Kitty pricing!

[Mirsoul Resident]

Seeing all the lamenting about pricing, I felt the need to speak up. I started breeding kittycats in late 2011. And the prices truly are not that much different now. Once a trait runs it's course and it is populated throughout the community, the price stabilizes and then remains pretty constant. As I have said before, this is a hobby...a game for me to play with no stress (because lets face it real life is stressful enough), I have no problem bidding up a kitty if it is something I want AND that I do NOT have to buy lindens to get. I breed kittycats because I enjoy it.

When I first started Peach Bellini was THE eye to get, and I was lucky enough to have purchased one. However, even then the price dropped quickly and the 5T kitty that I paid 5k for was now only worth 1k if I was lucky. Bali Seals...I was at an auction with a SL/RL friend and watched her pay out 74000L for a fully traited Bali Seal with Huckleberry eyes (and for those of you that know me, this is where my cream bali's with huckleberry came from). That kitty was worth only a fraction of what she paid for it a month later. So price gouging and price dropping have been going on since the beginning. There will always be those here to make a fast dollar on the newest traits, there will always be those that will try to undercut to get the sale.

For me, I price most of my kitties at 75-100 lindens per trait. What I would be willing to pay for a kitty of similar qualities. If they don't sell out of my shop, I will reduce them by 100-150 lindens per cat, if they still don't sell, back in my cattery they go. As more and more breeders have more and more kitties available, the market will continue to slow...unfortunately there is nothing we can do about that. Only by supporting each other, and having a healthy balance of buying and selling can we keep the market going, and keep it healthy.

[CHERRYMeTaL Resident]

(04-15-2015 09:05 AM)TerrorMisu Resident Wrote:  It used to be 50-100L per trait for basic kitties .. 200-2000L or more per for the most sought after traits.. now people are selling cats for 100L for 7T or more.. how do we compete w that? I am seeing this happening now with a vengeance. Do we all start selling our cats for 100L to give some competition? Someone said or I read that it costs 700L to produce one kitty? How is the feasible to sell for 100L? I know how one person does it. He sells all the newly traited kitties for 30-100k per cat.. then when the market slumps he sell off his kitties for nothing. Does it mean we all must compromise our integrity and that of our kitty business to stay competitive. Perhaps I will do that? Selling cats to a target market niche "beginners" for 100L does not justify this absurd pricing. It only teaches that there is someone willing to compromise their integrity and value of these lovely kitties. I see this practice detrimental to the market, clearly a desperate person doing desperate things to hang on...just saying!

It really makes me sad and disappointed. What are your thoughts?

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PS Happy Tax Day, Americans! I better go finish mine! LOL

You the bomb Diggity

[TerrorMisu Resident]

bada bing ding! lol

(01-17-2016 11:52 AM)CHERRYMeTaL Resident Wrote:  

(04-15-2015 09:05 AM)TerrorMisu Resident Wrote:  It used to be 50-100L per trait for basic kitties .. 200-2000L or more per for the most sought after traits.. now people are selling cats for 100L for 7T or more.. how do we compete w that? I am seeing this happening now with a vengeance. Do we all start selling our cats for 100L to give some competition? Someone said or I read that it costs 700L to produce one kitty? How is the feasible to sell for 100L? I know how one person does it. He sells all the newly traited kitties for 30-100k per cat.. then when the market slumps he sell off his kitties for nothing. Does it mean we all must compromise our integrity and that of our kitty business to stay competitive. Perhaps I will do that? Selling cats to a target market niche "beginners" for 100L does not justify this absurd pricing. It only teaches that there is someone willing to compromise their integrity and value of these lovely kitties. I see this practice detrimental to the market, clearly a desperate person doing desperate things to hang on...just saying!

It really makes me sad and disappointed. What are your thoughts?

---

PS Happy Tax Day, Americans! I better go finish mine! LOL

You the bomb Diggity

[Seiichi Niosaki]

I remember putting down 4K for a foxie salt and pepper offspring! It was madness as 2 weeks later, it was half price. And now in 2016 its everywhere, I even find them on the menagerie tables. I did feel the sting.

We have to remember that these new trait cats aren't one-off, they replicate, not only that, they also pop up in someone else's cattery. The bigger the market, the higher chance of more newer trait cats appearing shortly after another. We also have to remember that the secondary market is a free market, aka buyers' market. Prices will depreciate and hover around what is acceptable to the buyer. I know it sounds harsh, but when you look at the big picture, trying to sell a pixel cat for 30-40 grand is a bit of an insult to the numerous SL creators who work hard for weeks creating original content for a lot less.

There will always be someone selling cheaper cats, but before we start huffing, the buyers of cheap cats whom may have gotten addicted to breeding, may one day be your customer too.

[LibGwen Resident]

I don't think anyone has mentioned the other race to the bottom. I don't know what to call it, but it goes like this: Someone asks "What is this cat worth?" A couple of people give them a range, let's say L$600-800. And the person says "So if I price it L$300, that's a good price?" Everyone is too polite to say "No."

[Serena Stroikavskoi]

(01-17-2016 12:57 PM)LibGwen Resident Wrote:  I don't think anyone has mentioned the other race to the bottom. I don't know what to call it, but it goes like this: Someone asks "What is this cat worth?" A couple of people give them a range, let's say L$600-800. And the person says "So if I price it L$300, that's a good price?" Everyone is too polite to say "No."

Okay my two sense, but I breed what I like when I like and pay what I like

What I have always loved about our community is that we have such a variety of people that has joined it. As with RL you are gonna have buyers for quantity vs quality as in any life or market. Do you see that rich lady at Walmart cause she can't afford better? Most likely not, it's about the customer experience. Their interaction and what they get out of it. You have good and bad buyers and lets not forget the sellers. Which I believe what this is about. I don't see the sellers saying "I refuse to sell to this person because they are gonna fire sell the offsprings". Though I do remember some that have and did hold their word about it. Even some who 'voice' their high morals and their alt is one of these sellers.

It's about the diversity of the market. It has its slumps as well as it's highs. You have buyers and "sellers" of integrity as well as morals. It's good to be vocal about how you feel about things. But instead of ranting about it we need to continue to educate the new ones coming into our family. After all if they come in to a fight they will be quick to leave as well. There walks the market!

Discuss, not complain or rant, about things and help educate those new and old alike about the difference of buying what where. I see a lot of preaching and complaining. But I also see a lot of people out there that want to enjoy these pixel pets so much yet can't even afford those $100L kitties. Let alone the food to keep them. So before you complain or preach think about those people and the very fact that KC sold that collectors cat your selling for $10K and plus at $750L.

P.S. After all I just got a cute outfit at Wally World for about $30 dollars just like one in Nordstroms, but you won't find me scrimping about paying $250 for my Wolky sandals to go with it.

[xoxoxSASSYxoxox Resident]

I just have a few things to say which are completely my opinion:
1) I began in the Kitties as a "FUN" thing to do. I was not into this to make a buck or try and screw ppl over and over price my kitties.
When I was brand new, this very nice person gave me my first kitty, I didnt bred her but decided to buy a pair of kitties to see what it was all about. I enjoyed it! It was like Christmas in a Box every time a new kitty is born and still is
2) I completely agree with having "overhead" costs. Food, Parent ( if you paid for the set for breeding) and rent... but at the same time.. how many kittens are born from a single set of parents? maybe 8-10? so, by the time you average in all of those things and IF you sell all of the offspring, you should have a profit from minimum of maybe 4 or more depending on what trait they are.
3) We have such a flooded market. I shop around, I see what others are selling kitties for and how our shop compares.. in the end even tho for many this is a "business", for me, it is enjoyment knowing that maybe a kitty we sell makes someone happy! I keep in mind that not everyone is a breeder and not everyone can afford expensive kitties.
Some will not agree with what I said and thats ok. We price our kitties so that it is a "fair" market price. The more flooded our market becomes the harder it is for anyone to sell... so we have a choice and as you have said do we want tons of "shelf cats" just because we are hoping to take advantage of someone and spike the price high or do we want to sell in fairness.. We choose fairness for ALL.

Kitties were made for enjoyment Remember: Christmas in a Box

[Malin Sabra]

(05-30-2015 05:57 AM)jwenting Resident Wrote:  One final word, to put things into perspective:
For the vast majority of people selling on the secondary market, those sales are NOT an attempt to "destroy the market", they're NOT an attempt to "drive others out of business", they're NOT intentionally underpricing their boxes, and they're definitely NOT in it to make a living selling cats.
They're simply looking at what other small sellers are selling for and trying to sell for a similar price to recoup some of the cost of feeding their cats.
As long as their sales bring in more L$ than the cost of renting that stall they're happy campers. When it doesn't for a few weeks, they're probably closing their shop, maybe to reopen again somewhere else a few weeks or months later to try again.

And to many of them the extreme prices charged by some of the big breeders are a source of frustration and bewilderment. "Why would anyone pay 10KL$ for a cat?".

My thoughts exactly ^^^^

[Ayame Meili]

I've been breeding in KC for 2 years now and have built up a pretty decent stock. When it comes to pricing I have mixed feelings about it. For new traits or newly discovered recessive traits I totally understand the higher costs and fully support it (just often times can't afford it lol). I'm one of those who have a shop for sale kitties, either they are low T that still have potential to be great (i.e has a newer trait like flame) and others that might be 9T but have been in my shop since almost when I started, they just happen to have older traits people aren't rushing for so I figure why not give them a chance to at least find a home. Not that I'm against menagerie but would rather give cute kitties a chance and newer people a chance as well.

When I started most of my lives came from a sale at 100ish each. Best investment ever. I was totally hooked and I got to learn how everything worked. I'd like to think by having a few cheaper ones for sale might help those who are kitteh curious but don't want to shell out a lot of money right away only to find out it's not for them.

Anyone who has ever approached me about pricing I always say I use the KittyBox Calculator as a base estimate then adjust based on hiddens, what I'd be happy with, etc. To be honest when it came out I thought everyone would start using to so we'd all have the same price ranges and this debate would be put to rest. But alas, it doesn't seem to be the case, everyone will always be in this for their own reasons and thankfully we have plenty of places to choose from that fits our budgets and preferences

[phoenixfire01 Resident]

(04-15-2015 09:05 AM)TerrorMisu Resident Wrote:  It used to be 50-100L per trait for basic kitties .. 200-2000L or more per for the most sought after traits.. now people are selling cats for 100L for 7T or more.. how do we compete w that? I am seeing this happening now with a vengeance.

My pricing hasn't changed in 18 months. Basically it's 50L per trait, an extra 50L if I managed to get a 9T and an extra 50-100L for a trait that is classed as NEW or Desired. I however do have a section in my home store that has 100L kitties and they are from 6T - 9T. These are kitties that are usually from one of my breeding programs and I can't use and instead of Menagering them (I have all the Menagerie Cats in Teacup and 2 Mega's) I offer them for 100L. If they have banging good traits then that's different but if they have one or two traits that are "good" and the rest are "standard" then 100L it is. Do I get rich off them ?? Hell no lol I started with 30+ and still have over 20+ because they are on my home sim, if they were in a kitty market then it might be different.