Unbelievable offer on a pair of breeders

[HappyFarmer]

Unbelievable.

It never ceases to amaze me how some people are so ignorant of quality & pricing.

Had someone offer me 150 less than what I was asking for a pair of breeders, 3-disease free/tested for going on 7 years. I responded with all the perks of my herd & animals, value addons I offer, and declined their offer after pointing these out.

They came back asking when they would be ready, then asked if I knew of someone else in her area where she could buy them. Oh, and I've come to the conclusion her name is "hey, you" as they don't even sign a name after 4 e-mails.

Times may be hard for some breeders but Heck will freeze over before I'll sell my animals to my competition at below cost. They'll go for meat at below cost or in my freezer before I'll do that. Been kidding since Dec & sold every goat so far, and no they aren't advertised as a herd reduction or going out of business!

I've never, ever, even thought about talking down a breeder of tested registered stock. I know what it takes to maintain such standards.

So, what are some of your peeves about sales or dealing with the ignorant?

HF

[Goat Servant]

We feel the same way, HF. They go to freezer first before selling at way below price.

"What? $100!?" (3mo old meat Boer) Hey I have to feed doe thru preg. Didnt mention all the work that could give me a decent hrly wage.

or "On the phone you said $100" Right. $100 for registered % yrlngs. One with Gr Ch status.

On the other hand we have friends who come work their butts off during The Big Muck. No money is exchanged. They get all the milk they want at no charge. And cheese if I have it.

[mekasmom]

Not everyone is interested in showing. That's the problem in your situation. It just wasn't a meeting of the minds. They may have not been interested in the types of things you are. Perhaps they were simply looking for pets or personal use meat goats or goats for their kids for 4H. There are a world of people outside the arena you are talking about who are interested in other reasons for having goats. It's simply not a meeting of the minds.

[mygoat]

My favorite was at a farmer's market. A rude fellow came to see my baby goats in a dog cage, which I don't sell AT market but use them as a marketing ploy - They're so cute I garner attention and make more sales of veggies and eggs. Sometimes they're for sale but I don't allow them to go to new homes except with off-the-farm sales, etc, and just give prospective buyers a business card if they're really interested.

At the farmer's market, I told a fellow vendor what I charge for kids. Mini doe kids start at 75.00, Alpines at 150.00. I didn't have the boers for sale then, so I didn't quote a price.

He loudly exclaimed that I'm so overpriced and he used to sell his pygmies for 25.00 apeice! In front of several people who were chatting with me, which I found very rude indeed.

I calmly asked him, "Did you test for CL, CAE, and Johne's? Do you copper bolus and BoSe your goats 3x per year? Did you do regular fecal sampling for appropriate worming, and practice Cocci prevention with kids? Did you bottle raise on CAE prevention? Do you particpate in performance programs or show your stock to prove their quality? I call sell my goats, which are very reasonably priced, ALL DAY to people who are informed and demand quality." He got a little purple in the face and muttered something and walked away.

[saanengirl]

I tell people my price, and if they aren't willing to pay it, usually they don't even make a counter offer, and if they ask me if I will take less, I usually say no. I will give discounts on groups of goats, however.

[eclipchic]

I'm glad I didn't try to talk the lady down I bought my milk goat from. I thought most livestock and other goods were open to a bit of haggling. I didn't realize how upset it would have made her had I tried. I didn't try to, but I really wanted to. I thought $400 was high, but I did pay it.

Try not to get quite so mad, not sure most people have any idea how much goats and other livestock cost. I know I didn't until I started asking.

[saanengirl]

I never get upset when people want to pay less. I explain why my goats are priced the way they are, and tell them that they won't find the same quality and breed any cheaper with any other breeder. I will try to work with people if they have genunine financial need. Usually I will offer to help them find a goat from another breeder or point them in the direction of a program that will help them get what they want affordably.

[HappyFarmer]

So would you take $150.00 less than your asking price? $25 or 50 is one thing, but $150.00 off?

It's not that I'm upset they tried to get a break, it's the break they were looking for for a pair of breeders. $150.00 off is a LOT.

I also give a multi-goat discount, between $25-50, I figure it's worth it to be because I won't have to meet & interview a 2nd buyer.

This lady knew what she was doing; these goats are hard to come by around here. If it was just price, there are many ads on craigslist for $100.00 goats, both dairy & meat. She wanted my breed, at a ridiculous price.

HF

[mygoat]

I do multiples discounts, sure, but you'd have to buy a lot of goats for 150.00 off! I'm thinking 25.00 per goat would be a reasonable discount. If they just wanted pets, there's always wethers available, which are inexpensive anywhere. Why anyone would sell a perfectly good dairy doe as a 'pet' for less makes no sense to me. It could be a ploy to get a decent doe cheaper.

I don't even price my goats less 'without papers'. They are WORTH what I ask, papers or not. I think 300-400.00 for an adult doe, tested clean herd, good conformation is very reasonable. For some reason, people think that pricing goes by what the sale barn pricing is... If you want to risk the sale barn, be my guest. If you want a guaranteed healthy animal with performance records to back up it's pedigree, UTD on vaccs/copper/bose/hooves, well cared for in general, then go with a good breeder and pay the extra bit - so worth it. I think more people would buy from tested herds and pay a little more if the general public realized people can get brucella/johne's/cl from their goats.

[IndyGardenGal]

I think you're right HappyFarmer. You don't want to undersell animals and lose money (especially when you go into all the work of taking proper care of them). That said, I have seen people with so-so genetics and less than great management practices asking much more than I'd be willing to pay for their animals.

[saanengirl]

I give discounts as a percent. You would have to be buying a pretty expensive goat to get a $150 discount from me. I'll usually give a 10% discount to someone buying 4 or more animals. I will also give a 10% discount on bucks only for people who are on DHI test or have appraised at least 3 out of the last 5 years. If they do both, they may get as much as a 20% discount on bucks.

If they are just not willing to pay my prices I will direct them elsewhere.

[Genevieve M.]

My daughter won't answer emails from buyers who do not sign there name and use correct punctuation and capitalization.

I thought that was ridiculous until I spent 3 days screening calls for her, and talking to people who wanted registered does in milk for the price of a $50 wether.

Who has time for that?

My new rule is to price every animal with the fairest price, and not to negotiate at all...ever. It worked, because we sold all our spring kids and have a waiting list for Fall kids.

[Pony]

If I like someone and I know they'll do right by my kids, I'll cut them a screaming deal. Folks have taken care of and done the same for me, and I like to pay it forward.

I know the quality of my herd (not show animals, but performance-bred, healthy livestock); I know their lines; I know the work I do to maintain the goats in top form.

If I want to give one away, I will.

BUT if I have a great goat for sale and someone tries to talk me down a ridiculous amount (and $150 is ridiculous), I stop talking to that person.

No sale. Period.

[Lizza]

Originally Posted by Genevieve M.

My daughter won't answer emails from buyers who do not sign there name and use correct punctuation and capitalization.

I thought that was ridiculous until I spent 3 days screening calls for her, and talking to people who wanted registered does in milk for the price of a $50 wether.

Who has time for that?

My new rule is to price every animal with the fairest price, and not to negotiate at all...ever. It worked, because we sold all our spring kids and have a waiting list for Fall kids.

That is so funny, I thought MY daughter was the only one that did that....she regularly will hit "delete" if correct punctuation and capitalization is not used. She figures if they can't take the time to write a correct few sentences, they won't take the time to raise her animals properly.

The absolute worst for us was when someone came out thinking the $25 bottle baby wethers were going to be giving her milk some day (you know, when they got older). Uh......no. Told her our DOE'S that will give her milk some day start at $125 for a baby (and go up from there)......$25 get's you a pet.

[mygoat]

Originally Posted by morningstar

That is so funny, I thought MY daughter was the only one that did that....she regularly will hit "delete" if correct punctuation and capitalization is not used. She figures if they can't take the time to write a correct few sentences, they won't take the time to raise her animals properly.

The absolute worst for us was when someone came out thinking the $25 bottle baby wethers were going to be giving her milk some day (you know, when they got older). Uh......no. Told her our DOE'S that will give her milk some day start at $125 for a baby (and go up from there)......$25 get's you a pet.

Ok. THAT is the worst. I would not even sell her a 25.00 pet, she knows absolutely nothing about goats. Wow.

[tailwagging]

Originally Posted by morningstar

That is so funny, I thought MY daughter was the only one that did that....she regularly will hit "delete" if correct punctuation and capitalization is not used. She figures if they can't take the time to write a correct few sentences, they won't take the time to raise her animals properly.

.

well that stinks. some people have a hard time with English just like some have a hard time with math or spelling (many levels of autism may put up learning blocks ). That doesn't mean that they won't care for their animals. In fact they may care and love them more since the animal doesn't judge their ability to write.
That is just being a snob.
karma is a .....

[mary,tx]

Maybe, but it's also a very good sign that the email is spam.

I've got so's I don't answer any emails on the goats. I put my phone number in the listing. If they are interested, they can call.

Nearly always I have found that people who email me ask questions I have clearly answered in my ad. I don't answer.

[Alice In TX/MO]

People made decisions for quite a wide variety of reasons. Spelling and punctuation are high on my list, too. I'm a former English teacher.

It's not being a snob; it's my personal filter.

[tailwagging]

Then you should understand. There are many forms of learning disabilities.

[francismilker]

While I've never like being low-balled on the price of an animal, I equally dislike a non-negotiable price tage.

Whether it's cattle, goats, pigs, or any other breed of livestock I feel that people try to get niche` market prices out of animals that are popular enough to have an industry standard price. If there's a goat sell within driving distance, that; in my opinion ought to dictate the average price of a goat. (I do understand that private treaty sales ought to get a little more for the perk of being able to hand pick a critter and see it in it's natural habitat.)
It seems that since the invention of the emu/ostrich fad a few years ago folks are trying to jack the price up on a species' value based upon what they believe it's worth. And heck, if you can get it, more power to you! It's just that at some point, those that paid $1200 for a clutch of emu eggs ultimately turned them loose to defend themselves when the market took a dive and they run out of suckers in the pyramid scheme.

In my area, I can go to the goat sale and pick up a nice boer or boer cross meat goat, as well as a nice looking grade milk goat for an average price of $1.75-$2.00 per pound. Or, you can go to someone down the road that has "show quality,CAE free, CL free, pedigreed % animals" for 3X that price. The problem is that once all the ag teachers and 4-H leaders have picked over the good ones the rest of them go to the above mentioned sale barn and sell for the same price as market goats.

I've tried to be patient and do my best to find out when those fancy goats are going to the sale barn so I can show up to buy!!! lol......