Reptile Pricing, selling, and the market

If you guys do not mind, I am going to split this off into another thread......then I will give my take on "The REPTILE Market" ;)

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Originally Posted by ssscales

Yet, you have clearly stated below that anyone who does not buy at a set price is in the wrong, hurting the market, idiots and flat out crooks. Did I read this wrong?

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Yes, you read that completely wrong. I said that "breeders" that are selling investment animals and taking hard earned money from their customers and behind the scenes are looking for "deals" are crooks. If you're charing reasonable prices and paying reasonbale prices, fine ... or, if your snatching up deals and selling at "deal prices" fine (I don't agree with it, but it doesn't make you a crook) ... but in my opinion if you're talking about selling animals at market or above market prices due to their quality and then in the same thread talk about having an eye out for "bottom dollar" deals you're doing your customers dirty.

My opinions have nothing to do with "set prices" and EVERYTHING to do with how people conduct themselves in this business.

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Originally Posted by ssscales

Not at all, I think it is wonderful that you take such passion and congratulated you numerous times for this. But, I will not be cornered into paying higher prices or who I buy from. I understand you are protecting your investment and your customers, but ridiculing others who do not line up....

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Who have I "ridiculed"? Where have I mentioned a single name? Sounds like you're taking this wayyyy tooo personal.

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Originally Posted by ssscales

Never said it did, on the other hand you clearly stated that anyone buying low and looking for a bargain is an idiot, wrong and even crooks...why?

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You obviously did not comprehend what I wrote.

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Originally Posted by ssscales

all because they saved a buck?

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Saving a buck and then "juicing" your customers and future customers is wrong in my opinion .... but hey, that's just me. If you want to buy cheap then fine ... but don't jump on every cheap deal that comes around and then sell at or above market prices ... that's just rotten.

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Originally Posted by ssscales

This is it for me, you guys can take this a part as you wish and continue the fight.

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Why does it have to be a fight? I was giving my opinions on the market ... MY VIEWS ... it had nothing to do with you ... why the need to make it about YOU?

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Originally Posted by ssscales

This is my final post on this subject.

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Well, I'm glad that we got that worked out. :sweeet:

-adam

[QUOTE=ssscales]
As for returning customers and/or satisfied customers associated with lower prices. I have yet to read a single complaint about MKR from their customers on the bargains they got. Not even from the customers who bought from them last year or the year before or any year for that matter. ]


on another forum, i read about one guy that was mad as hell at mkr! he spent 25k with them last year. and got bent over this year by them! i'm sure there are others that feel the same way...

a couple years ago, i purchased a male pastel. this past season i had babies and sold most of them for around a 1/3 of what i paid for mine. upset, no way. i still recouped my intial investment in my first year and then some.

i look at things from a long-term investment view, not a get rich quick plan. anyone thinking that by spending 5,10,15K that hey can retire and live it up is naive in business savy , imo.

i have my goals,beliefs, and business ethics. i only do business and support breeders that share my goals and ethics.


vaughn

Adam, you're absolutely right! I respect your opinions and may have taken things a bit too personal as I will admit I do love a good bargain. As for selling and conducting business, as I've mentioned I will as always price my snakes according to current market range, but most importantly how much I feel they should be priced for.

In some cases that may be higher than some will like to pay. Yet at the same time possibly lower than some feel I should charge. I've learned in life you can't please everyone! At the end of the day as long as those who receive the snakes are happy with their purchase and transaction...that's what really matters.

Good luck with your business. :handshake

Hi! I currently own zero ball python morphs and just recently hatched my first clutch of 5 normals. I am increasingly interested in the ball python market every day and do plan to invest and breed on a higher scale than just one clutch of normals per season.

I've read every post in this thread right up to Adam's where he explains why he strives to keep prices up on his snakes. Yes, they are good quality, and he has good customer service skills and will help you understand the proper care for your snake, but what was more astonishing was how he wants to protect his customers' investments. He does not want to try to make fast money by lowering his prices. That would in turn support the failure of his customers. That post made the most sense out of every other post in this thread. He truely wants to see the bp market succeed for a very long time. It is not about greed for himself, it is about trying to share the same success he has had with his customers, even though they became involved in it later.

I have not read any more replies after the above mentioned post, as it was 100% fulfilling and all I needed to read to make me want to strive for a longly successful bp market as well.

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Originally Posted by Rapture

It is not about greed for himself, it is about trying to share the same success he has had with his customers, even though they became involved in it later.

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Its just sad that there are other breeders out there that don't share the same views. :(

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

That is total cr@p.

First of all, I'm not a "pep", I am a person ... grow up and speak English!

Second ... Anyone, and I mean anyone that is breeding and selling investment animals or that plans to breed and sell investment animals should (if they are even reasonably intelligent) not want lower prices. If you are taking money from a customer for an investment animal and you are not doing what you can to support the market for that customer than you are a crook.

Personally, I am at a point where I could not care less what the market does ... I have an AMAZING collection of big $$$ ball pythons ... I've made a TON of money on the ball python market ... if it all ended tomorrow I'd be up well over 5000% of my initial investment over 10 years ... to put it simply, I won ... there is NOTHING that I need to be "greedy" about.

So why do I care about prices you ask? .... For my customers ... Over the last ten years I've sold to hundreds, maybe even over one thousand people ... good people ... teachers, electricians, housewives, computer consultants .... not big breeders, but "little guys/gals" just getting started .... people with kids, homes, families ... they gave me money for snakes that I produced and almost every single one of them did so with the intention of breeding those snakes and making some type of return on their investment ... They could have invested their hard earned dollars in real estate, or the stock market, or CD's, but their passion for animals drove them to ball pythons, and they trusted me with their investment money .... I don't know about other people, but I personally want to see EVERY SINGLE ONE of my customers make money from the animals that I sold them and do so for as long as possible. I take it as a personal responsibility to do everything I can to make sure they do so ... and if that means standing on top of a table at the Daytona expo and yelling at the top of my lungs about support the market, then that is what I'll do.

What the idiots that are selling for less (or buying for less) don't care about is the little guys ... the people that are just getting started .... the price droppers want to make their money as fast as they can and get out ... I'd rather see my customers making good money for the next 25+ years! This thing doesn't have to be a race to the bottom ... it could be a marathon where EVERYONE gets a chance to build a nice collection of animals and put money in their pockets … but unfortunately, many idiots are too impatient, too immature, and not business savvy enough to know how to get it done right.

It makes me sick to see people that are calling themselves "breeders" celebrating low prices and getting excited about how fast we can see this thing hit the bottom .... What do you tell your customers? Give me your money and good luck with your investment - HA HA HA? Well in my opinion, you're a @ss.

This "peps" doesn't want lower prices and it has nothing to do with greed ... it has everything to do with doing the right thing by the people that trusted me with their hard earned investment dollars.

Cry all you want about what everyone else “out there” is doing … if you’re giving them your money, you’re guilty too.

-adam

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Adam,

GREAT post. I COMPLETELY agree with you. That is why you will be my main source of balls. And I hope your remain the same for the years to come. Because I hope to be your biggest customer! I dont care if your selling your lessers for 25K in a few years and (not naming names here) are selling theres for 6k. I have bien hearing about some pretty low prices comeing to the ball python world here in a year, can you say 650$ Mojaves?

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Originally Posted by stangs13

Adam,

GREAT post. I COMPLETELY agree with you. That is why you will be my main source of balls. And I hope your remain the same for the years to come. Because I hope to be your biggest customer! I dont care if your selling your lessers for 25K in a few years and (not naming names here) are selling theres for 6k. I have bien hearing about some pretty low prices comeing to the ball python world here in a year, can you say 650$ Mojaves?

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:8: :O do you realize you just said you would pay 19k more than the market price. i can see spending a little more for better quality. but 19k.

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Originally Posted by BALLISTIC BOAS

:8: :O do you realize you just said you would pay 19k more than the market price. i can see spending a little more for better quality. but 19k.

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Yes. Laugh all you want.

Adams the man.

No deniying it.

Ill pay anything for Adams balls.:8:

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Originally Posted by stangs13

Ill pay anything for Adams balls.:8:

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Wow...Put that on a bumper sticker.

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Originally Posted by jglass38

Wow...Put that on a bumper sticker.

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You laugh now, but wait til you see the stuff I'm cooking up for my printer. ;) :D

-adam

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Originally Posted by jglass38

Wow...Put that on a bumper sticker.

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Ill make millions!! :carrot:

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

You laugh now, but wait til you see the stuff I'm cooking up for my printer. ;) :D

-adam

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Yes! More merch!!:carrot:

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

You laugh now, but wait til you see the stuff I'm cooking up for my printer. ;) :D

-adam

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Yes! :rockon:

I got a posotive rep point for someone saying 500$ mojaves! Whos selling thoughs?!

Then i got another one that says your avi says it all!! Whats wrong with you people!!!:confused: