Need opinions on selling

[onthespot]

auctions always take the guilt out of the pricing. People get to decide what they want to pay and are happy with the price. I would not try to singlehandedly do battle with the fad price right now. Getting more or less $ for your eggs doesn't make you a better or worse person, doesn't make you birds or eggs any better or worse. If they will pay it, you should charge it.

Even on the Crazy 24 hour BYC egg auction chain, I listed a half dozen CBM egg just to see what a quick, no frills sale would bring, and it brought $30 for six. That comes out to... drum roll please... $60/dozen, which is what a lot of people are charging on their websites. Plus I got another order for a dozen in PM's for the same price.

So... even if you try to slide in a "good deal" for someone under the radar via auction, it STILL brought the price it should. If I were you I would run a few auctions on ebay, (that finish on late Sunday afternoon) and see how high they go, and set your price from that. No guilt trips allowed in egg selling. Just work out your packaging strategy as that is MUCH more likely to tick someone off if they are packed poorly than if they paid what they felt was okay money. Just my seven and a half cents worth. (Sorry, got windy on ya)

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
I think the culls are gorgeous, too. Just not correct, but no less pretty as a barnyard chicken.

And yes, the whole packing/shipping is a HUGE pain in the butt for me. I work full time, so it's really tricky. Plus that darn bubble wrap ain't free!

 

[ninjapoodles]

Mrs. Turbo :

I think most people charge what they are worth to them. We charge $60 a dozen for BLRW and $70 for SLW eggs and $8 a chick. We raise hundreds of birds a year and cull down to the best ones. We also work with other breeder and continue to improve our stock and breed toward the show standards. Our young BLRW look 100 times better than last years birds. We do give the best feed and build adequate housing and runs for everyone, and we let one pen out a day to free range in our fenced in pasture. We put in 4 hours of hard work a day during the week and entire weekends just to keep everything fed, watered and clean. We have invested a lot of money into our chickens and call ducks and we have yet to make any money selling eggs or birds. It all goes to feed, wire, wood and pays for us to attend shows. Why do we do all this crazy work??? Because we love raising them and the kids really enjoy going to the shows.

The description above is exactly my idea of a breeder who can justify pricing their stock on the higher end of the scale. My situation is just like if I bought eggs from you, raised them to laying age, and then started selling the eggs. I should not (IMO) be pricing them the same as your stock.​

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
These comments are definitely "on the spot!"

 

[KYBOY]

I think your on track..I raised and sold trial quaility beagles for years..I sold my reg. 8 week old pups for $100-$150 normally( with no less than a 5 generation pedigree)..I was often laughed at for selling quaility dogs cheap, but those same people that laughed were always the first in line to get them

I sold for what I thought was a fair price for a very young pup that I had no training time invested in..Trained hounds went up accordingly based on training time and ability..
I sell a few eggs on ebay (2-3 dozen a week) and I start my bids low..$4 starting on barred rocks and Buff Orpingtons. Then I let the market dictate what people pay so to speak..I usually get between $7-$15 on the buffs and $4-$10 on the barred rocks with extras...Im just trying to help pay for the hobby and make feed money, which this does..So Im satisified and so is the customer

Do what feels right to you in your situation..

 

[Mrs. Turbo]

hey KYBOY, do you know my husband Jerry Foley? He raised trial beagles for 20 years.

 

[klf73]

Quote:
I totally have a girl-crush on amazondoc.

I was trying to figure out what to do with my lav ameraucana. I have a lav cockeral over a lav pullet and a black pullet so some will be pure and some will be split (when they finally start). I see lav split ameraucana going for $30-$40 for 6+ , not sure I could charge this much. I also already offered bc eggs cheap to some people that I talk to once and a while....once they stop freeloading too

(the birds that is..)

 

[onthespot]

what size are your ameraucanas?

 

[CA Bean]

Hmm I get your dilemma..it is always nice to spread the love especially in these times. If you feel like charging less than the going rate you can..if it becomes a huge pita with all the work and shipping etc..than charge more, and you may lessen the people who can afford it, then not be overwhelmed with too many orders. Or you could offer them at a discount to maybe the first # of people whenever you feel like it? Or say for a limited time you will do this or say for a trial basis price will be set at $-----? On another thought, it does make some sense in that the full on breeders who really really specialize and work hard for the breed should be able to charge more? ( not saying you didn't work hard etc) But again market is the market..pretty soon there could be a flood of Marans eggs and prices will be forced to come down especially with the economy...or not? lol, maybe the demand will continue for awhile? Basically do what you feel like doing.
Boy didn't know I had a lot to say. Anyway I don't have any BC Marans yet and would love would love some! Put me on that list! If I get them what comes around will go around.

 

[conradpdx]

So I'll be the bad guy and say. Why wouldn't charge every penny you can get for them? The price is fair as long as someone is willing to pay it. That's called capitalism. And there is nothing wrong with it. Really if it's the going rate with the "big boys" it's because that is what people are willing to pay for them. They don't price things to sit, they price things to sell.

The real question is why do you feel that you deserve less than the next guy/gal with the same product? Sell them for everything you can, the hatcheries have already done all the work on pricing for you under cut them by 10-20% since you don't have the name or ad budget to draw interest. But don't go too low, you're only cheating yourself.