Becoming a vendor...Maybe

[Randy Simmons]

soon enough, hopefully, I will become a vendor.

I am planning to start selling jr. emperors, and if all goes well, other such discontinued dayacom kits.

Due to the business model I have worked out, I should be able to offer these kits at fairly competitive prices, and sell them individually (no more having to deal with group buys :wink

The one thing I would need to know is your preference between black ti accents and 22k gold accents. Fountain/rollerball is somewhat arbitrary, as the sections can be changed out.

I estimate my price for the jr. emp rollerball in black ti will be about 45, the gold about 55.

All I need to know now is your preference, and your suggestions.

Thanks guys, look forward to doing business,

Randy

 

[Haynie]

Is roller ball the only choice, or are fountain pens an option?

 

[Randy Simmons]

Is roller ball the only choice, or are fountain pens an option?

Fountain pens would be an option, however I will sell fountain sections separately.

 

[Dale Lynch]

I wouldn't be in the market for a jr.emperor.The style is not for me.If however you brought the citizen model, I would be a customer of yours.

 

[Randy Simmons]

I wouldn't be in the market for a jr.emperor.The style is not for me.If however you brought the citizen model, I would be a customer of yours.

Eventually, I may be able to provide other models.

the expansion will definitely be slow, but if it works out I may be a complete dayacom vendor within the next few years.

 

[ed4copies]

There is absolutely NO teacher like experience. Could be an expensive education, but those are the kind we remember best. Especially when you are young and the world is full of promise. Lofty goal for a teenager, best of luck!!

Ed
grandfather

 

[gallianp]

As I think you know ---> you will have some very experienced competitors.

 

[Randy Simmons]

As I think you know ---> you will have some very experienced competitors.

One of the reasons I am thinking about going into this is because there really aren't THAT many people who sell these individually.

And with the model I have worked out, I should have some pretty sweet deals

 

[Robert Sherlock]

I am looking forward to it and will definitely be one who appreciates a vendor carrying them.

 

[surfsidebill]

Jr Emperor Group Purchase about to announce

I don't want to discourage anyone from anything, but if you go over to the Group Purchase Forum, you'll see a long discussion about a Group Purchase forming up. It will open either today or tomorrow, and it's a GP from Exotic Blanks, who have offered us in IAP a very good deal.

Ed and Dawn at Exotics have a lot of experience dealing with Dayacom and customs, etc. This GP will take advantage of their knowledge.

Bill

 

[Randy Simmons]

I don't want to discourage anyone from anything, but if you go over to the Group Purchase Forum, you'll see a long discussion about a Group Purchase forming up. It will open either today or tomorrow, and it's a GP from Exotic Blanks, who have offered us in IAP a very good deal.

Ed and Dawn at Exotics have a lot of experience dealing with Dayacom and customs, etc. This GP will take advantage of their knowledge.

Bill

I have seen the group buy, and will participate in it, but that's the thing I am trying to avoid.

I want to provide kits to people when they need them, without having to deal with a group purchase.

I don't want to compete with Ed, which is why I am not supplying other lower end kits like sierras, etc.

But this is an idea that I really have faith in. I just need to know what to supply, hence this poll

Randy

 

[exoticwo]

Randy, I voted for the 22K gold. I wish you the best in your endeavors.

Competition is always a good thing!!

 

[Smitty37]

As I think you know ---> you will have some very experienced competitors.

One of the reasons I am thinking about going into this is because there really aren't THAT many people who sell these individually.

And with the model I have worked out, I should have some pretty sweet deals

I'm not going to discourage you but:

Tread slowly and carefully and think it through. A couple of things you need to be aware of - as an importer you are rsponsible for all customs fees and duties - and you are responsible for meeting all customs regulations. You will also find, at times, that the shipment you needed yesterday is held up in customs waiting for some piece of paper that you didn't even know existed.

The price you pay is partly dependant on the value of the US Dollar vs other currencies and this can lead to sudden and quite large changes in the price - haven't seen it on Taiwan yet but we have on mainland China.

You buy these items FOB Taiwan and once the item is put in the hands of the common carrier - it is yours...if it does not arrive you are going to bear the loss and the supplier will be sympathetic but absolutely unmoving on bearing it for you, you might be able to arrange for insurance but you will have to get the shipper to buy it for you.

You better also familiarize yourself with the 1040 Schedule C Tax form and understand that there is such a thing as inventory profit so you could show zero cash flow profit but have $15000 in inventory and find you have a hefty tax bill to pay.

You will also need to learn quite a lot about shipping and shipping costs, especially if you want to sell internationally.

You also better get a good understanding of customer service and what all that entails. If you are going to be a small vendor, you will have to give people some reason for buying from you. While there are not a lot of Jr. Emperor Dealers, there are more dealers than you might imagine that can and do offer items that compete with Jr.Emperors for the same customers - and some of those vendors are pretty tough competitors.

These items were once handled by a major supplier (who still handles a lot of Dayacom kits) who dropped them - there is certainly no guarantee that they won't pick them up again.

And, if you really intend to get serious with this you will need a line of credit because you will always have cash flow problems. I'm a small dealer and you'd be amazed at how much I have tied up in inventory.

You said there are not many dealers offering these kits --- your right and there is a reason for that.

What I am trying to impress on you is that what you are thinking of is a very serious step and being a vendor (particularily an importing vendor) is not a bed of roses. Investigate and plan each step very carefully.

 

[Randy Simmons]

I'm gonna do it.

 

[Smitty37]

Well then, the best of luck to you.