This probably very childish (at least to my wife)....
I am dreaming of owning DIY-Loudspeaker shop, selling high quality drivers, caps, coils etc, etc, etc... and I picture my self in my store, recommending my customers of various components suitable for their loudspeaker projects.
My question is:
1. Does anybody in this forum own a DIY loudspeaker store?
2. How to become a component (drivers, caps, coils) agent/distributor/retailer? What do we need to qualify us as a distributor/retailer for certain product?
3. Is there someone in this forum quit his/her job (from a well established company) just to build his/her own audio store? Would you like to share your experience?
I think that's it for now...
Thanks,
I am dreaming of owning DIY-Loudspeaker shop, selling high quality drivers, caps, coils etc, etc, etc... and I picture my self in my store, recommending my customers of various components suitable for their loudspeaker projects.
My question is:
1. Does anybody in this forum own a DIY loudspeaker store?
2. How to become a component (drivers, caps, coils) agent/distributor/retailer? What do we need to qualify us as a distributor/retailer for certain product?
3. Is there someone in this forum quit his/her job (from a well established company) just to build his/her own audio store? Would you like to share your experience?
I think that's it for now...
Thanks,
This is a thread i started a while ago about a similar idea.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2946
Wasn't a popular idea amung members.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2946
Wasn't a popular idea amung members.
To Griff...
I've got the picture (I read your thread). But the thread you gave is mostly dealing with being a dealer/retailer of ready-made product. I want to own a store from which customer's can buy high quality drivers, coils, caps, etc.
May be the right wording for my question:
"How do we set up a company like North Creek Music, Zalytron, Parts Express, etc ?"
"How do we contact Vifa/ScanSpeak/Morel etc so that we are qualified to sell their products?" (sort of "authorized dealer")
To Vivek....
I have the same problem as you do, hehehe.... No money!
Cheers,
I've got the picture (I read your thread). But the thread you gave is mostly dealing with being a dealer/retailer of ready-made product. I want to own a store from which customer's can buy high quality drivers, coils, caps, etc.
May be the right wording for my question:
"How do we set up a company like North Creek Music, Zalytron, Parts Express, etc ?"
"How do we contact Vifa/ScanSpeak/Morel etc so that we are qualified to sell their products?" (sort of "authorized dealer")
To Vivek....
I have the same problem as you do, hehehe.... No money!
Cheers,
It's a nice idea to turn what you love to do into your livelyhood, but running a business is quite different from making speakers. If you go at it as a business, you'll spend most of your time figuring out how to sell stuff, and managing lots of miscellaneous, day to day stuff and you'll have little time to play with speakers.
If you really want to do it, before you quit your day job and cash in the family jewels to chase your dream, you should get a night/weekends job in an audio shop or even at a circuit city store or some similar place so you can see what is involved in operating such a business.
Can't hack the hours of keeping your day job and working nights/weekends at a shop? Then don't even consider starting up your own shop, because it is a 24/7 type of thing to become successful (feed yourself and your family).
Maybe it would be better to get a job at Bose or some such company where you could get paid to play with speakers all day (and go to meetings, etc.).
MR
If you really want to do it, before you quit your day job and cash in the family jewels to chase your dream, you should get a night/weekends job in an audio shop or even at a circuit city store or some similar place so you can see what is involved in operating such a business.
Can't hack the hours of keeping your day job and working nights/weekends at a shop? Then don't even consider starting up your own shop, because it is a 24/7 type of thing to become successful (feed yourself and your family).
Maybe it would be better to get a job at Bose or some such company where you could get paid to play with speakers all day (and go to meetings, etc.).
MR
My impression is that DIY speakers are such an esoteric concept that any business would almost have to be mail-order/internet. I mean, the average consumer isn't even aware of high end audio, and the average "audiophile" probably is more interested in buying $$$ well-reviewed equipment than building their own. Even if you can make a name for yourself in terms of designs or kits, a bad review in one of the big mags could seriously impact business.
Going mail order gives you a worldwide audience, but you are competing with established vendors (Percy, Connexion, Welbourne).
The other downside is that the high end stuff has a very high cost, so there is a lot of exposure in stocking different brands and values of drivers, capacitors, inductors, etc. Unless you have a broad customer base or a small selection, your turnover will be low.
Going mail order gives you a worldwide audience, but you are competing with established vendors (Percy, Connexion, Welbourne).
The other downside is that the high end stuff has a very high cost, so there is a lot of exposure in stocking different brands and values of drivers, capacitors, inductors, etc. Unless you have a broad customer base or a small selection, your turnover will be low.
Start selling small
You are in a good location, Indonesia has a good work ethic and a chunk of the populace is well educated, but incomes aren't that high relative to US and Europe -- kind of what drove magazines like Audio Amateur to get started over 30 years ago -- it was cheaper to build vs buy for high quality. figure this also, transportation costs must be high so the great speakers which come out of the U.S. and Europe have prices driven more by transport and marketing costs than production costs.
Start small, advertise in college newspapers if they have the same in Jakarta (I assume that college students, like those inthe US have more time than money) , see what's new and about with ham radio types as they are always connected into DIY electronics, invest modestly in high quality inventory, deliver on time, be there to answer customer inquiries -- I guess you can tell that I have done this before.
You are in a good location, Indonesia has a good work ethic and a chunk of the populace is well educated, but incomes aren't that high relative to US and Europe -- kind of what drove magazines like Audio Amateur to get started over 30 years ago -- it was cheaper to build vs buy for high quality. figure this also, transportation costs must be high so the great speakers which come out of the U.S. and Europe have prices driven more by transport and marketing costs than production costs.
Start small, advertise in college newspapers if they have the same in Jakarta (I assume that college students, like those inthe US have more time than money) , see what's new and about with ham radio types as they are always connected into DIY electronics, invest modestly in high quality inventory, deliver on time, be there to answer customer inquiries -- I guess you can tell that I have done this before.
First of all, thank you to all who responded and give some inside stuffs.
Jackinnj, you are absolutely right! The average income of Indonesian is very... I mean VERY low! You know what? In order for me to buy sets of Ariel (2 SS2905/9500 and 4 Vifa P13WH) drivers, I need to save money for 3 months. I just realised, the crossover costs me more than the drivers! We're talking of a third world country
Well, it's a dream anyway. And after you guys told me, I think I'll start my DIY store when I'm rich. Not to after money, but just to satisfy my addiction to DIY.
But I'm still curious for the answer of my question below:
"How do we contact Vifa/ScanSpeak/Morel etc so that we are qualified to sell their products?" (sort of "authorized dealer")
Regards,
Jackinnj, you are absolutely right! The average income of Indonesian is very... I mean VERY low! You know what? In order for me to buy sets of Ariel (2 SS2905/9500 and 4 Vifa P13WH) drivers, I need to save money for 3 months. I just realised, the crossover costs me more than the drivers! We're talking of a third world country
Well, it's a dream anyway. And after you guys told me, I think I'll start my DIY store when I'm rich
. Not to after money, but just to satisfy my addiction to DIY.But I'm still curious for the answer of my question below:
"How do we contact Vifa/ScanSpeak/Morel etc so that we are qualified to sell their products?" (sort of "authorized dealer")
Regards,
Sianturi!
Where do I start!!! I had this dream years ago and in Easter this year finally realised it. If you want to send me an email off line I can tell you a little about the background and how we got started and where the pitfalls are. Who knows, maybe I could open a branch store in Indonesia? We're only a 5 hour flight from you...
As far as success goes, we hit our 12 month revenue targets 7 weeks in and the business is growing at a rate of about 40% per month, we are actually having to keep it reigned in so that we don't grow too fast!
I've never been so stressed, nervous and blissfully happy in my whole life!
Marcus
www.theloudspeakerkit.com
Where do I start!!! I had this dream years ago and in Easter this year finally realised it. If you want to send me an email off line I can tell you a little about the background and how we got started and where the pitfalls are. Who knows, maybe I could open a branch store in Indonesia? We're only a 5 hour flight from you...
As far as success goes, we hit our 12 month revenue targets 7 weeks in and the business is growing at a rate of about 40% per month, we are actually having to keep it reigned in so that we don't grow too fast!
I've never been so stressed, nervous and blissfully happy in my whole life!
Marcus
www.theloudspeakerkit.com
AHOYYYY, MARCUS!!!
I'D REALLY LOVE TO.... here's my email address:
sianturi@link.net.id
I love to tell you how is current Indonesian economic condition for Audio DIY Store. But right now, I am in a hurry. I've got a deadline to meet.
Let's have a chit-chat off line via email. I will reply ....
Thankz,
I'D REALLY LOVE TO.... here's my email address:
sianturi@link.net.id
I love to tell you how is current Indonesian economic condition for Audio DIY Store. But right now, I am in a hurry. I've got a deadline to meet.
Let's have a chit-chat off line via email. I will reply ....
Thankz,
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