Calling out all vendors... Ultra Rare Super Toxic Holy Garbage...

[Reefer Matt]

You see i used to buy this argument. Until i realized that every hobbyist that keeps coral is essentially a coral farm. We don't need the vendors. they are the 2nd or 3rd person to touch our coral before we get them if they are even getting them from wholesaler. they are cultivating and selling frags that are barely bigger than my pinky nail. My SPS put on that much growth or more every month. I break off $1k worth of frags every time i put my stupid clumsy big hands in my tank... And i can tell you from experience that the margin on coral is far better than the margin on fish. I am only speaking to coral. i know the hardships that the small shops face when trying to fight against giant companies like BRS and online vendors to make a sale. those margins are super narrow.

I agree, but people mostly would still rather buy the "Brand Name" coral from the coral celebrities because they feel like it is better and worth more. Even if you have the very same coral. It's not so much about the coral, it's about shopping habits. It applies to everything. Value perceived over valued received.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

Dear Vendors,

Your use of the words Super, Ultra, Rare, Holy, OG, Rainbow, Unique, ETC is absurd. I am seeing labels placed on coral that is nothing short of blah and mundane. But I guess those words don't command high dollar amounts. For all those that insist on selling Zoanthids at such high prices PER POLYP, for the vendors that are selling coral at hundreds and thousands of dollars based on a name. You are pricing people out of the hobby.

I understand capitalism. I understand that there are some instances when it costs more to import and grow a coral, cultivate it. But I refuse to believe that the greed that i see in this hobby today is anything short of just that GREED...

Wake up hobbyists... Live sale, flash sale, they aren't really sales. and these are the same vendors selling 1500 coral at an average price of 50 a coral every 2 weeks during these "sales". Not to mention the product they sell in between. For those of you that math is hard, that is $112,500 for each flash sale at that price. Even if they only do one a month or one for every holiday or other event like "back to school sale".... They are still doing 12 to 20 of these sales a year. They are robbing us blind as hobbyists.

There is so much more that can be said... but until hobbyists are no longer willing to pay these prices and go back to the trade them if you have them mentality, eventually this will end up being a hobby for the ULTR SUPER RARE HOLY OG RICH people....


Anyone want to buy a super ultra rare og Tiger torch?

People do chose to pay those prices. A green slimer, red digi, garf bonsia, red dragon, monti caps, pc rainbow, and ora red planet could all be had for 150$ and would make an incredible tank. Honestly a tank that would look way better than a tank full of home wreckers, vivid insanities, and rainbow splices under all but the most blue lighting.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

What does gross margin have to do with the topic of the predatory Coral name game?

Adding FLAIR WORDS to an ordinary coral which should command an ordinary price, then adding 50% because of the Name does nothing but price consumers out.

When is it downright Lying? There is a certain vendor here who sells single, Barely pinching heads of a torch as two heads. Is that okay? I don't think so. Two is a number. It means something. It's verifiable. I can count to 10 with my hands. Why can't they count to Two with their eyes?

When's the last time we saw an ordinary RFA listed for $20? 2 years ago, that was the standard. Today, Everything is rainbow, super Ultra $45 minimum. The coral is the same.

Inflation is a thing. Shipping cost is a thing. Those have gone up. We agree.

Every coral is not rare, super or Ultra. They can Just be coral. We'll still buy them.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

I have all the above coral from my last post. Those cheaper corals really do blow the expensive ones out of the water with color and growth. If I didnt have the cheap corals, my tank would look so sad only having the expensive ones.

 

[N1tew0lf1212]

Im just glad my local coral shop doesnt approach things by name or super rare ultra the have great prices and are in it for the right reasons. Also why i will never purchase corals online. Seems like a lot of folks getting disappointed now a days or dealing with doas. Support local. Everyone has the right to purchase or not but when we keep purchasing everything at insane prices they will stay insane. I noticed the cronie way of life is keep your circle get from your circle and keeps things flowing this is why all of you guys and gals are the best on the forum. You keep it legit and always help eachother out wish more groups were like yall.....

 

[rtparty]

I agree that this would be a hard number to actually quantify. and if any vendor cares to chime in about their expenses then maybe i could feel better about buying from them but not on the grounds of all of the stupid names they place on the coral.

see my previous post about hobbyists being coral farmers... we dont need the vendors as much as we all think we do...

Actually, we do need some of them. What we need less of is hobbyists that do nothing to control pests. I don't know of a single hobbyist I would willingly buy coral from. Okay, there might be one and they left this forum already.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

People do chose to pay those prices. A green slimer, red digi, garf bonsia, red dragon, monti caps, pc rainbow, and ora red planet could all be had for 150$ and would make an incredible tank. Honestly a tank that would look way better than a tank full of home wreckers, vivid insanities, and rainbow splices under all but the most blue lighting.

Have you looked at prices recently?

THE big sale last weekend. PC R nubs @ $50. Garf Bonsai $45 2" red planet "mini colony " $70..

 

[Lionfish hunter]

Im just glad my local coral shop doesnt approach things by name or super rare ultra the have great prices and are in it for the right reasons. Also why i will never purchase corals online. Seems like a lot of folks getting disappointed now a days or dealing with doas. Support local. Everyone has the right to purchase or not but when we keep purchasing everything at insane prices they will stay insane. I noticed the cronie way of life is keep your circle get from your circle and keeps things flowing this is why all of you guys and gals are the best on the forum. You keep it legit and always help eachother out wish more groups were like yall.....

Unfortunately I do not have a local shop that I am aware of that sells aqua-cultured acros. And I live in a city of 5 million. I need to see many pictures of what the colony will look like in order to want it in my tank. That and I want a reasonable chance of it being pest free. Also do not want to support taking coral from the ocean when it is not needed.

 

[Kathy Floyd]

I have seen a sale not long ago list a torch for $199. Recent sale $299.00. I just scroll along.

 

[Petcrazyson]

I have seen a sale not long ago list a torch for $199. Recent sale $299.00. I just scroll along.

Good move.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

Have you looked at prices recently?

THE big sale last weekend. PC R nubs @ $50. Garf Bonsai $45 2" red planet "mini colony " $70..

If you spend all day during a topshelfaquatic sale there are normally 20$ slimers and garf bonsais, free monti caps and digi. But that was a year ago I did that. I agree things are higher, probably because shipping is insane.

 

[rtparty]

Dear forumites,

Do we really need another post on this exact topic yet again? There was one last week and the week before and the week before and the week bef...you get the point

Apple and Google call it Pro and Ultra now. Dog breeders gave them cute names and upped the price. Every single thing/hobby in life is branded with crazy names. Why would this hobby be any different? It will never change or go back. You either accept the change or die on the lonley hill. By the way you can accept the change and refuse to partake. Which is exactly what I do.

Who cares what the names are? If you like it and like the price, buy it. If you don't like it, don't buy it. There will always be ways to do things cheaper than someone else in life.

 

[JoJosReef]

These posts are fine in my opinion for spreading awareness. Key point here, what's in a name?

I don't mind coral vendors or live sales. My process is simple:
1. Like coral? If Yes => 2. Can I swallow the price? If Yes => 3. Look at tank. Is there room for coral? No. SMH!

 

[workhz]

What does gross margin have to do with the topic of the predatory Coral name game?

I'm not disagreeing with the basic premise of the names, sales and the marketing being the stupidest thing ever. I've said that before. Since the OP mentioned revenue I just wanted to point out that without knowing anything else it's impossible to know whether they are making money hand over fist, barely scraping by or will go bankrupt in a year.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

@rtparty

There was a good thread on ridding yourself of forumites over in the hitchhikers forum a while back. Unfortunately, the dip only works on Super Ultra Forumites, so we're safe.

 

[Lionfish hunter]

I am currently trying to use this problem to my advantage. I figure if I can sell 3 frags of my rainbow splice, I can pay for all the other corals I have. I could honestly care less about the rainbow splice, this is the only reason I bought one.

 

[JoJosReef]

@rtparty

There was a good thread on ridding yourself of forumites over in the hitchhikers forum a while back. Unfortunately, the dip only works on Super Ultra Forumites, so we're safe.

So us OG forumites are still safe?

 

[Kupo]

I do save a lot from those flash sales though... got a $5 goni and several $15 - $30 corals. Torches and hammers at my LFS are $120+, while those online flash sales are $15-$50. Most of the corals I bought are under $20.

 

[MoshJosh]

These posts are fine in my opinion for spreading awareness. Key point here, what's in a name?

I don't mind coral vendors or live sales. My process is simple:
1. Like coral? If Yes => 2. Can I swallow the price? If Yes => 3. Look at tank. Is there room for coral? No. SMH!

3 isn't really that important is it? . . . always room for one more

 

[JoJosReef]

3 isn't really that important is it? . . . always room for one more

And there's where the system fails, haha!!