How much is a small cell treatment free nuc worth?

[Solomon Parker]

If I wanted to sell a frame of drawn small cell comb, how much would it be worth? How much would a small cell nuc be worth?

[Barry]

You might want this in its own thread.

[Solomon Parker]

Good point.

I sold two nucs this year for what I thought was a pretty good standard price, $100. But the user Lady Spirit Moon I think it was selling nucs for nearly $300.
When I was buying them, I got a total of six from Don Kuchenmeister. He sells them now for $125 though I wouldn't call his bees treatment-free. He uses essential oils which of all I'd be most okay with which is why I bought from him. The best part with him is that he ships which is really nice.

Conventional nucs seem to range around the $80 to $125 range.

[Andrew Dewey]

The last nucs I purchased were $125 for a 4 frame large cell over-wintered nuc. No frame exchange. From a well thought of commercial bee keeper who also raises his own queens. I can't imagine paying much of a premium for small cell treatment free bees, but some people might. I felt like there was already a premium in the $125 price and I was ok with paying it.

[Steven Ogborn]

Beeweaver has their nucs currently listed listed for 185. They're treatment free but, I don't know about cell size or
what type of foundation. Goes to show you how demand drives pricing.

[gunter62]

$125.00 is what I feel is a fair/average price, but I'm a cheepskate. Only the market can tell you what it will bear.

[Fusion_power]

I know where to get 3 frame nucs for $75 each. I also know places selling nucs for $200 or a tad more. In my opinion, the best price would be somewhere in between at around $110 to maybe $125. I don't see a premium for small cell. To me, it is very easy to convert to small cell if I want it.

DarJones

[Solomon Parker]

Looks like $125 it is, I went back in time and changed the price on my website a few weeks ago. It seems every year I raise prices on everything. The only thing I have left over is wax and I've never raised the price on that.

[Michael Bush]

There are people who are intent on getting small cell nucs. If Bee Weaver is getting $185 I see no reason you shouldn't.

[Solomon Parker]

I was checking out BeeWeaver. I could pick up some nucs up in Joplin, if I were in the market. I have been planning for a while to get some of their queens to add to my collection. But this next year is reserved for yours Mike. I know you haven't started the list yet. :anxious smiley:

[Steven Ogborn]

I'm thinking that the prices of the suppliers in Texas went up so they could still make their profit margins from all
the feeding they had to do this year just to keep their bees alive. Both Weavers packages went up and BeeWeavers
nucs went up. But, they'll probably still sell out of all they can produce, even with the higher pricing. They might not
have wanted to but probably had to.

[kbfarms]

I charge $125 for medium or deep nuc, buyers choice. Treatment free for 10 yrs, small and natural cell, locally adapted bees. However, I only sell nucs if I'm asked to as a way of getting good genetics out there rather than make money. I really don't have the time right now to make up nucs on a large scale nor do I advertise nucs, but feel the price is adequate for the time I allocate to them.

[windfall]

Kirk Webster was selling them up here for $200 last year. But that was 8 deep frames in a wood box, with bottom board and division frame feeder. He was refunding $30 or $40 with the return of woodenware.

[Specialkayme]

I think it depends on what you get. A "5 frame nuc" actually isn't a standard product . . . at least based on what I've bought in four separate states now, lol.

I've gotten one that had two frames of brood, one food, one empty comb, and one foundation. I wasn't Impressed.
I've gotten some that are two or three frames of brood, and one or two frames of food. They are decent.
Others have offered three or four frames of brood, the rest food. They were nice.

Generally speaking, I'd only be interested in buying the latter kind. If it's on the light side, I can keep looking. There are plenty of others selling nucs Keeping that in mind, most prices drive around the $125 mark, based on what was already said and my own observations. But, let supply and demand work it's magic. If you sell out sooner, sell for more next year.

[HiveAtYourHome]

In Northeast (VT, NY) only 2 sources I know who had any this year $150, $180 treatment free, small/natural cell, local overwintered survivor stock. (SpecialKayme rating system of NICE on 5 frames comprised of)

If you go IPM/natural/organic, large cell, local overwintered a bunch of choices in northeast, $125-$225. (I'm sure the ratings go from not impressed to decent to NICE, but in no relation to price.)
Keep in mind

[Mustang]

Others have offered three or four frames of brood, the rest food. They were nice .

I get $100 for this.

[Specialkayme]

I get $100

I might need to hang out in KY more often

[RiodeLobo]

As much as your customers will pay. If you have a premium product (as I assume you would) you should receive a premium price. If they will not pay a price you think is justified for high quality product than reduce the price or market to customers who will value what you provide.

[DonShackelford]

It seems to me that timing has value when considering the cost of nucs. I'm jumping back into bees after a long time out. Found some great deals on late April and May nucs, but opted to pay more and drive 6 hrs one way to buy 25 5 frame nucs in early March. I have 10 queens coming at the end of April. The extra brood cycles should allow me to make 10 splits from the 25 nucs by that time. The funny thing is that I already have one nuc sold in early May for a profit. I don't want to sell any more this year, but it sure shows just how hot of a commodity bees have become.

[Specialkayme]

If they will not pay a price you think is justified for high quality product than reduce the price

I think it's a much better marketing and business strategy to start low, and increase your prices when you sell out, rather than start high and decrease prices when you have a surplus.

Both accomplish the same goal though . . .