starfruitnmangos

Hey everyone,

Feeling chatty today and felt like delving into the intriguing topic of dragon pricing. Let's keep it easygoing as it's quite a sensitive subject. Given that we can't control the market undercutting, let's explore what it means and why it's a part of our dragon breeding world.

Undercutting, often seen in business, is when a product or service is priced lower than competitors to attract customers. Now, since we invest our hard-earned currency into feeding and caring for our dragons, essentially making them our business, the decision of pricing becomes an individual choice.

Personally, I'm okay with breeders offering their dragons at lower prices, especially when they're a mix of multiple traits that might require some effort to refine. However, it stings a bit when I see pure dragons with all matching traits going for a steal. Considering the time and effort invested in their care, it seems wise to ask for a minimum that covers the basics.

Let's break it down further. Imagine spending eight months designing a dragon with specific traits. To sustain a pool of four dragons, you'd need to invest in crystals and well springs every two months, totaling around 12,392L or approximately $55. This is a basic cost for caring for dragons over eight months, and most breeders have multiple pools. This is not including land rent or marketing budget.

Now, pricing a dragon that has absorbed about 12k worth of Lindens. A Fair Market Prices List exists for new traits less than a hundred days old, ranging from 100,000k - 20,000k in Lindens. As time passes, the price naturally drops.

After 100 days, I opt for a flat rate of 500L per trait. Taking a random dragon as an example say it has the following:

- Non-starter traits over 100 days old: 500L x 4 = 2000L
- Additional traits (marking, unhatched egg, male, matching ornaments): 500L each
- Parents' common traits: 500L x 8 = 4000L

Quote

 

Name: Ancient Love 3T Pepper
Current Owner: 017c7133-3630-4017-90bf-16879c13354a
Gender: Dragoness
Age: 538
Skin: Air Fruzayl - 500L
Eye: Air Xaytud - Starter
Claw: Peppermint - 500L
Horn Element: Fins - Water 
Horn Pigment: Peppermint - 500L 
Ornament Element: Feathers - Air
Ornament Pigment: Peppermint - 500L
Marking: None - None

Parents 

Name: Ancient Conleth 3T Peppermint
Current Owner: 017c7133-3630-4017-90bf-16879c13354a
Gender: Drake 
Age: 563
Skin: Air Fruzayl - 500L
Eye: Fire Zuldrud - Starter
Claw: Peppermint - 500L
Horn Element: Fins - Water
Horn Pigment: Peppermint - 500L
Ornament Element: Feathers - Air
Ornament Pigment: Peppermint - 500L
Marking: None

Name: Rose of the Valley 3x Pepper Fru
Current Owner: 30bd9b40-51d4-4960-885e-430fd60c8c2d
Gender: Dragoness
Age: 550
Skin: Air Fruzayl - 500L
Eye: Air Xaytud - Starter
Claw: Peppermint - 500L
Horn Element: Fins - Water
Horn Pigment: Peppermint - 500L
Ornament Element: Spikes - Fire
Ornament Pigment: Peppermint - 500L
Marking: None

 

Combining all, I set the market price at 6k. For auctions, subtracting 20%, the auction price can range from 2k to 4.8k.

It's essential to note that this pricing doesn't immediately cover the 12k investment. However, if I sell six eggs at 2k each, I've recovered my investment with room for growth.

My approach to dragon pricing revolves around the enjoyment of breeding rather than making a quick profit. If I sell an egg, I aim to get its true worth. This is just my perspective on pricing; everyone has their own strategy.

Thoughts? How do you approach dragon pricing? Share your insights!

Lot's of Love.

Happy Breeding,

Star