Pricing?

[socialworker81]

I posted an ad on eBay animals to attempt to sell my baby Russians. They are approximately 7 months old. I have had a few inquires ( not from breeders) they have all declined the $100 price. Is $100 appropriate for baby Russians that are captive bred? I know some of the local pett stores offer wild caught adults for $80-$110...

 

[Yvonne G]

I think a breeder should offer his babies at any price he feels is appropriate. In my case, when the first price didn't sell the babies, I lowered it and tried again.

I have seen Russian tortoises for sale at the pet stores for $79.95. But I would think a captive bred baby might be able to garner a higher price.

 

[EricIvins]

Your marketing your animals to the wrong crowd.......

 

[jaizei]

I think $100 is on the low side for a CB Russian. Seems like most I have seen were around $200

 

[Laura]

I saw them for $65... but they are not common.. and people want babies.. so I'd hold out,, if someone really wants one, they will pay a little more...

 

[socialworker81]

Thanks for the advice. I tried to not ask too much, but I always thought cb babies were on the pricier side, as a lot of baby tortoises are. The only reason used eBay was because I prefer not to ship (I'm new to shipping tortoises) and thought I would get local people to buy them. Craigslist and the paper kind of scare me as to who might call...

 

[Spn785]

Did you post on this forum? I know there are always people looking for CB Russians, and $100 is definitely a very good price for one.

 

[EricIvins]

Thanks for the advice. I tried to not ask too much, but I always thought cb babies were on the pricier side, as a lot of baby tortoises are. The only reason used eBay was because I prefer not to ship (I'm new to shipping tortoises) and thought I would get local people to buy them. Craigslist and the paper kind of scare me as to who might call...

Exactly. All the outlets your using are not catered to anything Reptile related. You may sell one or two locally, but if you aren't advertising on Reptile or Tortoise related forums/classifieds you aren't going to do so well.......

What most people don't realize is the fact that the advertising/marketing aspect of things costs more than producing the animals themselves......

 

[yagyujubei]

Sell them on fauna classified, it's free.

 

[kanalomele]

Yes $100. Is extremely reasonable. Mine sold this year for around that. I would like to be able to value them around $175. Which is becoming pretty typical for an online sale. I don't think my local crowd would tolerate that simply because some locally are selling them at $65.

 

[socialworker81]

Thanks again! I will keep trying. I stumbled in breeding by accident, but now I kind of enjoy it. I wish I didn't have to sell such cute babies, but it is unrealistic to keep them all. I am not interested in paying for advertising. I think I can find them a good home at some point...
Oh and I have posted on here often, but I don't want to ship. I think I could find them a good home fast if I did.

 

[mainey34]

Where are you located?

 

[socialworker81]

NW Pennsylvania. Not the most ideal place to raise a tortoise! But they seem to be doing well

 

[TortoiseBoy1999]

Your marketing your animals to the wrong crowd.......

Ditto :-/

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I think $100 is on the low side for a CB Russian. Seems like most I have seen were around $200

My thought's exactly.

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NW Pennsylvania. Not the most ideal place to raise a tortoise! But they seem to be doing well

If you REALLY want to sell them. I would learn how to ship them Especially because their so small

 

[biochemnerd808]

I'd post them in the classifieds on here. You never know, there might be someone close enough to you that they can come pick them up.

Your marketing your animals to the wrong crowd.......

Ditto :-/

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I think $100 is on the low side for a CB Russian. Seems like most I have seen were around $200

My thought's exactly.

---

NW Pennsylvania. Not the most ideal place to raise a tortoise! But they seem to be doing well

If you REALLY want to sell them. I would learn how to ship them Especially because their so small

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[jtrux]

Your price is very reasonable, me personally for a 7 month old cb Russian, I wouldn't take a penny less than 150 but that's just me. If you can hold them I would wait it out. Don't let people lowball you for your hard work.

 

[socialworker81]

I just wanted to update this post. I did haves few people respond from the eBay ad. I was to meet someone yesterday to sell two of the tortoises. I asked him to meet me in a public place. It's sad I would have to ask such a thing, but you never know what may happen. Needless to say, he never responded to meeting in a public area. I guess I should be glad, it's kind of scary I think from now on, I will only be shipping the little guys, or selling them to people I know!

 

[jwhite]

I missed this thread when it was first started. I think your price for a CB Russian is low I ask for and get $125 and i feel that it is low I see them offered for much closer to the $200 range. I was nervous about shipping when i first started breeding also, but once you do it a few times it isn't so bad. I use shipyourreptiles.com to get a better ship rate and have never had a bad experience. Also this forum and faunaclassifieds are great places to advertise.

 

[socialworker81]

Thank you, I think I may increase the price and start shipping!

 

[biochemnerd808]

There is a good thread on here about shipping a tortoise, including pictures: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-1379.html - in these instructions they don't add any substrate in the small inside box - I've seen people add a variety of substrates to help keep the tort from knocking around (e.g. vermiculite, coco coir etc).
I hear shipyourreptiles.com is good, and UPS will do an overnight delivery for about $40 - people WILL pay for that, they would when ordering form a website, anyway.

Thank you, I think I may increase the price and start shipping!