53 replies to this topic

[thosaka]

Formisazine is now available to Amazon Prime customers via the link below:
http://amzn.to/2o6Oarw
 

Do you have an e-commerce website? I prefer to support your efforts fully rather than for Amazon to take such a big chunk out.

Member Loops117, who owns 117 Colonies, is becoming established as a US distributor for byFormica products.

 

No disrespect to Loops117, but can't you just manufacture and distribute everything on your own since the inventory is on a small scale?

[Serafine]

It's not about the production it's about the distribution. Running a website and doing all the shipping yourself can be a huge deterrent that keeps you from actually producing and developing products. Also while Terry does make good products (the feeders are amazing) his skills in advertising them properly seem a bit lacking.

This cooperation is actually a really good thing for both of them.

[Jelly]

 

Formisazine is now available to Amazon Prime customers via the link below:
http://amzn.to/2o6Oarw
 

Do you have an e-commerce website? I prefer to support your efforts fully rather than for Amazon to take such a big chunk out.

Member Loops117, who owns 117 Colonies, is becoming established as a US distributor for byFormica products.

 

No disrespect to Loops117, but can't you just manufacture and distribute everything on your own since the inventory is on a small scale?

 

 

I think his efforts are better spent on development of products rather than distribution

[T.C.]

It's not about the production it's about the distribution. Running a website and doing all the shipping yourself can be a huge deterrent that keeps you from actually producing and developing products. Also while Terry does make good products (the feeders are amazing) his skills in advertising them properly seem a bit lacking.
This cooperation is actually a really good thing for both of them.

From what I have noticed loops sells mostly formicariums, and Terry sells like you said feeders and the stuff that goes in them as well as this new product, the formica blue stuff, etc. The partnership was a good idea in my opinion, both should benefit from it! However the statement you made that By formica poorly advertises I disagree with. His posts about his products are in a nice layout clearly stating what they are and it's purpose. He also defends them with a good backup. Some of his advertisement threads have thousands of views. I would say that's pretty good advertising for an ant business! Wouldn't you agree?

[Loops117]

Our partnership doesnt really have any kind of specifics tied to it other then (but not limited to) me distributing for him. You are right, targassi. I could create my own feeders (which i have, and will continue to offer), liquids (which i have) and other additives. The issue with having to also spend time on researching and creating those items GREATLY reduces the amount of time i can spend on creating the items you guys desire, such as new formicaria.

It's no secret that terry makes the best liquids, barrier and feeder in the hobby. So why go against it? His product goes great in my store, and it enhances the use of any item you buy with it. With distributing his product it helps both sides. He has another outlet for his product, as well as another company regularly reviewing and advertising his products. I in turn get some great product to offer in my store, and help with the sales and distribution of my product. It's a win/win situation for both parties involved.

 

As for terry, he doesnt lack in the advertising department, he would just rather spend less time doing so and concentrate more on his product. He and i spend a lot of time researching and developing our product and this allows us to continue and stay on track.

 

And if you know me, i'm all about tying this hobby and the companies that come along all together.

[Kevin]

I believe Loops's store is an advertisement and payment gateway for byFormica (benefiting both of them), and all products are still shipped from Georgia. (Home of byFormica)

 

I could be wrong, but that's where mine came from.

Edited by Kevin, April 5 2017 - 7:54 AM.

[Subverted]

Yes, I did consider a powder or concentrate version.  I worried that people may not measure the product properly, and have a poor user experience, no matter how easy it is.
 
Further, I'm not entirely sure that selling powder in a bottle would reduce my transport costs, because couriers go by dimensional weight now, and the calculation method for international shipments is not favorable to those types of bulky but light shipments.

I'm not going to speculate on reductions of costs or anything like that but instead suggest a couple packaging solutions for you to consider:
1. Small gel capsules the end users can pour into a test tube
2. Individual packed portions (think McDonalds salt/pepper size/format)

Both of those could be measured out to provide a "standard" test tube full of the mix, would avoid the user having to measure anything besides the water, and would improve the chances of keeping the ascorbic acid from decomposing in solution before use (how are you avoiding this in the bottles?).

Edited by Subverted, April 5 2017 - 9:24 AM.

[iXvXi]

I seen this product on Amazon before I got to read this thread.

My first reaction was excitement!
Terry is taking a common problem which most of us has experienced; came up with a solution, designed and manufactured the product and made it available to us at a fair price! Not to mention the time testing probably took.

How can you complain about new innovative products?!

I HAVE to assume, most don't know what it's like designing and producing a product! Despite having to maintain sales while making it worthwhile, especially in a hobby such as ant keeping. You wouldn't work somewhere for free would you?

No one said, you should fill an aquifer with it; be as frugal as you'd like.

Can't speak for everyone, but not having to replace moldy test tubes saves me much hassle and that pays for the product in itself in my eyes.

Good job Terry! I'll purchase some later this week.

[brian]

Got mine today can't Waite to try it out on my first queen. I feel a lot safer with something like this my first time out to help me not lose her. When your new to something every little bit helps you along.

[Serafine]

Can't speak for everyone, but not having to replace moldy test tubes saves me much hassle and that pays for the product in itself in my eyes.

I think the usefulness of it depends on the species. Most of my ants so far have been amazingly clean and I barely ever had any mold issues (my Camponotus live in their tube for almost 5 months now and there is zero mold) but there are some ants which have a reputation for being messy and it might help with these.
The biggest mold cause however is most often the antkeeper him/herself, if you wash your hands well before making test tubes that's already a very big step towards mold prevention.

[AntDomination]

Yep. not even worth. I'd make my own, not like this stuff contains liquefied rocket science.

[Kevin]

Yep. not even worth. I'd make my own, not like this stuff contains liquefied rocket science.

Goodluck formulating the exact recipe. You should really post some positive stuff as a new member.

[Subverted]

 

Yep. not even worth. I'd make my own, not like this stuff contains liquefied rocket science.

Goodluck formulating the exact recipe. You should really post some positive stuff as a new member.

 

 

He isn't wrong.

 

If the ingredients on Amazon are accurate you literally just need baking soda and methylparaben. He claims its a good source of vitamin C so maybe there is some ascorbic acid in the mix too.

 

You can get a pound of methylparaben for about $15 on ebay and most people already have baking soda...

 

I have been using methylparaben in tubes since mid/late 2015 when Terry sent me some along with some feeders I bought from him. The best way to get nice tubes is to fill up a plastic bin with water and add in the methylparaben to that. You can completely submerge the tubes in it and plug them underwater so there are no air bubbles.

Edited by Subverted, April 23 2017 - 11:54 AM.

[drtrmiller]

I'm weary of all the nonsense posts and overly-helpful, albeit completely misinformed business advice in this topic.

 

Not a single one of you knows how difficult it is to develop and manufacture a new product for a specific, practical use as keeping test tube water safer for ants.  The bottom line is that I'm worrying about all the particulars of delivering a quality, unique product that solves a common problem that we all agree is a frustrating part of keeping ants in test tubes, all while the lot of you are sitting on your butts pretending to know how to reverse engineer it, or complaining about the $15 price tag on a one-of-a-kind, ready-to-use product worse than Bill O'Reilly on a date with an hooker escort who refuses to blow him.

 

Ergo, topic closed.