Buyer Beware?

[kirkwood]

I thought it might be beneficial to ARCers if we mentioned some sites or specific coral listings that either don't appear to be what the seller is claiming. Maybe there is a made up name, renaming of an existing and accepted coral, etc. I'm not creating this thread to expose the sellers, I'm doing it for the benefit of the ARC so that we can identify to the people on this board, places where they may be overpaying for corals or simply not receiving what they paid for.

I'll start it off by showing a listing from a very famous reefer that just doesn't add up to me. $40 for 4 polyps of "fast money zoas" - something that looks exactly like radioactive dragon eyes? Sorry but, BUYER BEWARE! (that's my catch phrase )

 

[jennm]

And therein, lies one of the *many* problems with designer names.

I have zoas that look identical to that, but they didn't pass through Jason Fox' custody. I could say they did....

They're zoanthids, period. If you like 'em, buy 'em. If you don't like the price somebody is asking, don't buy them.

If you're using a name to decide their worth, you're missing the boat, IMO.

Jenn

 

[rskillz]

Pretty odd for JF to list something like that. LOL. Maybe a joke or something?

I think Jenn is dead-on here (as usual). If you like it, buy it. Names are helpful for tracking down what you want, but a lot of times people take advantage of the "naming" game.

 

[jennm]

Common names have been around for a long time - and even those can be confusing at times, because common names can vary from region to region.

"Designer" names came about as a marketing tool, to enable sellers to imply that whatever they were selling was more rare, and as such, potentially more expensive. The trend caught on, and now many sellers use the same tactic.

That's why it irritates me so much. It's artificial.

What would you call these?

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I'll tell you what they are. They're zoanthids. They came from Viet Nam. Nobody gave them a designer name. Are the ones with a fancy name any nicer? I don't think so.

Jenn

 

[ripped tide]

Lol now everyone's $1 radioactive dragon eyes are about to turn into JF Big money Zoas for $10 each.


Big John should be happy. I hear he has a ton of these

 

[grouper therapy]

Fantastic marketing strategy! Attaching your name and/or LE to a coral that you own so that others feel better about the same coral when they own it. I guess some need that social boost.

 

[db366]

yep, then you add in lineage and you now have a way to not only sell stuff at super inflated rates but now they can only buy from you because if they buy from the other guy who got the other half of the colony you bought from Jakarta or Australia it's not really a super rainbow marshmallow..


I like names because it's much easier to say hey I want some rastas then say you want the green skirt with green outer rim then orangeish, redish middle rim and a blue center..

 

[jbdreefs]

I heard once that retailers have to be careful when selling designer livestock to avoid legal troubles. Maybe this guy renamed</em> the zoas to avoid any potential problems. Would that be a legit practice? If so, I'm going to rename all of my corals. With an italian name, like Diaddigo, I'm sure I can come up with something nice. I'll be the Gucci of the reef hobby =)

... well, I need to buy some LE corals first...

 

[ripped tide]

JBDreefs;744217 wrote: I heard once that retailers have to be careful when selling designer livestock to avoid legal troubles. Maybe this guy renamed</em> the zoas to avoid any potential problems. Would that be a legit practice? If so, I'm going to rename all of my corals. With an italian name, like Diaddigo, I'm sure I can come up with something nice. I'll be the Gucci of the reef hobby =)

... well, I need to buy some LE corals first...

Lol if you own it, you can call it what ever you want.

 

[grouper therapy]

Rskillz;744207 wrote: Pretty odd for JF to list something like that. LOL. Maybe a joke or something?

I think Jenn is dead-on here (as usual). If you like it, buy it. Names are helpful for tracking down what you want, but a lot of times people take advantage of the "naming" game.

I don't mean to imply that everyone who buys a JF,Tyree.ETC coral is in need of self worth or social status boost. Like Rskillz stated above, that common of a coral is not a coral that most would associate with Jason Fox. So far as the rarity of a coral ,all one has to do is wait 6 to 12 months . Check out some of the chalice prices that were insane a year ago.

 

[rskillz]

My inclination is to believe it's some sort of prank or joke, like he and his buddies are sitting around and one says, "I bet you could throw common green zoos on your site, give them a name, and they'd sell!" He gives them a name hinting at the joke, "fast money."

The guy has crazy stuff, I have trouble believing he would really try and rename radioactive dragon eyes, lol.

Could be wrong though!

 

[tdam]

someone should email him and ask him if he's serious.

 

[grouper therapy]

tdam;744225 wrote: someone should email him and ask him if he's serious.

Naah let him make his money.

 

[redstang]

JennM;744203 wrote: And therein, lies one of the *many* problems with designer names.

I have zoas that look identical to that, but they didn't pass through Jason Fox' custody. I could say they did....

They're zoanthids, period. If you like 'em, buy 'em. If you don't like the price somebody is asking, don't buy them.

If you're using a name to decide their worth, you're missing the boat, IMO.

Jenn

I will say the zoa's my daughter picked out from you guys at the swap are some of the brightest and best looking zoa's I have outside my "Armor of God" zoa's!

Edit:

db366;744213 wrote: yep, then you add in lineage and you now have a way to not only sell stuff at super inflated rates but now they can only buy from you because if they buy from the other guy who got the other half of the colony you bought from Jakarta or Australia it's not really a super rainbow marshmallow..


I like names because it's much easier to say hey I want some rastas then say you want the green skirt with green outer rim then orangeish, redish middle rim and a blue center..

And this.

 

[stacy22]

Items are only "worth" what someone is willing to pay for them. Sellers have the right, IMO, to sell for whatever they can get.

I can ID most fish in this hobby pretty easily and many of them by scientific name. Corals, OTH.... I know an acropora from a montipora, and a zoanthid from a paly, etc. I have no idea what most of the common names are. I don't know an eagle eye from a radioactive dragon eye. If I see a coral with colors and growth patterns I like I will buy it IF the price is what I feel reasonable.

 

[thanh386]

stacy22;744238 wrote: Items are only "worth" what someone is willing to pay for them. Sellers have the right, IMO, to sell for whatever they can get.

I can ID most fish in this hobby pretty easily and many of them by scientific name. Corals, OTH.... I know an acropora from a montipora, and a zoanthid from a paly, etc. I have no idea what most of the common names are. I don't know an eagle eye from a radioactive dragon eye. If I see a coral with colors and growth patterns I like I will buy it IF the price is what I feel reasonable.

+100000

I never understood why price on coral has always been a topic of drama. No one is forcing you to make the purchase. Simple concept, if you don't like the price move on, why complain about it?

 

[1mbrews8]

^ correct.

You can not tell me that Thanh's bowsers are not more "rare" than a regular eagle eye.. you see a ton of eagle eyes - how many bowsers have you seen??

they should command a higher price. And be called something special to make sure that an unknowing person doesnt spend the $$ on bowser eagle eyes instead..

 

[jennm]

RedStang;744231 wrote: I will say the zoa's my daughter picked out from you guys at the swap are some of the brightest and best looking zoa's I have outside my "Armor of God" zoa's!

Thanks! And they were inexpensive too. Give 'em a fancy schmancy name, and suddenly they're way more $$.

LE/Designer stuff always makes me thing of the fable of the Emperor's New Clothes

Jenn

 

[mcphock]

RedStang;744231 wrote: I will say the zoa's my daughter picked out from you guys at the swap are some of the brightest and best looking zoa's I have outside my "Armor of God" zoa's!

I have to agree. The frag of zoas you had on display were not nearly as vibrant as the frags I got. I'm sorry I only got two frags from you at the meet!

Personally, I think the lineage and LE stuff is rediculous. Who cares? I would rather buy something that looks nice, even if it is 'common'. That's not to say that much of the LE doesn't look great, but I dont understand the obsession over it.

 

[izoid]

I would hope that no one is foolish enough to buy something simply because of a "name". Now, if that coral is an "LE", rare, I can see paying more for it. Case in point is LilRobb's Oregon Blue Tort. How many of those do you see in tanks? Not many, therefore you can expect to pay more for it. Who really cares wht it is called?