Wholesaler requirements

[Brick]

Great topics here.

 

Where does everone get their corals? What are the requirements from wholesalers? Business license and tax id?

 

Thanks.

[ReefApprentice]

Doubtful you will get a wholesale liscence. The wholesalers are really strict, so don't get your hopes up.

[ENraged]

I started to look in to importing requirements and all that but never went much further.

After seeing all the documentaries on what we(humans) are doing to the reefs i decided i would rather get in to fragging and trading/selling to do my small part in lessing the load on our oceans.

 

Man did that sound like a hippie :/

[AMichael]

Man did that sound like a hippie :/

 

Not really a bad thing

 

Think that Brick's just asking what it takes to get things from wholesalers and which wholesaler if any do people use and not how to become a wholesaler. At least that's how I read it anyways.

[Brick]

Correct. Not how to be a wholesaler but how to purchase from one. Any suggestions?

[reefone]

business license, tax id, minium order and sometimes a pic of ur store front (photoshop ).

[ENraged]

so you want to be able to purchase directly from ORA and the likes?

Then what reefone said.

not sure if a storefront is required by most likely a picture of your holding facility.

I mean do most online retailers even have store fronts?

I know some do but I haven't really every tried to find out.

[organism]

you'll need a business license, DBA license since you're in california, seller's permit, most likely a business bank account, and most likely a physical storefront location in a zoned commercial area if you're in cali, the wholesalers around here are pretty strict about letting online businesses into their locations since there's already so much competition between the actual storefronts

 

also, contrary to popular belief, there is no one magical wholesaler that gets in "the nice stuff", they all get in a lot of junk corals that no one wants, and chances are the nice stuff is hidden away in a back room or separate system that they won't let you purchase from until you get a very large amount of business going, and even then it's all about who you know...

 

edit - oops, I didn't even realize that the title of the thread was for a .com business, um... probably not any cali wholesalers then, unless you want to try transhipping, which can be a pain...

[mvite]

you'll need a business license, DBA license since you're in california, seller's permit, most likely a business bank account, and most likely a physical storefront location in a zoned commercial area......also, contrary to popular belief, there is no one magical wholesaler that gets in "the nice stuff", they all get in a lot of junk corals that no one wants, and chances are the nice stuff is hidden away in a back room or separate system that they won't let you purchase from until you get a very large amount of business going, and even then it's all about who you know...unless you want to try transhipping, which can be a pain...

Exactly---You can pay small dollars for ugly coral---just hoping to luck out and get a coral with color. You wouldn't believe the crap coral out there.

 

Unless you have the time and effort---stick with cherry picking and build relationships with online vendors like I have tried to do many, many,many times in the past. I am still looking for my "dream" supplier. One who does business like I do. Responsible and reliable with healthy coral.

[Brick]

I did some research last night. Here is what I got back from a few places today.

 

If you are not a current customer, you must first fax a copy of your business license, State sales tax certificate or Federal Tax ID number.

 

You must have a Pet or Aquarium shop to become a customer.

 

Does that equal physical store front?

[AMichael]

I thought about trying to set up a whole .com business thing too but how I decided to start more on the smaller scale kind of thing first by selling a few things directly to fellow reefers so I haven't even involved any wholesalers. I don't really think I have the time right now to devote to a large scale operation but this is nice information if I should decide to.

 

As far as the picture goes I would just ask the wholesaler. I would assume they'd at least want a picture of your equip/tanks but it could also mean that they want you to physically have a store front and it may even be different between wholesalers.

[xJoshx]

MUAHAHAH i have a Whole seller ID

 

from my work they order on the internet from quailtymarine and i got all the ids and ######z jsut dun have $$ they have a min order..

[nano-paul]

Following up on Mvite's comment, I have a picker named Millie, she travels to all the wholesalers and hand picks what she wants to sell to individuals like myself. Then she sends me photos via email of what she has. No, you cant have her number!

[mvite]

Following up on Mvite's comment, I have a picker named Millie, she travels to all the wholesalers and hand picks what she wants to sell to individuals like myself. Then she sends me photos via email of what she has. No, you cant have her number!

I used to like that idea---But man---that stuff has just come in. By the time it gets to us---larger piece men like us---it could start dying. If you are getting a good price it's sometimes worth the risk. Me---I would rather buy from other hobbyists and "suppliers"--I dunno how to describe that categorization. I would rather pay more money for something that I am SURE is healthy and good looking rather than gamble.

 

That's just me---I've wasted a lot of cash on stuff---I'm tired....yawn...stretch....

[andrewkw]

Instead of buying from wholesellers in the US you should look importing your own. I don't think i'd shop at stores that buy from wholesellers since the prices would have to be much higher then stores that import their own. Not to mention the selection wouldn't be as good.

 

My favorite reef shop actually goes to indonesia and other places themselves to hand pick corals so I know they will have the best possible stuff in the shop. Soon they are going to austrailia to cherry pick acans. I can't wait.

[ReefApprentice]

Instead of buying from wholesellers in the US you should look importing your own. I don't think i'd shop at stores that buy from wholesellers since the prices would have to be much higher then stores that import their own. Not to mention the selection wouldn't be as good.

 

My favorite reef shop actually goes to indonesia and other places themselves to hand pick corals so I know they will have the best possible stuff in the shop. Soon they are going to austrailia to cherry pick acans. I can't wait.

 

Wahhh!?

[andrewkw]

Wahhh!?

 

Not every single time but a couple times a year.

 

oh http://www.cites.org/

 

very confusing.

[flricordia]

I started to look in to importing requirements and all that but never went much further.

After seeing all the documentaries on what we(humans) are doing to the reefs i decided i would rather get in to fragging and trading/selling to do my small part in lessing the load on our oceans.

 

Man did that sound like a hippie :/

I totally agree and thanks for stating that. But, though I am a coonservationist I am getting worried what with all the destruction due to global warming, pollution, etc whether it would be a good thing to leave the reefs alone and not collect. On one hand collecting will keep corals around as there are many, many dedicated hobbyist that strive to keep their corals alive and thriving. Overcollecting is certainly not the way to go, but if the natural reefs are dying off as we hear almost on a daily basis than maybe it would be good to move them into a protected enviroment.

I am an avid reptile hobbyist and right here where I live there are a few species that are on the brink of being wiped out due to habitat destruction by man. I don't think it would be very responsible to sit back and let them be wiped out completely without collecting a few specimans from the wild to keepfrom total annihilation. If their demise was being brought about by natural selection, that might be an argument on a different level, but who can deny that our reefs are being destroyed due to man's influence?

[Spilo26]

Their are quite a few people out their that actually wholesale aquacultered corals and frag. My advice would be to subsribe to Pets Age or Pet Business monthly alot of good info their, i got half of my suppliers out of my subscription good stuff. Cant tell you any of my suppliers but sure youll find some in their.

[mvite]

Yep----it's like "work"--you really have to call, call, call places and sell them on your business. Then if you are lucky enough to convince them to take your money---you can pray and pray that they aren't scumbags. If they aren't you can continue---if they are---then go back to making calls, calls, calls.

 

That's why I try and find a retail supplier with healthy livstock, an appreciation for repeat business---and a good business mind.

 

For now--I am selling myself coral.