Opening a successful seashell business requires an understanding of the market, an ability to accurately estimate overhead, and the willingness to anticipate demand by creating a desirable inventory. Seashell collectors, who are often referred to as "conchologists," are the primary buyers and sellers of seashells, and make up the bulk of the market. To sustain a seashell business, a thorough understanding of the habits and desires of conchologists is essential. Conchologists are intelligent and selective, appreciative of informed suppliers, and very social: conchologists have formed numerous regional clubs across the globe, and attend yearly conventions to discuss seashells.
However, in the internet age, it is possible to run a seashell business without a brick and mortar location. Shipping shells requires special packaging. For an internet-based business, the amount of money you spend on padded envelopes and bubble wrap to safely package shells for shipment will contribute to your overall overhead. Buy quality shipping materials in bulk to prevent the seashells from breaking and chipping.
Estimate your overhead. As with any business, estimating one's overhead is essential to creating a successful, long-term profitable entity. For a seashell business, overhead will be influenced by shipping/display costs. If you have a brick and mortar operation, your shipping costs will be reduced. Invest in attractive display cases to showcase the seashells. Once you have made the initial investment in display cases, these items will last for years to come.
Invest in an attractive and interactive website, if you run your business over the internet. Get one that will allow your customer base to browse your seashell offerings and place orders. Brush up on your email correspondence skills, and update your website regularly.
Know your customer base. Assembling an appropriate inventory for a seashell business will depend largely on your customer base. As conchologists refine their buying habits, they generally tend to focus on one specific family or genus of shells. However, unlike other business, the physical rarity of a shell does not automatically mean that it will bring in a higher price. Any seashell proprietor must consider that some shell families are simply better liked, regardless of how physically available they are, and therefore can be priced at a much higher rate. For example, the Cypraea family of shells is generally more desirable than the Cerithium family, even though both families are equally easy to obtain.
Develop specific relationships with individual conchologists; this is vital to the survival of your seashell business. By anticipating what shell families your regular customers want to buy, your reputation as a knowledgeable proprietor will grow. Turning over your stock on a regular basis will ultimately benefit your profit margin and please your customers.
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