Selling geckos

[acpart]

I've been wondering how everyone is doing with selling the geckos they breed. How many people are able to sell all their hatchlings? What do you do with the unsold, and does that affect how many geckos you breed the next season? Who are you selling to (besides each other)? What, if anything, do you do besides advertising in the obvious places? I'm curious because I'm working on selling my hatchlings and also because there seem to be posts here from people buying a lot of geckos and planning a lot of projects, and also posts from people desperately trying to sell their geckos (sometimes it's the same people). I worry about supply and demand.

For my part, I produced 38 hatchlings this year, 36 of which survived. I'm holding back 2 and have another 10 to sell (4 of which may be spoken for). I could share some of my more unusual ideas about how to "sell out", but I'll wait to see if there's any interest; sometimes I'm interested in things that no one else seems to be interested in.

Aliza

 

[snared99]

One big factor in leopard geckos is reputation, esp. with h igh end leos. Another is customer service if your not willing to spend time to answer any/all questions you prob wont be very s uccessful. And do not think of it as "supply and demand" work with what you find interesting, not every gecko hatched will fly out the door. There will be seasons when they sit there for months until the market picks up.
And very important is to network with other breeders, most of us here are here to help so use us for any questions you may have. i hope this helped

 

[gixxer3420]

I've found out that I sell/trade most of my leos to breeders on this forum. Then what is left i sell at shows and I have a contract with a locally owned pet shop. I set up the geckos enclsoures that they sell and I wrote up a cheat sheet (care sheet) for the employees.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Great question! I think that many people getting started these days do not fully realize that before starting a breeding program one of the main things to consider is the responsibility for the care and disposition of the offspring that will be produced.

For example, I sold a very high-end gecko to a local dentist. He LOVES that gecko, and is doing a fantastic job caring for her. He called me the other day inquiring about a potential mate for her next season because he wants to breed them. I asked him how he planned on housing the offspring, and what he would do with them. His answer was, "I'll just give them to you to sell." :main_no:

 

[ExcessiveHerps]

Repuation and name is HUGE IMO as far as leos go probably the # 1 thing I'd say. I think what was also what was recommanded is a good point not to get to excited about every new morph and stick to what you truely interested. Marcia made a very good point as well I have seen some new keepers get so excited about offspring they might produce when they haven't even really looked into the # they might end up with.
As far as me I've done a couple trades some sales to well know breeders but the bulk of my sales where from new leo owners and new breeders. I have also sold locally to a couple reptile shops in towna nd down a couple shows.
Xavier

 

[acpart]

Thanks for your responses so far. I'm eager to hear what others have to say too. Just to clarify, I wasn't really asking for advice about how to breed and sell, although I'm happy to hear whatever people have to offer. I'm completing my second year of breeding and selling and have met my expectations for number of offspring, ability to sell a reasonable number of them and how that affects the number of geckos I'll breed next season. I'm most interested in whether people ultimately are able to move along all the geckos they would like to, what types of people they are selling to and what they do about the geckos (if any) that just don't sell. I'd love to hear more.

Aliza

 

[marula]

...for me is different...
i'm here, in USA, only for some months...in italy, where i came from, is impossible found morph and geckos like what i buy here..
i buy a tooooooon of geckos...but i don't breed all of them..
i working with an italian elopard geckos association and we try to promote the leopard geckos (and others geckos) like "pet" (the same of cats and dogs)...in italy most people don't thinl at geckos like "pet"...
i don't have all my geckos for produce babies,and for some of them i need to wait 1 year, 1year and half...i plan to will go to european show and i try to buy here the best geckos from the best bloodline for produce, when i breed them, the best is possible...
but there are a really big problem with "not reputable and serious breeder" that breed leo only for money (they think)..
yesterday in the italian gekkoforum a guy put this post: "i serch cople of leopard geckos for start to breed them; only morph; only adult geckos"...
....i think this is the bad way to start a project..and i think a post like this don't take in cosideration the responsability in a choice like this...
if i can't be able to sellmy babies i have the possibility to take all them with me or to give them to some friend (in italy is really difficult found good geckos) and i stop to breed mine leos...i love them and i love spend my time to look and take care of them...
i will plan to sell my geckos only at who i know...like with my dogs...i'm famous in italy for this because people think i don't whant sell my animals...AND THIS IS RIGHT!...i don't whant to sell them for sell them..i whant sell them for take money for my expences for take the best care of them, but for first i whant to give to my babies the best house is possible, and i whant to give a some nice persons the geckos or the puppy that they look for...for the caracter, the personality and the color...

 

[BalloonzForU]

I agree you have to be prepared to hold on to all your gecko in case you are not able to sell them. This is the first year I put any that I had produced up for sale, last year I kept some and gave the rest to my cousin that I spread the gecko bug to. I hade 6 up for sale and sold 5, all had been up for sale for about 3 weeks before I sold them. I still have more that I'll be putting up for sale soon, but it's getting too cold to ship from here, may have to wait till spring.

 

[Franks_Geckos]

I have never had a problem moving all of the geckos I need to by the end of each season, but it really depends on what you are willing to sell the geckos for to move them. Some breeders may refuse to sell a gecko for less than they think it is worth. I believe that now matter how much I like a particular gecko, it really is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it, just like most everything else that is bought and sold in the world. Group sales are something I have done in the past out of necessity. Despite the lower financial return on the geckos, the increase in available rack space and lesser need for housing feeders made it acceptable for me. The key is to know your space limitations and set your goals before each breeding season. The most important thing is to enjoy what you're doing and do your best to provide the geckos a healthy environment. Everything else is just a bonus to your enjoyment of the animals. As a result of a past experience with having too many hatchlings on hand without a reliable market for them, I have scaled back my breeding to focus on what interests me at the current time. This is working out well for me because it makes me enjoy them more while minimizing the likelihood that I will not be able to sell what I produce. Generally speaking, I try to sell all of the hatchlings I am not holding back before they get to be 6 months old, whether it be at shows, through my web site, or to local pet stores that sell reptiles. Most of the people that have purchased from me are Pet Store owners, first-time gecko owners, repeat customers, or new breeders. I am happy to sell to these people and give them the best information I can to help them enjoy their new pets.

 

[acpart]

I sold the last of my babies this weekend! I sold 32 of 36 surviving hatchlings this season, kept 2 and donated/gave away 2. I didn't even have to resort to my more off the wall gecko selling ideas (gecko yard sale and virtual geckos at pet stores --I'll be happy to post details if anyone is interested). Now I feel comfortable starting the new season. I'm anticipating about 55 babies with more interesting morphs than this season. Everyone meets their new "partner" this Sat.

Aliza

 

[okapi]

I didn't even have to resort to my more off the wall gecko selling ideas (gecko yard sale and virtual geckos at pet stores --I'll be happy to post details if anyone is interested).

Say what? :huh2:
Please do! :speechless:

 

[acpart]

Gecko yard sale: I was going to have a sort of open house that I'd advertise in the local paper inviting people to come see my geckos and displaying the geckos and supplies I have for sale.

Virtual geckos in pet stores: I was going to offer a deal to some of the smaller, non-chain pet stores --I would provide a nice flyer advertising leopard geckos for sale which could be displayed at the pet store. If someone was interested, they would buy the gecko through the pet store at the pet store's price; I would supply the gecko to the pet store at the"wholesale" price. This would essentially be free advertising for me and the pet store wouldn't have to house and care for the geckos. I always provide an extensive care sheet with the geckos I sell.

Maybe I'll do some of these things next year.

Aliza

 

[Dragoon Gecko]

Hi together!
Quote:"but there are a really big problem with "not reputable and serious breeder" that breed leo only for money (they think).."

Many (and especially) young people think that you can make quick money with breeding geckos :main_no: .
But this will not work in any case: You just get out what you put in!

In the time of my breeding, no matter what species, I often had to invest more money in quality Breeders and good housing & raising than I got out by selling! Breeding geckos is a hobby for me, and I will keep it as that.

Also, I found out that many first-time buyers search a seller/breeder who can help them through their first stepps in the "gecko-world".This people are searching for information before buying, and even them will realize the differenz between a healthy, quality gecko and a sick, thin one they get from a person who does ot even know what he's doing..

Kind greetings, rebecca