Advice on making an offer

Hey Guys,

I have a buddy who I met through a sale of het. axanthics i sold last year and it turns out he is selling his whole collection. The only things I am really interested in are:

1.0 Mojave (adult)
1.0 Pinstripe (adult)
0.1 Spider (Adult proven)
0.1 Banded/ Tiger

I am curious about what I should offer him..

Just wondering what you guys would offer? I don't want to offend him but I don't really wanna pay market values either.

Thanks guys,
Chris.

I would offer him about $800-$1000 which is probably about half of market value, which I think would be a fair price for a friend since it also gets rid of 4 at once and he wouldn't have to ship them.

Edit: just realized you are in Canada so my offer might be a little off for what they are worth their.

I would be offended if a friend of mine (or anybody) offered me half market value for any of my snakes. I might give them a deal because they are my friend, but if they asked for 50% market, I'd be annoyed.

I think it's reasonable to offer a lower price on a group purchase, and there is the benefit of not needing to ship, but I would still offer a fair value. Think of what's appropriate to offer at shows, and think if that offer to a stranger would be offensive. Don't be rude to a friend. Taking into account the quality of the animals themselves, their ages/breeding potential, and their worth to you.

Check out prices other Canadian breeders have for a reference, kingsnake.com, fauna-classifieds, and factor in differences with USA vs Canadian prices, and make a judgement call.

Friend or not, I ask what they are wanting to sell it for. The person always has a set price already thought up.... I ask them what they are willing to let them go for and then negotiate the price from there.

+1000 on being annoyed by a 50% offer from a friend! It would be like he's calling me stupid... I agree, I'd probably give a friend a deal, and hope for a deal from a friend, but I wouldn't expect to get or give 50% off.

I'd check KS and fauna for the average listed price, add them up, and go from there. Off the top of my head, I'd say $175 for the 1.0 Mojo, $200 for the 1.0 Pin, and $650 for the 0.1 Spider. I don't know much about banded/tiger prices, though. (of course these would be my locale's prices in Utah, USA) Those prices are what I'd probably get here locally. I would maybe knock off another $100 to get the whole group gone, but that depends on what I could get out of them from someone else...and how soon I would need the money or snakes gone.

$900 for the first 3 would be a fair offer imo.
Idk about tiger/banded prices though...

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Originally Posted by ClarkT

+1000 on being annoyed by a 50% offer from a friend! It would be like he's calling me stupid... I agree, I'd probably give a friend a deal, and hope for a deal from a friend, but I wouldn't expect to get or give 50% off.

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Ditto here. If he's a friend, I'd just ask what he wants for them. I don't haggle with my friends, and they've pretty much always given me better deals than I would have had the nerve to ask for. I only make offers when it's an animal that I'm positive of the current market value, is just posted through an ad or website (no personal connections), and/or is a bit of an impulse buy (as in, "I really shouldn't get another BP yet, but she's just sooo pretty!"). :) I also never ask "How low are you willing to go?" I find that question offensive when people ask me, because they almost always still try to offer below that, if I give an answer. Really, you want me to low-ball myself?! :8:

Anyone who tells you to make an offer is just begging to be offended,friend or not, IMO! I'm sure they have a price in mind and they should let you know what it is, then you can negotiate from there! If he still insists on an offer, go really low, like stupid low! :D

With friends i always ask what they want for them. if its too high imo then I tell them what i was thinking and im not upset if they pass on it but the $ is on the table if they change their minds. im thinking a fair price for that group would be in the neighborhood of $800-$1200 usd depending on the quality of the animals and the low end being a friend price and the high side would be selling at a show near me.

thanks for the advice guys. I almost bought his whole collection but I had some reservations, and we kinda shied out of the deal. I am looking at picking up an adult spider (super high white) proven female. 2000gr. produced 9 eggs for my buddy 2 seasons ago and he didn't breed her this time so she will be ready to hopefully give me 9 this year. He want's 600. I think I'm gonna give him the 6.

Wow, really? So in other words, money is more important to you all than a friendship?? I have given plenty of my friends 50% deals or better. Not many of my friends are into snakes and the ones that are, aren't to the extent that I am, but I have hooked my TRUE friends up with computer parts, car parts, and all types of other stuff for 50% or less of it's value. I would have no problem doing the same with a snake if I was trying to sell it since I would know it was going to a good home and could keep an eye on it as well.

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Originally Posted by decensored

thanks for the advice guys. I almost bought his whole collection but I had some reservations, and we kinda shied out of the deal. I am looking at picking up an adult spider (super high white) proven female. 2000gr. produced 9 eggs for my buddy 2 seasons ago and he didn't breed her this time so she will be ready to hopefully give me 9 this year. He want's 600. I think I'm gonna give him the 6.

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$600 sounds like a very good deal for a 2000 gram Spider girl! I would take that in a second without trying to negotiate a lower price.
There are 1200-1500 gram girls on kingsnake and fauna right now for that price or more.

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Originally Posted by C&H Exotic Morphs

$600 sounds like a very good deal for a 2000 gram Spider girl! I would take that in a second without trying to negotiate a lower price.
There are 1200-1500 gram girls on kingsnake and fauna right now for that price or more.

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x2 I agree. The only thing is if she had a really bad wobble it may be a deal breaker for me personally.

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Originally Posted by Wes

Wow, really? So in other words, money is more important to you all than a friendship?? I have given plenty of my friends 50% deals or better. Not many of my friends are into snakes and the ones that are, aren't to the extent that I am, but I have hooked my TRUE friends up with computer parts, car parts, and all types of other stuff for 50% or less of it's value. I would have no problem doing the same with a snake if I was trying to sell it since I would know it was going to a good home and could keep an eye on it as well.

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You are missing the point. Many of us would gladly give a friend a good deal... but friendship is also about respect. I would NEVER ask a friend for 50% off because I expect a good deal. Likewise, if were to be lowballed that dramatically by a friend, how much can that person possibly respect me?

This has nothing to do with money. I would expect maybe 10-20% off from a friend and that's a big maybe. My friends know that I'd rather deal with them at market value (in anything I do) than get into squabbles about what is the right discount for a friend. IMHO you can't go wrong with leaving your friendships out of your business practices when dealing with friends.

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Originally Posted by Wes

Wow, really? So in other words, money is more important to you all than a friendship?? I have given plenty of my friends 50% deals or better. Not many of my friends are into snakes and the ones that are, aren't to the extent that I am, but I have hooked my TRUE friends up with computer parts, car parts, and all types of other stuff for 50% or less of it's value. I would have no problem doing the same with a snake if I was trying to sell it since I would know it was going to a good home and could keep an eye on it as well.

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yea, that makes since. I guess I was just looking at it as if it was me and I was offering my friend a deal. I guess it could come off kind of insulting if you already have a price set in your head and someone comes at you with something way lower.

first off, it would all depend on how it was presented to you, is he selling them off because his house is about to foreclose, his car is going to be repossessed, or is he just done with snake for what ever reason.

if he is in a pinch, and needs quick cash, sure don't be a douche, offer fair market to help him out, if it is the other, make the 50% offer and see what he says. even if he has a set price in mind, chances are he is reluctant to tell you out right what his price is. once you have a number on the table work from there, but i would also have a price i am willing to pay, and most importantly, be willing to let him walk and pass on it, most often they will call you the next day and take your final offer. if not, hey your not out anything.

I bought the spider girl from my buddy at Omega Pythons. I expressed interest and he knocked her down to $500 for me. It's his original spider girl but he's playing with killerbees, lesser bees, calico spiders. It's just not worth it to him anymore to keep throwing males in with single genes. Check out his site. He is credited for the pewter queens, awesome guy and he has an AWESOME collection.

http://omegapythons.ca/Collection.html

The picture of the spider in his collection pics is the girl I am getting. Very light/yellow and high white sides. Wobble is almost non existent. I was handling her yesterday and I didn't see any wobble issues.

I got a GREAT DEAL. I didn't buy the other collection because there was some things that made us nervous and although it was an awesome deal, I didn't want to risk the 20+ animals in my collection. It was a risk that was too high to take.

I almost picked up 20 Adult breeders incld. Black past, het. red pairs, pied pairs, albino pairs, axanthics, yb, mojo, lessers, spiders, pastels, gen stipe, banded and some big norm girls. and a pair of breeding hypo nic boas for $2500.00. I was heart broken not to get it but some of them were showing signs of serious illness and even though they might have been fine it was a huge risk and I didn't have the money to pay the vet to treat 23 snakes if needed..

I can see it on both sides.

1. I would never charge market values for my friends or business associates with few exceptions.

2. I would never haggle with a friend. I wouldn't charge them regular price and I expect the same consideration and respect. If my buddy wants to sell me an animal at market value than I won't be doing business with them, not because I am cheap - but because good business relationships are based on mutually beneficial interactions. If I give my buddy a BP at half market value and he tries to charge me full price, than where is the respect..

It's that simple to me. I am lucky.. I am on great terms with two of the most well respected and admired breeders/ suppliers in my area. They have always treated me with patience, respect, and we come to agreements based on those factors. It's very difficult to survive in this business if you make enemies with all of your competition.