Who are you selling too?

[ckcs]

What is your customer base? I know with meat rabbits the market seems to be people who eat/feed and other breeders but what about non meat rabbits? I see people selling "show" rabbits for $50-$150 but are they selling? I suppose if you are show person you might not breed a lot and having rabbits hang around for a while might not be an issue. Since the only shows near me (VA) are 2 in Richmond each year, I haven't much interest at all in "show" rabbits. I suppose there is a segment of people that buy "show" rabbits for pets. Everyone I sell to is primarily getting the rabbit for a pet. A small percent gets them to breed.

 

[skysthelimit]

Let me know when you find out, lol.

This is why my show rabbits are my meat rabbits, and my fiber rabbits are my meat rabbits, because if they don't sell as show/breeders, they become feeders. I have no market for meat except the occasional snake guy, no market for pets, and no market for show, everything is everything, with the hopes that someone will buy something at some point.

 

[Peach]

You'd be surprised....I mean I spent $350 on a herd buck from a very respected and experienced breeder (been in the breed for 30+ years). I would not,however, spend that much with just anybody. (I also made a few other purchases from this breeder and my wallet is hurting lol)There are breeders who stock baseline is usually $300 and people DO pay it because they have won and their stock has gone on to produce winners for others. They aren't there to sell pets, they are there for serious buyers. Not that price tag ALWAYS means you are getting the best stock ever. Some people do over price their stock and it's crap. You have to have an eye for good buys or have someone experienced enough to look at them with you. This convention, I had a friend with just as much experience and success, to give me advice for the investment I was making for my herd.

I sell my stock generally between $50-$125 and they do sell. It just takes a matter of building a good reputation and being successful on the tables. It's funny though, when I don't have stock available, everyone wants to buy, but when I do have stock available (usually very reasonably priced to get more people involved in the breed) people tend to over look them. Usually my sales are in other states.

My mentor taught me to a very good lesson of only selling what you would keep if you had the room. I see a lot of "pedigreed" animals, but not enough worthy show quality with pedigree. A lot of people around us want something for nothing, so I don't mind that my market is out of state.

I do pet sales, but the market has been so over saturated lately, that sales happen every now and then or with people now that are specifically wanting a pet from me and found my website and liked the way I run things and really like my ethics.

It is much easier to sell stock once you have success on the table and through breeding. Winners sold to others is also a great way to be a billboard for your rabbitry.

 

[Dood]

As a kid with ND the litters were small (3-6) and I usually just bred a few times a year, as i am not fond of babies, and I kept them until they sold. I wasnt doing serious showing so i didnt need new stock every year and mostly just showed my seniors.

They were my only hobby that cost money and food was $7 a bag which my allowance and doing odd jobs covered, so the only real expense was my time which I was more than happy to spend on my multitude of bunnies.

I now have meat rabbits and Mini Lops. I keep a waiting list of people who want the lops and once there are 3 requests I breed, any that aren't sold by 16 weeks are turned into pet food.

I see people selling "show" rabbits for $50-$150 but are they selling?

of course they are but it may take months, there is not a huge demand for expensive rabbits (there isnt much of demand for rabbits in general) and the buyers are likely serious show people who have a goal to get a Grand Champion.

I haven't much interest at all in "show" rabbits.

then you're not going to be able to sell your rabbits for the same price just because its the same breed.

You can get a purebred German shepherd for $50, or you can get a purebred, health tested and registered German Shepherd with some champions in his pedigree for $1000 or you can get a purebred and registered German Shepherd with all champions in his ancestry who have all been health tested for $2500. The choice is yours and if just want a pet then most people go for the less expensive dog.

 

[ladysown]

I think it depends mostly on your area and what breeds you have as to what you can sell. It's a matter of testing your market and figuring out what will sell and what won't.

My sales are mostly to the pet crowd (lops, polish, mixed breed kits), then to the meat crowd (pet food) and then to the show crowd. What I sell to the show folks tends to be the rabbits that I show (polish). I used to do harlequins but when you are down to only two people showing in Ontario it's kinda like... why am I doing this? I can't get legs so there's not much point.

 

[dayna]

I'm selling to pet crowd, meat crowd and breeder crowd.

I sell my rabbits live for between $25-$45. I sell my rabbits butchered for $10/pound. I do not have more rabbits than I can sell. In fact it's the opposite. I always have more customers than rabbits and meat.

 

[skysthelimit]

Show rabbits are selling, in certain breeds for certain areas. These people get what they are asking for, because I've bought them. But what Peach and Ladysown said is true, you have to have something sought after, and be known on the tables, and have the right area. I've discovered (unlike dogs) more experienced rabbit people will buy you if you are producing good animals. I've also been asked not to lower my prices, even though they are more experienced breeders, because essentially I am raising their stock, and it lowers the prices for them. (except no one in the hood is gonna buy a $50 rabbit).

 

[Oceanrose]

I sell to people looking for show stock, people looking for fiber rabbits, with good genes, and to people looking to buy well socialized rabbits. I make sure anything leaving is easy to handle, and groom, with a good personality. Show stock, is only something with excellent body and fiber. If it has a body fault I sell it as a fiber bunny.

What I CAN'T sell are hybrid woolers. There is a market, but I sure as heck can't break into it. I sold one litter that was a hybrid litter - barely - but now, if I need to breed a hybrid litter to improve something long term, they are generally bred with the theory they will be terminally culled.

 

[Millinex]

I sell to people who hand me money.... Snake breeders, meat people, people who want a nice pet, as long as I'm making money I'm not overly concerned. Most of mine are on the cheaper end of things though.. $15-30 each...

 

[hotzcatz]

Generally the bunnies here are sold to folks who are going to use them as fiber bunnies or show stock. At least, that's what they all say, but they almost always want a male/female pair so that puts it into the "breeder" category of sales, too. I generally sell them to folks who either spin or know someone who spins or wants to learn how to spin. Frequently, though, folks want to learn how to spin and then never get around to trying it. Which is good, because then they sell the fiber from the bunnies to me so it then gets spun into yarn after all.

I've cut way back on breeding since there are now other folks selling the same type of bunny on the island and the market is getting a bit saturated. I don't want to breed and then end up with unsalable bunnies, although I could breed to improve my own herd and give the unwanted ones to a friend who eats them. Mostly, though, we've just cut way back on breeding.

 

[huntress86]

My customer base is a little bit of everyone. I sell to people getting into meat rabbits, I sell them butchered, for pets, 4H projects, and mostly show stock. I have some of the best Silver Marten stock in the Midwest(and trust me, I paid for it lol) from my good friend Tex Thomas, so show stock is my main income in the rabbitry. Silver Martens aren't super popular in the Dayton area, and with so many shows in my area, it is my main goal to get them sanctioned at the local shows. You earn sweepstakes points and paid premiums if your breed is sanctioned. Mine rarely is. So I need at least 5 other rabbits by 3 exhibitors to earn legs. 3 legs makes a grand champion. So my job is to breed the best Martens I possibly can, and to get others interested in this awesome breed.

 

[TheLittleBunny10]

I sell mine for pets, not breeding cause they aren't purebred.
I mostly sell them to people I know, or any of my family's friends.
The last litter I sold was $15-$20 not sure what is was exactly

 

[tailwagging]

mostly to backyard meat breeders. very few to homes that want pets. and to active show people or at shows so they can have the judge of their choosing (that is there) go over the rabbits.