What is the going price of a dozen of eggs?

[Egghead_Jr]

Price gouging is raising prices over what is fair.

Local egg prices currently and for a long time have not been fair. Horridly undervalued with no thought of "profit". Raising to a fair value of $4 per dozen would still not turn a profit for small homesteaders but would finally meet the value they've long been deserving.

 

[TalkALittle]

The op stated they were considering raising their prices to compete with the commercial market "due to the current issues with bird flu". I commented on that aspect of their post. It has nothing to do with whether their eggs are undervalued or not. As I see it, they are two separate issues.

Does the price I'm charging reflect the true value of my eggs?

Should I raise my prices because a related product is becoming scarce even though it isn't costing me any more to produce my product?

 

[Cindy in PA]

Most eggs sell for around $2 here, even though grocery store white eggs have been close to $2 for a couple years & brown have been over $2 for years. They are now $2.79 & $3.59 at my store. I have tried in the past to sell for $3.00 since mine are superior to store eggs, but most people seem to think backyard eggs are somehow cheaper. I have new layers & will be getting over run with eggs, so I will sell for at least $3. If no one wants them I will try to give more away to people I know. I am not going to sell for $2 just to get rid of them or pay for some feed. Those people can just pay $2.79 for the store eggs. Americans are the only ones who think cheap food is great. I see no problem raising the price of eggs even though your costs did not go up if the eggs are currently being sold under cost, because stupid people think they should be cheap. This could be the opportunity for people to find out that our eggs are superior to the store bought crap & are worth more.

 

[TalkALittle]

Cindy is right. One might think their eggs are worth a certain amount, but in reality, they are only worth what someone is willing to pay for them. To the vast majority of the egg buying public an egg is an egg is an egg. It doesn't matter if it's free range, organic, cage free, or has sat on a shelf for a month. If that's who is your market, you could try charging more but you're not likely to get it. Even if you think your eggs are worth it, they don't. You only have 3 options: Charge less than what your eggs are worth but what your market will bear. Find a different market. Or work to educate your current market so that they relize the true value of your eggs.