@Bayarealivingsoil , It looked like @Bajode5 gave his personal experience as a paying customer who seemed to order direct, and recently just proved so. I assumed international when he mentioned paying extra for shipping, so I was surprised when @ToddMcC replied so harshly and mistakenly thinking it was domestic.
I too would be upset if charged more for shipping than it cost. Handling fees sure, but make that separately know.
The earlier dig and insinuation of an earlier members comments likening the Authentic Genetics brand to White Labeling by then suggesting that member must be a very bad character within the history of the cannabis scene is very ugly. (I won’t even dignify the name by saying it aloud) That’s something serious to say about someone!
What is a White Label anyways? Popular genetics sold under a different brand. How is that any different than Sam’s Cultivators Choice work being reproduced rebranded and sold under the Authentic Genetics brand? I know there is often negative connotation with White Label seeds but there shouldn’t be. Selling other people’s quality work with fairly simple, respectfully, reproductions under a different label is either hacking them or White Labeling them with permission. That doesn’t automatically make them any less quality.
Earlier in you’re reply to my comment we were touching on price points and pricing strategy. I believe you when you say that you’re just winging it. And I truly and genuinely wish you success because there aren’t many ways in life where we as humans seem to be able to work and provide a means for ourselves in terms of dollars and money, without selling our soul. Doing so and working with plants and seeds and creating is really a beautiful thing.
Beautiful in terms of chaos. Because we’re really not meant to live this way. We are supposed to share from abundance. Give and receive. We are a long way from that in this modern world but the world is also what we make of it and how we contribute to it. Wasn’t the Purest Indica originally shared to Greg by Steve Murphy as a gift no money involved?
The reasons I feel so strongly about the pricing differences I noticed was because I personally try to avoid money as much as possible. I strive for a life lived from shared abundance. The reality is, money is part of this world so I use it at times. My heart truly cries for the additional work I created for others when seeking to gain these dollars of which are needed for seeds. So to think I could have possibly had a more reduced effect on others in that regard, it causes me grief and brings a sadness near. I’m fortunate to need not a lot of dollars and very few of them pass through my hands each year. I don’t want for much, but also I don’t want much. Of the few material things I yearn for and want are various genetics and seeds. I too feel an obligation to help steward the legendary lines that I’m able to help do so for. It’s an honor of being human and part of the human experience, sharing and stewarding useful seeds for future generations.
So the idea for me to want something enough that I will seek out dollars means it’s something special. I can “afford” the seeds at all of the price points they have been sold for historically at AG. I’m not upset the money I spent but rather the seemingly excess I needed to contribute to the capitalist machine. I needed to make profit for dollars and at the expense of someone else. For me it wasn’t particularly difficult, my heart cries for those I profited from who may not have the same earning potential or power.
I struggle with the price changes and I’ll be more direct about it. While your price per seed has indeed gotten lower over time and especially during some sales, specifically the 5 for $125 sale. I’m working off memory so bear with me but I think a customers lowest cost of experience with the AG brand is approximately $50, which is not at the $2 per seed price point. The cheapest option for a customer to purchase seeds at $2 each is with a $125 order. I preface with this because what I feel the reality is more that the pricing is more in line with what the market will bear than it is about keeping the cost as low as it can be for the customer. Seeds are/should be plentiful so using a lot of seeds to grab potential customers purchasing power is really the savviest way. I believe CSI pioneered this, showering orders with freebies. It’s an absolutely magnificent sales strategy.
Most customers don’t have a bunch of money to spend and those price points of experience, $50 & $125 are right in line with most the rest of the market. I could be mistaken but wasn’t it @TomHill who brought the $2 seed to market anyways? Albeit at a $200 experience price point. I could be mistaken. I’m pretty sure it was Tom, but it could have been AG that brought to market those types of price points. My memory has me thinking one influenced the other for some reason.
I’m not sure if you’re aware, but here on Overgrow we have a Co-Op section where we as a community pool our resources to help steward varieties that fit the criteria for the reproductions. Since you mentioned wanting to help get these legendary primary colors of cannabis to the community for basically nothing, $1 a pack, would you consider giving your blessing and donating those aforementioned varieties for the community here to reproduce and share? One of the rules for the Co-Op is that out of respect the community doesn’t do public reproductions of work currently being sold. You mention the Johnny Appleseed thing and the vow to spread seeds and such, I think Overgrow would be a great resource to help you do that.
You also mention the cost to fly to Amsterdam to meet with Sam for seeds. I think you would like it here on Overgrow, we just had a group effort to send a member of the community to the currently civil war torn country of the Democratic Republic of Congo where we were seeking out some hopefully long lost less hybridized by modern genetics stuff. I’m sure many will reproduce them at their own cost and send them to other members of the community also at their own cost. So to say, you don’t have to do it alone and bear the brunt of it all, financial debt and such. We as a community have immense power and strength when combining resources for shared goals. It’s nice to see you posting here in this thread dedicated to your brand. I wish more breeders the Overgrow community helps support would do so. Many blessings and much love