Understanding the items in demand
A broad range of items and equipment falls into this category, including personal and family protection items like guns and pepper spray. However, it also involves things like water purification tablets, generators, solar chargers, rope, tents, sleeping bags, and just about anything else that might be useful or help you stay alive in the event of total societal breakdown. But what’s actually in demand?
The extensive catalogue encompasses a wide range of items, spanning from cords to firearms, pistols to sleeping gear, shelters to support stands. Essentially, anything that could aid a household in enduring a societal breakdown or an extended duration without electricity and tap water is highly sought after at the moment.
Building on Your Advantage
This crucial time in the market should not be disregarded by American entrepreneurs. So, what exactly does this entail? It means that your range of merchandise and apparatus is sought after by the general public. The scope of potential consumers for vendors of survival gear has grown substantially. However, to get to these clients, your marketing approach needs to be modified. Which techniques would be worth exploring? You will come across a comprehensive list of options that include the following:
- Low-risk products sold on a separate website with its own merchant account for processing.
- A microsite for handguns and other more high-risk products aimed at more future-conscious customers.
- Adding video tutorials to product pages for novice customers.
- Creating and providing buying guides or product comparisons to help buyers unfamiliar with survivalist and prepper gear make informed buying decisions.
- Engaging in social media marketing through both paid ads and organic posts aimed at informing and educating those new to survivalist thinking.
The legality of survival items selling online
Worried about the legality of selling survivalist gear on the internet? Don’t fret, the majority of these products are permitted.
Online survival gear vendors provide a diverse range of commodities and amenities. For instance, some merchants may sell compact firearms online; however, the law mandates a comprehensive background check before any final transactions can occur. Consequently, attempting to obtain credit card processing for these purchases can be arduous. Therefore, it would be advantageous to establish a merchant account for survivalist goods and services by collaborating with a merchant service provider. Such providers can secure an acquiring bank that has a profound comprehension of the unique regulations and compliance procedures involved in selling commodities and services to preppers and survivalists.
Beyond Survival Equipment
Do you believe that you must sell tangible items or materials to belong in this field? Well, that’s not accurate. It’s possible to sell a survival e-book, a collection of manuals, and other informative goods through your website without difficulty. Presently, digital information products are highly sought-after. According to Yahoo! Finance, sales of digital products have risen by approximately 15% on average amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Selling Firearms
As previously stated, it is permitted by law to sell firearms online. However, it is crucial that all necessary background checks are completed. Additionally, it is mandatory to ship the gun to a licensed dealer with a Federal Firearms License instead of the customer. It’s important to note that certain payment processors may not cooperate with online firearm vendors. Some may only work with those who have a physical store instead of selling online.
What causes hesitation among companies to work with firearms sellers? There are numerous factors, including compliance with industry rules and prospective regulations, high rates of chargebacks and fraudulent transactions, expensive product costs, liability concerns, and the negative public perception of the firearms industry. Moreover, varying regulations among states make online sales an additional challenge for ecommerce merchants in this sector. Nonetheless, with effort, these obstacles can be overcome.
Things to Consider
To tap into the thriving market for survivalist supplies, it is essential to select the appropriate payment processing partner when establishing a merchant account. Nevertheless, there are a few factors that necessitate your attention.
How will you accept credit cards?
Initially, you must consider the payment processor you opt for as certain survivalist items are restricted. Therefore, it may not be feasible to utilize Stripe or PayPal. Even if you obtain preliminary authorization to process with these platforms, your account may be cancelled for non-compliance with their terms of service.
It is important for survivalist vendors to expand their payment options. By working with multiple acquiring banks or processors, they can reduce their risk and feel more comfortable expanding their online prepper business. This is particularly significant given the challenges of securing processing services for survival gear.
Where to Store Your Stock
Owning larger properties means this won’t pose much of a problem.
For those who reside in a compact living area, it is important to exercise creativity. However, it is astonishing how much “dead space” exists under beds and inside closets. Additionally, utilizing wall space through the creation of shelving is another option.
Apart from space, other factors such as shelf life and accessibility are important to take into account. Certain items require specific storage conditions and perishable items should be easily reachable to facilitate rotation.
Ultimately, it will be necessary to conceal a portion, if not the majority, of your stock holdings in the event of government or looter confiscation. Use some poorly concealed stocks as decoys, while maintaining additional concealed caches both on and off your property. Additionally, you could construct hidden rooms, store items within walls, etc.
Keeping similar items together is an effective way of organizing. In case of multiple storage spaces, it’s wise to employ a prepper gear box for each item type and maintain a survivalist prepper checklist to track storage locations. For instance, the kitchen pantry could serve as a storage space for canned foods, while spare batteries and lighting supplies can be kept under the bed.
Avoid storing information about undisclosed stocks.
Doomsday Prepper Lists
The lists of prepper supplies are segmented into multiple key areas of emphasis.
To determine the amount of supplies you need to store for a specific period, such as three weeks, you will need to calculate your required stockpile.
Prepare a list of necessary pepper supplies based on your estimated duration and ensure that you evenly distribute the supplies in each category to avoid excess in any area. It is not useful to have a year’s worth of batteries without enough food to last a week.
Food
Your knowledge of your family’s consumption habits may be helpful, but remember that your inventory of emergency rations will vary significantly since you won’t be including any perishable food items. Keep this in mind while creating your list.
Your stocked foods must possess these qualities:
- Easy to prepare (minimal cooking needed).
- ?High in calories and nutrients.
- ?Long shelf life.
- ?Things you like to eat (or at least can tolerate).
Before purchasing a large quantity of a food that is not a regular part of your diet, it is advisable to sample it a few times.
Begin your prepper food collection by stocking up on essential ingredients such as wheat, rice, beans, fats/oils, and then add in canned or packaged foods as needed. Additionally, it’s recommended to include basic seasonings and condiments, as well as multivitamins in your supplies.
Storing staples like wheat, rice, beans, flour, and pasta for an extended period is possible with Mylar bags. Fill each bag with one kind of food, add oxygen absorbers (not desiccants), eliminate as much air as possible, and seal it. After that, place the bag containing the food products in a sealed bucket and store it. This storage method can keep your food fresh for an extended period, depending on what you’re storing. White rice, for example, can last for 10 or more years.
The process is shown in the video.
Place your buckets in a location that is cool and dry and scatter some mothballs within the vicinity of the storage space.
Water
For an individual to fulfill their drinking, cooking, and sanitation requirements, an amount of approximately one-gallon (four liters) of water is necessary on a daily basis.
Storing empty two-liter water bottles in the freezer is a beneficial beginning as it serves three purposes: provides a supply of uncontaminated drinking water, contributes to maintaining the freezer’s low temperature for an extended period, and allows for subsequent utilization of the bottles in SODIS purification.
For refilling with drinking water, it’s best to use two-liter PET soda bottles and make sure to clean them thoroughly. Other types of bottles, like milk or juice bottles, may not be as durable or could promote the growth of bacteria. Additionally, if the bottle is larger than two liters, SODIS may not be as effective. It’s important to be selective in choosing the appropriate bottle.
If they can be stacked, larger containers such as water bricks are ideal for storing items in bulk.
In preparation for an anticipated disaster, it is advisable to store water in bathtubs and other containers. However, bathtubs may not be leak-proof, and to avoid this issue, it is recommended to use a sizable, sealed bathtub water bladder known as a WaterBOB. This will not only prevent leaks but also keep the water uncontaminated unlike in a regular bathtub.
Energy
The role of energy is significant in our contemporary way of life, and a considerable number of individuals could not survive without it for a substantial amount of time.
In this chapter, we will explore the items that require energy or electricity to operate, such as lighting, heating, air conditioning, communication, and recreation.
Batteries
Although solar-powered appliances are useful, they are not completely dependable as sunshine is required, while hand-cranked appliances are not worth the exertion. Batteries are dependable and function when needed, granted that they have not been depleted.
Ensure that you have an ample supply of batteries to power your crucial devices for at least three cycles. Keep them in a dry and cool environment away from direct sunlight. To prevent corrosion, refrain from keeping them in electronic devices, except for instances like bedroom flashlights, where it is necessary. This is because they slowly discharge energy even when not in use.
Opting for a uniform battery type for all your equipment streamlines the process and allows for compatibility in case of an urgent situation. Select a widely available battery option, such as AA or AAA.
The use of rechargeable batteries is beneficial; however, it is essential to remember that an external power source is necessary to charge them. A feasible solution to this problem is to use a solar charger when there is a power outage.
Generators
Most small appliances can be powered directly from a 4KW generator, while an average-sized household requires at least 10KW to be fully powered.
There are a couple of drawbacks to using generators, such as the amount of noise they produce, which can attract thieves. Additionally, in order to function properly, they require fuel, engine oil, and periodic maintenance.
To ensure your emergency generator functions properly, run it once a month and store it in a space with good ventilation.
Vehicle Inverter
Your automobile can serve as a makeshift power source for compact electronics like a laptop or a portable fridge.
Connect the inverter of 800 watts to your car’s battery using jumper cables, and subsequently, insert your device into the inverter.
All you need is a DC battery; you don’t even require a car. However, keeping the battery charged requires running the car (which uses fuel).
Fuel
Depending on your requirements, there exist a multitude of fuel categories which you may accumulate. Ensure that you remain within the bounds of both safety and legal restrictions as you stock up on the appropriate kind.
Whenever possible, employ fuel stabilizers and implement a system for dating and rotating them.
Lighting
Combine the following items into a “lighting kit”:
- Flashlights (mag lights, headlamps) and spare batteries.
- ?Candles (slow-burning “survival” candles)
- ?Stormproof matches.
During the day, the solar path lights will absorb energy, allowing you to bring them inside when evening arrives.
During unforeseen power cuts, the night lights connected to the wall sockets will turn on, providing you with sufficient visibility to retrieve your lighting equipment.
If you have a fireproof object with a small depression, like a ceramic saucer, you can create your own oil lamp through improvisation. It is important to avoid using metal materials, as they have the potential to cause burns. Simply add a small amount of oil or another slow-burning substance, as well as a string wick.
To create a makeshift torch while outside, wrap fabric around a lengthy stick and saturate it with a combustible substance.
Heating
To reduce energy consumption while warming up a house, it is advisable to begin with proper insulation, focusing mainly on the floor. Also, consider fitting weather stripping and thermal curtains (alternatively, thick blankets can serve the purpose).
Depending on your climate, cooking inside a well-insulated home may produce sufficient heat to keep the house warm during the night.
When you receive sufficient sunlight, a small number of thermal solar panels function effectively.
If insufficient, warm the individual with multiple layers of clothing and blankets instead of attempting to warm the entire house.
If you plan to use a heater, select a room to warm up and gather everyone in it, making sure it has proper ventilation.