Reptile Expo

[rpma806]

Thanks everyone for the responses.

[angllady2]

I agree wholeheartedly. Shows are at least half negotiation. Find a vendor with animals you like. Talk to them, really talk. How long have they been breeding ? What animals are they particularly proud of and why ? Do they come to shows often ? What projects do they have in the works that you maybe don't see ?

Don't think a small breeder will give you a better price than a large one and vice versa.

Know what you are interested in, and what you want your ideal version of a morph to look like. Vendors are much more likely to flex a little on price if they can tell you are intelligent, serious, and really desire the animal they have.

Be aware, a deal isn't always a lower price. Sometimes a deal is how much a breeder is willing to work with you for something you want. Case in point: Last October I attended the Tinley Park expo just outside of Chicago. I went there with a few specific snakes in mind, and I knew what I wanted each to look like. Saturday I shopped hard, I mean really hard. I found a few snakes worth coming back to, so I kept an eye on them as the day went on. Then I found a really sweet butter female that I particularly liked. The vendor made me a deal and I bought her. Sunday I went back just to take pictures. Then, completely unexpectedly, I found a snake I desired above all others. A magnificent pinstripe female belonging to Garrick DeMeyer. I was devastated. I had already spent my budget, and on what was now a far inferior snake in my eyes. I spent a little time admiring her, I spoke a little with Garrick. He could see how badly I wanted that girl, and was kicking myself for not waiting until Sunday to buy. He offered me a payment plan. I was flattered but honest. I know breeders only offer payment plans for 60 days. Rarely you might find one for 90 on a big purchase. This girl was only $600, not worth the trouble of a long payment plan, and I told him so. I told him since we had been saving for this show for months, the only way I could do payments would be for a much longer time than normal, and there was no way I was going to insult him by asking him to do that. That wasn't fair to him or the snake, since there were a number of other people looking at her by now, and I knew he could easily sell her before the day was out.

Garrick took a deep breath, looked me in the eye and said, " There is no way I'd do a payment plan that long under any circumstances. It's just not feasible to me. But I can tell you really want this girl. You are honest and seem sincere, and I want you to have her." I just about fell over.

We drew up the paperwork, I put down the last penny I had on me for a down payment, and he promised to take good care of my baby until she was paid for. Now, he did not have to go above and beyond for me, but he did. In the end I paid a little more for her than the show price, but that didn't matter one bit to me. He went out of his way to help me to get a snake I wanted very much, and I can't recommend him highly enough.

But back to shows. Yes it is perfectly okay to ask a breeder if a particular snake you desire might be available for a little less. But remember the word little. Don't ask for a $350 snake for $75. Keep in mind when you shop sales. A 10% discount is pretty good to most of us. So, a 10% discount makes your $350 snake $315. That is a good deal.

On the other hand, if you try and get that $350 snake for $250, you are asking for a 30% discount. That is clearance price, not a sale. Do you see what I mean ?

Gale

[Mike41793]

I agree wholeheartedly. Shows are at least half negotiation. Find a vendor with animals you like. Talk to them, really talk. How long have they been breeding ? What animals are they particularly proud of and why ? Do they come to shows often ? What projects do they have in the works that you maybe don't see ?

Don't think a small breeder will give you a better price than a large one and vice versa.

Know what you are interested in, and what you want your ideal version of a morph to look like. Vendors are much more likely to flex a little on price if they can tell you are intelligent, serious, and really desire the animal they have.

Be aware, a deal isn't always a lower price. Sometimes a deal is how much a breeder is willing to work with you for something you want. Case in point: Last October I attended the Tinley Park expo just outside of Chicago. I went there with a few specific snakes in mind, and I knew what I wanted each to look like. Saturday I shopped hard, I mean really hard. I found a few snakes worth coming back to, so I kept an eye on them as the day went on. Then I found a really sweet butter female that I particularly liked. The vendor made me a deal and I bought her. Sunday I went back just to take pictures. Then, completely unexpectedly, I found a snake I desired above all others. A magnificent pinstripe female belonging to Garrick DeMeyer. I was devastated. I had already spent my budget, and on what was now a far inferior snake in my eyes. I spent a little time admiring her, I spoke a little with Garrick. He could see how badly I wanted that girl, and was kicking myself for not waiting until Sunday to buy. He offered me a payment plan. I was flattered but honest. I know breeders only offer payment plans for 60 days. Rarely you might find one for 90 on a big purchase. This girl was only $600, not worth the trouble of a long payment plan, and I told him so. I told him since we had been saving for this show for months, the only way I could do payments would be for a much longer time than normal, and there was no way I was going to insult him by asking him to do that. That wasn't fair to him or the snake, since there were a number of other people looking at her by now, and I knew he could easily sell her before the day was out.

Garrick took a deep breath, looked me in the eye and said, " There is no way I'd do a payment plan that long under any circumstances. It's just not feasible to me. But I can tell you really want this girl. You are honest and seem sincere, and I want you to have her." I just about fell over.

We drew up the paperwork, I put down the last penny I had on me for a down payment, and he promised to take good care of my baby until she was paid for. Now, he did not have to go above and beyond for me, but he did. In the end I paid a little more for her than the show price, but that didn't matter one bit to me. He went out of his way to help me to get a snake I wanted very much, and I can't recommend him highly enough.

But back to shows. Yes it is perfectly okay to ask a breeder if a particular snake you desire might be available for a little less. But remember the word little. Don't ask for a $350 snake for $75. Keep in mind when you shop sales. A 10% discount is pretty good to most of us. So, a 10% discount makes your $350 snake $315. That is a good deal.

On the other hand, if you try and get that $350 snake for $250, you are asking for a 30% discount. That is clearance price, not a sale. Do you see what I mean ?

Gale

Thats a really nice story, it shows how nice alot of these breeders really are. Ive watched alot of Garricks videos an he seems like a really genuine guy.
On a side note, $600 for a female pin...?

[Mike41793]

- Cash talks waaaaay louder than your debit card.

I wasnt even aware you could use plastic at expos...?

[Cameron Lamb Exotics]

I wasnt even aware you could use plastic at expos...?

If they have the appropriate equipment you can, but not everyone does.

[ktint]

I got my albino with plastic.

[Mike41793]

If they have the appropriate equipment you can, but not everyone does.

...THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING!!!!
hahahaha, it probably wasnt a good thing for you to tell me that

[JohnNJ]

I always try to get a discount but I never push too hard. If they are firm on a price and I think it's too high I just say thanks and walk away. If I really want it, I buy it.

It never hurts to ask. I went to a show with a certain amount of money for BP's and purchased what I wanted. On the way out I saw a cornsnake I liked that was labeled $85 and I only had $50 left. I told the breeder that I did not want to insult her but I liked the snake and blah, blah, blah. She said she needed the room and accepted the $50. Not a big deal money-wise but it worked out for both of us. Just be polite.

[Slim]

...THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING!!!!

Watch out! No BP is safe from Mike now!!!

[Royal Hijinx]

...THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING!!!!
hahahaha, it probably wasnt a good thing for you to tell me that

Put the card down, and step away slowly......