Great Prices On Salt - Page 2

BlueWorldAquatic · #1 03-17-2010, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freezetyle

Do retailers really take that much of a hit on salt sales?

Salt is considered a commodity, it is used to bring people in the door, like tanks. As we know of salt prices on boxing day by a certain retailer.

Not a large margin on them at all.

Ken - BWA

danny zubot · #2 03-18-2010, 04:03 PM

Around here you can't even get buckets of salt at the LFS. Only bags, for the same prices as buckets. Our Total Pet just opened recently and has no salt section yet, but from what I can tell so far, their prices here will be similar to Prince George's. Thankfully there's more than one LFS that will be offering salt supplies soon, so that should bring the prices down a bit. I still opt to buy online though, its just way cheeper.

zum14 · #3 03-18-2010, 12:20 AM

Im on board with this one too! Its very difficult to buy anything from them. Im all for supporting local buisness, but they have a colony of frogspawn there for $60!! i bought one roughly the same size from whatcaneyedo for $10! And i know his is kept in the best of care. The same with salt, I ended up just ordering one from JL. I think im going to save up and buy a bunch when we go to edm or vanc this year. Its getting tougher in this town i remember having like 3 stores in town that delt with salt when i started the hobby, not sure if the prices were any better then but had to of been better then $110 a bucket. Considering that doesnt last all that long its pretty rediculous. I do realize that they have to cover shipping and other expenses and there is a profit that needs to be made as well but if i can buy a bucket from anywhere online, (ont,bc,doesnt matter) and get it to my door for around $80 i would think they should be able to do close to the same. Maybe $85-$90 and i wouldnt even bother with going to jl. But when were talking $30 i can wait. I also see what people are talking about too that the bigger you are the more you can buy and better discount you get. My only arguement to that is that there are quite a few total pets, and there price is still higher then some of the stores with only one outlet. Per volume total pet would be more for sure but cant offer a better price? That doesnt add up to me.

BlueWorldAquatic · #4 03-18-2010, 01:42 AM

Shipping expenses should not be a major factor in the prices of salt if they buy it by the skid lot.

I knew of anothe LPS that would buy a 6 pails of salt, and pay the same shipping as I do for 32 pails. Go figure, at approx $150-$300 a skid (depending on distance) you think they would maximize the weight.

In my shipping business (my other company), there is a "resort" charge for out of the way places. So a small surchard per delivery is expected, like in Banff or Jasper.

Yes granted they may have the larger overhead, but that is also calculated out in the margin as they have many more products they carry. Another Large LFS manager once told me their fish room basically pays all expenses and staff wages, leaving the sale of their drygoods to be added to their profit margin.

This same LFS is the one that blows out salt at cost on boxing day at $29.00 a pail. I/O Salt is supplied by 2 companies that I know of, 1 in the East, and 1 in the West. Myself and Kelly (Reef Shop) were talking about this the other day, why we weren't offered the same breaks at x-mas with this distributor. When it comes down to it, its quantity purchased that controls the price, as both our shops could not match the ordering capacity as this other LFS. Maybe next year though, as I will be spearheading a group buy before x-mas for the specialized stores in edmonton, as we can store it all in my warehouse.

But $100+ for a 160gal IO salt is +100% markup.

Ken - BWA

Madreefer · #5 03-18-2010, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zum14

they have a colony of frogspawn there for $60!! i bought one roughly the same size from whatcaneyedo for $10! And i know his is kept in the best of care.

They bring no corals in at all. Most of the corals in the store come from whatcaneyedo. They are way over priced so they sit and die. He also supplied them with the caluepra that they sell for I think $20 a bag. I notice he is not speaking up about this as they do take his frags and put up his posters. So smart on his part, I guess. What really bothers me is that the salt they have now has been there for months so why not put up the price after this batch is gone. But there is a bucket of Seachem salt on sale for $79
Either way they have lost a customer.

#6 03-18-2010, 03:30 AM

I cant wait for Brightwells new Kalibrate to hit the market.

Just mix with Sodium Chloride - 1 x 5 Gallon bucket does 450 gallons of saltwater..........

Madreefer · #7 05-23-2010, 09:07 PM

Follow up. Went to LFS yesterday. The IO salt is now $59 with the 10 fish bucks. And the guys working there are really trying to clean up the tanks. Good to see the improvement.

zum14 · #8 05-23-2010, 11:33 PM

Ya, nice to see the price drop a bit at least. I do have to give them credit as well, there showing more interest in getting there water back up to snuff and maybe getting there lighting changed. Got a new light on the liverock tank and there corals are getting colors in them other then brown. It is sad because it is not there fault, the owner there just doesnt seem to care anymore.