Part 3 – The Search for Inventory

Follow along in this entry titled “Starting the Tackle Shop Part 3 – The Search for Inventory”.

I Need Inventory

Remember I said I would come back to the inventory topic in the last entry?  Well, it was for a reason.  What I was not aware of was that in this industry suppliers are very loyal to the physical brick and mortar establishments.  This is a very honorable and I completely respect that.  However, this was not good for my plan (obviously).

I thought I would just be able to provide the required documents that I had gathered and then start browsing through their catalog to suite out the new shop on wheels.  Boy was I wrong!

Slamming Digital Doors in my Face

One after another turned me away.  Even though I had all of the necessary documents in order, enough money in the business account to cover the order and customers that I made along the way selling miscellaneous tackle to I was told “not if you do not have a physical location.”

Not being the type to just give up, I knew that there HAD to be companies that would take me seriously!

Dropshippers Galore

I decided to apply for the dropshipping companies.  Surely I would be able to at least make SOME profit off of using them as a supplier for my mobile store as well as sell online and would not have to deal with the shipping myself right?

As it turns out, not a chance.

You see, while there is profit to be made, it is being made by the companies that offer this service.  After doing a spot check on their pricing for product there is simply not enough margin to sustain and grow a business model from.

Time to Set Myself Apart

After many sleepless nights tossing and turning on how in the world I was going to convince the suppliers that I was not only serious, but also not the stereo typical person that would start a mobile venture I decided to start sharing my vision of the shop.

I am not going to use peg board and hooks in a broken down converted delivery truck that sputters and emits a 007 smoke screen at every red light.  I am going to represent the brands with the respect that they deserve.  After all, I would not want my product on display in the trunk of a rusty old Pinto, so while I kept sending paperwork in, I started scouring ads for retail trailers.

So Many Options!

My criteria was that it had to be new, or close to new in perfect shape that stood out from ones you see on the road.  It had to be large enough so that people would not be knocking hooks off the walls while browsing.  It also had to be light enough that I could tow it with my Ram TRX.

I looked at new cargo trailers, but the inside was plywood and no frills.  Besides that, even with a wrap it was not going to start out and portray what I wanted the image to be.

I looked at service trailers.  A window would be nice, but I am not selling ice cream.  And have you seen the cost of those things?  Wow..

Found some true retail trailers, but way too large to tow around, and the setup would take me until noon just to get everything opened, dropped, jacked etc.

Then, just when I was starting to lose my mind I found it!  It checked all of the requirement boxes and while it was used, it was in perfect condition.  The Colorado Off Road Trailer.

It was Thursday night before a 3 day weekend and I messaged the seller.  He agreed to show me the trailer the next day.

The Journey to Buy the Perfect Shop on Wheels

  I couldn’t sleep that night thinking about the long drive I had in the morning.

The trailer was in Fernley Nevada.  Not exactly a short jaunt from Clearlake Oaks California.

“What if I get there and it is beat to hell?”  “I am carrying all of this cash on me, what if it is an elaborate scheme to rob the person?”  These types of thoughts bounced around my head until the wee hours in the morning, until I finally decided to just get up and head that way.

As it turns out (I am sure you could have guessed this without me saying anything) all of those thoughts were unfounded.

New trailer in tow I turned the truck towards home and started the long journey back.  In a single day to Fernley and back and I was the proud new owner of the perfect platform to start the conversion from cargo to retail.