Feel just as busy as the bees!

rookie2531 · April 26, 2015, 09:19:08 PM

So, I've been splitting and building nuc boxes and reg. 10 frame boxes and the rest of the woodenware that goes with it. Painting and grafting and working my regular job, 10 hour 6 days a week.

I have been spreading the word around that I am selling nucs, rearing kits, oxalic acid, feed stimulant and have 2 people wanting nucs. Since they are new, they also tell me they need the suits and everything else.

I want to be able to provide them with all their needs. After all, I would love to be a well known provider. I plan on buying the suits, smokers, hive tools and just sell them at cost, until I can buy in bulk. But for now, I can only buy what their immediate needs are and pass it on at cost.

Does all this sound right? It is taking all my free time and I don't want to mess it up.

BeeMaster2 · April 26, 2015, 09:33:11 PM

If you are going to break even, why do it. Your time, effort and experience is valuable. Don't give it away. Stick to the things that you can make a profit on.
Jim

don2 · April 26, 2015, 09:38:10 PM

In other words, don't bite off more than you can chew. But that said, gotta do what-ca gotta do.

I am satisfied with knowing I can give some one the knowledge I have acquired over the last 15 years. Although my way may not be right for everyone. d2

BeeMaster2 · April 26, 2015, 10:15:25 PM

Don,
Nothing wrong whit that. Isn't that what we do every day on this site.
Jim

don2 · April 26, 2015, 10:21:20 PM

I was just thinking earlier today, when I started I did not have this site. didn't even have a computer. I read books for two years from the local library before I got my first hive. d2

iddee · April 26, 2015, 11:40:44 PM

If you are going to sell at cost, why do all the work. Just give them a few of the supplier's catalogs, or point them to their websites. Then when you can buy wholesale, sell for a profit.

Colobee · April 26, 2015, 11:43:03 PM

Quote from: rookie2531 on April 26, 2015, 09:19:08 PM
I want to be able to provide them with all their needs. After all, I would love to be a well known provider. I plan on buying the suits, smokers, hive tools and just sell them at cost, until I can buy in bulk. But for now, I can only buy what their immediate needs are and pass it on at cost.

Does all this sound right? It is taking all my free time and I don't want to mess it up.

I'm usually willing to pay someone something for the convenience of an immediate purchase. You are taking a risk, and providing a service. I don't know what is fair, but I never begrudge someone for making a buck or two ( or five) on the "convenience factor".
Perhaps the difference between a "single" and the first price break (in reverse)?

rookie2531 · April 27, 2015, 05:03:30 AM

Thank you everyone, I was thinking that since I am making a profit on the bees and all the wood ware, that I didn't want them to see that they could've gotten a better deal elsewhere, down the line. Since, they may have no clue now, but they will eventually see all available products and even sites like this, that is if they stick with it.

But after thinking more about it, it will be a bundle price, so, it will still be lower than anyone else, even if I mark those things up a bit.

Thanks again ☺

KeyLargoBees · April 27, 2015, 04:11:57 PM

There is something to be said for being able to speak to a "human" and actually see and touch the items before buying...that alone is worth a markup. I ,as a new beekeeper, am much more inclined to walk into a shop and spend a little more in order to have someone I can speak to and ask questions of face to face than order off a web site to save a few bucks.....just my 2c worth but time is money and you deserve to make some of the latter after spending the former.

GSF · May 10, 2015, 09:43:30 PM

Rookie, what you're doing is a noble thing, but how are folks going to take it when you do start selling at a profit? Maybe buying in bulk won't change the price much.

I can say one thing. With all these swarms I've caught, and selling all those nucs, making sure it's a good product has done nothing but cost me mega time. No garden this year. But yes, I'm enjoying it. I've sold 14 nucs without advertising the first lick. I finally got my state certificate of inspection so I put an ad in the local sales books.

rookie2531 · May 11, 2015, 05:01:36 AM

Quote from: GSF on May 10, 2015, 09:43:30 PM
Rookie, what you're doing is a noble thing, but how are folks going to take it when you do start selling at a profit? Maybe buying in bulk won't change the price much.

I can say one thing. With all these swarms I've caught, and selling all those nucs, making sure it's a good product has done nothing but cost me mega time. No garden this year. But yes, I'm enjoying it. I've sold 14 nucs without advertising the first lick. I finally got my state certificate of inspection so I put an ad in the local sales books.

I bought some seeds and potting mix, but haven't even sowed, so probably no garden here either. I only advertised to sell 6 nucs and when all were spoken for, I had a few medium nucs that I didn't tell anyone about and decided to let them go too, but nobody seems to want them here. I will say one thing though, I took some jars of my brand (hbh) and some 1 lbs. Bags of oxalic acid to my club to sell and a lot of folks there did not know what neither was. It threw me back a little.