Finding hard-to-find Tunze stuff

[|\/|itch]

I have been following the Tunze supply issues since sometime last Fall and until recently it was just interesting as I was not in the market. A friendly tax year put me in the market in mid-February and I started looking around for a TS24 kit and a couple of mag holders. Good luck, right?

I got on the mandatory waiting lists at the big online vendors, but that didn't seem too promising. Then I started calling around to some of the "Tunze partners" to see what they had to say. This is where I got a real pleasant surprise. The people in these small shops all over the country are absolutely golden. Even when they didn't have the merchandise (and they usually didn't) they were helpful, friendly and informative. After 30 minutes or so on the phone I hit a homer when I found a guy with a couple of 6100s and mag mounts in stock! It took him 3 or 4 days and he scored a 7095 controller for me. I had everything in my hot little hands yesterday.

Because this guy is so small, I'm not going to "blow his cover" and have his phone ring off the hook all day long. I guess my point is, the small shops that have been in business for years have some clout that you can leverage to get what you need. And they're nice folks!

Mitch

 

[luminary]

Yeah, I had the same experience. Pretty much walked into my LFS, said I was ready to buy my 6100s and 7095, and the owner said, here ya go, just got some in today.

One of the very strong reasons why it pays to support your local stores!

 

[rottielover]

Actually that tick's me off a little bit..... I've been on a waiting list with Marine Depot for that same setup (two 6100's and a 7095 controller) for over a month now!

Unfortunatly NONE of the LFS's in my area stock Tunze

 

[luminary]

Try calling some outside of your area, many of them are willing to ship.

In many cases though, don't expect them to match the prices at places like Marine Depot. Just like in other industries, the big online retailers make their money off of high volume and low inventory, so don't be surprised that there's a waiting list for in demand items. In most cases, their best business scenario is having a short waiting time as it minimizes the storage time they have to pay for.

 

[|\/|itch]

rottielover: I am in the Cincinnati area which is about the same size as St. Louis. My local stores have not even heard of Tunze. In fact, this is a direct quote from one of them:

"Tunze. Nah, that's some of that overpriced import stuff. We don't mess with it."

Broaden your search. That's all we're saying.

Mitch

 

[mhltcob]

i believe all tunze prices are standard, from lfs to retail, so i don't think you will pay a premium buying it from an lfs.

 

[mhltcob]

i meant to say from lfs to online

 

[rottielover]

I know guys, I was just venting a little bit... From what I hear Tunze equipment is well worth the wait!

 

[rvitko]

I do try my best to keep things evenly spread so the wait isn't any longer at one place than another. Most of the LFS order a couple every other month, in some of the bigger cities they may take a dozen a month. The mail order houses usually need that or double that every week. Even though the mail order houses get more product they still run behind because of the volume they turn. I don't understand why Saint Louis does not have a dealer, it is a big city with many marine hobbyists, I have sent out info to a couple shops their who requested it and never heard back. I think Mitch bought them from Rick in New Orleans, and he is a great guy, he has been using Tunze probably longer than I have and really knows his stuff, he is a neat guy really cordial and he really does it as a hobbyist, I used to sell to him retail when I had AquaTek- my retail store, he was a painter at the time and a few years ago he started his own shop.

 

[rottielover]

Hey Roger, thanks for the info...

If you have the spare time (LOL I know no one ever does including me!) you may want to drop another hint to Marine Solutions or Clayton Pet here in St. Louis. These are the two "saltwater" shops in the area who's business is 90% or better SW (in Marine Solutions case it's 100% saltwater)...

There are a few more shops in south St. louis that I've never been too, so I don't know about them, but those are the two in North St. Louis that I would have though would carry Tunze

 

[ghomola]

rottilover,

Fish stores tend to listen to customers better than a "vendor" trying to sell products to them. I suggest you as a customer try dropping the hint.

 

[|\/|itch]

That is correct Roger. Rick at "Rick's Reef" in Metairie, LA is the real deal. He is one of the nicest guys I've met in this industry and he has really taken care of me from day one. My next business trip to New Orleans will find me in his shop shaking his hand in person.

Mitch

 

[rottielover]

rottilover,

Fish stores tend to listen to customers better than a "vendor" trying to sell products to them. I suggest you as a customer try dropping the hint.

Actually every time I'm in there I ask if they are going to carry Tunze, but I never get to talk to the owner, I always end up talking to the "workers"

Oh well, maybe they will get the hint EVENTUALLY! LOL

 

[rvitko]

At this time I am not taking any new dealers, when we get caught up a bit I plan to take on several new shops, hopefully in April. The problem is simply this:

January of 2003 was 100% over January of 2002, January of 2004 was 100% over January of 2003, January of 2005 was 80% over January of 2004.

That is just in the US. The growth rate is just beyond the ability of the factory to keep up with, every time we get to where we meet demand, demand grows again. I know people like to look for someone to blame in these situations or think it is a game to keep the prices high but it just isn't so. They had 30 employees this time last year and now 40, a new injection molding machine has been added and Axel hired his brothers company also called Tunze but they are a metal and plastic fabricating shop to also take up producing products full time. We have looked at every possibility and they will add on to the factory yet again in another year or two. We also are considering doing assembly here in the US but often the supply problem is from a parts shortage so this would not help much if I can't get the parts to make the stuff. It is not an issue of finances or vision or anything of the sort, I have enough experience in business to know that when a company grows this fast, just as when a child grows this fast it is painful and awkward.

 

[Thumper1]

I did basically the same thing. Went to the lfs and told him what I wanted and presto. a ts24 kit I may or may not have gotten a good deal but i got the kit with the 7095 controller for $795, Is this an average price or not.

 

[nbd13]

thats a great price! think about it 1 6100 cost about 300 so about 600 for the 6100 and then another 200 for the 7095 so that makes is alittle over 800 so you got a good deal.

Nick

 

[Armando]

I bought a pair of 6000s, 7095 and magnets from our local dealer, have been waiting for two months