(Moderator, it this message is inappropriate, please remove)

Folks,

Would you find it useful to have a source for small quanities of small items to use in your kits? Items such as amber pill vials, small, commercial grade ziplock bags, single 55 gal orange bags, tin boxes, single use medicine packages, etc.?

I'm looking for a part time e-business for my wife who's getting ready to retire from her teaching job. There are some things that are useful in kits of which you don't want to buy a hundred to use a couple.

If you would consider such a business useful please send me suggestions on what you would like to find at reasonable costs. Responding privately might be best to reduce traffic on the site. Any and all suggestions welcome. Don't think I'd want to compete on knives, paracord, and stuff every seller has.

Again, if this blantant commercialization offends someone please ask the moderator to remove and accept my sincere apologies.

Andy

I think the business would be useful, but the chief problem you're going to run into is shipping. I'd like to buy single 55 gallon garbage bags, or a couple of pill vials, but shipping is likely to cost me more then the price of the items. I wouldn't be willing to buy things that way. If you can get around the shipping cost's problem, I think its a fine idea.

"If you can get around the shipping cost's problem, I think its a fine idea."

That's funny! Who ships for free?

Sue

Your onetime post is O.K. If you make a go of things you may post once more.

The problem is with "...and handling" charges. Actual mailing and packaging costs for the type of items described would be fairly small, and charging, say, $6.95 fixed fee for "postage and handling" on "orders under $25.00" merely creates a separate profit center for the seller. But it also makes ordering of two or three dollars' worth of small stuff too expensive.

The key to making "small stuff" mail order profitable is to incorporate mailing and handling costs into the pricing of individual items, then you can offer "free" shipping.

Jeff

For background, I ran a very small scale web based niche business (not survival related) for a few years. I had it running pretty smoothly until I got too busy for it about last year.

My first question is, how would you distinguish yourself from someone like Redflare and twenty others out there?

Be aware that any secrets you reveal may be used against you.

The medical stuff is where the money is. If you can get single use (scalpels, suture kits, etc.) and still offer some bulk items. That would be great.

Good idea! I'd really like a one stop shop for the stuff Doug has in his kits. There's a big gap between the pocket one and
the 2 person aircraft survival kit. If all the items were available on one site we could easily put kits together suitable for our own needs, but using his advice.
Simon

You could include the stuff Doug recommends in his gear guide.
And there is a sales pitch straight from this web site, to people who respect his opinion, already written for you :-).
I'm sure they'd put a link on the web site for a donation.

Being a 'one-stop'shop will negate a lot of the shipping charge. There is spare postage to use when one buys light items.

A world of warning; starting a business with friends or relatives can be very dangerous if you don't treat them the same as any other employees. Some just won't work.
Simon

I think this would be a good idea. Not sure how much money you would make though. Small quantities of items are often not available, such as large trash bags, small ziplocks etc. It is maddening to pay a $6.95 shipping charge when the actual postage is $0.75 and in a regular envelope (less than $0.10). Many of the small things are easily mailed by first class mail for a reasonable cost.

I would look at what items you would want, put a price that you think is reasonable and then check out how much it would be to mail it including envelopes, postage and other related charges. You need to find a balance between what people will pay vs what it will cost you to provide the items.

I agree about the cost of shipping built into the item's cost. It is not nice to find a great price on something and then get blown away by the shipping cost. You could also have separate prices for larger quantities that would perhaps have a separate shipping cost if it made sense.

You may want to take some items to the post office and weigh them to determine what they will cost to mail them.

Good Luck!

No secrets, it's service, selection and value. Been in customer service businesses for 35+ years so I hope I've made all the mistakes already!



Those items are available on the wholesale market, so hopefully yes.


Not sure I want to compete with Doug but I do think I could compliment his kits by allowing folks to add those items that he doesn't include or replacements for consummables.

After nearly 40 years of being with my DW I ain't going to risk screwing it up now. The answer to all questions is "yes, dear."



As stated above my principles of doing business have always been to provide service and value. Shipping is a cost of doing business but I don't believe in making it its own profit center. I'll be very cognizant of everyone's sensitivty to that issue.

Thanks for everyone's input, what a great place this forum is!

I don't think you would be competing with Doug. Hardly any hikers are going to buy his aviation double kit. It's for two people and too much to carry if you are backpacking.
This way he gets a cut of sales he wouldn't have made otherwise.
Nothing to lose by asking him.
simon

Maybe put together package deals, combinations of items that add up to an amount worth shipping.

To be honest, I really do not see this as being very profitable. Selling a handful of items where you are making a few dollars at the most seems to be more of a hobby then a business. Without larger priced items to offset the cost of doing business and allow you to make a decent profit coupled with the relatively small market base does not seem (to me) to be profitable.

Redflare (and others) already offer individual first aid products (and other individual items), so I would think you would already be entering the market place with some pretty stiff competition.

I know a few years ago, there was a similar home-based business (his name escapes me right now) where forum members would purchase small quantities of items. I believe that due to family obligations, he was unable to continue the operation. I am not sure of the profitability of his operation, but would think that if it were decent, he would have continued/resumed.

I must also admit, I feel some obligation to Redflare, he has been very responsive to the needs of the forum and as a sponsor, I feel supporting his enterprise, in part supports the continuance of the forums.

Just my 2 cents-
Pete

Pete,

Thanks for the feedback! I haven't completed the economic model as yet but I do understand, having worked in distribution, wholesale and retail markets, the need for rational thought and market research. That's why I genuinely appreciate the feedback from you and others.

Brand loyality is great but there's always room for competition and innovation. If this ever gets off the ground I hope you'll stop by for a look see.

Andy