Aquaforest probiotic method

[Bill@IA]

Originally Posted by Myka

Well, Amazon makes enough money to justify a $4 BILLION deficit in shipping costs every year.
http://www.statista.com/topics/846/amazon/

There is no way you guys can compete with that. If our Canadian distributor has any sense, he'll make a deal with Aquaforest that requires Aquaforest to end their relationship with Amazon.ca. Why would vendors push a product that has established pricing that he can't compete with?

I know for a fact Aquaforest is not going to end that relationship.

[vanreefer]

Originally Posted by Bill@IA

We'll hope for the best but Amazon's shipping rates are tough to beat, on heavy boxes and pails of salt.

Originally Posted by xenon

The guys selling on Amazon are making very small margins.

I doubt we will be able to match them.

Sounds like u guys may be stocking these products?? Any ideas on timeline for them to be available?
Thanks

[Proteus]

Originally Posted by Bill@IA

I know for a fact Aquaforest is not going to end that relationship.

Would have to garentee a minimum volume of sales for them to even consider

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Bill@IA

I know for a fact Aquaforest is not going to end that relationship.

Aquaforest is shooting themselves in the foot then. The only Aquaforest sales you vendors are going to get is from people that don't know they can get it cheaper on Amazon.ca and/or people that are willing to pay more to support to support you.

I'm wondering from a business perspective, why would you want to promote a product that will always run the "risk" of someone discovering it on Amazon.ca and ditching out on you? Why not promote similar products like Fauna Marin, Zeovit, or Tropic Marin where all vendors are on an even playing field because those salts are not available for a stupid low price on Amazon.ca?? From a business perspective it makes more sense to promote products that you can a) get a good margin on, b) be competitive.

For these reasons, I think Aquaforest is shooting themselves in the foot by not ending the relationship with Amazon.ca (and Amazon.com) and relying Canadian (and US) reef distributors instead. You don't see other brands doing this - like Tunze, Ecotech, Apex, etc. I'm interested to see how it pans out in the next couple years for Aquaforest. However, I'd much rather support our Canadian retailers than Amazon.

[Proteus]

If the salt goes to retailers it will double,and then some. Just like reefers best.
Then people stop buying it in favour of cheaper salts on the market. Stores then sit on stock that they have trouble selling and inturn no longer order it from aquaforest.

Seen it here in Edmonton. As reefers best hit $140 a box.

So how is aquaforest loosing out in the long run.

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by Myka

Aquaforest is shooting themselves in the foot then. The only Aquaforest sales you vendors are going to get is from people that don't know they can get it cheaper on Amazon.ca and/or people that are willing to pay more to support to support you.

I'm wondering from a business perspective, why would you want to promote a product that will always run the "risk" of someone discovering it on Amazon.ca and ditching out on you? Why not promote similar products like Fauna Marin, Zeovit, or Tropic Marin where all vendors are on an even playing field because those salts are not available for a stupid low price on Amazon.ca?? From a business perspective it makes more sense to promote products that you can a) get a good margin on, b) be competitive.

For these reasons, I think Aquaforest is shooting themselves in the foot by not ending the relationship with Amazon.ca (and Amazon.com) and relying Canadian (and US) reef distributors instead. You don't see other brands doing this - like Tunze, Ecotech, Apex, etc. I'm interested to see how it pans out in the next couple years for Aquaforest. However, I'd much rather support our Canadian retailers than Amazon.

I think I can get the reason behind Aquaforest going through amazon. Amazon can move a large volume of their product and when a manufacturer is getting into a new market, a lower margin and a greater exposure to the new market sounds more reasonable than a larger margin and being competitive. No retailer can move as large of a volume that Amazon can due to reasons stated above already. And manufacturers love a secured volume of sale and although supporting local businesses is important for us, it means nothing to them since they are not from here. To them, the number of products sold matters and who sold it does not; and no retailer (well other than Walmart I guess but they are not in this business) can guarantee volume like Amazon can.

I am all for supporting local businesses and I am ready to take a damage of 10-20% if I get something locally instead of waiting for the thing to arrive at my door step (I have to pick up at the local delivery point anyways) but I can see the reason behind the market strategy of Aquaforest. And honestly, it is working really well for them. Even few months ago, no one was aware of this brand and look what happened when Amazon got them in stock

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Proteus

So how is aquaforest loosing out in the long run.

Because the number of hobbyists that are buying online is miniscule compared to the number of people walking in through LFS doors. We're all blind around here thinking that "everyone" shops online. They don't. It doesn't make sense to me for retailers to push the Aquaforest product, so Aquaforest relies on online marketing. They will be missing out on a huge number of hobbyists.

I don't know, maybe it's a good business model, we'll see how the cookie crumbles.

[Proteus]

Originally Posted by Myka

Because the number of hobbyists that are buying online is miniscule compared to the number of people walking in through LFS doors. We're all blind around here thinking that "everyone" shops online. They don't. It doesn't make sense to me for retailers to push the Aquaforest product, so Aquaforest relies on online marketing. They will be missing out on a huge number of hobbyists.

I don't know, maybe it's a good business model, we'll see how the cookie crumbles.

Saskatchewan may very well be different. But here in Edmonton more and more hobbiest are going online due to massive increases in prices in Edmonton.
The difference in a lfs in Edmonton compared to a online or lfs(online) in Ontario can be 250%.


I've seen lfs here raise prices 25% days before a sale, raise prices due to decrease in sales and to cover lost livestock.
While I understand the dollar has a big effect on rising prices. The few examples were prior to the collapsing dollar. Lfs here are literally pushing people to shop online

[Bill@IA]

Originally Posted by Myka

Aquaforest is shooting themselves in the foot then. The only Aquaforest sales you vendors are going to get is from people that don't know they can get it cheaper on Amazon.ca and/or people that are willing to pay more to support to support you.

I'm wondering from a business perspective, why would you want to promote a product that will always run the "risk" of someone discovering it on Amazon.ca and ditching out on you? Why not promote similar products like Fauna Marin, Zeovit, or Tropic Marin where all vendors are on an even playing field because those salts are not available for a stupid low price on Amazon.ca?? From a business perspective it makes more sense to promote products that you can a) get a good margin on, b) be competitive.

For these reasons, I think Aquaforest is shooting themselves in the foot by not ending the relationship with Amazon.ca (and Amazon.com) and relying Canadian (and US) reef distributors instead. You don't see other brands doing this - like Tunze, Ecotech, Apex, etc. I'm interested to see how it pans out in the next couple years for Aquaforest. However, I'd much rather support our Canadian retailers than Amazon.

There is no need for Canadian Vendors to worry what their customer will see Online as Canadian Vendors will easily have better Retail Pricing on AquaForest Salt than Amazon…they just won't be able to ship boxes or buckets of this salt to your door for the same total price you would pay if said customer ordered it through Amazon Prime.

In my opinion Amazon was a big bonus for AquaForest products. Amazon has created a bit of a demand for products that were never used before but now, for some reason, have hobbyists thinking they need Aquaforest Salt to succeed. Really??

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Proteus

The difference in a lfs in Edmonton compared to a online or lfs(online) in Ontario can be 250%.

That's crazy! Not here, nor at any of the shops I visited while in Ontario, nor BC.