What's with the price crashing?

And therein lies the other part of this -
As a breeder, it is disheartening to see that morph you paid $2500(+) for selling for $300-400...and it will take just that much longer to recoup the initial investment. However, every time the price drops, it opens that morph up to a new enthusiast that wasn't ready/able to pay the last price. That means more potential buyers (of course, every step along the way means there are also more sellers - many of whom are overwilling to make huge reductions now).

Originally Posted by deborahbroadus

I am not understanding the correlation between selling to a Flipper or Wholeseller vs price dropping ourselves. From what I understand, we would drop the prices to get them to a wholeseller/flipper who in turn will sell them below price on the market. Regardless the consumer still benefits.

Business-wise, the only difference that I see is now a middle man has been involved and and the breeder has still lost money.

Some pet stores will only deal with certian wholesalers... not the breeders themselves. The key is.... the wholesalers are buying in bulk and not just dropping the price on one animal thus possibly droping the price in the market.

Take normal corns for example. I have a wholesaler that will pay XX each and buys 20 at a time... however I may retail those same ones at XX (depending on hets genetics). Yeah... I cut my price by $3... but I moved 20 animals... and that is 20 less rodents I have to go thru per week. Will I come out in the end

But Im not advertising normal corns for XX each (what I make from my wholesaler).. and thus someone thinking they have to beat my prices... thus droppng the market even further.

I guess it is all about what I think my animals are worth. I have turned down a wholesaller because of what they were offering. I dont mind cutting a deal for quanity... but Im not giving them away so you can then mark em up and sell them to the pet stores for 300% profit.

Originally Posted by Southern Wolf

Some pet stores will only deal with certian wholesalers... not the breeders themselves. The key is.... the wholesalers are buying in bulk and not just dropping the price on one animal thus possibly droping the price in the market.

Take normal corns for example. I have a wholesaler that will pay XX each and buys 20 at a time... however I may retail those same ones at XX (depending on hets genetics). Yeah... I cut my price by $3... but I moved 20 animals... and that is 20 less rodents I have to go thru per week. Will I come out in the end

But Im not advertising normal corns for XX each (what I make from my wholesaler).. and thus someone thinking they have to beat my prices... thus droppng the market even further.

I guess it is all about what I think my animals are worth. I have turned down a wholesaller because of what they were offering. I dont mind cutting a deal for quanity... but Im not giving them away so you can then mark em up and sell them to the pet stores for 300% profit.

That makes a lot of sense.

Originally Posted by Southern Wolf

But Im not advertising normal corns for XX each (what I make from my wholesaler).. and thus someone thinking they have to beat my prices... thus droppng the market even further.

This is what is key in the question about selling to flippers/wholesalers. You shouldn't be publicly advertising your wholesale prices. Doing so drops the perceived value of the animals.

Something else I've noticed a lot lately with Ball Pythons...People advertising babies for sale whose eggs have been cut open...Haven't even come out of the eggs yet! What's with that? Talk about counting your chickens before they hatch...Just because you slice the egg open doesn't mean the hatchling's going to survive and thrive!

I wont advertise anything until it has fed on its own 3 times. I am not letting bad genetics or problem feeders out of my facility. If its a problem feeder... I should have to work with it.. not my customers.

Originally Posted by Southern Wolf

I wont advertise anything until it has fed on its own 3 times. I am not letting bad genetics or problem feeders out of my facility. If its a problem feeder... I should have to work with it.. not my customers.

AMEN!!

I have some problem feeders that I didn't breed...I will sell them, but not advertise who sold them to me..they may do better in another environment. But myself, I don't let problem feeders out.

If they become problem feeders elsewhere...it's out of my hands. My animals usually eat within two weeks at the new homes (I follow up till they have fed).

I totaly agree with you all But i always wait till mine are at least feeding 5 times and or swapped over to frozen thawed which ever comes first they usually swap at there third or fourth meal, just my way of ensuring i am selling someone an animal that is eating good. Happy Herping and lets see those babies

Originally Posted by Southern Wolf

I wont advertise anything until it has fed on its own 3 times. I am not letting bad genetics or problem feeders out of my facility. If its a problem feeder... I should have to work with it.. not my customers.

Personally I dont mind working with problem feeders for a few reasons.

Its funny cause these arguments/debates only really last more than five minutes in a hobby market. I've seen the same discussion in scuba, marine aquariums and photography. Many of the vendors are hobbyists, or amateur businessman who kind of expanded their hobby into a minor business but dont seem to understand, or want to accept, the rules of business in capitalism. This is not meant to be an insult to anyone here, just a point of view. Hobbys ARE NOT necessities and therefore when people's disposable income diminishes or dissappears, the first thing that goes is anything nonessential - scuba gear, photorgaphy equipment, pets, etc. You dont like it, well I'm sorry, thats how the cookie crumbles. If you choose to work in a nonessential business, you have to accept that. I give you credit as you get to work in a field that, much of the time, you actually enjoy. So there is a benefit but there is a cost too. In capitalism, people have the right to set the price as they wish and customers have the right to choose to purchase your product or not. When you have 100 people selling the same product, the person who wants to make the sale has to stand out and offer something the other 99 arent - quality, customer support, the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from supporting your local ecomony or - what it usually comes down to - a cheaper price. When the oil companies collude to set a price and punish anyone who sells at a lower price, we call it a cartel and that is illegal in this country. The same goes for any other product. The only time the government steps in to set a price is if there is a political price to be paid or gained from stepping in or not - i.e. if a necessity ( like bread or milk get too expensive ) or a product ( like cigarettes or luxury items ) have too few political backers to protect them from being taxed at a higher rate. Just my two cents.

Originally Posted by bigjej

Its funny cause these arguments/debates only really last more than five minutes in a hobby market. I've seen the same discussion in scuba, marine aquariums and photography. Many of the vendors are hobbyists, or amateur businessman who kind of expanded their hobby into a minor business but dont seem to understand, or want to accept, the rules of business in capitalism. This is not meant to be an insult to anyone here, just a point of view. Hobbys ARE NOT necessities and therefore when people's disposable income diminishes or dissappears, the first thing that goes is anything nonessential - scuba gear, photorgaphy equipment, pets, etc. You dont like it, well I'm sorry, thats how the cookie crumbles. If you choose to work in a nonessential business, you have to accept that. I give you credit as you get to work in a field that, much of the time, you actually enjoy. So there is a benefit but there is a cost too. In capitalism, people have the right to set the price as they wish and customers have the right to choose to purchase your product or not. When you have 100 people selling the same product, the person who wants to make the sale has to stand out and offer something the other 99 arent - quality, customer support, the warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from supporting your local ecomony or - what it usually comes down to - a cheaper price. When the oil companies collude to set a price and punish anyone who sells at a lower price, we call it a cartel and that is illegal in this country. The same goes for any other product. The only time the government steps in to set a price is if there is a political price to be paid or gained from stepping in or not - i.e. if a necessity ( like bread or milk get too expensive ) or a product ( like cigarettes or luxury items ) have too few political backers to protect them from being taxed at a higher rate. Just my two cents.

That is an excellent point!