Ending designer name prices?

[Cody Ray]

It seem like for the most part designer names create outragous prices on corals. This makes it difficult for people who are unable to afford these high prices to get a frag of these wonderful corals (me included ). I don't mind keeping the names, in fact I think there kind of cool, however I think that everyone deserves the opportunity to buy these corals. I was thinking of maybe getting my hands on a couple "designer pieces" and then selling as many frags as I could for lower prices and encouraging buyers to do the same so that maybe more people could enjoy these corals. Any other suggestions?

 

[Angel*Fish]

however I think that everyone deserves the opportunity to buy these corals.

Don't you believe in a free market system? lol - Don't take that the wrong way --- I am older & have earned the right to pick on young people

The rest of your post makes it apparent that you do indeed understand economics, that is if your goal is to drive the price down... Anyway - put me on your list, I'd love to get my hands on some of these premium frags for less than the current market price! If you have good connections on the west coast, even better!

 

[Cody Ray]

Just yesterday at an auction some zoo frags went for $55 dollars for 10-15 polyps!

 

[ReefRascals]

I just saw some place that gad a single zoo polyp for $600.00. And it wasn't anything special. Don't get all hung up in it. There are plenty of places that sell really nice zoos...and other corals at fair prices. purecaptive.com is just one of fthe top of my head. Check your LFS too.

 

[dhnguyen]

Why follow the fad? That's all that it is really -- a fad.

I can remember when BTA's and Xenias were selling for hundreds of dollars now people are practically giving them away

Just sit and wait and watch those outrageous prioces come down as more and more of those "rare" corals become available through aquaculturing.


D.

 

[billsreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8458972#post8458972 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dhnguyen
Why follow the fad? That's all that it is really -- a fad.

Yup, some people just need to be able to say they spent some outrageous sum of money for something with a silly and otherwise meaningless name. Naturally there are those that are more than happy to fill that niche and take advantage of being able to sell to fanatics for outrageous profit margins.

 

[xtm]

I will gather up Cyano from my tank and name it "Ultra-Rare Red PITA" and sell it on eBay for $500

 

[billsreef]

Be sure and photoshop the picture to enhance the color

 

[Blazer88]

People seem to be missing part of the picture here; demand. There is much more than just "selling" a piece of fad coral for extreme prices, there has to be someone willing to pay that much to start. Obviously no one is willing to pay for Cyano. Someone has to first want the coral and then find it, which is generally limited in supply, which will drive up the price.

I have sold baby pink Ricordia's no larger than a dime for $100 or over each. Is that my fault? Nope. There is no way to necessarily charge, for lack of better word, money for a coral without a buyer. If no one was willing to pay that price I would have happily lowered it to meet demand. People can try to get $20 a polyp for a zoanthid all day long, but in the end if there is no demand for that it will lower in price.

So in the end, don't get mad at someone who is selling corals for high prices. The best thing you can do is just not purchase them, and get everyone else you know to do the same, and prices will meet what the consumer is willing to pay. Just my thoughts.

 

[dhnguyen]

You're absolutely right Blazer88. Although if I was charging somebody these premium prices I don't think I could do it with a straight face :lol:

 

[Dr.FuManchu]

Lets all propagate the "named", "fad" Corals and sell them at reasonable prices. That will show those Coral Mongering, ripoff , scammers. $100 for a ricordia GTFOH!

CORAL TO THE PEOPLE!

 

[Angel*Fish]

Ummmmm...btw, if anybody knows where to get insanely colored ricordea polyps for less than $80-$100, please let me know - the only reason I haven't paid that much for one is because I'm afraid to trust any online suppliers - I ordered some "Ricordea" online and got burned as it turned out to be Rhodactis

Price is only determined by demand & competition.

The fad issue I don't get, but I guess it factors in for a few people

As far as calling a coral by a name like purple monster or superman -- that's just marketing. It's also easier to remember than Montipora watchamacallit. I saw the superman monti's at MACNA in person, btw -- they are quite nice - but I can wait till the price comes down - they propogate easily

 

[jjmatti]

Isnt the growth rate the real defining factor in price?

 

[Angel*Fish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8646738#post8646738 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jjmatti
Isnt the growth rate the real defining factor in price?

I'd say that's a huge factor in how long these guys can charge high amounts for hard to find corals. A bunch of folks in my local reef club each have a frag of a premium monti - just a matter of time before everyone in town has them

 

[ReefWreak]

The growth rate in some corals is a huge factor, but most it's color, and in some it's both. I know a local guy up here in Tallahassee who waits almost a year in line and pays around $250 for 1" frags of deep water purple acroporas. They're known to only grow about an inch a year or something crazy like that, and they're very rare because of that, and their beauty.

It's all an economic process. In the Maxi-Mod thread there was some discussion about competition with Tunze for the high flow powerheads driving prices down. That's a great idea, however if that happens, then remember that Tunze will be less likely to produce enough for people to easily purchase one just anywhere, or they could also stop innovating, or just innovate something else which is just as great a leap ahead of the competition as their current powerheads are, and make it much more complex so it cannot be duplicated as easily or even emulated as easily. I hope some of that makes sense.

Either way, if a coral is outside your budget, don't buy it. Don't complain, save up your money, sell some frags, whatever. I know that I sold over $125 in frags in 3 days over the Thanksgiving break, of NOTHING perticularly rare. Just some standard montis, xenia, shrooms, and button polyps. I saved that money to go towards paying my father back for our new 2x250w halides over our 120g new tank.