Selling Corals for Profit $$$

[TheGringo]

Just noticing some recent for sale threads by user/s on Canreef...

For starters. Everyone has the right to do what they choose with their money, either buy from these sellers, or do the same as these sellers (if you can afford it) and buy direct from sites or businesses most likely at discounts. When you buy scolys, brains, or frags of anything for the purpose of selling for profit and have no intention on keeping them or enjoying them strictly to line your own pockets and sell at retail prices competing with legitimate retailers, just doesn't seem right. If I was in the business (which I'm not) I may be a little annoyed (which I kind of am I guess)

If you...
-Don't have a business license
-Don't pay tax (except when you purchase)
-Don't pay sponsorship fees
-etc

Not saying you need to! But... The CRA may not look to kindly at this venture

Buying frags and growing them out in your home aquarium and the fragging them for trade or sell is a GREAT thing! Doing so is encouraged IMO and totally reef safe. Maybe you make money doing so, helping pay for this expensive hobby? Thats a great way to keep costs down and the wife/parents/kids happy. All for it!

And I do think it's a fine line, if someone pays top dollar for something no one else has, say 5 rare zoa polyps, keeps one and sells or trades 4 of them for profit, that can be totally fine (even though its kinda the same thing). But when you're doing it in bulk and when you buy the single pieces and sell the single pieces knowing full well you didn't want it to begin with and saw potential in making money, then, well, couch cough. You're competing with legitimate business and contributing nothing to our economy like the hard working businesses out there

Just know that some people, doubt it's just me, feel the same way.

[Slyguy00]

I think people have the right to do as they please. If someone gets something for a good deal, and sees the value of it and wants to make some money how is that wrong at all??? If the stores wonna compete maybe they should lower the prices a little bit. I'm all for buying coral to make profit. Gotta pay for this expensive hobby somehow. And I find it irritating you would go out of your way to write such a long post just to complain about what other people do with the stuff they buy. Especially for your first post here.

[Coral Hoarder]

I am 100% fine with if some one gets a good deal and sees the value in the piece sells it and makes a buck. if some one at a store sees this as unfare that some one might buy something frag it and re sell it stores should raise prices


Now if your bringing corals in from a wholesaler in indonesia or aussi then absolutely you should be paying taxes or having a business licence can't think I know of any one i know doing that tho

[Aquattro]

Here's the deal with this. The selling of frags on the site is approved ONLY for frags you've raised and trimmed to make room in your tank. You own the colony and trim it, or you are parting with something no longer wanted.

Any poster that is verified, or close enough for my satisfaction, as selling any items for the sole intent of profit from resale, will be removed.

I'm also really annoyed at members making fake accounts to post an opinion. If you have one, post it. Don't hide. I'm reviewing and will possibly ban all IPs related to this fake ID.

[Slyguy00]

Good call brad

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Here's the deal with this. The selling of frags on the site is approved ONLY for frags you've raised and trimmed to make room in your tank. You own the colony and trim it, or you are parting with something no longer wanted.

Any poster that is verified, or close enough for my satisfaction, as selling any items for the sole intent of profit from resale, will be removed.

I'm also really annoyed at members making fake accounts to post an opinion. If you have one, post it. Don't hide. I'm reviewing and will possibly ban all IPs related to this fake ID.

Agree.

This thread almost put me to sleep. Who cares. If you sell to somebody and they resell, it's theirs to sell. Stop complaining you never asked enough.

That's life. You could ask more.

I get tired if jacked retail prices and will gladly buy from a closet shop if he has good pieces. Even if he makes a profit.

If you frag your $25 sps ten times... You just made profit.

So everybody who frags makes "profit"

If you don't like the price. Don't buy. Somebody else will.

[reefermadness]

If you frag your $25 sps ten times... You just made profit.

So everybody who frags makes "profit"

Well thats not true at all. Profit comes at the end of all expenses. If your selling frags of corals you spent years growing (ie. your a hobbyist), profit is pretty imaginary. Not only do you have ongoing costs of running a system (ie. electical, salt, GFO, carbon, RO filters etc) you have your captiol expense of equipment. And lets not even mention your time. Cause if you are keeping track of profit your time should be considered an expense.

I totally wish I could see every dollar I spent and made in this hobby. If anyone "hobbyist" could come close to breaking even or "profiting" it would be someone like me with a large system and a dizzying amount of coral. Even so I think I would be short. Especially considering my large successful tank came after 2 other failures (previous tanks).

[FishingGoalie]

Originally Posted by Slyguy00

I think people have the right to do as they please. If someone gets something for a good deal, and sees the value of it and wants to make some money how is that wrong at all??? If the stores wonna compete maybe they should lower the prices a little bit. I'm all for buying coral to make profit. Gotta pay for this expensive hobby somehow.

I agree in some points to everyones responses. I personally wouldn't buy something from a fellow canreefer and sell it for a better price as that is just rude. What I have done in the past is buy a large colony from someone and the colony was to large to fit where i want it to go. So what I did was get a hold of the person who sold it to me and i asked them if he wouldn't mind if i fragged it and sold some pieces and asking him what price he thought was fair and we came to a conclusion on the price. I then saved him a piece for his new tank as well. I also usually only go to the stores that i think have fair prices, there is many stores I go to which i find way over priced.

In response to brad I agree with him completely on the selling your own frags and trimming. I actually didn't wasn't aware of this rule until now and I'm glad it was brought to my attention. On the other hand i feel if someone makes a bad purchase that they shouldn't have they should be allowed to sell it.( We have all made bad purchases that we wish we could take back.

This is just my 2 cents.

[Slyguy00]

I agree with you there. I also would not buy something from somebody off here and sell it for more. But if i go to a store and see something i want and i know its worrh money i will keep a piece for myself and sell the rest to try and recover my costs. I dont see anything wrong with that.

[FishingGoalie]

Yup Me neither