FINCHforum

I need some help determining a level of interest before I embark further.

I deactivated my seed page after relocating to Florida because it was too difficult to coordinate shipments between FL and MD where my brother and the birds and supplies still are. I'm stuck in an apartment until my lease is up but looking to purchase at the end, and the idea is that some of the birds will transfer down to FL and my brother will keep and breed some and we will just trade out as needed.

In the interim, I've had a few people contact me about whether or not I intend to re-open my store to sell seed... and I'm torn.
If I do this, I need to manage it 100% in Florida. I have the space and the resources to do this but without having the birds here yet, I do NOT have a way to deal with "sitting inventory."

Because we feed the seed we sell, if we're selling it out of our own supply it isn't a big deal. If we don't sell it, we use it ourselves. The quandary would be for the time being if I have a supply in FL and no one is buying it, it's going to lose its value if it sits for months and months.

Is there any real interest anymore in breeder specific custom blends?
There's no real market value in this for me - but I also don't want to LOSE money by re-investing in the idea.

I would be really interested in hearing everyone's thoughts... from interests, to concerns, to desires, etc?
I feel like there are so many distributors here and there now.. it seems almost pointless. But then it breaks my heart when a regular asks me if I ever intend to reopen. I just can't for 2 or 3 people :/

Need constructive input!!

Just my two cents, but I believe a lot of people still feed custom blends. I mix several seed mixes to get what I'm looking for, but if I could get it mixed the way I wanted it from a supplier I'd certainly go that route.

What blends did you offer Tiffany? If people could see a "menu" maybe more people would chime in.

I kind of think the cost of postage seems to be going higher & higher. But often, for some, buying on the net is the only option.
Tough call.

There's still visible on my site, you just can't actually order them.

http://www.gouldiansgalore.com/supplies.html

I had a canary blend but I was only selling it mainly when I attended marts, and since I haven't (and might not) been doing that after relocating I took it off entirely.

nixity
I've gone to your web site several times, looking for golden specific foods and breeding/nestling supplements etc. For example, I've been looking for Petamine in the 25 lb bags. My finches love it! Of course, I mix that into the homemade eggfood, but they seem to like the Petmaine on its own too. If you offered the large bags or similar quantities, I'd definitely be interested.

I would think you would have a good market in Florida, with the number of bird people in that state. I am in a seed co-op, or I would be interested myself.

I used to sell Petamine actually but there was that whole debacle with Scott products and some controversy over them using non-domesticated-bird grade seed or corn that they recalled a lot of their stuff and I was no longer able to get it (nor did I desire to) wholesale after.