Inventory control and/or register setup?

[Anonymous]

What do y'all use on the retail level that's good? I'm probably looking for one computer unit with register attached, and maybe a touch screen if possible. I'm also looking for a good inventory control program with UPC scanner.

Peace,

Chip

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you are opening a store!

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you are opening a store!

Shhhh! It's a salt-only 2-man operation in the middle of a large rich area with no competition for 2 hours in every direction...

LOOK OUT!

Peace,

Chip

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Awesome Chip!

 

[Anonymous]

I'm pretty excited.

265-gallon show reef, 180-gallon show FOWLR, three 125-gallon coral tanks, four 60" 120-gallon large fish sale tanks, and 42 15-gallon fish sale tanks...plus everything else...dry goods, RO/DI, live rock, etc.

Peace,

Chip

 

[dizzy]

How big of a garage is it?

 

[Anonymous]

How big of a garage is it?

You are obsessed with Garages! If I send Chip a brick with some mortar on it will you approve? :lol:

 

[dizzy]

I don't want to drift off topic, but it all began 20-years ago when I quit my job, borrowed every dime I could and opened my store. I was at the airport getting fish one day when I noticed a couple of boxes of fish from the same shipper I use sitting on the dock. I asked the guy at the freight building who they were for. He said Atlantis in Bowling Green. I knew there was no store by that name in our town so I decided to call the wholesaler. The wholesaler said the guy was Russ Ha#* whom I recognized as a former customer who was from a wealthy family in the shoe business. It turns out his roommate was working at the local Petland store. When people were coming in to buy fish he was telling them to wait and let them order the fish in at a discounted price. When they had several people lined up they would place the order and split it up at his apartment. I had actually heard rumors of this as some of my customers were starting to get in on the discounts on the untanked fish. I told the wholesaler if they were going to sell to him like that without a storefront then I would look for a new supplier. They agreed to stop selling to him. Next thing I know he opens up a small store in the basement of one of the shoe stores. He didn't have much overhead, but at least he did have to tank the fish and the game was on. He lasted 3-4 years and eventually moved the store into a real center next door to one of his shoe stores. I knew no part timer could put me out and in time he came and went. I don't miss the bastard, but business was better in some ways when he was in his prime. Having the second store in town gave people more reason to drive a good distant to come to town. Russ was a real duckhead and I guess he forever soured me on garage operations. Was he breaking the rules? What rules?
Mitch

 

[Anonymous]

How big of a garage is it?

It's a fully-stocked retail store. I can post pictures if you'd like...

I don't like garage businesses either, you know.

Peace,

Chip

 

[Anonymous]

If I send Chip a brick with some mortar on it will you approve? :lol:

No need...my family owned "Cataldo Bros. & Sons, Inc." for 85 years. Yup, you guessed it...we sold concrete block, cement, and brick. Yes, we are from Italy, too, so watch yourself.

Peace,

Chip

 

[dizzy]

I don't like garage businesses either, you know.

Peace,

Chip

I was just funnin with you. The razzy was the tipoff. :wink: It sounds like it will be a nice store. Good luck.
Mitch

 

[Anonymous]

I was just funnin with you. The razzy was the tipoff. :wink: It sounds like it will be a nice store. Good luck.
Mitch

Thanks. It shouldn't be a difficult thing, since the competition in the area is really almost laughable. You have to travel a long way to find a really great reef shop. I'm sure we'll fill a much-needed void.

Peace,

Chip

 

[dizzy]

Chip,
You should call your store "The Underworld" :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Chip,
When I was doing research into opening a retail store, I had planned on using a Quickin program that linked inventory into sales.

 

[Anonymous]

Chip,
You should call your store "The Underworld" :lol:

Heh.

The name of the shop is actually "Reef Addict."

Peace,

Chip

 

[Anonymous]

Chip,
When I was doing research into opening a retail store, I had planned on using a Quickin program that linked inventory into sales.

You are the third person to recommend Quicken. I'll be looking into it.

Peace,

Chip

 

[Anonymous]

Chip,
When I was doing research into opening a retail store, I had planned on using a Quickin program that linked inventory into sales.

You are the third person to recommend Quicken. I'll be looking into it.

Peace,

Chip

Every so often, Costco or Sams sells the Quickbooks POS system. It is a register, scanner, quickbooks and inventory all in one. I have heard good things about it. It typically costs $7-800.

 

[treeman]

The only problem with quickbooks is that they charge for support. And most of their products have to be updated like Quickpay(their payroll version) etc..

I do like the product, I have used it for many, many years. Actually I started with the first DOS version.

 

[JT]

I'd use 20-longs myself instead of the 15's but that's just me.