In response to Lamerica's questions.
1. Products at greners and most mainstream online grow sites are comparable. It really comes down to customer service and speed in the end. They lack online chat help which is provided by one other competitor, but also not reliable. Greners carries a comprehensive product line whether you're a high volume grower or want to just provide for yourself and or friends.
2. Equipment is down to the manufacturer of lights they choose to use. So far, they have invested in keeping products that all growers should easily be able to use - though I can't comment on their LED's, you can find reviews if you google. Again, they provide to the mainstream as many others will - the advantage I can see for myself is lower prices for certain gear such as HID lighting.
3. Not extremely difficult, I see bghydro.com as a big competitor and if it wasn't for reliability issues, i would still use bghydro today. What you are talking about is just the equipment side, and phot is establishing that. If you are a big player just jumping in, you need a team that will know how to build it. I have no doubt competitors will emerge. Will they be able to make it successful when phot has already been there and dealt with the hurdles they would first be facing? Debatable.
4. Made an order at greners, called and talked to their cs to make sure everything would be as I wanted. Man on phone was polite and tended to my questions with reassurance. I was not under the impression this was some stoner with a part time job, but rather an individual working on behalf of the company.
5. Both will happen. There will always be people just jumping into the grow business with no idea how to grow. It took me 3 times before I really understood what it would take to bring flavor, scent and potency out. There will be and had been a large market for personal and commercial growers. This bubble has not yet popped, it's barely become a bubble. I view this the same as I view phot's current standing - a more experienced company will know a better product as will a more experienced grower produce a better quality and quantity of end product. There is big talk on grow forums for people who are afraid of the influx of 'crappy bud' that is already showing itself in California. Final verdict is high quality buds will always fetch a higher price.
6. You will see a hybrid of this succeed the most. People these days want a one stop shop. Ideal shops will have an indoor area where the bulk of products will be showcased, possibly an outdoor area for soil (though not necessary to be outside, considering Mj growers freak out enough about mites and other bugs). Ideally though, you have a shop where employees educate their customers by selling. You need x because of y, you need y because of z. People who know how to grow holding the hands of the newbies.
7. Considering greners already sells high quality products at a comparably lower cost (though not every item is best price) I would say people will take strong advantage of this. I get a discount on your already (mostly) cheaper products? I would be IN that program if I resided in a state that applied to.
Hope this answers the questions. Please let me know if I didn't elaborate enough of any.
AI
