Price drops

[wilomn]

If these animals are only kept for the joy of keeping, not for profit or to "pay for themselves," then does it really matter what prices do?

I mean, if you're not in it for the money, and I would guess that many who have posted in this thread have publicly stated that they do not breed for the money, then what possible difference can it make to you what the average price is?

And, if that price is inconsequential, of no importance because you do not breed to make money, then why, if you would be so kind as to explain to one of my limited faculties, is there so much complaining about prices?

[Blue Apple Herps]

If these animals are only kept for the joy of keeping, not for profit or to "pay for themselves," then does it really matter what prices do?

I mean, if you're not in it for the money, and I would guess that many who have posted in this thread have publicly stated that they do not breed for the money, then what possible difference can it make to you what the average price is?

And, if that price is inconsequential, of no importance because you do not breed to make money, then why, if you would be so kind as to explain to one of my limited faculties, is there so much complaining about prices?

I think many (not necessarily saying those in this thread) saw BELs for $4k, Bees for $2.5k, etc and thought it'd be an easy buck to make not recognizing that others had the same idea so supply increased, and prices fell. Basically their get rich scheme failed.

[Oxylepy]

Done all the get rich schemes fail in hobbies like this?

If you have a get rich quick scheme, so do a hundred other people. But when you have a pet project that you think will make something amazing that YOU want for yourself, then that is what will probably sell, but you don't want to sell it, thus the price is high on those items... and then some brainiacs decide they want to try to make it to sell it...

[wilomn]

Done all the get rich schemes fail in hobbies like this?

If you have a get rich quick scheme, so do a hundred other people. But when you have a pet project that you think will make something amazing that YOU want for yourself, then that is what will probably sell, but you don't want to sell it, thus the price is high on those items... and then some brainiacs decide they want to try to make it to sell it...

Any chance of dumbing this down enough for me to understand your point?

[Mike Cavanaugh]

If these animals are only kept for the joy of keeping, not for profit or to "pay for themselves," then does it really matter what prices do?

Good point! I care because for me it is all about the joy of keeping AND making money with the hatchlings I create! (the ones I can successfully convince myself not to hold back that is....)

[Oxylepy]

Any chance of dumbing this down enough for me to understand your point?

If it is making money: People try to make it (to make the money)
Thus the price falls.

If it is your pet project (and not being made by the world at large): You don't sell it, people see pictures, people want it for themselves, the snake is seen as highly valuable.

If the snake is seen as highly valuable: People (the brainiacs I was talking about before) end up making it to get the money, thus the price falls :/

It's a viscous cycle.

[wilomn]

If it is making money: People try to make it (to make the money)
Thus the price falls.

If it is your pet project (and not being made by the world at large): You don't sell it, people see pictures, people want it for themselves, the snake is seen as highly valuable.

If the snake is seen as highly valuable: People (the brainiacs I was talking about before) end up making it to get the money, thus the price falls :/

It's a viscous cycle.

Yeah, ummm....ok, thanks, I think.

[Oxylepy]

I was just trying to explain it The original was pretty much a "thank you captain obvious" post :/

[_Venom_]

Thank God I don't breed.

I got an albino boa constrictor for 300 shipped.

Pretty cheap for that time.

He's just my pet.

[PythonWallace]

Why do all the other highly priced collectors' pets, like parrots, remain relatively stable for decades, and why do even many of the other highly priced reptiles stay relatively stable for years, while ball python morphs seem to be the only market of its kind to average 40% price drops every year?

Also, prices will always drop as supply increases, but why do ball python morphs all drop down to the $50 - $100 range, which is cheaper than it costs to produce and care for them, even for a short period of time? There are answers to these questions, but I don't see a lot of people realizing or talking about them. All I see is BS propaganda and dogma about how "the supply is increased, so the prices fall, just like every other market". That doesn't answer the questions above, and the ball python market's pricing methods are farther from every other kind of markets methods than anything I can think of. Period.

I've been laid off for over a year, I have a hard time paying my mortgage sometimes, etc., etc., but I have never bottomed out any of my prices. The closest I came was one time, I had a week long free shipping sale on a group of mojaves. Do you know what I did, instead of ridiculously lowering my prices? I paid for a banner ad on this site, and paid for google advertising, and got more potential customers to my site, and thus, made more sales at decent prices, in turn, saving myself a bullet wound to my foot, and not having ANY negative effect on market prices.

The answers to both questions above have a one-word answer, imho. It's an adjective that describes certain people, and there are several that would fit. Wake the hell up, already.