re: Please Don't Undercharge for Your eggs!

[Momma_Cluck]

You have to know the market value in your area, as well as the laws...
in our area, organic/free-range eggs AT THE STORE go for $4 a dozen...

BUT: The laws do not allow us to sell fresh eggs to stores, outlets or in most Farmers Markets! We can only sell them from our home.

Many folks here do just that, for $3 a dozen IF "organic" or Free-range... others get $2.

We are in if for our own fun, our own food (knowing where it came from and it is chemical free) and make just enough from the egg sales to pay for the feed so OUR eggs/Chicken is free.

You really should have researched the market in your area as to how much you would have to sell eggs for... it is a recession... people out of works and trying to feed their family for less $$... they aren't gonna pay you $4 for eggs when they can get em at Walmart for $2.

Maybe also ask yourself why the previous owners were selling in the 1st place???

You really can't expect other people to raise their prices so you can profit--- especially if they are selling them to make ends meet!

It is a buyers market, and everyone competes... they either sell for less, give bigger/better eggs, extra eggs per "dozen" etc.. to compete with their neighbors-- and yes-- with big farms like yours!

 

[redoak]

We sell our organic eggs for $3.00 a dozen. One of my wife's co-workers complained about the price so she told him he was welcome to buy them for $4.69 a dozen at the grocery store we shop at. He bought them and hasn't said a word since.

 

[picklespickles]

wow. as a small business person myself, my first thought was eek you sunk ALL your savings. eek. generally, it takes several years for the businessnes that even survive to turn a profit and to support the owner. it is not uncommon to have another job to help fund a new business at the beginning. not saying it SHOULD be that way, just that it often is.

i'm a little concerned that you weren't made aware of the ratios before you bought the business. did the previous owner paint too rosy of a picture for you? or did you attempt to expand quickly?

do you have an accountant who understands your niche? that should help greatly. if not, i have taken loads of free classes from various agencies on small businesnes and they are usually not too hard to find or qualify for. they can usually link you up with accountants who are willing to help out, at least for a consultation to get you started in teh right direction.

there are many peole where i live who provide a similar service as mine for at best, a third the price. seriously. so i drive an hour to hour and a half each way so that i can charge signicifcantly more. now, that is more time for me, more gas, more wear and tear, etc. but also, greater profit. becaue i'm more "professional" i also have advertising expenses, etc that similar folks near me do not.

at the same time, i don't hink they are really taking customers from me. the people who can and will pay my prices are not the same folks who can and do pay their prices. i am fine sending people who need cheaper services their way. these were not my target audience anyway. and if i had thought they were, then i would have needed to rethink my true demographics.

i live in a very economically depressed area. i give my eggs away. everyone here is on foodstamps, so even if i sold them for a buck, they can still get them cheaper, as in FREE. in my case, by giving them away, i get homemade pies made from fresh fruit and all kinds of homemade meals dropped by my place. these meals and the ingredients in them, cost more than the several dollars i would have made. so, for me, it would not make sense to charge. or, perhaps if i wanted to as i do with my busines service, go to another market, then it would.

so, i'm not sure that those who charge less than me for similar services are doing me a disservice, i think they are targetting a different audience.

i do like your ideas about co-ops and being aware of prices, but i question if your audiences really do overlap or if it just feels this way since you are so economically squeezed right now. good luck and hang in there!

 

[picklespickles]

onthespot spoke about what i meant about different clientelle.

 

[Beekissed]

I sell for $2 for a dozen, $3 for 18 ct. here and get it, but will probably charge more this summer during the tourist season, as my target market will be more willing to pay for high-priced, organic, free-ranged items. The locals are mostly not into healthy, organic living and could care less about free range. They just want the eggs to be about the same or a little more than the eggs sold in the store....the commercially produced eggs.

This summer, with the flux of city dwellers driving past my door, I will be able to get $3 a doz. but would not charge more and here is why:

Its a profit, over the feed and money invested. Its enough profit for me. I don't need to support a business with my profits. I invested money just like anyone who invested big....but, of course, not as much. Therefore, its a matter of scale. Little investment, little profit.

I want people to come back and feel like they got a great deal....one happy person will tell others. One dissatisfied person will tell 10 others. I want to develop a good rapport with the customer and not have them feel like they are being gouged by the country folk. I want them to feel fortunate they found that little road side stand in the country while they were on vacation or site seeing.....where they could get healthy, free ranged farm eggs for much cheaper than their local farmer's market....and I want them to tell their friends!

As I have no local farmer's market, I am not undercutting anyone at all!

As with any new business...its a slow build and, if you have a good product at a fair price, they will come!

 

[GardeNerd]

Where I live, we can't sell our eggs from our backyard flock. Period. City code. I would not even if I could.

When I have extra backyard fruit and veggies, I share and trade with friends and give to the food bank. I will do the same with any surplus eggs. I doubt this could ever hurt any good commercial business.

Eggs go around here for about $1.50 for the cheap ones, $3.00 farmers market, $2.00 to $4.00 for grocery store. Specialty eggs at Trader Joes are about $3.00 to $4.00.

In my opinion, telling people not to give away their eggs to people that they know or care about is like telling people not volunteer time or skills at schools, churches, or community events because those organizations should only be paying skilled employees or it will put them all out of work.

 

[gamebirdsonly]

no one around here would pay more then $1.50 for a dozen eating eggs. My parents sell their eggs for $1.25 a dozen. And I give mine away to my neighbors.

 

[stormylady]

ewesfullchicks, I understand that you are trying to build a bussiness with your eggs. But I personally would give eggs or anything in my fridge to someone in dire need. The whole purpose for starting a backyard flock,for me was to help feed my family, if i can sell a few to cover the feed cost, good deal, if i give a few away to help some child that wouldnt have breakfast one morning, that is my bussiness, please dont' ask people to stop helping others to further your financial gain. I do sencerely wish you all the luck with your own venture in life.
Stormylady
Im truly sorry if this offends anyone but it is only my opinion.

 

[golden comets]

HI I`M NEW HERE.I HAD TO UP MY PRICE FROM 1.50 TO 2.00 THIS PAST WEEK BECAUSE THE PRICE OF FEED HAS GONE UP.I ONLY HAVE NINE PULLITS AND ONE ROOSTER,GOLDEN COMETS AND BLACK SEXLINKS,THEY ARE THE BEST LAYERS,ALL WINTER LONG GET BETWEEN 7 AND 9 EGGS ADAY.I`M GETING 25 MORE THIS SPRING,THIS TIME I WILL GET TWO ORPINGTONS AND TWO WYANDETES AND A FEW SILKIES SO I CAN RAISE SOME CHICKS THE FOLLWING SPRING.FORGOT TO TELL YOU I`M FROM NORTHERN MAINE SO I CAN`T CHARGE TO MUCH PEAPLE JUST CAN NOT AFFORD IT.IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERACE WHERE YOU LIVE.

 

[bluey]

I'm against any sort of artificial price controls to prop up food prices...especially during these times. There really is no reason why perishable staples such as milk, bread, eggs, butter and cheese should cost so much. I think basic staples are ridiculously priced as it is.

I think that instead of mailing people bailout checks, the government should use its' money to artificially lower prices of basic foods.

That would benefit the poor and middle class more than any other sort of welfare and there's nothing to gain by hoarding perishable items. It also would eliminate any reason for children to go hungry except in cases of abuse.

I love giving eggs away to friends, co-workers and family and will continue to do so.