Listened to the BHB vs NERD show and Brian made a comment that made too much sense. The comment was about dropping prices every year without a cap. The example was $450 spiders one year and the masses thinking it should drop to $350 - 300 the next year.

I have to say I've thought about this quite a bit before the show but Brian's comment really reinforced what I was thinking and preaching. Can anyone think of a good reason why prices aren't capped?

I've seen Hypo boas going for as little as $79 and heard about an ad where they were cheaper. Can anyone give a good reason why Hypos are priced the same as nice normals? I just can't see any good reason why morphs will eventually be under $100 when they don't have to be.

Albino Boas - $400 - 500
Albino BP - $400 - 500

Sunglow Boa - $600 - 700

Hypo Boa - $250 - $400
Super Hypo Boas - $500 - $650

Those are just examples and on a graded scale. The lower price for run of the mill and going higher as quality is expressed more.

Any thoughts?

That's a great question Bryon...The thing that get's me going is it's not even dropping by the year anymore - It's by the week it seems...Once one person does it - Others follow...

What would be nice is if we had a website that had a scale of what animals should be sold for. In addition, if sites like Kingsnake and other classifieds moderated them so ads fall within scale depending on grade.

Price capping would require respect, cooperation and policing within the industry - and you and I both know that will never happen.

Its a good idea but it would never happen. There is no way to make sure people followed it.

Its a good idea but it would never happen. There is no way to make sure people followed it.

Right, who would enforce it?

That's a great question Bryon...The thing that get's me going is it's not even dropping by the year anymore - It's by the week it seems...Once one person does it - Others follow...


Week, hell by the day for some it seems......:machinegun:

Week, hell by the day for some it seems......:machinegun:

My same thoughts...I get sick anymore looking at ads it seems almost like a race to the bottom price for some. Who can out sell who for less??? I think it's a good Idea Bryon but like others have mentioned I also don't see it happening cause who's gonna enforce it and how???

who's gonna enforce it and how???

We would need support from all who run classifieds. Not gonna happen!

I think it's a slippery slope when you try to regulate a free market. I think you will find your low prices advertised, but the animals are usually lower quality and the breeder many times is unknown. They are usually a small operation and will sell out of $75 hypos soon anyway.

I think Eugene B had it right. Don't lower your price.

I know a few herpers that have been in the biz for a while and they are nearly out of animals this year and most sold for a good market price. People that are impatient just loose money and fuel the discount fire. :machinegun:

And who would set the market caps? I think motleys are already way overpriced and albinos are at a decent value. Everyone sees it differently and you could kill sales on a morph with the wrong cap.

Just got to thinking, some kind of keepers guild or something like that may have a positive affect. Then breeders could buy and sell to those that abide by the guidelines of that society and carry the seal. A panel could be setup to create suggested selling prices.

The problem with price capping as I see it is.... it's a free market, you try to enforce this and it becomes "price fixing" you could end up with a legal battle over what would be an illegal practice. And I don't think any classifieds want to get into a legal battle....

I'm not suggesting a hobby wide price cap that could be enforced. It would more or less be a group of folks getting together and saying " I won't sell XXX morph for less than $XXX ". Its a self policing thing.

From what I understand there are a few breeders who pretty much do this and don't seem to have issues selling. Maybe its the fact they hold steady in a rocky market.

Just because so many others cut & slash their prices , why does that set the standard for everyone to either do it or consider it?

I'm not suggesting a hobby wide price cap that could be enforced. It would more or less be a group of folks getting together and saying " I won't sell XXX morph for less than $XXX ". Its a self policing thing.

From what I understand there are a few breeders who pretty much do this and don't seem to have issues selling. Maybe its the fact they hold steady in a rocky market.

Just because so many others cut & slash their prices , why does that set the standard for everyone to either do it or consider it?

Even those holding their prices eventually bring their prices down.... they just don't follow like sheep. And their reductions are more realistic then the rat races who are supplied by wholesalers, dumpers etc.

I think some consider it, because they just feel the need to keep up and just don't understand. The others do it because they are competing for that "sale" and not because they have a standard to uphold, but because they are chasing the $$$ and must get there before all others.

To be honest everything I price off of KS except for the corns, I price them off the newest addition of the morph guide....seems to be the pulse of the corn community for the most part. Stuff gets graded of course but when it comes down to it most of them are not $100's different normally they are $10-50 different...you will always get the jack ass no matter what but I bet if someone started putting out a morph guide for BP's and Boa's for the 2009 season with a price guide I am willing to bet people would follow it to some degree.

I buy that book every year and it has almost all the same info with the exception of some new pics from time to time but I get it for the cross charts and the pricing....also helps with standardize the names of the morphs for the most part. Maybe a few nut jobs still claim there stuff is something else but not very often.

To be honest everything I price off of KS except for the corns, I price them off the newest addition of the morph guide....seems to be the pulse of the corn community for the most part. Stuff gets graded of course but when it comes down to it most of them are not $100's different normally they are $10-50 different...you will always get the jack ass no matter what but I bet if someone started putting out a morph guide for BP's and Boa's for the 2009 season with a price guide I am willing to bet people would follow it to some degree.

I buy that book every year and it has almost all the same info with the exception of some new pics from time to time but I get it for the cross charts and the pricing....also helps with standardize the names of the morphs for the most part. Maybe a few nut jobs still claim there stuff is something else but not very often.


Im still relatively new to the whole breeding arena... but me and a good friend of mine have done something similar to what was mentioned by someone eles.... we are both breeding corns... and sometimes the same morphs... so we will get together at the beginning of the season.. and come up with a market value for US.... that way we are not trying to undercut each other. We also send folks each others way if we dont have what they are looking for.

now back to the quote... what is this book you talk of?

now back to the quote... what is this book you talk of?

http://www.cornguide.com/

The new one isn't out yet but....

Thanks for the link.... I will definately bookmark that site.

Even those holding their prices eventually bring their prices down.... they just don't follow like sheep. And their reductions are more realistic then the rat races who are supplied by wholesalers, dumpers etc.

Ahh , but when do you stop dropping prices and say " This morph should be no lower than $XXXX." Its asinine to keep going until everything is priced the same as a normal. Where is the bottom?

Ahh , but when do you stop dropping prices and say " This morph should be no lower than $XXXX." Its asinine to keep going until everything is priced the same as a normal. Where is the bottom?

On some morphs, I think we are getting close to finding out.

I thought so too until I seen hypos going for $79.

I thought so too until I seen hypos going for $79.

WHAT??

Yup. LLL Reptile had Hypo boas for $79.

Yup. LLL Reptile had Hypo boas for $79.

That's sad, I thought you meant hypo bps.... last time I saw hypo boas at a show 6 weeks ago, they were $150 each, better looking ones were higher....

I've heard of ads having them as low as $60. Its one of the reasons why I wonder where the bottom is.

I've heard of ads having them as low as $60. Its one of the reasons why I wonder where the bottom is.

I'd say it's where the desperado's are!