Prices on sales boards and website

[GeorgeandHumble]

Recently I have been doing searches for miniature horses using various sales boards. I have noticed that several farms list some of their horses at one price on one sales board and then on another sales board have a different price. I have also noticed that some farms then have an entirely different sales price on their website. One farm had a price gap of almost $2,000 for the same horse. I find it frustrating to try and track down the actual asking price without contacting the owner of the horse. I am a serious buyer so I want the real price without having to jump through hoops to find out the true price of the horse being sold. If the price varies from board to board to website then I am led to believe that the seller has no real clue as to what the horse is worth and it makes them seem as if they may be dishonest with the pricing and therefore would most likely be dishonest with me too. I understand that some sellers make slight mistakes in pricing and prices may change and the seller hasn't changed all the information on all the boards yet, but I also believe a day to match all the prices up is not too much to ask.

I was wondering if the various sales prices is only a New England thing or does it happen in other Regions?

One last thing, why are so many really nice horses with great prices so darn far away from me Really, some of you have beautiful horses for sale at very good prices but you're located from PA westward and New York and south.

 

[Sabrina]

it is not only there, i know of some people near where i live that consider themselves breeders( they will breed anything with that can be even if it shouldn't be) they will post on a bunch of different sites and each one will list a different price, then when you inquire they will ask you which site you saw it on and go with that price , with them they have definetly proved to be dishonest.

i know what you mean i look at the different sale ads and find quiet a few that i would love to have but they are all the way across the country.

 

[Riverdance]

Sometimes it is an honest mistake. Some people may forget they have an ad on a sale board and will have dropped their price on their web site. Or, the horse in question may be turning out really nicely or doing extremely well in the show ring, so the price may go up.

I would think that the price on the web site will be the most accurate. Also, even thought there is a price, some breeders will negotiate a bit, especially if you buy more than one horse.

 

[Windhaven]

I agree with Riverdance. Some people put ads on certain sale boards and forget they are there and in the mean time have decided to reduce or increase the price of said horse because of performance or because they need to move them.

Or they could be having a problem with their website and can not up date it. That is my problem right now. My computer is dead and I can not get to my website program to up date it and I don't know when that will be fixed.

But if you are interested in a horse just e-mail and let the breeder know that you have seen this horse for sale and what the price is. They will tell you whether they will honour that price or not.

You shouldn't write a horse off just because there are different prices from one sales board to the next. You could be missing a great horse by passing it by just because of price differences and there could be a simple explanation for it. Just e-mail and ask questions.

 

[REO]

I just wanted to say, welcome to the forum!

 

[targetsmom]

I am glad someone mentioned the point about computer problems and not being able to update the website! We have not been able to update ours for weeks because one of our compters is down.

This might be a New England thing too. One of the major New England horse dealers (the one we bought our big horse from) does not put prices on any of his horses. Once he sees you, I guess he sizes you up and figures out what price you can pay. The joke around here is to always take your crappiest car and wear your oldest clothes! I am not sure how that would work online though.

And yes, welcome to the forum and where are you in New England?

 

[GeorgeandHumble]

Sometimes it is an honest mistake. Some people may forget they have an ad on a sale board and will have dropped their price on their web site. Or, the horse in question may be turning out really nicely or doing extremely well in the show ring, so the price may go up.
I would think that the price on the web site will be the most accurate. Also, even thought there is a price, some breeders will negotiate a bit, especially if you buy more than one horse.

I'm sure some are honest mistakes especially those where the price difference is too much. I also tend to believe with the above person that some sellers put different prices on different boards hoping to lure people in.

When you have various prices listed for the same horse, all posted within a day or two of one another, then it is really hard to figure out which price you work with the seller on. To be honest, if the price varies too much and the seller makes it a habit of having various prices for the same horse then they've lost my interest and I continue my search because I've already lost trust in the seller. If I see a horse listed on one sales board for $1,200 and like the horse then my search continues to find out more information about the horse before contacting the seller, if my search brings me to another sales board with the same horse, same age, posted a few days prior to or after the other sales ad, and the price is listed at $1,800 then I am not going to continue my interest in the horse. There are too many really nice horse for sale at good prices that I don't need to bother chasing a horse around to try and figure out if any of the sales prices match up. As mentioned earlier, the problem is most of the horses I really-really like the looks and cost of are a bit further away then I will travel, so that leaves me with no choice but to search the local sales boards daily and hope that a nice miniature horse with a fair and honest price can be found. I find them but then I also find the SOLD sign with them

 

[Carolyn R]

I can't help with the pricing issue. I make sure my prices are visible and match any ads that I may have posted. (unless it is an ad that states, prices start at......)

I do need to point out that Sometimes it is worth asking a seller if they will meet you or if they have any existing plans to travel to a particular area. I know I offer to drive within a 100ish mile area free of charge if needed.

 

[Katiean]

Recently there were some horses listed on a sale board for a really low price and then on their web site for a 4 digit price. Then when asked about a one hose in particular horse they said no the web site ad for this horse was wrong and they doubled the price from the web site. Even though I know the horse quote well I wouldn't deal with that person. The thing is, it is easier to drop the price than raise it. Now when I had my colt for sale I had 3 prices on him and explained each one. Top price full papers, middle price full papers but they geld before he leaves my place then you have the low price. That one was Geld him before he leaves the property and he has no papers. But I am up front with the prices and explain them. I would never buy from someone that advertises on 3 different sale boards with 3 different prices.

 

[Anne]

I have a few old ads out there somewhere I think that I need to update and we are waiting to update the website for updated pictures.We're almost there, and trying to get video clips done also for the sale board.

I enjoy emailing people about the horses, and do not consider it a "bother" in any way if someone does not purchase a horse.

My motto is "please ask".

Also emails from people I get to "know" a little bit are so very welcome and I try to be sure the more I learn that the horse will definitely suit what a person is looking for.

If I sell a horse I do my very best to be VERY honest and ask some questions myself. I really don't want a horse not to "work out" and be "passed along".

Please think about going ahead and emailing about price and questions. The "right home" is always most important.

Anne

 

[GeorgeandHumble]

we are trying to reduce our amhr mares and fillies. I have a few old ads out there somewhere I think that I need to update and we are waiting to update the website for updated pictures.We're almost there, and trying to get video clips done also for the sale board.

I enjoy emailing people about the horses, and do not consider it a "bother" in any way if someone does not purchase a horse.

My motto is "please ask".

Also emails from people I get to "know" a little bit are so very welcome and I try to be sure the more I learn that the horse will definitely suit what a person is looking for.

If I sell a horse I do my very best to be VERY honest and ask some questions myself. I really don't want a horse not to "work out" and be "passed along".

Please think about going ahead and emailing about price and questions. The "right home" is always most important.

Anne

Recently I did come across and ad on a sales board where the price was different than the price on the website. The difference in price was so slight that I did contact the seller and asked which price was correct. She told me the lower price. I went to her farm and met with her. She turned out to be a very nice lady (her entire family was really nice). As it turned out, we bought a mare and foal from her. She had some beautiful horses and I wished I could have bought more but the other horses just weren't what I was looking for. The reason I contacted her was because the price difference was so slight that I would have paid the extra few dollars if I liked the horse but I wouldn't have considered it if I surfed the web and found a lot of cases where her prices varied and the difference was several hundred dollars from one site to another. If I am interested in a horse and notice there could be an error then I will contact the seller, if I feel that someone is being dishonest with their pricing methods then I will look for a seller I feel I can trust.

 

[Marty]

Welcome Back George!

Good to see ya!!!!!!!!

 

[GeorgeandHumble]

Thanks, Marty. Life got very busy for me and I had no time to post anymore and then when life got back to normal and I wanted to post I couldn't remember my sign on information so I eventually broke down and re-registered.

 

[Anne]

Well at least you made me go update a few things on my website tonight, THANKS

some times things get hectic and I need a "push".

who knows maybe one of these girls will get a good home for the effort.

Though I still haven't figured out how to get the video clips there. I think it's just to late for tonight I will have to try tomorrow.

Amd I have a few more to get those pictures and videos updated for, but at least I got started.

Glad I read this tonight

Anne

 

[GeorgeandHumble]

Well at least you made me go update a few things on my website tonight, THANKSsome times things get hectic and I need a "push".

I still haven't figured out how to get the video clips there. I think it's just to late for tonight I will have to try tomorrow.

Amd I have a few more to get those pictures and videos updated for, but at least I got started.

Glad I read this tonight

Anne

I've looked at a lot of websites from members on the forum and haven't ever noticed any pricing issues, just lots of really nice horses. How am I supposed to sleep tonight knowing that because of my post you went to work on your farm's website?

I do hope you sell lots of horse though.

 

[jsites]

I found that some sale boards pick up adds from other sale boards and sites. This makes it very difficult to change horse prices or mark them sold. I realized this when one sale board had my add posted twice. I knew I didn't post it twice. I tried to mark the horse sold and could only do so on the add I had posted using my password and account.

I tried to contact the site and still couldn't get it changed.

 

[Genie]

I think I will update my website and state to the effect that prices as viewed on the website supercede any other prices that may be "dated" on various sales boards.

Horses can change very quickly. Some may now be bred, some may have had an issue of some sort that would make the price different or remove them from the sales list completely.

I have a stallion who I am now just seeing his first foal crop and while his stable manners are not as nice as I would like, his babies are gorgeous. (He stall paces) I had a price on my website for him but have since removed it and noted he is not for sale.

Thank you for your post.

 

[Charlotte]

Welcome back here!

I bet there are varying reasons for there being various prices listed on a certain horse. I know, sometimes it takes a long time to get our web site updated due to problems our webmaster may be having. Or sometimes I want to list a horse at a special price for a while so I run an ad at , usually, a lower price than what is on our web site.

And then, for those of us who are OLD, we just plain forget that we have an ad posted somewhere!

Most breeders are happy to answer email or phone questions and sometimes you get some really interesting information or perhaps a way lower price so it sure pays to contact the owner of any horse you have an interest in.

Happy Horse Shopping!

Charlotte

 

[yankee_minis]

I don't always have time to correct the mistakes and often forget! lol

Go for the lowest price-- assume that is what the horse is going for. Tell the seller where you saw the price if they mention something different. Sometimes we forget what we've posted the horse for.

I'm from New England... but I'm also over 40 and blonde! LOL

 

[wildoak]

Guilty as charged at times, for most of the above mentioned reasons.

I use several different sites to advertise and I do try to keep them current, but occasionally forget to change a price, or I may mark an ad "price reduced" just for the duration of that ad to move a horse. When I put an ad on LB, I always reference my website - and the ad price is frequently less. Especially in this economic climate I see many ads running "specials", and unless a price is listed as firm I assume it's at least worth asking if the price is negotiable. Often it is. Feel free to ask away, no confusion intended ever.

Jan