Author Topic: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion  (Read 7764 times)

murahilin

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Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« on: May 18, 2012, 10:53:05 PM »
Do you sell your mangos by the lb or charge a flat rate per fruit?

By the pound.

I like the flat rate per fruit system. Scales are such a hassle.


mod edit: this is more fitting as its own discussion topic
« Last Edit: May 21, 2012, 03:33:58 PM by Tim »

bsbullie

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2012, 06:18:29 AM »
Do you sell your mangos by the lb or charge a flat rate per fruit?

By the pound.

I like the flat rate per fruit system. Scales are such a hassle.
how would you do a flat rate per fruit when they can vary in size ?  I have never seen it done that way.  Somebody would frinitely come up short...
- Rob

murahilin

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2012, 10:24:21 AM »
how would you do a flat rate per fruit when they can vary in size ?  I have never seen it done that way.  Somebody would frinitely come up short...

That's the good part of it... the smaller and the larger kinda even out and you end up paying for an average sized fruit. There is something that I don't like about weighing fruit... not sure what it is though.

Squam256

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2012, 09:02:39 PM »
Selling by the pound  takes the guestimation out of the process. I just take a small digital scale with me so it isn't too much of a hassle.


Patrick

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2012, 07:58:51 AM »
Thanks for the mangoes yesterday! Now I can see why you are using the scale method, I didnt realize you were selling thousands of pounds of mangoes!!

murahilin

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2012, 08:47:30 AM »
Thanks for the mangoes yesterday! Now I can see why you are using the scale method, I didnt realize you were selling thousands of pounds of mangoes!!

Don't encourage scale usage.

bsbullie

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2012, 10:44:49 AM »
Thanks for the mangoes yesterday! Now I can see why you are using the scale method, I didnt realize you were selling thousands of pounds of mangoes!!

Don't encourage scale usage.
I think you are going to be in the minority here...
- Rob

mikesid

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2012, 11:12:59 AM »
Smaller fruits like lychee,jabos, make more sense to weight them so you don't have to count each one...but larger fruits,(mango,sapodilla,annonas) seem more feasible on a per fruit basis.

bsbullie

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2012, 11:39:33 AM »
Smaller fruits like lychee,jabos, make more sense to weight them so you don't have to count each one...but larger fruits,(mango,sapodilla,annonas) seem more feasible on a per fruit basis.
So the value of one Silas Wood should be the same as an Ox ?  And same for a Phiilipine and a Valencia Price ?  Sorry, weighing the fruit i dthe only way to sell it.  I think you will be hard pressed to find it sold any different.
- Rob

mikesid

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2012, 12:12:47 PM »
Smaller fruits like lychee,jabos, make more sense to weight them so you don't have to count each one...but larger fruits,(mango,sapodilla,annonas) seem more feasible on a per fruit basis.
So the value of one Silas Wood should be the same as an Ox ?  And same for a Phiilipine and a Valencia Price ?  Sorry, weighing the fruit i dthe only way to sell it.  I think you will be hard pressed to find it sold any different.
No it wouldn't be the same...you can charge different prices per fruit and still not need to weigh it..just as people charge different prices per pound...I buy mangos all the time on a per fruit basis...look at any grocery store..mangos are usually sold as each and not per pound...many fruit are sold as per fruit...but when it comes to rare tropical fruit and backyard growers it seems to all come down to weight...like were a bunch drug dealers trying to get our fix

bsbullie

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2012, 01:09:30 PM »
Smaller fruits like lychee,jabos, make more sense to weight them so you don't have to count each one...but larger fruits,(mango,sapodilla,annonas) seem more feasible on a per fruit basis.
So the value of one Silas Wood should be the same as an Ox ?  And same for a Phiilipine and a Valencia Price ?  Sorry, weighing the fruit i dthe only way to sell it.  I think you will be hard pressed to find it sold any different.
No it wouldn't be the same...you can charge different prices per fruit and still not need to weigh it..just as people charge different prices per pound...I buy mangos all the time on a per fruit basis...look at any grocery store..mangos are usually sold as each and not per pound...many fruit are sold as per fruit...but when it comes to rare tropical fruit and backyard growers it seems to all come down to weight...like were a bunch drug dealers trying to get our fix
ahhh but that is where you are slightly off.  Yes, SOME gracery stores sell champagne, keitts and kents etc. on a per fruit basis but they are usually priced differently based on the variety.  Most grocery store commercial grown mangoes are usually very uniform in size for their respective variety, so the per fruit could work (though not ALL stores sell them per fruit).  Now I will throw this back at you, apples, peaches, pears, bananas etc. are all sold by the pound.  Why, cause they vary in size/weight.  Its all about the economics from start to finish...
- Rob

murahilin

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2012, 01:51:55 PM »
ahhh but that is where you are slightly off.  Yes, SOME gracery stores sell champagne, keitts and kents etc. on a per fruit basis but they are usually priced differently based on the variety.  Most grocery store commercial grown mangoes are usually very uniform in size for their respective variety, so the per fruit could work (though not ALL stores sell them per fruit).  Now I will throw this back at you, apples, peaches, pears, bananas etc. are all sold by the pound.  Why, cause they vary in size/weight.  Its all about the economics from start to finish...

I think that is possibly opposite of the truth. The fruits you named: apples, peaches, pears, bananas hardly vary size and weight if they are the same cultivar. I think the growers strive for uniform size and weight with those and most other fruit within the same cultivar. Their uniform size and weight would make more sense to sell by the fruit from a logical perspective but they probably sell by the lb to get more sales. I am sure there is some sort of marketing reason to sell fruit by the pound even if it is uniform.
The grocery usually has each cultivar of apple, pear, peaches, or oranges separated from each other and price you are paying can be different per cultivar. I've seen at least 6 different cultivars of apples with unique pricing labels at the grocery store at one time on one shelf.

bsbullie

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2012, 02:33:23 PM »
ahhh but that is where you are slightly off.  Yes, SOME gracery stores sell champagne, keitts and kents etc. on a per fruit basis but they are usually priced differently based on the variety.  Most grocery store commercial grown mangoes are usually very uniform in size for their respective variety, so the per fruit could work (though not ALL stores sell them per fruit).  Now I will throw this back at you, apples, peaches, pears, bananas etc. are all sold by the pound.  Why, cause they vary in size/weight.  Its all about the economics from start to finish...

I think that is possibly opposite of the truth. The fruits you named: apples, peaches, pears, bananas hardly vary size and weight if they are the same cultivar. I think the growers strive for uniform size and weight with those and most other fruit within the same cultivar. Their uniform size and weight would make more sense to sell by the fruit from a logical perspective but they probably sell by the lb to get more sales. I am sure there is some sort of marketing reason to sell fruit by the pound even if it is uniform.
The grocery usually has each cultivar of apple, pear, peaches, or oranges separated from each other and price you are paying can be different per cultivar. I've seen at least 6 different cultivars of apples with unique pricing labels at the grocery store at one time on one shelf.
I see varying sizes in all cultivars in all fruits...just stroll through a whole foods and check it out.  Are they minimal, probably but even if its just pennies on each fruit, it adds up and becomes significant over a large quantity.

In any event, these are just opinions and both are entitled to our thoughts.  :)
- Rob

fruitlovers

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #13 on: May 22, 2012, 03:07:35 AM »


I think that is possibly opposite of the truth. The fruits you named: apples, peaches, pears, bananas hardly vary size and weight if they are the same cultivar. I think the growers strive for uniform size and weight with those and most other fruit within the same cultivar. Their uniform size and weight would make more sense to sell by the fruit from a logical perspective but they probably sell by the lb to get more sales. I am sure there is some sort of marketing reason to sell fruit by the pound even if it is uniform.
The grocery usually has each cultivar of apple, pear, peaches, or oranges separated from each other and price you are paying can be different per cultivar. I've seen at least 6 different cultivars of apples with unique pricing labels at the grocery store at one time on one shelf.

I think it has to do with mere practicality. Imagine if you buy, for example, 30 plums and the checker has to take them all out of the bag and count them. Much simpler, faster, easier to weigh them.
But you're right in that many fruits are grown for size uniformity. So difference per fruit in weight is often very small. On top of that a lot of fruits are also sorted and graded by size. I think this is often the case with exported mangos.
Oscar

murahilin

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #14 on: May 22, 2012, 02:02:24 PM »
I think it has to do with mere practicality. Imagine if you buy, for example, 30 plums and the checker has to take them all out of the bag and count them. Much simpler, faster, easier to weigh them.
But you're right in that many fruits are grown for size uniformity. So difference per fruit in weight is often very small. On top of that a lot of fruits are also sorted and graded by size. I think this is often the case with exported mangos.

Definitely faster it youre buying 30 plums.

The thing about mangos is... its a big fruit.. May be easier to count the mangos than weigh. With smaller things like plums and stuff, you're right it would definitely be easier to weigh.

I still think Squam should sell by the fruit! Throw away those mango scales.

zands

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #15 on: May 22, 2012, 03:07:44 PM »

The thing about mangos is... its a big fruit.. May be easier to count the mangos than weigh. With smaller things like plums and stuff, you're right it would definitely be easier to weigh.

I still think Squam should sell by the fruit! Throw away those mango scales.

I have never bought a mango by the pound though I came close at some tourist trap on Griffin Road, Davie. This was not Spykes which I like. Anyway he weighed the mango and it came to $4.00 so I left. I have bought mangoes for 50¢ to one dollar. If I was selling mangoes they would all be $1.00. After 90% of the large ones were bought I would remove them and sell the smaller ones for 75¢

Tim

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #16 on: May 22, 2012, 05:50:44 PM »
How about Jackfruits by the fruit?
Tim

DRFixembones

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #17 on: May 22, 2012, 07:37:53 PM »
How about Jackfruits by the fruit?

Lol
Zach

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #18 on: May 23, 2012, 02:28:43 AM »
All mangos here are sold by the pound. Mango is expensive here, so i think customers wouldn't like to get short changed on even slight differences in sizes. Avocados, which are a whole lot cheaper, are usually sold per unit.
Oscar

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #19 on: May 23, 2012, 10:15:00 AM »
By scale is the best ,, you know exactly what you have and how much it cost ,, you cant be ripped and you cant be smart on the seller ,,

Amr

Squam256

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #20 on: May 23, 2012, 11:22:50 AM »
All mangos here are sold by the pound. Mango is expensive here, so i think customers wouldn't like to get short changed on even slight differences in sizes. Avocados, which are a whole lot cheaper, are usually sold per unit.

Ya, I have actually encountered this issue before when trying to sell 'by the fruit' when there is more than one purchaser present. 'How come he got bigger mangoes?'

Selling by the pound eliminates the subjectivity and makes it more fair. Its also considerably more efficient for me with the quantity I'm dealing with.

Not that I have any personal issue with paying for  fruit by the fruit.

fruitlovers

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Re: Selling fruits by the pound vs per fruit discussion
« Reply #21 on: May 23, 2012, 05:33:55 PM »
With very cheap fruits selling by unit is no problem. Here where you can get 6 papayas for $1 nobody cares if one papaya is a bit smaller than the other. But when you are paying $3.50 a pound or more for lychee or mango, then people will care about small differences. When you buy mangosteen or durian you better have a very accurate scale!
Oscar