AusBonsai

bodhidharma wrote:aahhh a fellow Martial Artist. Interesting how one art form leads to another.

It is quite interesting actually! I am quite new to both, but keen

Well said Bodi. Many of my trees are not priced too as I mostly wholesale. If anyone takes the time to make an appointment to visit please be prepared to ask about prices and spend plenty of time discussing bonsai. I find it disappointing when someone comes in and picks out a tree that is clearly much older/ better than those nearby or has multiple stems and expects to pay the same as the smaller, single stem plant. What is that about?

On the topic of Martial Arts I was in Omiya four years ago and wearing an Aikido T shirt.
One of the nursery attendants at Mr Katos nursery started up a conversation with me about Aikido, between my bad Japanese and his excellent but uncertain English I worked out that about half of the people in the nursery were high graded dan grades in Judo Kendo or Aikido. Whilst it is not unusual to find black belts in Japan there are not too many high level black belt grades anywhere in the world (except the USA where they seem to invent new levels) we decided during our chat that the bonsai helps the Aikido and the Aikido helps the bonsai.

shibui wrote:Well said Bodi. Many of my trees are not priced too as I mostly wholesale. If anyone takes the time to make an appointment to visit please be prepared to ask about prices and spend plenty of time discussing bonsai. I find it disappointing when someone comes in and picks out a tree that is clearly much older/ better than those nearby or has multiple stems and expects to pay the same as the smaller, single stem plant. What is that about?

It is difficult dealing with some people. I find that people with less experience in Bonsai are a little more open to ideas and spend a little more time walking and talking. Experienced people are more goal orientated as to their requirements, already have a good idea of what they are after, and are after a bargain. The first people are a good test for my knowledge and the second people a test for my Bonsai stock and for my patience. Either way they are all welcome as i enjoy most Bonsai peoples company. I use myself as a reflection, and, i to am always on the lookout for a bargain. But i will pay good money for a good potential tree. Anyway, be assured, i have no problem saying no to a ridiculous offer I have found that the majority of people who visit love the place and that is heartening for me and makes it worthwhile. Besides, imagine having a REAL job

I know this is a fairly old thread, but I have just read the whole thing start to end. There are alot of good points made from everyone. While it can be frustrating, i know, not knowing a price, it's not the end of the world guys =)
Just chill out, grab a few trees you're intersted in and ask prices all at once. One, you're not wasting as much of yours, or the nurseryman's time as you would be grabbing individual items, and two, you might get a bit better price if you're keen on a few items
Because I know someone who also owns and runs a fairly large nursery, and it's very busy. As Bodhi said, repotting, pruning and styling, in between serving customers, watering, weeding and other daily maintenance, it's not always easy to get everything done at once. Nursery owners/workers are only human, like the rest of us =)
Bodhi - I would VERY much like to visit your little place of the world. It might just give me the little push I probably need to get back into martial arts as well!
I'm actually going to take a few weeks holiday in march... I should head down south for a visit!

You will be most welcome NathanM.

Hi Nathan, thanks for the post and I hear what you're saying. The nursery in question however is not a Bonsai Nursery , it is just a normal retail nursery similar in size to a Gardens R Us. There is'nt any real repotting and styling but there are plenty of staff. They just make a point not to price... and that's about it.

My small herb nursery has no priced plants, but I certainly make sure everything is priced when I take them to a market or plant fair. I know how discouraging it can be for customers, I hate the practice myself.
For those who do visit, usually friends, the pricing policy is easy. 3" pots $2, 5" pots $3.50. A few rarer or more difficult things would be a bit higher, not much. But once the bill is calculated I usually round it down by a dollar or three, depending on how much the customer bought and how good a friend they are!
Discounts for anyone we know from school, scouts, football club, kindy, social club, neighbours, work collegues, family, or anyone who is particularly nice to me. Really rude complete strangers pay full price.

Greth wrote:My small herb nursery has no priced plants, but I certainly make sure everything is priced when I take them to a market or plant fair. I know how discouraging it can be for customers, I hate the practice myself.
For those who do visit, usually friends, the pricing policy is easy. 3" pots $2, 5" pots $3.50. A few rarer or more difficult things would be a bit higher, not much. But once the bill is calculated I usually round it down by a dollar or three, depending on how much the customer bought and how good a friend they are!
Discounts for anyone we know from school, scouts, football club, kindy, social club, neighbours, work collegues, family, or anyone who is particularly nice to me. Really rude complete strangers pay full price.

AH shari looks like I will be hit with a big bill when I get there.

When I worked in the Asquiths Bonsai nursery his policy was put all the prices high, as we can come down but never go up. He was the first specialist Bonsai nursery in the State. It was a pity when he closed the doors. As with Bonsai Kingdom. Who had all his stock marked at the $ then always put 90 cents.
He said when it was under the dollar as in $100-00 people were more inclined to buy.

I have had incidents when people have come to my house to buy. Where I have put the ones I am willing to sell aside with marked prices. Then the person or there partner has seen some thing that I am not willing to sell, so when it is asked of me what about that one I put a ridiculous price on it. They then say but that one is whatever and you only want this. My answer is always the same. If I do not wish to sell and you wish to buy that is the price.
So even when you do not have things priced if people want it they will ask. It is how ever annoying when you go to a commercial outlet and that is the norm.
Cheers Pup

I'm not sure what's so hard about asking for a price. Not all nurseries want to run like a safeway. It seems you are trying to tell people how to run their establishments.

Jeff wrote:I'm not sure what's so hard about asking for a price. Not all nurseries want to run like a safeway. It seems you are trying to tell people how to run their establishments.

As a customer, it is our right to tell them any suggestions. And it is in their best interest that they respond. If they do not satisfy us then we find another place to shop. Simple as that.

Do you work in a nursery?

Joel

Customers swapping price tags can be a problem too

I've seen nurseries much bigger in size that don't seem to have a problem with barcode pricing so it should'nt be too difficult here. Furthermore, if the customer can't suggest to a nursery how to run / improve their
processes, who can? Are'nt they catering for the customer or is their another third party I am not aware of?

Jeff wrote:I'm not sure what's so hard about asking for a price. Not all nurseries want to run like a safeway. It seems you are trying to tell people how to run their establishments.

hi mate,

most nurseries i go to locally that i get to know the people ask if there is anything that they should get in, what starters should they get etc etc. we as a customer can and should always be allowed to comment about there thoughts, it is how businesses improve them selves

on another not there is a nursery near here that havent got anything marked with a price, it is a wholesale nursery and it goes by the pot sizes, 6 inch is so much, 8 inch is so much 25 litre is so much etc etc.

it makes things easy for the nursery and easy to work out how much you are spending, sometimes no prices can be good, especially with wholesale places as if you do buy in bulk you can generally get good discounts. there is one place that i frequent quite a bit here and being a return customer all the time i get a 10% discount no matter what, if i only get one little plant that is $5 or i get stacks of plants, pots, wire that accumulate a fair bit (usually when it is bigger i get around 25-30% off) . return business is how most nurseries run and get anywhere, even more so with bonsai nurseries

Jamie

The answer was actually in the question.

The Nursery in question was a Wholesale/Retail Nursery. Nothing gets a customer more offside to see a plant priced at $4.50* and $6.50.* The owner will always be asked why 2 prices, which is understandable. For a little insight into the running of a Wholesale nursery, most sales are done either electronically or by the nursery taking a sample of their plants to the Retailer, who normally has a plant/price list from the Nursery. Now, while most Retailers know the Wholesaler does a bit of retail on the side, but can you imagine the responce should that Retailer visit the Wholesaler at his Nursery? And that happens from time to time as well. He walks in and sees the plant he sells in his outlet for $9.50, marked at $6.50 in your nursery. You have just lost a customer who may spend $100,000.00 or more a year with you.
Now look at you, the retail customer out looking for a bargain. You find a plant you like and it is priced at $4.50 and $6.50. You would want to know why you have to pay $2.00 more than the Retail customer who spends that $100,000.00 a year in the Nursery. You get annoyed with the Nursery owner and at best never return to that Nursery, at worse give him a mouthfull before you leave.

Inside tip for you whenever you visit a Wholesale Nursery. Make yourself know when you first enter the Nursery (there are some Wholesalers out there who dont want Retail sales) and simply ask the price of the plants in general. A lot of Nurseries price their plants by pot size, so a 100mm pot would be $2.75,* a 150mm $4.50* and a 200mm pot $9.75* and such. Obviously exotics attract a higher price tag. Also ask if there is any minimum sale for Wholesale prices (you might be suprised at how little you might have to buy to get the same price as the Garden Shop up the road.) And obviously none of the above applies to a Bonsai Nursery, where every plant is an individual.

Not all Nurseries are the same, but just asking questions right from the start might relieve most of the stress in the end. And remember, if you are looking for smooth paths, well signposted plant areas and/or a coffee shop - better you stick with a Garden Centre. Wholesale Nurseries are working areas.

* Prices are indicitive only and do not represent any known real prices