Sales forum has gotten out of hand

[Jedi Knghit]

I get where you are coming from, but if people are willing to pay those prices to other hobbyists, they will continue to sell at those prices.

Personally, I generally do not frag stuff to sell, but I have sold a few frags locally when I have had a few accidental frags, but I generally sell most of them for $10. I have also sold a couple of 6-8 in colonies of nothing special for around $40 to make room in my tank for something new. I am not trying to make money at it, but I don't mind a couple bucks here and there to put back into my tank.

I have to chuckle any time I hear someone mention "frag swaps". I don't know about your area, but around here they are just a group of coral vendors selling corals at market prices. Swapping is highly discouraged, and must take place in the parking lot.

 

[srobertb]

I was thinking about this post at lunch sitting here in Austin TX.

It makes me wonder how do frag swaps compete, brick and mortar stores etc

If I wanted a neon yellow sps coral with blue polyps there isn't a store I can just run to and get that, even in a city this size. A frag swap doesn't help me, that's a monthslong procurement goal but I would like to have the coral now. My tank is super old and full, there's no future coral stocking options it was pretty much this once since I had a vacated space to try something new.

Online in a forum or website is the only place I'd shop to fill that need, I'd pay what it costs depending on how bad I want the rare strain. If Austin had shops that had single nubs of yellow sps with blue polyps, I'd be shopping in person, but they don't.

Greetings from San Antonio.

There is the overhead of a storefront and display tanks too which makes it nearly impossible. A brick and mortar store will have to charge 30-100% more for the same coral. I have one store I’d actually consider buying coral from and honestly it’s slim pickens. There’s no “named” anything. As an example, they want $300 for a bubble tip anemone. The local Facebook group will list and sell them for $50.

I too would love a real brick and mortar store but honestly the closest I’ve ever gotten was a guy with a separate basement door who had 10-15 Rubbermaid totes plumbed together.

 

[Reef.]

I disagree, i think hobbyist direct sale is much larger than you think. Would be interesting to see the analysts on how much sales volume actually occurs through just reef2reef.

Your contention was that hobbyists prices are too near store prices, I wasn’t disagreeing with that, I was agreeing.
I was also making the point that there is a section of the market that does have ‘hobbyists prices’ This section of the market I was saying was a much smaller part of the market, if it was on the same scale as store sales, then that is when LFSs would run into more difficulties than they already are, they would be forced to lower their prices too.

If you disagree with that, and are now saying hobby prices are a big part of the market, then I’m not sure the reason for your post.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Independent sellers with zero overhead, possibly no company structure (LLC formation, etc) and no storefront (digital or otherwise) are charging at or above market for livestock.

I hope everyone understands that the heart of this hobby are in person frag swaps and below market peer to peer sales in a digital setting. LFS visits and online retailer shopping is also fun, BUT not what makes the community.

All of you are ruining the market. Importers and retailers will up their prices to follow this trend.

This is very true! It’s price gouging. Especially those selling full tank setups or used aquariums sorry to say but you won’t ever be making any money back and it shouldn’t be listed for thousands of dollars! Even the biggest setups it’s ridiculous!

 

[edd59]

What also feels good, is to purchase a coral, grow it and enjoy it for a time and eventually, it replicates enough polyps for you to be able to sell the extra, keep the coral you love, and buy Another coral you love.

There are two sides to this coin.

that is what i meant, grow it enjoy it and sell or give away a frag of it.

 

[NewCaliCaptives]

This is very true! It’s price gouging. Especially those selling full tank setups or used aquariums sorry to say but you won’t ever be making any money back and it shouldn’t be listed for thousands of dollars! Even the biggest setups it’s ridiculous!

especially used aquariums, they carry so much risk to the buyer and people try to sell them for $200 cheaper than a new one! But to the whole thread, i see the point yes but there are different instances. Some people maybe WANT to start a farm/business fragging corals so they sell them at similar prices as a business. I personally don’t see anything wrong with that at all. If you don’t want to pay it, then don’t buy it. Seems like someone is just upset that they wanted to buy a coral from someone on here they really wanted but didn’t want to pay for it. People can ask whatever price they want just don’t buy it if you don’t want to! Really that simple.

 

[xiongsy]

I like to vote with my dollars. I just bought the OSFF from DD at $130, yikes! I rarely ever see one and had to jump on it at 2 3/4" size.

 

[demonclownfish]

Back in the good ol days we had a "whatcha bringing to.... " frag swap threads on a local Michigan forum. People would trade and pre plan sales. Frogspawn/most euphyllia were $5/head. Dendro were $10/head. You had a hard time giving away mushrooms. I don't support most people on the open market anymore as I can see they're just looking to make a buck.

 

[HB AL]

I was out of the salt game for 12 years. It’s crazy how the market has changed. Frogspawns, hammers and torches used to be $20 a head… ricordia used to be $10-20 for a big one…. It’s insane what some places are charging for some of these now, but…. it seems the market does what it wants to and charges what people are willing to pay. Corals come and go in popularity just like their prices. BTW I’m still trying to lay eyes on, in person, a old school green Monti cap with the bright purple rim. Everyone says no one wants those anymore so hopefully when I do find it drags will be cheap.

Have one of those come over and I'll give ya a chunk.

 

[DIYreefer]

What also feels good, is to purchase a coral, grow it and enjoy it for a time and eventually, it replicates enough polyps for you to be able to sell the extra, keep the coral you love, and buy Another coral you love.

There are two sides to this coin.

This is basically what I do. Aquaculture is my favorite part of the hobby. I really enjoy having an ever expanding, wide variety of corals. I've got a FS thread running in the classifieds on here right now and the proceeds will go right back into my tanks. Actually, some of the proceeds have already gone back into my tanks. I purchased a sweet millepora frag pack (got me one of them fancy rainbow splices, lol!) from another member on here this morning.

I'm not a wealthy man and there's no way my wife would sign off on the kind of money that I spend on my hobby if it didn't sustain itself, financially.

 

[19Mateo83]

Have one of those come over and I'll give ya a chunk.

That would be a long ride But thank you!

 

[Asagi]

So many mixed opinions here. So interesting.

 

[spsick]

I don’t even looks at it bc it’s a joke (except for Therman‘s running post)

 

[revhtree]

We can create a torch giveaway forum and all you guys who want to give, trade and sell cheap could have at it. Just let me know!

 

[Asagi]

We can create a torch giveaway forum and all you guys who want to give, trade and sell cheap could have at it. Just let me know!

Any analytics on how much money the livestock sale thread has made yearly historically?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

We can create a torch giveaway forum and all you guys who want to give, trade and sell cheap could have at it. Just let me know!

Rev's Troll game is Strong.

 

[revhtree]

Any analytics on how much money the livestock sale thread has made yearly historically?

Sadly we do not have a way to track that.

 

[revhtree]

Rev's Troll game is Strong.

I’m being serious….

For real though this does resurrect some ideas about community wide Frag trades etc. that we can explore.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I’m being serious….

For real though this does resurrect some ideas about community wide Frag trades etc. that we can explore.

They are still alive and growing. I know the homie @shootingstar_reef is putting together a meet up group/ swap right now in the San Fernando valley.

*Shameless Plug*

 

[biecacka]

I do agree that some hobbyist prices are close to retailers. I don’t think That is an issue in the retail side, but more the fact the hobbyist are trying it. BUT, they sell them so it’s fair, it’s not illegal. it’s free market.
would it be awesome if you bought a frag for 250$ grew it and sold it for 20$ a frag. But if sold for 175$ you still save money.
I think finding local hobbyist in your areas and buying/trading among locals is still the best option and one I personally take advantage of and in turn offer great deals to others. I have only bought corals from a vendor, 1 time in my life and it was years ago. I buy everything from local hobbyists now.

corey