Fish sale price to LFS/online seller

[Razberry910]

I recently made a lot of very nice guppies, endlers, ricefish, and flag fish. I'm sitting on around ~200 adult guppies of several varieties. ~100 ricefish juveniles.  I took pictures of my fish and sent them to a LFS/online seller via email. The shop loved them and said they would buy everything I have(these are some pretty sweet looking fish) and of course the shop ask how much money I'd want.

So question what should I be asking? When I look up high grade guppies online people are selling trios for $15-$30 and I totally know the shop needs to make a living but I don't want to give them away either. Also I look forward to more fish breeding adventures and I'd like to have a good business relationship with this seller.

Any advise would be appreciated 

[redfish]

Most advise I’ve heard/read is to start out low and build the relationship.  Your situation may be different but building a win win win for each party is a good way to start out. If you, the lfs and their customer all win, you will build a relationship to keep selling your fish.  Learn along the way.  Sell one batch at X price and see how fast the store moves them. How much does the lfs sell their guppies now?  
 

Maybe you learn how to be your own online seller or you keep the business simple and only sell to the lfs. 

Edited August 31, 2022 by redfish

[Andy's Fish Den]

I haven't sold fish to a LFS in several years, but when I did, I would get half of what they sell them for retail. 

[face]

this will be highly variable a store with cheap rent insurance water and electricity etcetera or just a really high turnover will need to charge less than someone who pays more for the same stuff but the fish they buy will cost the same from the wholesale so markup will be different for example 400 or 500% is common around here it seems.

[Cinnebuns]

To add to @redfish's point too, right now you aren't a known source. That has a price too. Those high end guppies going for $20 a piece are typically from people who have also built a reputation. For example, if you sell these at a lower price and they fly off the shelves, he will be more excited to buy more and you could easily raise your price. It also means he could trust buying other things from you. So although it's less now, it's over all more. 

It's also important to keep in mind the market. Yes some places can sell high end guppies for high end prices but some places can't. The average person isn't looking for a high end specific strain but just a pretty fish for cheap. They won't pay the prices you and I will. It entirely possible this store does have the market for high end but it's also possible it doesn't. If the store is not going to be able to sell it, then it's not just bad for them but for you and building that relationship. I'm not saying they won't sell for high end prices since I don't know the specific market. It's entirely possible they will. It's just not always the case. 

I will say a common price for a guppy non-high end would be you get $1 and they sell for about $4-5. High end I'm not sure. I suggest maybe having that conversation on what they expect to charge. 

[JettsPapa]

My experience has been 10% to 20% of retail for fish and shrimp and around 30% for plants.  That's for payment.  You can probably do better if it's for store credit.