How do you charge for frags?

[SoloSK71]

A couple of threads on Reef Central and here made me wonder. How do you determine what do you charge for the frags that you sell?

Charles

[SoloSK71]

I personally sell frags at a price that helps me recovery some of the costs for supplies, food, chemicals, etc.

I don't know what I will do when some of the more expensive ones are ready to frag.

Charles

[somafish]

If I bought it from a retailer, I try to make it a point not to sell what I payed. Im a hobbyist so I have no right to ask those prices. I bought a Jawbreaker for $550, I sell them for $300-350 depending on color. If I bought it from a fellow hobbyist I don't mind keeping it that price.

Something to keep in mind for higher priced corals from vendors is its not like they are price gouging. Chances are they payed a pretty penny to get it into Canada, they have their overhead costs and if it is rare why wouldn't you charge a premium

[SoloSK71]

I am not questioning the retailer pricing, I am asking about people who buy these ultra high end frags and then have 5, 10, 15 frags after a year or two and how they price them.

I bought a 1" frag of RR Kush for $200, but when it gets to a size that I feel comfortable getting some frags from it, I don't think I will sell them for more than $40 or so. That recovers some of my costs, gets some beautiful frags in other peoples tanks who might never have gotten something like this.

Similarly, I bought a colony of green trumpets (call them toxic or nuclear, the naming has been some mixed no on can really tell any more) for about $100 for something like 60 to 80 heads. I sold those frags for $5 per frag (not per head) to get the colony to a size that would fit in the tank I had at the time.

Charles

[DKoKoMan]

I bought a 1" frag of RR Kush for $200, but when it gets to a size that I feel comfortable getting some frags from it, I don't think I will sell them for more than $40 or so. That recovers some of my costs, gets some beautiful frags in other peoples tanks who might never have gotten something like this.

Charles

Glad to hear! :smile: it's nice to see your colony grow, be fragged and sold at a decent cost. This allows more reefers to get a piece of the pie IMO. Unless that is your sole business, I look at it as recovering some cost and helping another out.

[Scythanith]

If I bought it from a retailer, I try to make it a point not to sell what I payed. Im a hobbyist so I have no right to ask those prices. I bought a Jawbreaker for $550, I sell them for $300-350 depending on color. If I bought it from a fellow hobbyist I don't mind keeping it that price.

Something to keep in mind for higher priced corals from vendors is its not like they are price gouging. Chances are they payed a pretty penny to get it into Canada, they have their overhead costs and if it is rare why wouldn't you charge a premium

Have any frags? PM me :)

[SoloSK71]

I am not sure you can frag from a 1" frag :) but when I have some they I will let you know.

Charles

[Scythanith]

I am not sure you can frag from a 1" frag :) but when I have some they I will let you know.

Charles

I know someone with the WD tenuis that may be worth trading some jawbreaker for ;)

[iceman86]

I usually price them for the going local hobby rate, not the store rate. When people come I usually throw in a couple extra for free. Happened to me a couple times before so I just pass it on.

Just last week a guy wanted to trade a couple frags with me, I just gave him 8 different frags without a trade. Usually if I know the people and they are good people I just give it to them free.

[Dearth]

I don't frag often but when I do everything is at a low price

If I wanted to make money I would of gotten into something cheaper but I have salt water so I do my part to help out others. Believe it or not I have had people become very angry because I was selling cheap and people won't buy from them. Each to their own

[Scythanith]

I guess I should actually address the question :) I sell frags for what I feel they are worth, simple as that. If I paid $250 for a frag, I will likely try to sell my frags of that coral for $150. If I have a plethora of red montipora, I will give someone a mini colony for $15. But for stuff like my SI Pectina frags, $250 a pop. I don't try to compete with other people's prices simply because I don't care what they charge. If someone wants my corals, they will pay what I advertise the price is. I don't care if you can get that green slimer for $10 from joeblowcorals.ca, if you want it from my tank now it's $25 :) I mean I dicker on price somewhat, depending on how much a person is buying.

But then there is the whole trading side of it. If someone has something I want I am 100% down for bartering. I buy nice big name corals for them to retain their value and give me trade value.

[Scythanith]

I feel like I should trademark joeblowcorals.ca now :)

[iamfrontosa]

I usually price them for the going local hobby rate, not the store rate. When people come I usually throw in a couple extra for free. Happened to me a couple times before so I just pass it on.

Just last week a guy wanted to trade a couple frags with me, I just gave him 8 different frags without a trade. Usually if I know the people and they are good people I just give it to them free.

I am with iceman86. When I do sell my stuffs, I also priced local hobby rate. If someone tries to lowball me even more, I will just not sell. However, if the person is nice and fair, I will throw in freebies.

I even gave away many RR frags such as Rainbow loom, Pink Cadillac, Barney, Orange Passion, Pink Floyd to people. I see them as my backups and I really don't mind giving.

[GoFish]

I'd way rather trade than sell stuff, but having an infatuation for zoanthids and owning a tonne of different colours it's getting harder to find things to trade for that I don't have.

1. I usually ask what I would pay for the frag. Sometimes taking into account for what it originally cost, sometimes just wing it. Once in a while someone says how much for a frag of a particular zoa. If I don't have any frags, then I'll make one then decide.

2. How much the local store will give me for them in credit.

Always open to offers especially if someone is new to the hobby or wants a few pieces. Not a fan of people who say "what's your best price?". I consider that question rude in general, especially when someone does that via text message or PM.

[Myka]

Mainly, I just take my frags into the LFS for credit because I don't like strangers in my house. I like trades best (retail value for retail value) because both parties get a good deal. If I sell directly, I usually price at whatever the market will bear. I try to be about 75% of retail. I don't like to sell frags too cheap (especially high-end frags) because then it damages the value of the coral. I really like the auctions here because then I don't have to price them, the buyer does. :D

Not a fan of people who say "what's your best price?". I consider that question rude in general, especially when someone does that via text message or PM.

Agreed! I usually tell those people my original asking price or I add $5 hehe, and if I'm in a bad mood I might even block them. :lol: The low-ballers? I don't reply. If there's one thing I can't stand is cheap people. If you can't afford the price, you don't get to buy it. Simple. I don't usually entertain offers either. If someone is willing to pay the prices, doesn't ask for a deal, and buy a few things, then I usually offer them a price break. If they ask for one...NO PRICE BREAK! :lol:

[soapy]

My prices tend to be based on growth rates, survivability and fragging success rates.

Pink birdsnest? - Free

That chalice that went from 2 inch diameter to 2.5 in 2 years and dies back if you wave the nippers at it? - $$$

But then I come at strictly as a hobbiest not trying to make money, like a lot of others sometimes it is just about trying to recoup some of the cost of the coral.