Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know this question has several factors that would influence the answer but I wanted to know from the breaders that attend reptile shows how many snake you (on average) sell at a show. What's the most you've ever sold and whats the least. I'm not asking for a dollar figure unless you want to disclose that info. Like I said I know theres a ton of variables involved. Also where do you rank shows in your list of avenues to sell compared to websites, or classifieds. Thanks Chris Hall

least .....0

most...all....before opening the door....

..usually..you sell a couple to a few....as in 2 to 20....depends on all kinds of things,...you cannot predict this...sometimes you sell alot if you have cheap stuff...the people want cheap...15$ to 50$ stuff...at other times..you sell just a couple and they may be the higher stuff....
I wholesaled alot...so I had a couple delaers come along each show ealry....and if they wanted or needed anything..they haggle.....at times...I sold stacks this way ....as mentioned..once...said "buy it all" and he did....like 50 ? 60 snakes.....

I have taken 150 plus snakes to a show...and brought home 148 of them.....I have taken like 50 plus and sold 0....

back a couple years,...you were pretty much guarenteed to sell like a dozen or two corns...now...I have sat there all day and sold 0....and that's at $10 for any morph (granted I had just opals ,lavs,ultramel lavs,ultramel,and opal from ultramel) limited colors but still.....corns died....boas died...balls...LOL..they sell if you got girls ,and cheap...

....good luck....!!!.........

local...they can smell it...online..they want it NOW ,cheap, and shipping sucks at $50...so 100$ snakes don't sell fast...

albinos always attract as do pieds.......but the prices vary in these bitime...

...as you learn...nothing is written in stone..and people are unpredicatable......(and stupid......they come to shows with $40.....and want fed, drink ,gas and crickets and rats...what's that leave you?....plus the $8 or more to get in, unless they just walk in ...like they do alot....at least around here....)!!!!
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........JY

Thanks for the info. I plan on making a show or 2 next year. I have no doubt it will be worthwhile even if for nothing more than the experience. It's local so shouldn't cost me more than $150. I'll go expecting to sell nothing so anything sold will be a bonus. Like you said it's hard to sell a $100 snake and tell them shippings $50 extra so you have to have an outlet to sell the cheaper stuff. Thanks again Chris Hall

I'm nowhere near selling any snakes yet but I like to attend the local reptile show 2x a month to pick up the various supplies and to socialize/network. I see breeders trading and selling to each other as well. Even if your not vending it can't hurt to go to network alone.
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1.0 firefly(pos het pied) 1.0 enchi 0.1 bumblebee 0.1 mojave 0.1 butter pastel 0.1 spotnose 0.1 pewter 0.1 pastel 0.1 pied 0.1 het pied 0.1 vanilla 0.7 normals

Shows are really my only avenue to sell stuff except for "word of mouth". As far as selling them at the shows, it really is hit or miss......

BUT, the real value in vending at a show is the friends you make. Be it the other vendors, or the people your selling to. You get to make connections with the people your selling to via meeting them face to face. It just isn't the same as via internet. If you make a good connection with em, then they send others your way. Plus getting to sit around and talk with each of the vendors and pick each others brains, or bat the ****, it's all good!!!!

Ok so i havent posted here in forever, and Kevin may have made me feel a little guilty lol.. So I guess since i do nothing all day but sit in my office in front of a computer i mind as well put my 2 cents in from time to time.

As for Shows, i think it also depends on the area your in. I have been vending shows for almost 10 years. And they really are all over the place. I use to sell small pet shop animals many moons ago and wed make anywhere from $0 - $300 at a show (this was when all the big boys were getting 15k for spider balls lol) I just sat at my table and dreamed about owning them..Now i have over 100 morphs and none of them will ever be sold for 15k , oh well, i guess its a good thing that i love the snakes and the people involved in this trade. Since I have been selling mainly balls at the shows (last 5 -6 years id say) the least ive made was $0 and the most close to 10k. But like others have said there really is no mathamatical equation to explain it. This is what ive noticed in 10 years though

1. Smaller shows that are not held every month seem to do well for the vendors. (Shows that are held every month sell to a lot of locals who go to buy feeders and dont spend too much money on new investments on an every show basis)

2. Large shows like Chicago and Daytona are a ton of fun, i go as a tourist now lol. I use to vend them but there is soooo much competition with all the BIG BIG boys, and a lot of people tend to go to buy from them, plus the overhead is crazy. I use to spend close to 1k to get 1 table for the Daytona show (hotels, tables, gas or airfare, electricity for the show, permits to sell) and so on, i never once made back the money I invested into it. I love to go as a vacation to see new things, less stress, more drinking, and i love the friends i get to spend some good quality time with.

3. February shows are normally very good if you have things to still sell. Everyone gets income taxes back and they tend to spend a chunk of them on reptiles if they are a true hobbyist. I know that Hamburg PA is one of the better Feb shows. (Shows are also busier around baby season, but then everyone also has babies with in the same few months so your competition has now increased, if you have animals to sell in the "dead" months there is less competition. Not to mention you now have very well started animals.

4. My personal favorite shows are Manchester NH and White Plains NY, That is only my opinion. Both are only a few hours from where i live and there is always a good flow of people. I tend to do better with sales at the Manchester show because its only done 2 times a year, and people save their money and wait to go and buy things. Again that is just my opinion. I use to travel all over heck for shows, Indy, Ohio, PA, NC, SC you get the point. I tend to keep it local now.

5. THE PEOPLE, that is my favorite part of the shows. I love being able to spend time with vendors i have gotten to know inside and outside of the trade. A few of my BEST friends are reptile breeders, its nice to have something in common, but then again we have our fun with out even talking about snakes too I also love establishing a connection with my customers, seeing them, being updated on the babies they bought from us, seeing what they are buying now and where their breeding projects are going. Its just a lot of fun to see people grow in this trade.

6 Ok i swear im almost done, see this is why i dont reply back i plauge everyone with my boring rants... lol .. BRING LOTS OF COFFEE, RED BULL 5HR ENERGY... In thought these shows should not be as exhausting as they are. I love just attending them as a spectator from time to time because they can be stressful.. lol.. For some reason i always wanna pass out at like 2 in the middle of the show when we vend them. Maybe its a combination of packing, driving, setting up, talking all day, and standing on your feet, (or maybe im just a baby) But i always sleep very well on the way home (as long as im not driving of corse lol)

Anyways, that is my opinion on shows, i would suggest going to a few local ones and seeing how many people show up, talk to some vendors and make friends, bring coffee..lol... Also try to find a show that is only a few times a year vs a monthly show. Good luck in your breedings and sellings !!

I hope everyone here has a Happy Holiday.

Maybe ill take pictures tonight of some "Jingle Balls" so i can add my piece to re-pair the forums ~

Kim
N.A.R.C

don't remember you talking that much....

HA!!!!

actually you did talk....been awhile....

....you will meet people at shows you want to talk to everytime you go there.....>>>>>>

>>>>>.and people you wish that they would take up fish tanks....and never come back to the reptile scene....

!!!!......trick....do not eat at shows.....just water....and if you RedBull...you crash....only ever drank one...crashed in NC a couple hours later.... on way home from Kissimmee....(brain crash not car crash..almost though...)......>.
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........JY

Yea, lol... I can talk. Part bordem part i dont know when to stop lol... Funny thing is after i posted it i had like 20 other things i could of written, but figured id way over due it if i posted a second rant lol.. Baby steps. I havent posted in awhile.

How have you been ? Hope all is well Have a good holiday!!!

Kim
N.A.R.C

Kim that was a wealth of knowledge you provided!! Thanks for the info. I'm sure other small time breeders appreciate it also. I'm definetly going to vend at a local show next spring....that's if I have something to sell........ Chris Hall

the best parts of vending a show is the people you meet and you get first picks with out the hassle of all the customers in your way. most good animals are gone before the doors open. all the top quality stuff moves to other venders usually by way of trades way before the general public even see's it
adam jeffery
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" a.k.a. farfrumugen "
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.