I have made it into the house on this windy evening after moving goats inside. Tyke tells me that it is going to storm tonight, so I moved does and babies inside. Had several people here tonight looking at goats. They were probably more willing buyers than I was a willing seller. Too many irons in the fire. Give me a week or two and I will get half-pissed and be in a selling mood.
I read the word of the day–tire kickers. It made me think, and it should make every buyer think and answer the following quetion– Am I a tire kicker?
I can answer this question and I think that everyone that has dealt with me will agree. NO! I am not a tire kicker. I know what I am looking for ahead of time. If something surprises me, I immediately put a value on it (what that animal is worth to me), then find out the seller’s price. If somebody is WAY high. I simply say, I can’t do it and walk off. If the seller is trying to price gouge me, then they immediately back up and try to make a deal. If they get in range, we’ll talk. If not, I’ll go down the road and find something to beat them. It doesn’t bother me if somebody makes me an offer. I will either say okay, or nope.
There are other times that I see a nice group of critters. Maybe, or maybe not, I’m not sure if there is a great one but several damn good ones and a couple that just need a new home. Then, you try to make a package deal. Buy them all, sort it out later. We’ve been known to buy a trailer load or two.
I’m looking for all kinds–great ones, really good ones, nice ones and some rock flippers. My buddy, Mikey Thompson, only looks for great ones. Another buddy named Big Bill is looking for all of the above, but at a bargain price. Poe Cat likes to look at great ones, buy really good ones & nice ones for a bargain price and loves rock flippers. And as for me–I will buy a great one when I see it (but usually get out-bid), buy lots of really good ones and nice ones and will work my ass off to make a rock flipper into a nice one, really good one and occasionally, even a good one. I’ve been accused of working harder on the rock flippers. If it has a story, I like it.
There are other kinds of buyers other than tire kickers.
Gem shoppers. They can always find the best one on any given day, but that is all that they will look at. Even if they can’t afford it and know that they can’t afford it. They still want that jewel. They get “Barn Blind” by the good ones. They usually only go to a few select sales and/or breeders. They help sale averages.
Limit Shoppers–They can find all of the good ones, but they have a set spending limit and will not deviate. If their limit is $500 and the next bid to them is $525, they are done. Won’t bid again. They will spend time and money to try, not do, it again. Limit shoppers will spend more in the long run. Sometimes, $25 or $100 extra dollars is money well spent. This is why when I set my limit at $800, I will hit it again at a $1,000. But won’t hit it again at $1,050. I like to have a limit, but it needs to be flexible.
Bargain Shoppers–price can be irrelevant. A true bargain shopper can read livestock. That animal is a good one for a $1,000, boom I’ll bid. Sometimes, something sells for less than it should have. A true bargain shopper will recognize the value and pull the trigger even if it is a bit higher than their limit. It isn’t just about the dollar but the value of the dollar. A true bargain shopper is not afraid to make a package deal. Bargain shoppers help a sale average because they will bid to their limit and then maybe again, until it isn’t a bargain anymore.
Rock Flippers–this term comes from my old buddy Lamle. Follow the genetic trail and flip some rocks, look underneath and see what is there. Rock flippers are always on the move. Why? Because once you feed a few that came from under the same rock, then other people find out or the rock becomes greedy. Rock Flippers are constantly on the move, searching & looking. Rock Flippers are an addict. A rock flipper can find a gem at a big name breeder or find a one shot deal. They also tend to feed animals from a wide array of breeders, but a limited genetic pool. Rock Flippers probably have a stack of stock show magazines next to the toilet and look at breeder websites instead of porn sites. Rock Flippers will deal in cash–low denominations.
Settlers–These kind spend time and money trying to find a gem for a bargain that fits their limit underneath a rock. They don’t find what they need, so they just settle for something that isn’t quite right. It is missing a leg, ear, tail, nut, eye, whatever. Something isn’t quite right but they can settle for it, because they can justify it.
Too many people are Gem shoppers, that actually have a Limit, but truly want a Bargain, but they don’t know what Rocks to Flip. So, they end up driving, pissing away time and money and become Tire Kickers and then they usually just Settle on something that really wasn’t what they needed. And when the dust is cleared, they didn’t make any progress in their breeding or show program. Sometimes, they get to their kids senior year and they get help. Then, they go “Crap, why didn’t I do that before?” Others just continue with their heads buried…somewhere…usually up their own ass…and sometimes….buried up somebody else’s.
Me, I am a rock flipper at heart that recognizes a bargain, whether it is at $500 or $5,000, I have my limits but will bid when I think I found a true gem. This is probably why I buy so many goats.
What kind of buyer do we see at Kelln Livestock….all of the above. However, the Gem shopper has to be looking for the diamond in the rough. The limit shopper doesn’t fare well, because I don’t have a lot of patience. Unless they tell me, “I have $800 to spend.” Then, I can say that one and that one or Nope, don’t have anything. Bargain shoppers do well and the true rock flippers have a field day at our little piece of paradise. Settlers and tire kickers don’t do well anywhere.
