Pricing eggs for sale from home

[Davaroo]

I had gotten my coat on this, but was piqued when I checked my messenger and saw the turn this has taken. It's now about getting justice with the seller, as I read it. Dont go there - rise above that.

Let me tell a story here.
I had a guitar for sale last season. Basically, it was a $100 piece, so I advertised it at $100. I got tons of calls - all wanting me to cut my price, make home deliveries, cut them deals on credit or toss in free stuff, etc. It didn't sell.
The next time I put it out there, I tried something. I used the same ad, but priced it at $210. I got fewer calls but they were interested buyers, not bargain-wrangling cutthroats. It sold for $125.

Do go and see what's up with her. Do play the spy and learn but dont fret over her. Pick your battles and stop letting her determine your choices.

Chances are good her situation will change soon enough, anyway.
She's either paying out of pocket to produce hobby eggs for $1.50/dozen, or she's gonna have to raise her fees in due time. She probably does a poor job of it,either way. She may just be a jerk. Whatever.

I humbly suggest you don't want her customers - you can't compete with their disloyalty, you can't change their mindset and their incessant cheapmongering will wear you down. Leave craigslist behind and go find your own, better class of buyer.

Thoughts?

 

[ebonykawai]

I've had similar experiences with Craigslist and have no intention of putting my eggs up there.

I live on a state road where it's impossible not to sell things. The garage sale around here and early because they sell out, believe it or not! So when my girls are laying, I plan to just put up a sign on the days I have eggs. I'm pretty sure they'll go fast. I also have co-workers asking for them. I'm not real worried. I plan to sell them for $2.50/doz at least.

 

[gamebirdsonly]

I just give my neighbors the eggs for free, I figure they put up with my roosters crowing and my birds going into thier yard. keeps the peace.

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

I'm in Central Indiana too and plan to sell mine for $2.25 per dozen or $2.00 if they return a carton. I noticed Kroger had a sale on their plain white eggs last week for $0.88 and this week for $1.25 and they were flying off the shelves. But the people I've talked to around here say they're willing to pay a reasonable price for my farm fresh eggs. So I figure if I get bogged down with lots of extra eggs, I'll just run a sale! Works for Kroger. At the moment I seem to have plenty of willing buyers.

 

[Standard Hen]

David I am glad you put your coat back on.
I have decided I don't even really care, if this person wants to sell eggs for $1.50 a dozen so be it. They HAVE to be paying out of pocket. I know I do not make any money, as I said it is just to go back into the pot for grain.
I myself would never have done what this person did but we all know how uncaring some people can be. It was a very dishonest crummy thing to do in by book and I will no longer advertise eggs on craigslist. I had placed the ad a few times and every single time they were right there with their ad shortly after mine like they were waiting for me to post. Like a game that I want no part of.
I have put a few other things on there and not ever has a person agreed to the reasonable price, they have always tried to get you down, always.
Thanks everyone for your advice, and if these people want farm fresh eggs for practically free let them buy and raise their own chickens!

 

[Davaroo]

Good job, Standardhen. GO after your own market.
Head on over to www.plamondon.com and root around Bob's site. You'll turn up his experiences with selling eggs and I'm sure it will be helpful.

For those who have never been there, Bob's site is a must .

 

[fancyfowl4ever]

Around here you pay around $2 +taxes for the regular battery-hen store eggs, the "organic" cage-free ones are $5 + taxes.
You wont get layer feed for less then $15 a bag, Gas is at $1.30 per liter( so around $5.90/gallon), I charge $3 a dozen, which can include one to four coloures of eggs and from silkie sized to x-tra large eggs depending on who lays what that day. I don't produce enough eggs to keep up with demand and we keep having to turn away people that want eggs, we have our 4 standard customers each week and 3 on "back-up" so to speak in case we have an extra dozen. Never had anyone complain.
Although I did have one lady tell me she puked when she saw the orange yolk, that colour is such a deep, almost " unnatural" orange, how can anyone possibly eat it(she must really love them pale store yolks)....... weirdest thing I ever heard.

With selling about 7 dozen a week it covers the feed costs of all my birds(peafowl, ducks, geese etc), sadly not the gas costs tho, and living out of town I really need Gas to get the feed. Might have to raise the price by 25 cents in the near future, if the gas really goes up to $1.50/L or even $1.60/L this summer.

This hobby is making me go totally broke, but I CAN'T STOP!!!!!!!

Anna

 

[Davaroo]

I suspect that when people are educated as to the COSTS you incur to produce the fine, fresh eggs you offer, they understand the price you charge.

If you can offer fresh eggs at $3 a dozen, give or take, then you'll have buyers.

 

[tge1968]

My boss brings eggs to our Auto Repair shop every day from their home farm. We charge $2.00 per dozen and can't keep them in stock. We sell them for the cost of the chicken feed. As chicken feed hasn't gone up yet we have not changed our prices and now due to the recent bird flu they are selling like hot cakes. I would say that $2.25 is more than fair and we don't give discounts just ask our customers to return them and they always do! Good luck!!

 

[Fetterolf Farm]

Don't ask for an opinion on price. If you have eggs, sell it for $1./doz.
Try to establish returning clients, have them order a week ahead. As you have orders, you can increase the price, a little.
In my opinion, I would not want eggs to sit more than one week, in room temperature aired area. So, I would sell it cheep, this way it is always fresher.
Returning clients will be happy for freshness and cheep. bi-weekly pre-arrangement will give you the confidence to determine the price.
In Northern Virginia, organic brown eggs in near by farms are sold for $4./doz. Why? because of convenience, like, always fresh and got used to taste.
so, as you sell more and have more clients than your eggs, you increase your price (of course, let them know that $1. is promotional special). I hope that helps.