Went yesterday and last year. Prices have definitely gone up. Like everything else. Especially at the well known vendors, they are still cheaper than most online normal prices. . I managed to spend more money than I wanted and got decent deals in my opinion, just took a little searching. The whole reason I went was to get my free bag of tdo and they were out almost instantly. I'll be going again for sure. But it was not as cheap as last year and you can tell what the high return items are, (frag racks, rock structures, flower nems, nps gorgonians, etc etc) cause everyone had them. One guy had Australian live rock, another had fish, he looked kinda grumpy by the end of the day, lul, he must have been busy. If you love sps there were some really good, high end vendors, lots of different size and selection and some that just had really nice sps "cheap".
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Reefapalooza
- Thread starter DEL
- Start date
The towels they gave this year had to be the softest towels ever. I should have gotten more hahaha
The problem with reef a pallooza is the location.
That venue is too big for them. The reefing hobby doesn’t have that many people to support that location. They already only use 1/2 the building. The need to find a cheaper location. Once they do that then the price for tables will be less and they in turn will lower the price of corals. More vendors will be there and more free stuff. The 1st I was at reef a palooza got so much free fish food. Every table had free samples. They had reef crystals selling salt for $40 a box. You also had Frits selling salt for $40 a box. This year they had no salt vendors. Before you had a lot of local coral vendors and people drove from everywhere. It was also cheaper for us to go. The entry was a lot less. They need to find a cheaper venue and that will
Help everything else.
That venue is too big for them. The reefing hobby doesn’t have that many people to support that location. They already only use 1/2 the building. The need to find a cheaper location. Once they do that then the price for tables will be less and they in turn will lower the price of corals. More vendors will be there and more free stuff. The 1st I was at reef a palooza got so much free fish food. Every table had free samples. They had reef crystals selling salt for $40 a box. You also had Frits selling salt for $40 a box. This year they had no salt vendors. Before you had a lot of local coral vendors and people drove from everywhere. It was also cheaper for us to go. The entry was a lot less. They need to find a cheaper venue and that will
Help everything else.
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I did forget one thing. I a lot of vendors didn't have prices , so you had to ask and they were making them up depending on who it was and when it was. I understand, but it's something I don't like in general. Or they would be marked 30 and up. Like set up price zones and have an ask section if you got some crazy fire.
NanoJoe
NJRC Member
Good point actually. I remember coming home with a bag FULL of freebies. From food, to pods, stickers, samples of additives, bacteria bottles from Brightwell, A Rods Foods T-shirt the list goes on and on.
I also remember the Fritz Throne of Salt boxes lol. Stuff like that made the show so much more fun. It felt more communal overall when things like that were setup.
NanoJoe
NJRC Member
When i saw vendors had no pricing i moved on from their spot. That annoyed me a lot. A lot of us are window shopping at first. Make your first round and see what's out there. Get a tally of prices and then go and buy on your next rounds of visits. I like buying from the vendor that will talk with you and has their pricing for all to see. Not the snob who has "ASK" on all their frag racks, cmon...
Its like the people on FB groups selling frags "PM is Key" gtfo here... just show your price...
Greedy people these days.
I don’t buy from any vendor that doesn’t price their Coral. If we all do this
They will change the behavior
Bandito Aquatics
NJRC Member
I completely disagree with the sentiment. If they don’t have the prices on them, that always makes me wanna have a conversation with him about the Corals they have if they tell me a price that I can’t afford I say thank you and I move on. It’s not the end of the world just because they don’t put a price on the tanks. Remember they’re competing with other vendors who all just can’t mark everything at the same price because it is a business and they need to make money to cover the cost of driving or flying, because if it was just the same local vendors, the complaint would be that it’s the same people and there’s no variety.
In groups on Facebook or websites or in person, if a coral isn’t listed with a price, it’s almost always because it’s some outrageous price point and would garner zero interest if people knew the cost up front. I’ve just stopped showing any interest or replying to anyone that says pm for price.
reefsandrotts
NJRC Member
My wife grabbed a small blue tip elegance for $50.00 and some yellow torch with blue tips for $55 for a head.
Not me. I dont want to engage with people more than I absolutely have to. Forcing me to have a conversation that goes against my preferred communication style is a complete non starter for me. I have definitely adopted a comfort with text and emails over verbal conversations but having to speak more than necessary causes me some serious anxiety.
To your point that the vendors are competing...yes, they are competing for my dollars and the sales from my dollars. Their strategy will cost them 100% of my business everytime with this approach. Either I am comfortable with the vendor's approach or I find a vendor that I am.
I am in sales and disclosure is very important. You need to disclose price of what you are selling. I am also older and I remember a different world where people had different prices for different race/ gender. I talk to everyone and I am friendly with everyone but you don’t get my money unless you price the corals or merchandise.
My father was in construction and I remember him getting higher prices for wood at the local mom and pop hardware store. They would also never give him credit.
Then came Home Depot and price was the same for everyone and everyone can apply for credit. His business took off.
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I land right in-between these kinda opposite opinions. I don't like it, it won't stop me, but I'm an introvert and it's annoying to me to keep asking prices. Even just give a range. 20-80 , 100-200 etc etc. Leave some negotiating room but give me an idea. Although places like world wide corals or Jason Fox or tusi or Big vendors with websites and reputation. I don't mind so much. Which is completely hypocritical .
Subliminal
NJRC Member
I saw a frag of insanity go for $800 and a Colorado anemone they were asking $2500.
These prices made me laugh a little.
Did finally get my Walt Disney though. From reefco.
These prices made me laugh a little.
Did finally get my Walt Disney though. From reefco.
snowxcross
NJRC Member
I went both days, today there were more vendors willing to give better deals for sure.
That guy selling Australian live rock wanted $25 a lb the big he had we over $300 for one piece ouch
But here is the question...was it properly labeled?
The one reason I didn't like the no price thing, was because I saw a bunch of acros I liked, and felt like I was annoying some vendors when I kept saying, how much is this one. And this one..and this one ?? Then they stop and think, then throw the Ltd edition name of the frag and say...$200. I'm like wtf. One tiny acro i liked, the dude said $400..and I just smiled and walked away. I didn't even bother to look at zoas or acans or anything other than acros and wellso/acanthos, so can't comment on those.