Thinking of opening my own hydroponic store

Hi so like it says in the title I'm thinking of opening a hydroponic shop and am just looking for any like minded people who have already taken the plung and started there own store and if your in the planning stages or just want to chim in feel free all feedback and info will be great guys

what brands ballasts hoods tents bulbs . so your going to carry ever nutrient right . have to have good prices or dont bother . i want to open one as well . strongly suggest going into a high teck garden or my favorite store ( SGS) if your serious and want to make some real money i would just open a high tek garden franchise . it will cost but they know what there doing the can make your new store turn key . well know name. http://www.htgsupply.com/ in michgian there is a hydro store every 4 square miles a lot of them go out of business to small dont carry what we need or the prices are out stupid . the stores think the shoppers are stupid we will spend 400 on 1 ballast 200 on a bulb 250 on the hoods. hey around my home i can get a hortilux 1000 bulb a hood air cooled 8 inch a magnetic ballast 200 plus tax . open a htg

Opening a hydro shop sounds ok but most shops i know do more trade through amazon and the internet than physical sales. Really if you have the cheapest prices online and amazon you will sell but with so many thesedays my main priority is price. Anyway all markets are hard to break into for the small guy thesedays.

If you live in in an area that has a couple hundred hydro growers with no access to cheap merchandise...
Then you have a plan!? Since 2012 when Wa "legalized" cannabis ... four local hydro stores have gone under... they couldn't compete with the big guys/internet.. I know these guys, they all lost it all.. lots of money in inventory...
I would suggest doing a business study of your area...

I agree with the above posts, i would highly research your area for business stats and info on such trade. So many people grow now and the market is too flooded with equipment. Amazon is a hard one to compete with, more so if you have 10 other shops within 30 mins.

Location
Supply and demand
Customers Accessibility to products
Can you deliver the same quality as some competing brands for a more convenient trip/price

Just my thoughts on some things to think about and consider.

lazygrower94 said:

Hi so like it says in the title I'm thinking of opening a hydroponic shop and am just looking for any like minded people who have already taken the plung and started there own store and if your in the planning stages or just want to chim in feel free all feedback and info will be great guys

Click to expand...

imo: Way too late

as companies eat companies

within 5 years there will only be 2-3 nute sellers and compost retailers around

as for the lights, that would supply a good margin ???

they are changing too fast

just like now with retailers trying to return or discount their T5 racks. HPS ranges, and bigass CFL's

getting ready for the latest COB's

good luck

and have an edge ..lol

if your near the mi detroit area pm me .

I talked to some employees at a good chain with good prices. I noticed the place is more empty recently. I asked if it slows down due to the winter. They said their sales were down 30%. My guess from what they said is they stopped super heavy discounting to big buyers.

I would bet DIY COBs are also hurting them somewhat. Pretty much soil, pots, nutes and a few others things are selling.

It does not appear to be an easy business.

Hi sorry guys just finished work an this forum seems to of gone off so I'll try replay to you all when I get up I should of sed on the opening message I'm based in the uk and where I live there is only one other grow shop within 20 miles and 2 within 30 both across the county line I personally will not go to the closer one as the guys a real ass also as for online I plan on using Fb page with links to a website where people can order online as for large chains they don't seem to be a huge threat for the time being as the only ones are Holland hydro and they are all do south also I will throw a couple of ideas out there to see if you guys think it will give me the edge

I would deffianlty look around. I myself would like to start a small line in the industry or try to invest a small amount in the coming months. This is where America is going. We ate deffinalty in the potrush era and anyone with aim knowledge and a littkw start up seems to be starting a line or a brand. Here in RI. Local shops go down left and right up fornabfew months then gone. Me being a small local grower have went in to buy soil etc. The prices art $3/4 mark up on every $10 it seems. Even know we have a few they still need to lower there prices. Internet is what you want to open a online shop imo and have someone that knows how to advistize and push you name as cheap and quality at same time. Goof luck. I wish everyone made it. This is going to be huge

Sell pot as well . They just opened a dispensary down the road and are selling it for 6.75 a gram and cheaper for outdoor. It's like a revolving door of cash flow . What I don't get is its illegal so WTF lol. Oh well I'm happy happy happy .

You see the market Is rather different here with weed still being illegal so a lot of the large commercial growers will go to a hydro store rather than using sites like Amazon as it leaves a paper trail
As for giving my shop the edge I don't think in anyway these are new ideas or even the best ideas but I think it may just make my store succeed
1 I want to have working demos set up with plants like bamboo growing so when they reach maturity I can sell them also
these next to ideas are more for the people who aren't braking the law and will hopefully bring them into my shop
2 I want to offer a local delivery service for people who can't collect them selfs
3 I also plan to offer a service where I will go set up the tent so that I can target the elderly growers who have prized plants and don't want them to die over winter
Let me now what you guys think

Another point is I work 5to 11 so I plan to keep this job whilst I set up my business so there is less financial strain on me and the gf I'm in Amsterdam a week today so a proper business plan will follow and the ball will be rolling when I return I also plan to nip into a few of the local Dutch hydro shops to ask what's selling well over there atm whilst seeing what they stock
The last thing I'll share for now is also when I return I'm going to build prototype Aeroponic and hydroponic system as they can be expensive to buy and if I can make and stock my own it will bring the price down slightly which puts of a lot of larger growers in my local area as you may just lose your setup to the Feds one earlie morning