Selling/Trading to a fish store- what to expect?

[Ariel S]

Hello All, 

Today I brought in 250 assorted Endlers (bred by me) to my local fish store.  They only offered me $5 in store credit. 
My question is, is that common? Is that what is to be expected from selling that many fish to a fish store?

I’m honestly not sure what is an appropriate amount of fish to store credit ratio? I’m looking for advice because that seemed really low but the next closest fish store is an additional 30 minute drive- trying to see if it’s worth it to drive to that store or is that standard practice? 

 

thoughts? Advice? 

[jwcarlson]

Did they need Endlers?  

[Struggle]

Hi Ariel,

I usually call ahead and make sure they are willing to take what I have and come to some kind of terms on a agreed price which is usually 20 to 30 percent of what they sell them for. If they don't need them or aren't interested in what I have I try to go somewhere else.

I don't know what kind of endlers you brought in but they may of thought of your endlers as feeders so that could be a reason as to why they offered so little.

For example when I take in albino or super red bristle nose plecos I'll get any where from $3 to $7 depending on need, size, pairs etc. 

[lefty o]

i would say that is pretty low.

[Patrick_G]

I would also say it sounds low, but their age might be a factor. Cory has mentioned that a LFS isn’t paying you to breed the fish, they’re paying you to raise them to the a point where they can be resold. 

[Wrencher_Scott]

In my limited experience I have gotten about %40 of what they sell for. I have never brought in 250 fish though!

Mt thinking is they saw those hundreds of fish as more work than profit, you know? It would take them forever to sell them.

Also, my LFS doesn't have a place for them at times.  

[Minanora]

I'm sorry that you had that experience. Some more details could help us up to give advice.

That is a lot of fish of a single type. I tend to agree with the previous statements that they probably saw it as a lot of work, for little return.

But I also don't know if you called ahead, if they needed that variety, and what the fish looked like upon delivery (or what they look like period).

That price is low per fish for sure, but at the same time that is a huge volume. They will likely have to put them in several tanks. Which ups their maintenance on those tanks, and the risks of disease in those tanks, plus feeding all of them.

I always call ahead at my store, I make sure to call after they get their fish shipment from their vendors in, and I tell them how many of what varieties I have, and their size. I also separate the guppies by gender before I bag them. The less work they have to do, the happier they generally are.

I definitely want to see photos of the fish... Just because I love fish. 🙂 

[HH Morant]

I recently sold 100 angels for $1 each. They were bigger than quarter-size bodies, but mostly smaller than 50-cent piece. The pet shop put them up for sale for $4, so my price was 25% of retail.

But negotiating in advance is good advice (see @Struggle above). And you want cash, not store credit. You cannot get significant money unless you dicker with the right person at the shop. You have no negotiating leverage if you are already at the shop with the fish in a bucket, so they are going to low-ball you. They may not want the fish at all, or the person who can make the decision to buy might not be there.

You also have to sell the fish at the right time. They may have plenty of those particular fish at the moment, but they may tell you to call next week when their inventory might be lower and they might need your fish.

Call multiple shops and then take the best deal(s). Let the spokesperson for each of the shops know that you are offering the fish to other stores. Don't tell them which stores or what the other stores are offering unless you think it will have a favorable effect. Especially when you have 250, it will probably take several transactions to sell them all.

I thought the price for my angels was too low, but I was out of tank space (and time) and they had to go. I have no future as a breeder.

I only have about 275 more to sell.

[Tedrock]

I am sorry for your experience.  It sure sounds low to me but things like this take time.  You need to nurture the relationship with the LFS and discover their needs and how and when they want your fish.  

How you present yourself is important too.  Did you carry yourself as a true breeder who can bring them the number they need bi weekly/monthly or did you portray someone looking to off load unwanted endlers.  
 

I am no expert and please don’t be discourage this process takes time.  I encourage you to keep plugging away at the relationship slow and steady, one bag of endlers at a time.