Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

Bass Runner

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Messages
746
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

Luna Sea Who didn't mention beer? Beverages,ect (ice)nothing goes better with ice :D
 

POINTER94

Vice Admiral
Joined
Oct 12, 2003
Messages
5,031
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

Fuses,<br />5200 sealant,<br />wiring harnesses for trailers,<br />bug spray,<br />antibiotic spray,<br />flashlights,<br />wire splice kits,<br />wd40 or 3in1 oil,<br />2 cycle oil,<br /><br />I am sure more will follow.. :)
 

mattttt25

Commander
Joined
Sep 29, 2002
Messages
2,661
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

yeah jb, i'm sure if iboats wants to sell ice and t-shirts to kozman, he'd be happy to entertain them.
 

18rabbit

Captain
Joined
Nov 14, 2003
Messages
3,202
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

Part of starting in retail of unfamiliar product is learning the sources of distribution and building a relationship with those sources. During the course of the first year you will learn a lot about distribution sources for the product you want.<br /><br />JB’s suggestion to use iBoats would be ok for a one-time, small, start-up purchase but you will be in competition with iBoats, just with different demographics. You are a POP and iBoats is a POP. Bypassing iBoats cuts out a couple middlemen you don’t need and shouldn’t have to pay.<br /><br />The other thing I would strongly encourage is to immediately start building relationships with other similar businesses in the area. Join local organizations, the Rotary is a good place to start. Also look for national organizations with membership primary to your business interests. All should be able to help with suggestions for products that won’t collect dust.<br /><br />Good luck!!! :)
 

mellowyellow

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jun 8, 2002
Messages
5,327
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

kiddy swimming/water toys like blow up rafts and<br />floaties, masks, fins etc. something for the<br />women? artsy/craftsy maybe??? ask wife :p <br />if'n was me, I'd buy 1 of everything at close<br />(close to location so you can re-stock quickly)<br />retailer and mark up 20%. after awhile, you'll <br />get a better feel of what moves well and can look<br />into qty/wholesale buys. margins will greatly<br />increase once you find this out...
 

kozman01

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Messages
242
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

I appreciate all of the fantastic information. Thank you!
 

Dave Abrahamson

Lieutenant
Joined
May 8, 2003
Messages
1,497
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

One important item not yet mentioned....DUCT TAPE!!!<br />The answer for anything that moves and aint' supposed to. ;) (And for things that are supposed to move and don't...WD-40)<br /><br />Dave
 

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

Oh, excuse me, Mattttt. <br /><br />I didn't know that "well known boating supply wholesalers" offer ice and T shirts.
 

MrDumb

Seaman
Joined
Jun 23, 2003
Messages
64
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

I forgot but has anyone mentioned BEER yet!!! :)
 

mellowyellow

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jun 8, 2002
Messages
5,327
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

howdy JB,<br />while I respect your intentions here, this is NOT<br />a conflict of interests IMHO... we are not talking<br />about a boat/service dealership here, it's a mom<br />and pop campground/lauch facility. this is not an<br />Iboats supported market in any way. one would need<br />to buy "wholesale" to sell retail and not only<br />doesn't Iboats sell these items, but they are retailers???
 

quantumleap

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 16, 2004
Messages
813
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

How about having a few cans of Seafoam on hand??
 

neumanns

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Mar 1, 2003
Messages
1,926
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

If I were to go with ten boating specific items it would read something like this.<br /><br />Fuses, good selection<br />lifejackets<br />rope<br />anchor...Maybe a ten and a twentypounder<br />lightbulbs<br />skirope<br />kids water toys<br />deep cycle battery or two<br />plugs, a few diffrent ones<br />coolers, maybenot boating specific since you have refreshments<br />and of course oil's<br /><br />Good luck with the baitshop. May I be so bold as to add if your not working the store yourself hire good people that know there stuff. I would rather stop at a baitshop with good people than just a fancy location worked by High school grads.
 

kozman01

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Messages
242
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

Man, this is some good info. THe store is being ran by two very knowledgable people and during the holidays and heavy weekends, myself and my partner will be present. I have a very reputable bait dealer from a couple counties over coming in to educate my kids on some issues since I'm going to have the kids run bait and whatnot out to the boaters at the dock so they can stay ont he boat, yet still have their stuff delivered to the dock. I want to have good stock at fair prices in my place. I want people to feel as though they got in and out quickly and were treated nicely. I bought this place to make a profit, but I'm not worried about getting rich. I like meeting people and doing business with them. The ideas all of you have presented to me will help me in those endevours and I thank you.
 

Jemc02

Cadet
Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Messages
10
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

I would try to stock the things the might get lost, broken or forgotten.<br /><br />Plugs<br />fuses<br />spare trailer lightbulbs<br />hitch parts and pins<br />flashlights<br />sunscreen<br />hats<br />sunglasses<br />those cheap styrofoam coolers that can be used once and if it doesn't survive, oh well<br />all kinds of drinks and ice<br />bait<br />inexpensive lifejackets<br />inflatable tube repair kits<br />12v inflators for tubes or and air compressor people could use<br />ski/inflatable ropes<br />oils<br />batteries<br />those jump start batter packs (charged so they are ready, mine holds a charge for 3 months)<br />jumper cables (long ones)<br />starter fluid (even tho I hate to use the stuff, lots of people trying to start their boats will)<br />starter muffs and a hose outside to start your boat<br /><br />I know that I would be inclined to stop at a place close to the ramp, hook my boat up to muffs and start it if I didn't at home (my boat is stored away from home so I can't do it there). It would be nice to have the use of a water hose, battery jump pack, etc to do it there (also inflating my air toys while I am at it) and I am sure that while I was doing that my missus would be inside buying things that we forgot to get or just had to have before our day on the lake.<br /><br />Most importantly, keep a notebook next to the register and ask people what they are looking for, if you don't have it, put it on the list and tell them you will have it by the next time they stop by...
 

Dhadley

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Feb 4, 2001
Messages
16,978
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

JB -- are you saying that iboats can sell to a legitimate dealer at dealer prices like Land-N-Sea, Pro, Kellogg, Donovans etc?
 

vista4u2

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 26, 2003
Messages
43
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

Swim shoes. Sun Screen.<br /><br />The women can't do without those spongy rubber band things to tie their hair back with. You can pay $1 for 20 of them at the Dollar Store, and sell them for 50 cents a piece... seen it done!<br /><br />Saftey pins, and other things women left home, that they can't do without spur of the moment.
 

Capn Mike

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 10, 2001
Messages
561
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

For all that beer, pop & water: there's a local product here called "Suckers," which is a cloth-backed rubber (maybe wet-suits cut up?) ring that fits a beer/pop can....keeps it from sliding on any hard surface (I tried Google to find it, but got just about everything else).<br />West Marine has a similar product that adds a holder to the suction ring: http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...0001&classNum=63&subdeptNum=11005&storeNum=15 Our local marina can't keep Suckers in stock.<br /><br />If you go beyond the basic fishing tackle, have some "specialized" lures that really work in your lake....we fishermen will buy anything we think might work.
 

POINTER94

Vice Admiral
Joined
Oct 12, 2003
Messages
5,031
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

SUCKERS RULE!!!!!!!!! GOT 5 OF UM ON MY BOAT :p Pilfering one will get you the opportunity to practice your swimming skills..
 

18rabbit

Captain
Joined
Nov 14, 2003
Messages
3,202
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

If it is what I think it is…Suckers are wetsuit stock material (neoprene) with nylon on either one or two sides.
 

POINTER94

Vice Admiral
Joined
Oct 12, 2003
Messages
5,031
Re: Looking for items to stock in a store for boaters...

Rabbit,<br /><br />Thats what I would descibe a sucker as. They come with coozies built in or just the base ring to go around the can.
 
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