indigirl Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 The tyre kickers are really starting to annoy me. I get a steady flow of email enquiries for pups but lately it seems that they are getting worse. With quite a few ppl I'm exchanging 3 or 3 emails and I'm not giving 2 sentence responses, I'm answering properly and at length. Then they ask how much are my puppies, I tell them and them that's the end if the correspondence but I've wasted god knows how much time replying to these ppl. How do others get around this? Do you have puppy prices in huge big letters across your website? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mini girl Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Do a general letter and cut and paste into the reply. Saves a bit of time. Tell them to ring if interested. Dealing with the public can be trying at times but the good ones make up for the ones just trying to find a cheap pup. Also what about the ones that are all interested till it comes time for the deposit and do t even bother to let you know they no longer want the pup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Stick to the basic & just give them the price to start with if you feel you are wasting time. People do have to know as they may not be able to afford a puppy or may not want to spend the amount so its no use going into lengthy discussion until this is established. The alternatives are as suggested by mini girl or to put the price on your website when you have a litter of pups. Its not a state secret so may be easier for you to do it that way. People have to be dealt with one way or another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpha bet Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Remember that each time a person emails you with an enquiry - it is their first contact with you. They are unaware that you might have had a dozen emails just the same in the last couple of days.... so be patient and remember each one could potentially be a great home for one of your dogs. As suggested it is a good idea to have a stock email for initial response - cut paste and return. This email should also clarify how you handle your selection process. For example: Basic info on the activity level etc of your breed and also what information you would like about them to help you choose appropriate homes. After this any further emails from the same person are treated in the way that they come..... if they send one or two lines about themselves.... that is all they get back..... just enough to be polite but then ask that they respond to the information required in the first email.... Personally, I find this a good way to sort out the serious from the tyre kickers..... only the ones who can follow the simple directions get placed in the Puppy address book where I can sort thru and work out which ones are worth talking to further and then I invite them to ring for a chat. Hope these ideas help..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espinay2 Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 AS mentioned - a standard email really helps. My email basically covers the following: Thank you for your enquiry..... If you have been researching the breed you will know that ..... (pros and cons) My breeding plans, information on what a puppy from me costs and the basics of what they get for a pet puppy, limited reg, microchipped, vacc etc etc etc. Explain that I have a waiting list, that it is not first come, first served but based on placing pup in best home for it etc etc Tell them if they want to be on the waiting list I have to know them better. Attach a questionnaire as a first step and explain that it is also designed to help them decide if the breed is suitable for them. Invite them to call or email me to discuss further if they wish. If someone has asked specific questions, I will cut and paste and then edit to add any additional info that has not already been covered. I find this approach is quick, provides the info that people need up front, and gets rid of the tyre kickers. It also has helped some decide that the breed is not what they are after, but they have thanked me for the great information. the serious ones generally come back with a completed questionnaire and/or more (reasonable) questions so we can begin a decent and useful dialogue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerojath Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I have a generic reply saved in Word, which I just paste into an email response. It covers a little about us, what we supply, planned mating/s, health tests carried out, price of pups etc. If they are still happy to progress with their enquiries, I am happy to go into specifics with them. I also tell them we have a very long list of interested people for the litter..... this tends to weed-out any of them who aren't as keen as they would have you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazzat Xolo Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I just say I desex ALL pets before sale, never hear back from the time wasters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigirl Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 Wazzat unfortunately desexing iggies as pups is not a good idea. Without the hormones their growth plates take longer to close resulting in longer thinner legd more prone to leg breaks. It's a bummer as sending out entire girls makes me anxious every time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigirl Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 Thanks for all the ideas :) really helpful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazzat Xolo Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Wazzat unfortunately desexing iggies as pups is not a good idea. Without the hormones their growth plates take longer to close resulting in longer thinner legd more prone to leg breaks. It's a bummer as sending out entire girls makes me anxious every time! that's what you say, what you do is up to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigirl Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 Wazzat unfortunately desexing iggies as pups is not a good idea. Without the hormones their growth plates take longer to close resulting in longer thinner legd more prone to leg breaks. It's a bummer as sending out entire girls makes me anxious every time! that's what you say, what you do is up to you. What do you mean that's what I say.? It's a fact. This is a breed that is a high risk for leg fractures. I refuse to put my pups at an even greater risk of leg breaks. To me that's unethical and immoral. I want my pups healthy and safe. I am very very careful where I place my pups especially the girls, but I always worry. I recommend all my puppy buyers desex by 12 months of age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leema Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I think what Wazzat means is that you say "All pups are desexed before sale", but once you have a relationship, you explain that that's not the case. I do this with my international enquiries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazzat Xolo Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I desex MY pups, but that's to get rid of the tyre kickers if you state ' I desex all pets befpore sale" those that are not really interested will go away! That's what I have found, not a debate on what you do with the dogs, ( Im sure you do what is best, like we all do ) I was trying to answer the orginal q with what I do ( hope that makes sense!) lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I think what Wazzat means is that you say "All pups are desexed before sale", but once you have a relationship, you explain that that's not the case. I do this with my international enquiries. I think Wazzat means what she says. If you're only faking it, its a great way to lose knowledgeable potential homes. Those who've done their homework on early desexing are likely NOT to want a desexed baby puppy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazzat Xolo Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 maybe in your breed, I didn't know the OPs breed, and I have great homes on my list, must be who each breed deals with I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazzat Xolo Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I think what Wazzat means is that you say "All pups are desexed before sale", but once you have a relationship, you explain that that's not the case. I do this with my international enquiries. Thanks Leema, re read and did sound a bit odd, but its my way and it works , as my breeder said to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 maybe in your breed, I didn't know the OPs breed, and I have great homes on my list, must be who each breed deals with I guess. Also depends on what people want to do with them. I don't know anyone who wants a sports dog who would willingly take on an early desexed pup. They want optimal structural soundness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigirl Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 Ooh sorry wazzat my bad :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wazzat Xolo Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 Ooh sorry wazzat my bad :) no no bad all good, and....... funny I have a few agility people on my list for dogs, Xolos across the world have been desexed early with no adverse effects. Having said that if an example was excellent I would keep it and let the agility person use it in my name ( sorry OT!) Good luck with your tyre kickers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rajacadoo Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 I'm feeling your pain, indigirl... I have a very sweet and lovely 18 month bitch I have for sale, and I have had soooo many tyrekickers and 1 liners about her... I launch into info about her etc, etc, tons of time spent answering q's etc, only to have them go all quiet, I email asking if they are still interested in her "Oh no decided a Basenji isn't for me", that's IF they bother to get back to me at all... Ummm, when exactly did you decide, and were you going to let me know, or am I supposed to read your f*#+ing mind ... Just sooo sick of it. Sorry rant over. I think I will do a generic email as well, not something I've thought about doing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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