I'm glad this question/comment has been brought up and I will try to adjust it. I feel after reading this, many of you will agree with at least several points below. You may not agree with all, but that's okay and I respect your opinions.
Pricing can be challenging. There are many factors that can affect if a seller wants to post a price to initially start on animals, such as:
IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER
1) Is the buyer wanting a "NOW" price (PayPal when off the phone) vs. "Let me get back to you in a week and think about it" after fishing for a bottom line. Customers should be rewarded for their timeliness. Often, sellers may have their eyes on new investments, so timeliness counts.
2) Low Balling - If you put your "BEST/NOW" price out there, a prospect may believe that "SALE" price is good 2 weeks from now and also try to offer under that amount, or hold you to a sale price at a much later date which, in my opinion, is unfair.
3) Trades - Before even having established what "MARKET" may be on proposed inbound animals, there is no room for negotiations, or adjustments for so many variables, once a "PUBLIC" price is listed. A reputable seller offering animals that someone is looking to trade for, endures potentially more risk for quality, factors of freight differences, and again, was seeking cash to begin with. I may pay more on animals from a seller I know that I can trust vs. trying out a new, unrated seller for example as well. Risk vs. reward.
4) REPEAT CLIENTS - Shouldn't a repeat client be rewarded? Most businesses like Safeway, Walgreens, etc offer REWARDs or points for example. I guarantee if you keep calling me and buying, I will hook you up!
5) QUANTITY of orders or BUSINESS vs. private parties - Business have additional overhead and it is not uncommon to get a better price if you are a licensed business with higher overhead, especially Pet Shops. That is not to say that in most cases, the public can get identical prices on most of the animals somewhere on the net. There really is an absence of division with the internet making such a level playing ground now on high end animals. Retail vs. Wholesale.
6) VARIATION - When inventory of animals exhibit different patterns, colors and sizes, as well as amount of availability, prices can and are affected. Why would one offer "Pick of the Litter" at the same price? Its hard to take and post ads for 10 gilas for example and grade them all. People I dont think want to see all of them on Fauna until they have spoken with me and are actually interested. Everybody's stuff would scroll and get bumped if everyone posted every baby from a litter or clutch.
7) RESPECT - Many breeders and suppliers that I deal with are conditioned to passing HUGE savings to me based on my buying patterns. Am I a "NOW" customer who isn't low balling and buying quantity again and again or buying an entire collection? If so, they like that and I have a duty to not "CRASH" their market to some extent. I may have a MUCH better NOW CASH PRICE on something very rare as I may have bought it in a large purchase or collection and it isnt fair to mark it super low on the internet to give false impressions of a "CRASHING" market. Breeders wouldn't like that. However, if I get a call and offer a one time, or something like that, sale price to an individual, they win, the breeder wins and yah, I win.
8) I don't always know what value maybe when its something so unusual and I am up for CASH or TRADE offers. How do you price a "ONE OF A KIND"
9) Testing a price to see what market will bear, before offering a sale price is fair in this economy. To be honest, I never know what will sell when. So, if there are a good number of ads, its not a bad business strategy to see what sells first and then make price announcements or adjustments after I.P.O (Initial Public Offering)
10) Avoiding price wars ---
I hope this answers some of the confusion out there, and I really am friendly, fair and happy to anser calls or return them in a timely manner. To be honest... even texting is good as people dont usually give out their phone number unless half way interested. So text me, if your more comfortable -
Best Wishes!
Steve
