Surcharge on lone or extra females

Well, it seems to be pretty obvious that you all are telling me you would rather pay extra for those females rather than have me just tell you I'm not going to sell them to you. So I will go along with the public sentiment here.

Effective immediately, there will be a 25 percent surcharge for all lone females or extra females added to a pair. For instance, if you order 1.2 (a male and 2 females), one male and one female will be charged at the regular price, and one female will have 25 percent of the price added to the total.

Getting a lone female of one cultivar and a lone male of another does not exempt the female from this surcharge. In this sort of instance, I would still be in jeopardy of having a shortage of females in the cultivar and this would not be offset by a surplus in another. If someone wants a pair of Butter Corns, but I only have males left, my having extra Hypo Okeetee females will do me absolutely no good.

This is not being mercenary, and has been given a lot of thought lately. I agree with the consensus that since females are in higher demand, then it is logical that people should expect to pay more for them. Of course, I have no idea how I am going to manage this at the shows we attend. I hate to have to just put a higher price on the females, but at some of the shows it is just too busy to expect to have to explain this 25 percent surcharge thing to everyone wanting to buy just a female.

Thanks for all of the input.

Good for you Rich, I think it's only fair.
Jimmy C.

Totally understandable....
I would say that extra female should be charged at a higher price. Once people get used to this, then you wont have to scrach your head everytime you try to explain to people why extra females costs 25% higher....
don't worry this time will come!

I can see where it would be hard to explain at shows. I would put the higher price on the females and then deduct the xtra on the sales ticket if they bought a pair. I sure would dislike having to explain the surcharge when I was really busy There is always drawbacks to everything it seems!!

I knew I should have ordered yesterday...LOL
So, what does this mean to those that have already placed this years order? Are you definately going to hold the same true for shows? I mean, I want an opal or hypo lavender possibly, but I don't think I have the extra money to buy a pair.... so now the female will cost me $250? Woah! What if I intended to purchase the male next year or one was purchased later in the season? So, you definately can not mix morphs into a pair? Thanks a lot.... I'm just curious and would like some clarifications...Thanks Rich!

I just wanted to say that I think Alicia has an excecellent suggestion. Mark the price on all your show stock as if they were buying single females, then give them a *special discount* for buying pairs or single males.

I think discounts are a lot easier to explain than surcharges. Everyone wants one and hates the other.

^CB

I understand why you have to do what you have to do. But I must admit I am a little taken back by the fact that you cant mix cultivars. Not to mention 25% can be quite a large surcharge on say a 200.00 dollar Butter Motley. Will I pay it? Probably Just wanted to share my concerns! Please dont take them the wrong way. Like I said, I do understand. With things going the way they are here at home anyway, I will most likely have to wait till next year to start my collection. I just hope the prices dont go up even more by then! Goodluck with the new policy and I hope you figure out a way to incorporate the policy at your shows. Take care, Lindsay

You have to do what the industry is doing and what your comfortable with. One suggestion I would add is that another breeder will allow a pair from different morphs, if the chioce of which one is female is hers. That way the buyer who wants say a Butter and a Lav. can still get the discounted price for the pair, and you can choose which is female according to your stock or the higher priced morph.

Just my 2 cents!

Colleen

I personally like that idea best! Thank God i got my order in last month

(A crowd has gathered over at the corn snake vendor's table. Deli dishes with baby snakes inside them cover the table in two groups, males and females. It is obvious that the females are more expensive than the males by the price tags on each.)

A man in the crowd speaks: "Hey, Why are the females more expensive than the males?"

The vendor answers: "Females are more intelligent...and they produce babies...see one you like?"