Listing the price for puppies and dogs up front. - Page 1

If you put the price up front everywhere, in your ads, on your web pages and anywhere else you are listing puppies or dogs for sale, it would save everyone involved much time. To many persons are afraid to list their price. Afraid they will not get any phone calls? If it is to much to list the price up front, then it is to much to call and to much to ask the price. Persons rater not list a price then tap dance on how it is such a deal for the often inflated price. If you do not list a price up front, you must not have the confidence that they will sell for that price.

Not committing publically to a price also allows breeders the opportunity to screen interested parties and get more information before they commit a pup to a sale. If price is only parameter for the buyer, then maybe he is not the buyer to whom the breeder wants to send a puppy! There are other perspectives to every issue. There is way too much negativity and nonsense here. People need to think about the issues from angles other than their own agendas.

I agree with Kougar

I agree with both the above. People do things for a multitude of reasons. One reason for not listing the price is also that breeders are concerned about their reputations. If I list that I am willing to sell puppies for less than what someone else is selling for, I will be dissed in the GSD circles. "So and so is selling her dogs cheap, she must be hard up for cash or no one is really interested in her lines". Or it could be like car salesmen, start out high and then negotiate (get what you can get), if they show any interest at all. Dozens of reasons why people are not up front with their prices. I personally would not have a problem telling someone who I did not want to own a pup of mine "No, thanks anyway". It is a little sad that someone would ask high prices in an attempt to "screen" prospective buyers. Does that mean that an unsavory person can get one of your puppies, if they just pay more? Hope not, but is probably true. As usual, money is more often than not, the bottom line. Plenty of breeders who talk a lot about screening their puppy and dog buyers, lower their "buyer standards" when the money is exceptionally good (or when times are hard). I raise and sell African Grey Timneh parrots and even though I know that the outcome is almost always not going to be good for the parrot I sell, I still do it. I should stop. They live seventy years or so and require lots of attention, to be happy. How many people can devote that much time taking care of a pet. The owner will die before the bird, and then what? I should stop.

Another reason that many of the Europeans don't list the price is because there is a DIFFERENT...or should I say a HIGHER price if you are a fat, rich and dumb American.

I don't agree with Martin's conclusion that not listing price means that the price will likely be excessive. But breeders could list prices and also easily address concerns about appropriate placement by stating "Priced at $XXXX; to approved homes only" in their ads. This thread is an offshoot of the "Asking about price?" thread and probably should be moved there. That thread started when someone asked whether it was inappropriate to ask about price in his initial contact to a breeder, when the breeder's ad specifically says "no price checking." To summarize my take there, my position is that if you're involved in commerce then you should expect people to want to know prices.

When I was breeding and advertised locally I always listed prices. Since I'm in the heart of the Amish puppy mills, I found I got better inquiries if the prospective buyers didn't expect a $50.00 dog. Now that I think about it, I sold very few dogs with local ads. On the other hand, when I advertised nationally, I didn't list prices since I felt that the inquiries from those ads were usually from people who did not expect a $50.00 dog. I don't think there is a right or a wrong way to list or not list prices. When I bought both of my GSD's I didn't ask the price til I saw the dogs. I didn't matter to me unless I decided I want one. Too bad that some think as Jontic has indicated. I guess we fat, rich, dumb Americans are easy targets for those who breed for profit. When money is the driving force, the welfare of the dog is of little concern.

Rarely do I even inquire about a dog if the price isn't laready listed. I think if it's not listed they probably want too much. If I do, it means I truly am interested. However before going any further I have to ask price, as I only have X amount of dollars to spend, especialy on a pup. I just wont spend more than a certain amount because there are no certanties regarding pups, no matter who bred them or what lines they come from. Regarding International sales, I agree with Johntic. Anymore I don't disclose I where I am from when asking about dogs until after the price has been dealt with.

See - many perspectives here...some I never thought of either! LOL not all Americans are fat, rich and dumb or some combo of same!!! I feel I have paid very fair European prices for almost all of the few dogs I have bought! Lots of people turn down buyers irregardless of price. Do not inflate their price. I have turned down several people who only want a female to use for breeding without training and titling it. One, several years ago offered 2x the asking price for open papers for a female from a particular male. And, another recently wanted pick female, but wanted open papers for breeding and did not want to commit to titling he pup. No hard feelings between us over it, everyone has their own criteria. Not everyone is all about money [nice as it is to have! LOL]

I list price, so I don't have to wase my time, or the buyers time answering questions that wont matter in the end, when the price becomes an issue. It takes care of the people seeking $250 puppies and me listening to their stupid questions. If you don't know why paying $1000 for my pups is better than $200 from the one at Walmart, you don't need my pup. Yes us Americans get price gouged by those in Europe. Iv'e seen it a 100 times. A pup that will go for $650 to European buyers, will go for $1000 or more, not including shipping to America. I'm not by any means saying all breeders do this, but a whole lot of em do.