Got the prototype of our new rack done on Friday.  Of Course there were problems, there always are with the first few tries.  Looks like they are all hammered out now and we will cut/build the last prototype Monday afternoon and get some pictures of it.  It uses the 15 qt MCB-S tub and is 4 tubs high and 2 tubs wide for a total of 8 tubs.  We will be offering the belly heat version first and are still doing some testing on the back heat.  These will be the first newcomers to our line in awhile.  I am pretty cautious about adding new racks so I can keep the backlog and wait time pretty manageable.  This one has been a long time coming.  We will still keep the existing narrow versions of this rack up for sale so no worries for all of you that have one.  Looks like we will not be adding the belly heat to the tall, narrow versions at this time though.

I have decided to go with the 21″ wide heat tape (used in our built in heat cages) for the back heat version but am still not sure if I will need to go with the 17 watt that I have on hand or if I need to upgrade to the 40 watt.  Should know later this coming week.  I would prefer to use the 17 watt that is on hand but am trying it out in the basement to see how much heating power it has.  The wattage density of the 17 watt is quite low, less than half the 11″ tape.  The 21″/40 watt is pretty much equivalent to the 11″ wattage density, just wider.  Using the wide heat tape will prevent the need for two plugs and will give a very nice, even heat across both tubs.  Almost like I made the rack for that heat tape???  Guess I was thinking that day.

Have a great weekend!

Got some much needed web work done today as well.  Worked on some small updates on content and appearance of the FAQ’s.  I have been very surprised at the amount of traffic those pages get and am always on the lookout for suggestions on additional topics.  I do need to tackle the misting topic one of these days.  Sounds like  great project for the winter.

Just got back from the Tinley show.  What a nice show!  Very well organized, nice facility, parking, hotel availability and the air conditioning is even up to the task??  Surely something must be wrong that I am missing?? Lots of foot traffic through the door and the show was pretty busy most all the time on both days.  Some really nice animals there as well.  I would very much encourage anyone within driving distance to check this one out.

Of Course now there are the 2.5 million emails to catch up with…….

I have been wrestling with the problem of price increases on virtually everything involved in manufacturing and shipping racks for the last month or two.  The situation is the same as everywhere else, petroleum prices have risen so plastics, transportation, etc.  have gone right up with them.  The last increase I made was about 18 months ago and over the last 12 months every component, shipping of the components and the shipping to the end user has risen just shy of 20%.  It has happened in steps, most of the plastic increases have been 5% to 8% at a time spaced out a couple of months apart so I have held the prices and eaten the increases along the way to see when things stabilized and what was required.  I have also increased my purchasing to leverage better pricing discounts on materials wherever possible to help offset this. 

The last increase was in polypropylene, the plastic used to make the Iris tubs and it was 17% on September 1st.  We have now exhausted our supply that was on hand and have had to order more in at the new pricing.  With this the increases in cost have now become about unbearable so something had to change.  Based on this I have upped the pricing on most of the racks by approximately 15% or right around $30.  Looking around, it would seem I am still very competitive on pricing even before you consider the benefits of pre assembly and included tubs and it is my goal to stay that way.

One idea I have been toying with quite seriously is moving to a flat shipping scenario like most of the others out there building racks.  The “some assembly required” idea has a lot of attractive elements to it.  It reduces the cost of shipping some and also reduces the labor on my end some as well.  I have drawn up CAD files for several of the racks I offer and prototyped a few.  Looks pretty nice BUT after weighing out what  I THINK that a lot of the customer base that I have likes – the tubs, heat and assembly included I have opted to go this route.  The assembly alternative and still including the tubs would yield about a $15-$20 increase and it is my feeling that the extra $10 dollars is worth the trouble.   

It has been my goal to offer the reptile community good service and good, solid products and fast turnaround time at affordable prices from the beginning and I will continue to do my best to do so.   I welcome some feedback on the “ship flat” idea and whether you, the customer, would prefer that and the savings that comes with it or continue on with the existing line.  Send me your thought to sales@reptilebasics.com