Scrubber Marketing

[SantaMonica]

I'd like to look into promoting scrubbers more, whether they be buckets, acrylics, or eventually G3's. Hopefully someone else will start making them (i.e., a finished product with a name), and I can help promote them. Promotion is my day job, and we have a phone room that can call hundreds of retail stores each week. This is in addition to online promotion, of course.

I think something like a basic acrylic box, which will fit in most places, would be a best first product. Should be able to sit above most sumps, or on top of or behind tanks (must look decent, and not let light out). Pump should probably be included, in order to make things simple (a self-priming pump which can pull water up to the box).

There are two types I see as a good beginning: a small clip-on nano scrubber the size of a tv remote, that sells for (U.S.) $49 to $99 retail (incl pump), and a regular acrylic unit for up to 120g, that sells for $199 tp $299 retail (incl pump).

Marketing would of course be primarily dictated by who paid for it. But short of cash outlay, here's what I'd be able to provide:

Vendor forum support: If someone else buys the vendor forum, I'd be able to answer the questions of the customers in the forum, for no charge.

Email promotion: I'd train one of our email promoters to contact english-speaking retail and web stores (anywhere) by email, and attempt to get them to buy the scrubbers. Could be at-cost, or percentage.

Phone promotion: I'd train one of our phone promoters to contact retailers in the US and Canada, and attempt to get them to buy the scrubbers. Could be at-cost, or percentage.

[worley]

As an ex-retailer myself, if I had been given an ATS to try out for 6-8 weeks, or sold one at cost (without a pump - most shops will have spare pumps), or better still, with a pre-grown screen, I would be selling them myself straight away. Most shops have a display tank they could demonstrate it on. And I know as a customer, if I had seen one setup and working, and seen the fact that there was no algae yet they could overfeed the fish, I would have bought one straight away too.

I'm still very surprised none of the bigger manufacturers have taken it on larger scale yet.
I know an ex-sales person from one of the biggest UK distributors of marine equipment and salt etc. They sell to larger shops directly (e.g. 20+ buckets of instant ocean at a time) and they sell to the UK wholesalers, so they ought to have good contacts with the manufacturers.

[snail]

Well my intention is to put a compact all in one into production. This is why the led is important to me.

I have a site http://concreef.com/items on which I will sell my man made reef sculptures. I have been testing different compositions of concrete for safety and growth since last year. I've sold a few for pennies here, but hope to be the leader in the field of rock soon. I am open to givaway for testing and promotion, just pay shipping.

My focus is on nano of about 20 gallon. My nano reef is just plagued with algae and I'm running skimmer etc to no avail.
My 20 has one mmlr rock in it. I try to get small frags and attach them as best as I can.

I have been picking up tanks used at flea markets and garage sales, may even start drilling a few. The 20 seems the best nano size, and readily available.

[SantaMonica]

So you are thinking of a nano unit also?

[snail]

Yes, nano scrubbers. I was just looking tonight for led's to purchase bulk. I found one place that sells a blue 450 nm 5mm for 12¢ a piece, and red 640 nm 5mm for 8¢ not including shipping etc. http://www.buy-leds-online.com/

The manufacturer in china if I buy bulk, would be minimum $250 order, plus import and vat and shipping, so $300 minimum cost probably $350 and it is for the same lights, but the price for blue drops to 7¢ and red 5¢ not including shipping etc.
All 30º angle. http://ledz.com/

Have you seen any better prices? Better specs?

I emailed the china manufacturer to see if they might make a 660 red and a 440 blue. I think may be a better NM range, also would you use the ultra violet one, maybe 1 of ten?

I have some 1/8 plexy and was figuring to drill the plexy and insert the led into that, with acrylic glue. Then just solder jumpers to make the light banks, and use an old transformer from my phone or something to get the voltage.

[SantaMonica]

What would you sell such a unit for?

[SantaMonica]

Anyone have local a LFS that would carry a ready-to-run scrubber for sale?

[snail]

Anyone have local a LFS that would carry a ready-to-run scrubber for sale?

I get fairly good response talking to a couple of different places here. It usually boils down to product liability for them guys.

So ready to run-except turf right?

Might be easier to promote. Then the turf sold separate if they want.

[SantaMonica]

I'm not so sure about selling anything alive. Half the fun of it is watching it grow.