Sciencemadness Discussion Board - My info

My info

Syn the Sizer - 11-3-2022 at 20:10

Hello Everyone,

As mentioned I am going to share my business info.

Here is the TL;DR

Lab Glass site, ordering info on the homepage
https://www.yoursciencedirect.shop/

Company page with reagents, other services and company profile. As far as the equipment sourcing goes I am still working on that, I can still source but I don't have dedicated supplier there yet.
To order shoot and email with reagent request to the email on the homepage.
https://jordanssourcing.ca/

Any questions shoot an email to the address listed on both home pages as I may not be on here again for some time.

Here is the full length version.

I first decided I wanted to do this over a year ago. However initially I was just looking at supplying hobbyists in Canada until my business was running smooth because I was not wanting to start exporting my physical product chemicals right away. I know my laws and and shipping within country is easy. But as explained life took a different route and the plan got put on hold for a long time, though I did register my business with the province a year ago.

4 months or so ago I started working on the project. I went to work looking for suppliers that could supply me with quality products. Starting with glass, for 3 weeks I messaged countless manufacturers reading their reviews discussing products, pricing, quality until I found somebody that I like. The glass is shipped direct from manufacturer and will ship world wide.

My glass is not imported or manufactured in China, nor drop shipped from some 3rd party seller.

Full disclosure, the manufacturer is based in India, they are an ISO9001-2015 certified manufacturer. He has a registered brand, you might call it an off brand as it is not a leading name brand, but the quality matches. Virtually any piece is available even if it is not listed on my site, I just listed the most commonly sought pieces and a few extras. I will share pictures of a few pieces of glass I sold a customer. Do not go by the price on the website, that is essentially the single item price. Ordering is explained on the site, but I will explain it here too.

There is 2 ways to order, you can shoot me an email at the one listed on the homepage of my glass shop or place an order through the website. Either works, but direct emails is more personal so many people prefer that. Prices are in USD

The items all have a price as the single item price, but a sale price of 0 that way a customer can place items in the shopping car and check out, no money will be taken until you are quoted the actual price and the freight charge and sent a payment link. I prefer to use Square or in Canada Email Money Transfer works, internationally if one prefers Bank Wire Transfer as these are secure and bank to bank, PayPal is available but I really don't like them, stupid fees, and since I am fairly new my PayPal still has the hold before the money is released to me, and I don't place orders until it is actually released and transferred to my bank, as I do not trust PayPal with my money, so do understand that if you use PayPal there is the timed hold on release issue. I will usually reply to your email to let you know I received it or if placed through the site at the email you registered with.

Freight will depend where you live in the world and for small orders may be a little steep, but the freight charge scales nicely with order size, on average it takes about 1 day to get the freight quote back.
https://www.yoursciencedirect.shop/

I then spent several weeks, talking to reagent suppliers and manufacturers until I found 3 with great rating and huge reagent selection that shipped internationally. My initial plan with this was to start cold emailing the procurement departments of Labs and Manufacturing Plants, procurement departments are always looking for new suppliers. So a couple weeks ago I started doing some research on places in various countries and sending cold emails. To start drumming up business. I have had some replies. I have made a few sales. But I decided to talk to a couple of the suppliers about supplying smaller portions of reagents. 2 of them said yes, absolutely. So I decided that eventually I was going to do some advertising through different services to drum up some business from hobbyists, thinking nobody here would be interested like Discord. Plus there are others selling reagents here too. But I had a positive response.

I can get virtually anything, one of my suppliers/manufacturer which is also the one that will sell smaller volumes will do custom synthesis. The cost of synthesis is order by order so I cannot give any insight on an order until I discuss it with the manufacturer and the lab does some calculations. Products are shipped direct to customer.

I can get more than what is listed on my site, those are just the higher demand industrial chemicals that manufacturers would be looking for. Similar to the Lab Glass, freight will be more steep for smaller orders but scales nicely as the order grows. The actual cost will depend on where you live in the world, plus a few more factors, if it is a DG or not, and if it is a DG what type of DG.
I originally was thinking of putting a minimum combined weight of all reagents of 2kg, but decided that might deter people from ordering, so decided to just mention that freight is a little steep for smaller weights.
https://jordanssourcing.ca/

Any questions shoot an email to the address listed on both home pages.

Thanks
Syn'

Syn the Sizer - 11-3-2022 at 22:32

One thing I forgot to say was my company page is still largely underwork, the glassware page will have more glass added to it.

crow6283 - 12-3-2022 at 06:45

Best of luck with your new business !!

Syn the Sizer - 21-3-2022 at 10:36

Hello Everyone,

I have had too many quotes with clients backing out that I lost my main supplier, prices were good so I think people were just getting quotes to price check. Either way I lost my only non-Chinese supplier.

There is a 351page document of Chinese Banned Exports I will share here. Now that my only chemical suppliers are Chinese I am extremely limited on what I can supply. I am also now adding a Minimum Order Quantity of 5kg per reagent like it is with my industrial customers. Though until I find a new non-Chinese supplier I won't be able to assist most industries.

The only Chinese suppliers that will ship products on the banned list are shady drop shippers who mislable to evade Chinese customs. If a company gets caught exporting an item on the list they can be severely punished, if Alibaba catches them exporting their seller account will be suspended.

I am sorry for this turn of events, but it is out of my control. I will return and let everybody know if I find another non-Chinese supplier but most have a MOQ of 25kg, I was lucky to find the one I had.

Thanks
Jordan

Edit: That is supposed to be 2kg MOQ not 5kg, my fat finger must have hit the 5 as it is above the 2.

Attachment: Banned chemicals list China.pdf (1.7MB)
This file has been downloaded 516 times

[Edited on 21-3-2022 by Syn the Sizer]

Syn the Sizer - 21-3-2022 at 10:37

My Glassware is still fully available though.

monolithic - 21-3-2022 at 12:37

Sorry you're having so much trouble with people backing out. Will keep you in mind next time I need some glassware. And man that export ban list sucks, makes China a lot less attractive for chemical purchases.

hodges - 21-3-2022 at 14:32

Quote: Originally posted by Syn the Sizer

There is a 351page document of Chinese Banned Exports I will share here. Now that my only chemical suppliers are Chinese I am extremely limited on what I can supply.

That is one strange list of banned imports from China.

Now, I can see the logic behind things that are highly poisonous (mercury compounds for example), or that may be drug precursors. But some things:
2-propanol;isopropanol;isopropylalcohol;
calcium hypochlorite
sodium hypochlorite solution,containing more than 5% available chlorine sodium aluminate solution
boric acid

I cannot see any reason for banning the above, unless it is an economic (trade war) thing.

Then there are things that I can't believe anyone would ship anywhere:

ammonium chlorate

Oh well, I guess no perchloric anhydride for me then

Syn the Sizer - 21-3-2022 at 17:18

I have contacted a couple more suppliers and to my shock one has already gotten back to me, I figured I would be waiting a few days.
No guarantees yet, but we are discussing stuff.

Also as a clarification I also said 2kg per reagent, I don't know why I wrote that, it's 2kg total reagents, so could be 500g of 4 different reagents. This is because the Chinese suppliers tend to not want to ship under 2kg worth of product.

If this guy will do smaller quantities then I will be able to drop back down to smaller quantities.

From my understanding the bans are cause by over exporting in previous years. They over exported and had supply shortages for internal production. So now China has put a ban on a bunch of the reagents that are highly sought after so as not to deplete supply even more.

Thanks

Syn the Sizer - 22-3-2022 at 13:45

Great news, I have found a new supplier who is willing to fill the spot of the old one. I am still waiting for a reply from the other supplier. But please bare with me while I work out the kinks with this new supplier, if there are any.

I should mention my dedicated hours of work as well. I am at it working from 8pm-2am CST sometimes until 4am as that is the time when my target industrial clientele are awake, but I may still reply to emails, send requests to my supplier or send quotes to you outside that time frame.

Thanks
Syn'

[Edited on 22-3-2022 by Syn the Sizer]

[Edited on 22-3-2022 by Syn the Sizer]

Syn the Sizer - 23-3-2022 at 14:05

Hello Everybody,

I am sure you have all heard the term, don't count your chickens before they hatched, well I did just that. I reported here prematurely about my new supplier.

The 2 freight quotes he sent me were $1200USD freight on a $400USD order and $600USD for a $55USD order.

This official marks the end of my service to hobbyists and as my industrial customers will not even pay a $1200USD freight on a $400USD order I will probably be shutting my business down indefinitely.

So thanks to the 2 people who inquired with serious quote inquires, sorry you couldn't get your products and to the children who were quoting for fun, think a little bit before you ask for quotes than ghost the business. My business was basically ruined before it even got off the ground.

To everybody else if you wish to start a business I really suggest doing what my original intentions were only supply to industrial or commercial businesses.

From here on there will be no use sending me a U2U because I am never coming back to this community.

Farewell
Jordan

Texium - 23-3-2022 at 14:18

Quote: Originally posted by Syn the Sizer

From here on there will be no use sending me a U2U because I am never coming back to this community.

Farewell
Jordan

Well that seems like a rather harsh response… goodbye, I guess?

ArbuzToWoda - 23-3-2022 at 14:38

Dude, is that your first time buying anything from China?
That's how it is. You text 80 suppliers, 20 get back to you, 15 have shitty offers, 3 don't want to ship how you want them to and you're left to choose from 2 out of 80. I am all for anyone trying to start up a business, but don't you think it'd be good to first get to know the market before investing money or time into it and advertising it?

Syn the Sizer - 23-3-2022 at 16:37

Quote: Originally posted by Texium

Quote: Originally posted by Syn the Sizer

From here on there will be no use sending me a U2U because I am never coming back to this community.

Farewell
Jordan

Well that seems like a rather harsh response… goodbye, I guess?

I don't think so, I feel this is a just response. I was originally intending to not come back in my last post and it wasn't harsh so I don't see how suddenly it is.

The only reason I return this time was to let people know I lost my main supplier or I would still not be here right now.

A supplier that was reliable and I have had since the end of December, but got fed up with the repeated quotes and no sales.

Quote: Originally posted by ArbuzToWoda

Dude, is that your first time buying anything from China?
That's how it is. You text 80 suppliers, 20 get back to you, 15 have shitty offers, 3 don't want to ship how you want them to and you're left to choose from 2 out of 80. I am all for anyone trying to start up a business, but don't you think it'd be good to first get to know the market before investing money or time into it and advertising it?

I had a reliable suppler, one who had supplied to my industrial customers. My ads were starting to pay off as they were targeted towards Industrial clients.

It was once I posted here that I got a bunch of quotes requests that people backed out of or ghosted me, that pissed my supplier off, it is a waste of their time having to contact the shipper to get a quote but never sell products.

My business was starting to get off the ground just was not quite, I stand by my opinion.
I am hoping to get a supplier that will have better freight that my industrial clients will like.

I didn't spend 1100hrs over night, this has been months of working, talking, bargaining with people around the world.

1100hrs is a conservative number too, many days I was sending emails bargaining, contacting prospective clients, closing a few sales, for 10-12hrs a day, now until I find another reliable supplier with reasonable freight I am fucked for many high demand reagents.

I did explain that in my original post if you actually took the time to read it rather than comment blindly.
I mean if you actually read my posts you would see I am not ordering from China. I had a supplier that was not in China.
If you read my posts you would see the banned chemicals list I posted from China as my reason I am not buying from China often.

I didn't mention in the original post but there are also reagents that are not on the Banned list that I did supply from China as well so no this is not my first time ordering from China. I also still have my Chinese suppliers

Now the current replacement I have is in India and charges 4x the freight from the guy I lost.

Are you a Twitter user, they tend to comment without reading too.

Jordan

j_sum1 - 23-3-2022 at 19:22

Damn. That did not land as you hoped.
Still, good luck on whatever is next for you. It seems like taking a hiatus from SM is a sensible idea for you at this point. Always welcome back.
J.

Texium - 23-3-2022 at 21:34

Quote: Originally posted by Syn the Sizer

Quote: Originally posted by Texium

Quote: Originally posted by Syn the Sizer

From here on there will be no use sending me a U2U because I am never coming back to this community.

Farewell
Jordan

Well that seems like a rather harsh response… goodbye, I guess?

I don't think so, I feel this is a just response. I was originally intending to not come back in my last post and it wasn't harsh so I don't see how suddenly it is.

The only reason I return this time was to let people know I lost my main supplier or I would still not be here right now.

It was once I posted here that I got a bunch of quotes requests that people backed out of or ghosted me, that pissed my supplier off, it is a waste of their time having to contact the shipper to get a quote but never sell products.

The first time you were leaving, you said it was mainly for personal reasons. Now it almost sounds like you’re blaming the forum/members for the downfall of your business and you’re leaving because you’re mad about that. I agree taking a hiatus can be good for you, but it’s not great to leave on such a seemingly negative note.

Fantasma4500 - 24-4-2022 at 02:35

this banned china list is something new?? i was looking around on alibaba for a chemical which they would usually supply, in food grade even- disregarding entirely that its deadly toxic
i couldnt find it anywhere.

"May 2017 – China has stepped up its efforts to protect human health and environment from certain hazardous pesticides and chemicals both globally and nationally over recent years."

but this first became a thing in 2022? i was looking around on alibaba which is usually good at getting you a price estimate

anyways if china is .. practically shutting down their chemicals import this could mean eastern europe gets a major opportunity, very strange times.

edit: is this list legitimate?? it says magnesium, magnesium alloy, MgAl powder, and even magnesium RIBBON with +50% Mg is banned?? thats not even toxic, magnesium is an essential mineral is china practically deleting itself as exporter?

[Edited on 24-4-2022 by Antiswat]

SWIM - 24-4-2022 at 04:17

Starting a business is tough.
Especially handling industrial and small-scale clients at the same time.

Much easier to concentrate on one side or another until you're well established.

Good luck.

Dr.Bob - 25-4-2022 at 07:40

This is a tough time for any small business. Not to make light of Mr. Sizer's business, but the last few years have wrecked many companies lately.

I have heard several versions of an old joke that is applicable to most business ventures that goes:

Q: "How do you make a million dollars in the chemical business?"

A: "Start with 2 million dollars."

I have hard that joke for chemicals, fireworks, entertainment, book stores, importing, restaurant, and many other small businesses. Covid, wages, inflation, Chinese rule changes, fuel costs, and transportation woes have hit nearly every sector. The only people not doing too bad are software and virtual companies, which have fewer issues with manufacturing, shipping, etc, but even they cannot hire enough people in many cases.

As a note, if there are non-hazardous chemicals that people really want, I might be able to help get materials if someone wants to distribute them in the US, but it is a real nightmare to meet all shipping rules. The challenge is that many people inquire about buying things, but as seen here, often people don't actually buy what they ask about, so it is easy to end up with leftover materials, making group buys a tough sell. I helped with a few before, and some took years to sell the items I bought. So I have only rarely bought things to resell, as it can be a minefield. But if someone wants to try here, let me know. Elemental and other businesses have tried as well, but it is a tough business.

crow6283 - 25-4-2022 at 09:13

Incidentally I was in the warehouse where elemental scientific’s remaining stock of equipment and chemicals is. I was told they will be selling off the chemicals LAST, and there’s tons of equipment and glass left to go. Anyone interested should make sure they check k-bid.com every couple of weeks!