Bad business practices on Reptibid!

[David Reid]

If I read this correctly....

one of the problems is with charging extra to cover the paypal fee. I just offer free shipping with cash or money order and buyer pays shipping on paypal orders.

Dave

 

[dwedeking]

David,

Your correct. It's a stupid rule that is easily worked around by changing your wording. But it has many ramifications in public opinion and can affect your sales. Remember in the retail world "perception" is "reality". Another example is an animal that is $100 plus shipping is the same price as one that is $135.00 shipped (assuming $35.00 is your shipping cost). Selling a corn at $25, labeling it the second way could cost you the same ($60 is too much and people will browse over it without reading that shipping is included) but selling a high end snake labeled "$1000 plus shipping" (the first way) can make you seem cheap and petty.

The consumer always pays the 3%, just to be compliant with the law you need to work that into the cost of your snake, instead of calling it a "surcharge" for using a credit card (or PayPal).

 

[Seamus Haley]

There's something of a nuance to the pricing thing...

Anyone can price their animals however they want provided they are honestly represented.

If a price is overinflated and the animal is misrepresented in order to justify said price, then it is not acceptable.

Fake hets are an easy example... but so are such things as claiming the animal came from stock that it didn't, claiming it's CB when it's not, claiming it's a certain age, claiming it eats well when it doesn't, claiming it's in perfect health when it's not...

Similarly, there is misrepresentation via impressions formed. Selling WC animals as "possible hets" with the justification "Anything is possible" is fraudulent, period. Using the phrase "never refused a meal" when the seller never tried to feed it... also fraudulent, even if it's 100% accurate.

I have no problems with people charging for quality, if an animal has had immaculate care or is the product of a long, hard, well organized breeding program then the person who is selling ti deserves to be financially compensated for that work.

I do have a problem with animals with an overinflated price when it's accompanied by misrepresentation. I think many of us will remember someone who was caught reccently selling a "Pastel Ball" that simply wasn't... Then claimed it was a huge mistake. Only scumbags misrepresent their animals and the only reason they do so is to rip off those who are less informed. Buyer beware only goes so far, when a buyer is outright lied to it ceases to be their fault.

 

[dwedeking]

I do have a problem with animals with an overinflated price when it's accompanied by misrepresentation.

The original point was that the price itself was a misrepresentation. I think everyone that's posted on this thread agrees that misrepresenting your animals is unethical and usually done to cheat people (there are that 1% that make mistakes). The debate is on how much responsibility is placed on the seller for the appearence his price (and price alone) affect the sale.

 

[Seamus Haley]

The original point was that the price itself was a misrepresentation.

I think that there existed some debate about what qualified as misrepresentation though...

If I have an average imported ball python that I paid twelve bucks for because I bought fifty of them and wanted to sell them individually... I've had them for three weeks and have given a single round of panacur/flagyl and attempted a single feeding...

Selling them as:

"LTC ball pythons, eat great, beautiful healthy animals $120"

Is misrepresentive of the product. I think most people would agree on that...

How about if LTC is taken out? Is three weeks enough time to really verify their health?

How about "eat great"? While eating the first meal offered is a good sign, it's not entirely ethical to sell an animal as eating with no problems because it took a single meal.

Now... what if the ad read:

"Ball pythons, beautiful healthy animals $120"

Those same three week imports that ate once are being advertised, they're probably just as likely to have small ticks or start to refuse food or possibly have infections which haven't surfaced yet... Is it still dishonest to sell them for $120, when the price is going to give buyers an impression of quality that isn't accurate?

Or... how about a very specific situation which prompted a similar debate... A long while ago, Upstate was selling eastern legless lizards as being super-rare animals... I forget the exact wording on their ad, but the price was four times what I had seen similar animals *retailing* for earlier the same week. Now... eastern legless lizards may not be for sale frequently but this isn't because they are rare or hard to find... it's because they don't have much appeal as a pet to the majority of the buying public. The price was inflated to give an impression of value that wasn't accurate... Was this dishonest or not? I think so... but others at the time disagreed.

 

[dwedeking]

All those instances are misrepresentation. But we were looking at something like the following:

1 get 100 of something in (ball pythons, panther chameleons, tortoises). Most go for $X. There is one that has a particular attraction (special marking, lighter color, robust size, flawless body, something that makes it stand out from the group). I accurately represent the time frame I've had it, it's eating habits, it's health but mark the price up due to it's unique appearence. Let's say $X x 10. Daniel was making the contention that it would be unfair because I would be misleading the buyer. My contention was that I could sell that animal for what the market would bear, it's up to the buyer to decide the value of the animal (especially in this market as value is dependent upon your own personal likes and dislikes).

Using terms like "possible gravid". "Could be het for piebald", etc are used to increase the chance of the sale even if the price is the same as a normal. These are deliberate attempts to mislead the customer even if you don't increase the price.

 

[AQUATI]

HI I have a question -== if I buy a snake for $25 and pay $35 for shipping why shouldn't I ask $75 for it when I want to sell it ?? I have covered what I paid for it plus shipping and I make a small amount of $15.00 for the care of it and feeding it ??

 

[Mustangrde1]

Just for laughs Seamus they still selling those feeder legless lizards i got a hungry coral lol.

I agree with misrepresnting a animal it shouldnt be done ever then again how many have the moral or ethics as many of this sites members?

As for purchasing animals and reselling them later at what a person feels they should get. That is fine so long as its not misrepresented. I have taken losses in animals i purchased with high hopes for then turned out not to be what Ihad wanted. I absorbed the loss and sold it at fair market value even after dumping time and meds in to the animal. But If i could take a realitively lousy animal and get it feeding and cleaned up and looking very good i certainly have the right to ask what i feel is a price that compensates me for the animal and what i had to do to get it up to speed. Yes It might not sell but it also might sell there is not harm in trying so long as its correctly represented.

EXAMPLE{ Imported 01 Surinam redtail 5feet and solid body weight, full medical treatments provided and feeding great cost 450.00 + shipping}

Yes i may have only paid 60 for it at the time but i dumped 100 in meds in it and 50 in feed and who knows how much in time and labor. Sure you can find cheaper but atleast with that add the truth is up front and if a person is honest they have the records.

I know on my animals i have records of meds, feeds, shed, refusal to feed, even deffication. Send that info on to the buyer.

Scott Bice

 

[misstinkerbell]

looking for reptibid

I use to get reptibid on my old pc now I just purchased a new compaq & can't get it it comes up a white page nothing else.Are they still active? :

 

[Mike Greathouse]

Gail,
They changed the name a year or so ago. It's now:
http://www.reptileauctions.com/

Although, a good number of the reputable sellers have now abandoned the site.