont buy their equipment... they go under... Wholesalers then loose out as they have no where to sell their fish... they stop/reduce their order size to accommodate... always should buy from a LFS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zayne Posted March 6, 2012 Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 just saved myself $700 from buying my stuff overseas. i would like to buy all my stuff from the lfs but when moneys tight you go with whats cheaper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted March 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2012 Should always buy from a LFS If you dont buy their equipment... they go under... Wholesalers then loose out as they have no where to sell their fish... they stop/reduce their order size to accommodate... always should buy from a LFS i agree but i don't believe that we should pay double from them. someone is making big coin from imported products, i know what my LFS pays for the stuff i buy and it isn't them so it's the wholesaler/importer that needs a big stick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovmoller Posted March 7, 2012 Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 i agree but i don't believe that we should pay double from them. someone is making big coin from imported products, i know what my LFS pays for the stuff i buy and it isn't them so it's the wholesaler/importer that needs a big stick +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted March 7, 2012 Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 In the computer industry distributors work on tiny margins; as low as 1%, especially for commodity items. Perhaps things are different in the pet trades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted March 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 In the computer industry distributors work on tiny margins; as low as 1%, especially for commodity items. Perhaps things are different in the pet trades. for example, retail in US for NLS 2.24kg bucket is $49USD ($60.32NZD today), here it is $155NZD and a few months ago over $190NZD. you do the math..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted March 7, 2012 Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 for example, retail in US for NLS 2.24kg bucket is $49USD ($60.32NZD today), here it is $155NZD and a few months ago over $190NZD. you do the math..... Is that retail or mail order pricing? Assuming the latter, and that NZ distros pay a similar price being small fry and all >> ( $60.32 + $45 ) * 1.05 * 1.40 == $154.82 where the $45 is shipping based on a 30x30x30 cm package weighing 2.2 kg on NZ Post economy ( cheapest parcel ) rate, 5% distro markup, and 40% for retailer including GST. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted March 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 maybe that's where they are going wrong, they are paying retail & air freight like the rest of us then expecting to sell it with profit margin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 7, 2012 Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 maybe that's where they are going wrong, they are paying retail & air freight like the rest of us then expecting to sell it with profit margin. Wow, how could they never have realized they could get stuff cheaper and then sell things cheaper? :slfg: Most retailers I've heard from said they sell at a pretty low margin. If the shop can get something for $100 and sells it for $50 they still need to pay wages, rent, insurance, utilities, losses from theft etc. I know from someone running a reasonable size garden center that on an average day they will make only a few thousand in sales. Say that's $4000 on average. They sell things at roughly twice what it costs them so about $2000 is profit Subtract about $800/day for the handful of people running it, $300-400/day for the mortgage, another $100 maybe for utilities, another $100 for insurance You're only left with like $600 profit per day and I'm sure I'm missing expenses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zayne Posted March 7, 2012 Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 maybe that's where they are going wrong, they are paying retail & air freight like the rest of us then expecting to sell it with profit margin. shops get things at wholesale price and the more they buy the cheaper it gets shipping wise, if they are paying retail then they need to find another suppler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted March 7, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2012 that comment was a sarcastic statement, i need no schooling on how it works. I sold hardware and joinery for many years. It can be quite simple, to sell an item that someone else stocks it needs to be price competitive for me to consider buying it from a certain place. any other factors can come into it like past experiences etc on why i will or won't buy from one place or another but generally price is the most important as I know what i want to buy. I used to buy all my NLS from HFF but the prices increased so much in a short period i looked elsewhere and found i could get it for half what they were asking. At that stage a 2.24kg bucket was over $190 each so it's pretty straight forward for me. these days it is very easy to find alternative suppliers anywhere in the world so i guess shops will either adapt or fail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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