reptile expo vs pet shops vs breeders

[lesserball]

Hi all
With the expo coming up in durban
I was just wondering, at a expo does the price of reptiles differ from pet shops and breeders, eg at pet shops baby boa's still go around R800
And from breeders u get them around R350+
So does the price increase,decrease or is it just the breeders choice?
Also some petshops are @ the expo, do they go cheaper or remain the sam?
(The boa was just an example)
I was just wondering?

[Bushviper]

Lesserball I have found that at expos you often get a "show special" price because of the competition "at the next table". You should also spend some time comparing quality than only looking at the price.

If you are buying a bunch of animals or products at a stand you can ask for a possible discount and usually they will oblige. Dont go ask "whats your best price" as if it is a T-shirt or a second hand skateboard. I usually just increase the price when asked that. However if the same person says " I would like to buy 4 pairs but that depends on whether you could negotiate a better price" then of course I will look at that. Dont brag that you are paying cash either. I have yet to meet anyone who will accept a cheque.

Some shops will mark down products for the expo because they are hoping to turn over a number of them in a short period of time. Having to take cages back to the shop does work in your favour so they often drop prices towards the end of the expo. If you wait too long however they might just sell out.

[Urucone]

Like B.V said, there is a thin line between prices and quality,

You get some breeders that sell some animals above normal prices, but what do you get out of it, you get a breeder that supports you with any problems, you get a specific selected blood line and you get a better, brighter animal.

I heard that the x-mass sos had chinese cobras for sale at around a R1000 ea, I had one in store selling it at R900, so prices isn't always better but one thing I like about the expos is that there's hundreds of animals under one roof, some animals you won't find anywhere except at the expo's, I'm fortunate enough to know most of the guy's so I can just pick up the phone and call, but most people have to go to the expo to get your hands on something specific, I also go to expo's looking for that something, to get back to your question all three mentioned can compete prices but each individual has different quality’s, one pet store don't have any idea what they are doing where the next is an expert in his field, same with breeders ext. one guy has no idea what he/she is doing but got lucky by breeding something and selling it at a bargain, the other put extra little love in to his/her animals and know exactly what they are doing and sell it at a market related amount.

you're subject should’ve said reptile expo - pet stores - breeders, all three are linked in some way, either by doing business swopping and selling animals, some pet stores are breeders and the same breeders and pet stores are at the expos and sometimes it's the same animals just at different tables, I know I've send around 6 western diamond back rattle snakes, 8 copper heads a few white lips with different guy's to the expo some guy's only sold it at the price I wanted and others added like R200 to my price, so there isn't a vs factor.