Browsing Amazon to get product ideas and then profiting

Browsing Amazon to get product ideas and then profiting

Recently I was on Amazon to find a large Terrarium for my bearded dragon and came across a lot of stuff that wasn't necessary.  I was then thinking "How much would it cost to build what I need and possibly sell it to others?" because if I was searching for it I'm sure someone else was as well lol.  Me thinking like an entrepreneur is why this discussion has come to life!

Now, I was looking for a front open terrarium because they're super convenient but they're usually pretty expensive.  I can purchase a normal fish tank that opens on the top and simply cut the glass on the front, but I had no clue how to do that, but thanks to Dr. Google I was able to figure out that I can get a diamond cutting blade for a Dremel tool and slowly cut the glass without it cracking   The Dremel I found was $40 and came with a bunch of accessories, including 2 diamond cutting blades, so that should be plenty for what I need it for.

After I figured out how to cut the glass, without breaking it, I had to figure out what hinges to get that wouldn't break the bank.  I found some on Amazon that came in a set of 4, which is perfect because I need 2 on each side, and they were $15 for the set. 

Total so far:  $55

Dremel = $40
Hinges = $15

Now I would need handles, which I also found on Amazon, and they were $8 for a set of two.  I was going back and forth between pressure handles and ones that I would have to put a bold through, but I didn't want to risk cracking the glass so I went with the pressure handles since I don't have to do anything other than screw the pressure plates onto the glass and the handles will work just fine.

After this I will be able to have the doors working just fine, but I'll need little accessories to keep it in place and prevent it from swinging too much, which came out to another $15.

Total now:  $78

My totals are up to $78 and I haven't even found an affordable tank yet!  I wasn't worried though, I know how much these things go for so I kept on looking! 

After searching through Amazon, eBay, and various websites online I came across a wholesaler who sells by the piece, which is very convenient since I only need a single tank for myself and would need to order more later on if I ever went forward with this.  The tank I had my eyes on was a 65 gallon one, which is pretty large, but it would be awesome when finished!  A single tank was $165 which would push my total to $243, but I'm sure I could get a discount over time if I kept purchasing from the wholesaler.


So why did I just go on an entire rant about my journey from Amazon to building a custom terrarium?  Because this is how business' are usually started!  I always come across something I want/need, can't find it online, then decide to look at how much it would cost me to build it myself.  Sometimes my Amazon searches have brought me down a path that gets all the way to the concept but then I'm too busy to pull the trigger lol.  I have various products and businesses in mind that can make a decent amount of money and they all came about because I was browsing Amazon for something I needed and couldn't find it.

Oh, you're probably wondering how much a 65-gallon terrarium with front opening doors cost, right?  Well, remember that I couldn't find one that size on Amazon, so it's impossible for me to compare, but there were smaller ones going for $500!!!  Yes, the larger tank that I could build for $243 would cost much more than $500 if I sold it online lol.  There was a larger tank on there for $1,200 and I'm sure I could build something just as nice but the shipping would be a nightmare, which is the only reason I would not go forward with this type of business.

Feel free to take this idea and run with it lol.  The main problems you'll run into are replacing cracked glass since you'd be purchasing pre-made tanks and customizing them to your own specifications.  If you crack the glass when cutting, the tank might be worthless, unless you know how to unfuse 2 pieces of glass and then replace the pane.  Shipping will be a nightmare like I mentioned, but if you're used to logistics then this could be something you're not going to worry too much about.


In the end, a simple idea can bring in millions of dollars or just pay your bills, but you'll never know until you try it out.  I don't plan on running with this business model, but I will definitely build my own tank since I can customize it how I need and save hundreds lol.  You'll never find a sort of kit that will give you everything you need but there's always Amazon that has everything (usually) and you can build your own kit of sorts.  Source items, pieces, and anything else you need to get the job done from various platforms and websites.  If you search around you can usually find a wholesaler who is breaking down to a per piece purchase, and that means he's still making money per sale but not as much as the big retailers who have to cover marketing and advertising costs to profit from every product they sell.


Thanks for reading!

- Tommy
https://www.seoclerks.com/user/TommyCarey