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Topic Review (Newest First)
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| 07-28-2016 12:38 AM | ||
| arizonafusilier |
I think it's a great idea, and hope you get it off the ground. Sometimes it is not about price points. Being able to network, face to face, with like-minded people, and get ideas spontaneously while seeing products on the shelf that help give form and substance to concepts, is worth the cost and travel. At least to some people over 50. |
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| 06-30-2016 07:03 PM | ||
| Jay1669 | Well ok then keep us up to date. Thanks for the reply | |
| 06-30-2016 04:34 PM | ||
| 240Geezer |
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| 06-30-2016 02:27 PM | ||
| Serality |
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| 06-05-2016 05:41 PM | ||
| Jay1669 | So are you up and running yet? Lets hope so | |
| 03-25-2016 11:37 AM | ||
| Preppers Best |
While you have some great suggestions here, the real question is how much money do you have to invest in inventory? Most manufacturers have minimum order amounts (at least to qualify for free shipping to you - and if you don't buy in at the free shipping amount, your margin shrinks and you have to elevate your retail price above market.) $750, $3,500, $5,000 are all minimum order amounts with some of our current suppliers. Then you have to know which products in their line will turn over consistently. Talk with some current solar customers and see what they suggest. Then I would establish a "short list" and start applying to the manufacturers. Just know that all manufacturers are not willing to take on new retailers/distributors - have your business case ready to present to them. If approved, make sure to talk with their dealer manager to determine what their best selling product mix is and order accordingly. |
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| 03-20-2016 11:50 AM | ||
| 240Geezer |
There is a shoe store in the next town over from me. Shoe and boots is there main thing. However upstairs is an outdoor type department. Hiking and light camping. No hunting and fishing. Like a mini REI they carry packs, clothing, boots, small tents, knives, etc. Name brands moderately priced and no junk. I was kind of amazed when I walked in. My wife has been shopping there for years but never told me about it. Even if I couldn't really afford to completely outfit myself there it would be nice to buy a piece of kit every once in a while. |
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| 03-20-2016 11:38 AM | ||
| Lateck |
Great idea, but (for me) one minor problem. I don't live in the great state of Maricopa. .... (Nor Tucson ). I would support a store like what you are looking into. Also it is hard to find everything in one place. I support my LGS but do buy on line as they are very high priced. So the same mentally could set in with a shop for preppers, I would hope not. Just a couple of cents worth of my thoughts, but still you have a Great Idea! Lateck, |
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| 03-18-2016 01:28 PM | ||
| JohnAmmo |
Firearm bundles might be nice. An ar-15 and a Glock 17 with ammo for both at a discount might help new preppers looking for a "one and done" approach. |
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| 03-18-2016 12:18 PM | ||
| unno2002 | I'd like a place in Arizona where I could get nickel / iron batteries as part of a retrofit of our grid-tie system to add the capability of continued lower power operation when the grid is not working. | |
| 03-17-2016 11:03 AM | ||
| SSGNasty |
Do you have a website for your current company? Would be interested in seeing what might be available. |
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| 03-16-2016 05:15 PM | ||
| Serality |
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Since we are a solar company and our storefront will be in our main office/warehouse building (it's our only building currently), we are going to specialize the store to solar batteries and other solar equipment replacement parts. The survivalist gear and other preps would be more of a convenience category to supplement the solar equip to help draw people in and serve a local retail location that's not a big box store for those who prefer to spend cash and/or shop locally. It won't be a one-stop-shop for prepping supplies, but maybe if it's a hit we can continue to expand until it is! (crosses fingers).  
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| 03-16-2016 04:49 PM | ||
| 240Geezer |
All are good suggestions. However I would add that as some have mentioned already it's hard to compete with the Amazons and big box stores on price alone. So maybe items that are not so mainstream and touchy feely type things that shoppers really want to see up close to get a feel for. Watch your margins and move things that don't sell well. Typical business model should apply. Good luck I think we're all pulling for you. |
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| 03-16-2016 10:31 AM | ||
| Serality |
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| 03-15-2016 08:55 PM | ||
| Jerry D Young |
Prep business This is a little of the information from a business plan I did in 1978 for a Prep Store w/a few new items. Safety equipment: First-aid Kits, Trauma Kits, Kit refill items, smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, burglar alarms, security locks & devices, respirators, radiation monitors & meters Sanitation equipment: Chemical toilets, porta-sinks, sunshowers, pest control items, chemicals & supplies, James Washer, clothes washing plunger Utility equipment: Generators, water pumps, ventilators & filters Camp equipment: Ice chests, cots, chairs Field & wilderness equipment: Maps, compasses, packs & bags, etc Communications equipment: FRS, GMRS, MURS, CB, Business Band, Public service band scanners, Amateur radio gear, antennas, towers Storage containers: water cans, fuel cans, dry storage containers, cache containers Drinking/purified water machine w/1, 3, 5, 6, 7 gallon containers available: Food, water, heating, cooking, lighting equipment & supplies: Candles, kerosene lanterns, kerosene heaters, Mountain House, Provident Pantry, Sam Andy, Alpine Air, Healthy Harvest, Abbey’s Best, Freeze Dry Guy foods, flashlights, batteries, Country Living Grain Mill, Diamant 525 Grain Mill, Sawyer, MSR, & Katadyn water filters, canners & canning supplies, dehydrators, mylar sealers Other items: PRI products (PRI- G, PRI-D), gold coins, silver coins, books, specific tools, off grid power systems & components, non-hybrid/open-pollinated seeds, manual gardening equipment Services: Canning station for #10 cans, #2 ˝ cans, Super pails Conversion of shipping containers/culverts into shelters Custom communications systems Custom specific situation kit development Custom storage/use kit/product containers Periodic check & repack emergency kits & replace dated items Creation of custom household utilities shut off instruction cards Some additions: Pen flare launchers & flares 12 gauge flare launchers & flares 26.5mm flare launchers & flares Allweatherfirestarters.com mag rod/ferro rod/striker, Wet Fire tinder Open fire water still Reusable diapers Manual baby food grinder Reusable feminine hygiene items Open fire spits w/supports, grilling baskets, fire grates, fire tripods, fire tongs, cast iron cauldrons, large kettles, large solar ovens, cast iron dutch ovens and pans Manual blender & manual mixer Collapsible evaporative cooler shelf unit Plastic garden layout stakes, layout twine, planting dibbles, manual wheeled garden seeder, manual high wheel garden machines w/attachments, scythes, sickles, scythe/sickle peeing kit, gathering baskets/buckets/pouches, bee head nets (other garden tools or let them go to the hardware store) Game snares Fish/frog replaceable tip gigs w/poles & spare tips, fish traps, gaffs, cast/gill nets w/line, weights, & floats Meat smokers, meat grinders w/sausage stuffer & tubes, crimper, & ringers, jerky shooters, cloth smoked/dried meat storage bags Reusable toilet wipes, toilet wipe rag containers, toilet wipe soaking containers, toilet wipe washing container, plunger type clothes washer, laundry tongs Laundry ladles, stirring paddles, laundry tongs, clothes line posts, anchors, line, clothes pins, Fels-Naptha laundry soap Hand sewing kits, Janome 712T treadle sewing machine w/custom stand, bobbins, needles, thread, scissors, scissor sharpener, bobbin winder, set of sewing machine accessories, straight pins, safety pins, spare parts, basic patterns for men, women, children, in several sizes, bolts of cloth (denim, khaki, etc.) ****ies khaki work pants & shirts Carhartt winter clothing Propper Public Service line of khaki cargo pants & field shirts Silk/wool long johns A custom line of medium weight wool field clothing in khaki/coyote brown/medium gray/brown herringbone/medium gray herringbone Long sleeve shirts with neck and yoke lining with two button down flap pockets with pencil slots, button down collar, 8-button placket, long tails, sleeve pockets with pencil slots, and epaulets. Long pants with waist to knee lining with button down rear flap pockets, two-slash front pockets, 2 watch pockets, 2” belt loops, blousing tapes on leg hems, and 8 suspender buttons. Bibs and jacket for severe weather Hooded Great Coat for extreme weather All leather suspenders 1 3/4" leather belt with zippered money slot Custom specific situation kit development Custom storage/use kit/product containers Periodic check & repack emergency kits & replace dated items Evaluation and recommendation of procedures for specific disasters & events Creation of custom household utilities shut off instruction cards Drinking/purified water machine w/1, 3 & 5 gallon containers available #10 canning station for customer use Super pail/mylar bag sealing station for customer use Many of the products can have company/store logo/name imprinted when ordered/made Preparedness manuals Created on desk top publish system and printed at commercial printers Complete specific situation manuals using plastic comb bindings Basic/limited information manual in three ring binder Situation specific additional sections sold separately for insertion Updates to replace existing sheets Phone list/contact update sheets to replace existing sheets The entire plan in in the .pdf attachment. Just my opinion. |
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| 03-15-2016 11:53 AM | ||
| JohnAmmo |
Complete water filtration kits/services would be great. You could sell a "this is all you need" system for people with different access to varying types of local water sources. Off-roading and bugout vehicles would be nice. Not saying you need to sell cars or anything but dirt bikes and kits would be valuable. |
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| 03-14-2016 12:10 PM | ||
| the_mammoth | Other items might be stuff like flashlights, laterns, first aid kits, electric generators (since you guys are into solar). Cooking items like a solar oven, portable grills, cast iron skillets. Food/water storage. | |
| 03-14-2016 11:53 AM | ||
| Jay1669 | When are you opening .where are you at .will be there. Hope to help by spending money . going to need 8 batter's and some solar panel's thanks and let us know | |
| 03-10-2016 03:50 PM | ||
| Serality | We're specifically looking to add this to our existing building, so we will not have any additional overhead after construction other than the increased lighting/labor hours, but I absolutely see your point and I personally believe that's why there aren't more of these stores in existence currently. | |
| 03-10-2016 03:41 PM | ||
| JohnAmmo |
The problem with "prepper stores" or stores that sell such supplies (Sportsman's, Cabelas, ext.) is they all have massive overhead. I have yet to see a brick and mortar store compete with Amazon when it comes to price. I've seen knives at Sportsman's for $50 when its $30 on Amazon. Same goes for solar anything to. The Gole Zero stuff is sky high at a store. The cash option is great but if you are charging significantly more it might not be worth it. Good luck. |
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