Haggling prices at shows....What's your take

Also another thing is when u choose to haggle the breeder.

There is more room to haggle a breeder in a few months once they have tons of babies rather than try to haggle on some of their older more well started animals during breeding season.

Almost all morphs except the very ugliest and the cheapest will gain value with every feeding for up to two years (or more).

Just an FYI for you guys out there, when I set my prices on my ball pythons, unless it's a pastel, all of my prices are always firm :D

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Originally Posted by SlitherinSisters

I can understand haggling a bit with the higher end morphs, as long as it's reasonable. There's a lot more room to haggle with higher end morphs than pastels, spiders, pins, mojaves etc.

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On the other hand......
If there are 100 or so pastels, or spiders, etc.... between all the vendors at a show, I'm more likely to let someone haggle me down a few bucks on one of those snakes.

If I have the only "BELs" or albino spiders, etc.... I'm much more likely to hold my price.

It's all about supply and demand.

I've found that most Americans don't know how to haggle. They either get insulted, don't understand the game, or give up too soon, or, worst of all, get embarrassed.

Depending on the person, how they present themsleves to me, how the animals are presented, day, time of day, my mood, I may or may not haggle. Usually I do. I also enjoy being haggled by someone who knows how it's done. It can actually be fun.

I never knew you could haggle snakes :P until hubby and I went to an expo and the breeder told us always ask if they will take less. I wanted to try my skills out today but hubby said no more snakes until we get our house :tears:

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Originally Posted by wilomn

I've found that most Americans don't know how to haggle. They either get insulted, don't understand the game, or give up too soon, or, worst of all, get embarrassed.

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I agree 100%

There is a big difference between asking for a deal on a trio, or $50 off a $500 animal.

It's the guys that offer $25 for female pied that drive me crazy!:O

Its called negotiating! I do it all the time but I also go to shows knowing what animals I want and what price I am willing to pay and if I can't get what I want for how much I have allocated myself I am prepared to go home with nothing. It also depends on the breeder. I will not pay more for a animal just because it is from a big breeder yet their prices are usually higher then the small guy that has a couple dozens snakes.

Oh I always haggle at any type of show. It does not matter if the price is right or not. It never hurts to try. Sometimes it works other times not. If I really I want it and the price is fair I'll get it anyway. If I save a few bucks then that is great to. I know when I go what I am looking for and what it cost. If the price is not right it stays...

As a seller I don't mind hagglers, it tells me that they are really interested in the animal. What I do mind is people belittling my animals to try and get a better price. You pull that stunt and your price just doubled.

Now do I haggle..the only time I will ever haggle or make an offer is when I am buying a group of animals that total allot of money would I haggle a 1.2 spiders no but would I make an offer on

"0.5 pied
1.3 clown
1.3 G-stripes
1.0 Albino spider
1.0 Chocolate"

sure whats the worse that can happen they say no and I pay full price..

Rule of thumb I never make an offer on an animal I'm not willing to pay full price for..

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Originally Posted by mainbutter

Almost all morphs except the very ugliest and the cheapest will gain value with every feeding for up to two years (or more).

Just an FYI for you guys out there, when I set my prices on my ball pythons, unless it's a pastel, all of my prices are always firm :D

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My thoughts exactly. I know most people are used to haggling in this business, but when I eventually start selling BPs I have no intentions of lowering my prices. If that means I have less customers and have to hang on to babies longer... fine. I'll just raise the price every couple hundred grams until they eventually sell.

I'll probably give nice discounts for cash payments, local pickups, and repeat customers, but that's different. The only time I've even asked for a break on my own purchases was when I thought one of them was a bit overpriced, not because I wanted to screw the seller.