Where have all the good sellers gone????

[CapricornFarm]

Seems like quite a can of worms got opened

 

[corancher]

I have also been on both sides of this issue. Sometimes in the prime hatching season, I may have as many as 6-10 boxes of eggs going out in one day. I have forgotten to put people's phone number on their boxes. Since I use paypal to ship my packages, the best place to request that certain information be put on the box is in the comment area so I see it when creating the mailing labels. What I often get is several emails or PMs from the same person either asking questions or requesting the phone number to be put on the box. I don't mind this at all and only use it to show when you multiply that by 6 to 10 people suddenly it is easy to forget that someone may have requested a phone number on the box.

I would likely send more eggs if someone requested them because of my error if they were nice in their request, however I do not agree that picking up at the post office in anyway improves your odds of a good hatch. I have picked package up at the post office and had them bump along with the mailman, had eggs set in the sun and the snow, and have gotten good hatches and no hatches in all these cases. I have gotten good hatches from a breeder with a certain breed and have gotten none to hatch the next time I order from them on the same breed.

I always put that I am not responsible for postal mishandling of packages and hatching results. I have received emails from some people who say they only got a couple eggs to hatch and the rest of the eggs were infertile. First of all, there are lots of times I would have been happy with those couple of eggs to hatch on the shipped eggs I received and secondly to say the rest were infertile puts my back up because I know I am hatching the same breeds at the same time. I have even had people want more eggs because only half the eggs hatched. I am happy to get any to hatch on shipped eggs and if I get 50% I am in heaven.

When I receive shipped eggs, I would only complain if the eggs were not packed well and were broken because of poor packing or they were rotten eggs when received. By rotten I mean black and nasty, seeping and yes I have received some like that. I would not complain if they took longer to get to me than expected, or the box was beaten up in the postal system. I have only had one box of eggs totally lost and that was some coming to me. It was not my fault and not the sellers fault. She offered to send more eggs and I paid the shipping.

There are a lot of sellers that are willing to go the extra mile. I would suggest that you look at how you are approaching these sellers and are you being reasonable in your expectations. Honestly, by your first post all I could think was I hope they don't ever buy from me and please put me on your do not buy from list.

I understand Katy and some of the others that have said they don't want to ship hatching eggs any longer. It is a shame because what we are losing is the ability to have access to some of the nicest birds around. Have you actually seen Katy's birds? My goodness what crying shame to not to have access to those birds, bamachicken, and Joy's english orps.

 

[loanwizard]

Quote:
I am not talking about any 1 individual so please don't take it personally. I am a used car dealer as well as a landlord so I have a small idea about business and can't take anything personally. Size of the business has nothing to do with customer service, it is who is in key management whether owner or manager.

As far as cost, $5.00 per dozen compared to $2.00 a doz is considerable. Selling eaters, I still take them to the farmers market, which equates to taking them to the PO. Packing, packaging costs SHOULD be included in shipping and handling strictly from a business perspective.

 

[rilly10]

Quote:
In all honesty. This thread just made me never want to sell eggs again. Sellers can not control how the PO handles the eggs, if the eggs go through an x-ray machine, if the PO forgets to call you for pick up, if the weather spikes, if there is a hurricane, or any other negative impact happens along the way. I pack my eggs how I like to recieve them, I have had sellers send me replacement eggs, if I have had a bad hatch rate (especially on the really expensive eggs). I have also replaced eggs at no cost to the buyer if they have had a bad hatch rate. HOWEVER, I agree 100% with Katy.

Feel free to look up my buying and selling histories. I have spent WAY more than I have made, been on good deals, and bad, and accept shipped eggs for what they are....a gamble! Oh and how would you expect me to make a profit on $50 eggs when the birds that are producing them cost double or triple that each, plus feed, dewormer, supplements, etc? Most small breeders are not like a hatchery. I make NOTHING on shipped eggs compared to what I put in. I ONLY sell eggs if they would otherwise be trashed (my bators are full for example). I have an issue eating or trashing an egg that could be a future champion for a 4h kid or a new breeder just because I do not have room to hatch it!

This thread makes me never want to sell eggs again. From now private trades or sales to people I know only!

 

[madamwlf]

Quote:
So basically burning me because of what I post? Shows what kind of seller you are. You have no clue of my dealings and all I was doing was venting my frustration. Not right at all on your part but so be it.

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
Amen to that! I agree with this post.

There is a LIMIT how one would gamble so much on shipped hatching eggs until you cry uncle. If you want chicks, contact the breeder to work with you to ship chicks. If not, with that much money gambling on hatching eggs, you would have bought a nice pair or trio for that same amount of money. Everything HAS a risk. Even I had a failed hatch with 12 eggs, none hatch and this year, I got Welsummer eggs, got one to hatch but it died. Is it the breeders' fault? NO! I took that risk, gambled and lost. It happens. If I want it so bad, I would go backwards and beyond in getting what I want to add in my flock and spare NO expense in getting a nice pair or trio or if the lucky dice rolls, nothing but all pullets.

Big or small breeders, it all depends on the feedback, reputation by others and referrals by other poultry fanciers by the word of mouth can go a LONG ways getting the results. Some would even go out of their way, for example, PipsAndPeeps, she would not mind giving hatching eggs, chicks or started bird to a 4H out of genuine care for the kids. Would breeders do that? Not all of them but most of them WILL. Research is the BEST option, talk to any of us in here, see the feedbacks and talk some more, picking our brains, etc. Not everyone can afford to ship replacement eggs but most will or would do so if pictures or a note from the postmaster has verified that the package was damaged. Getting rich on it? No but we love to pass the "richness" of our bounty of our birds to someone who showed the same dedication about our birds.

 

[madamwlf]

Look this post was meant for ppl to bash each other. I vented my frustration. Yes, I've had issues and I'm finding very few sellers care. I've had great hatches and I've had poor hatches. I know and have accepted the risk contrary to what YOU believe. There are sellers I'll buy from again regardless of the hatch rate. Why? Because they care. Some of you have been down right rude and it's not needed. I don't know you and you don't know me yet it seems online forums makes ppl feel they can just be rude to others. Maybe you big time sellers should start listening to small time buyers like me more. Not once have I asked for free eggs from anyone but for them to fix their mistakes. I'll continue to buy my shipped eggs since there aren't a lot local but there will be quite a bit of research and question asking first. Just because someone post's their frustrations doesn't mean you have to label them a trouble maker. I'm done here.

 

[EweSheep]

 

[Katy]

Quote:
So basically burning me because of what I post? Shows what kind of seller you are. You have no clue of my dealings and all I was doing was venting my frustration. Not right at all on your part but so be it.

She's a very good seller and you'd be lucky to buy from her.

If you don't think that most everyone who sells eggs didn't think the same thing when they read your rant you are wrong. Certainly went thru my head as well.

You said you have a "buy from" list.....well sellers have a "don't sell to list" sometimes too.

 

[madamwlf]

Quote:
So basically burning me because of what I post? Shows what kind of seller you are. You have no clue of my dealings and all I was doing was venting my frustration. Not right at all on your part but so be it.

She's a very good seller and you'd be lucky to buy from her.

If you don't think that most everyone who sells eggs didn't think the same thing when they read your rant you are wrong. Certainly went thru my head as well.

You said you have a "buy from" list.....well sellers have a "don't sell to list" sometimes too.

You can judge all you want. It doesn't make me a bad buyer because I'm frustrated with some sellers. I've not dealt with you before and it's not right for you to judge me in that way.