ForumsStarting a Business

CorpCons is right on target, your credentials ARE important to consumers. I dated a lady whose daughter had parrots, and she absolutely would not have bought a bird from anywhere other than a reputable shop. When I decided to buy an African Grey to give her as a gift, anyone who knew anything warned me to stay away from the lower-priced on-line sellers.

Your second sentence holds the key to competing effectively: "We specialize in exotic birds." Your competitors specialize in other things -- like exotic Google ads. You DO need a website (if you don't have one) -- not to sell birds, but to promote your expertise, educate customers, and to support your related revenue streams (assuming you also sell bird-related items).

There are two kinds of exotic bird buyers -- one is a knowledgeable person like the daughter I described above. The other is essentially "ignorant" about exotic birds, but decides one day for some reason that he wants one, so he shops for it like he shops for anything else - i.e., cheaper is better.

You want to leverage your credentials and expertise to keep that first type of buyer, because they come back and buy other products from you with higher profit margins (cages, toys, food, etc.). They may even buy more birds someday, or recommend you to other potential buyers. You want to educate the second type of buyer (if possible), and since they're already looking on-line anyway, that's the venue to do it. Anyone who refuses to be educated is probably going to decide in a month or so that he didn't want a bird after all -- so you've only lost a one-time sale (and who knows, your visible expertise may help you pick that bird up from him for way below wholesale on the back end!)

Bottom line, I don't believe in your business that lower prices from your "competition" should be a significant business problem if you use the same medium they are to leverage your credentials, knowledge, and expertise -- making sure you stand clearly above all them in a buyer's mind. I wish you the best!

Toucan Birds, You have received 2 great answers and you seem to be doing
everything by the book. As you said you are required to have wild life license.
an occupational license store front and payroll, pay state & local taxes.
*and sales tax and file
everything through the IRS.*
That is the American way and the way to grow.
Hopefully you are succeeding and by doing all of the above, sleeping at night.
I am a SCORE Counselor, and Score helps people in business, FREE both in
person and online. We help with Business and Marketing Plans.
Good luck and keep SCORE in mind. LUCKIEST