The April issue of Primate Product’s email newsletter promoted the “Rare opportunity to purchase Mauritius Cynomolgus at a promotional price”. For only $1,497 you can reserve your very own macaque monkey, due to arrive in Miami from the island of Mauritius in May or June. Of course, the sale price is available only “for a limited time”. (Why is the price $1,497 and not $1,500? Apparently, Primate Products thinks vivisectors are stupid enough to fall for the “odd prices” marketing trick.)

The bargain basement price for Mauritius cynos got us thinking. Is Cynologics, Noveprim or another primate dealer in Mauritius dumping its animals for some reason? Maybe due to fears that activist pressure on Air France-KLM, the only airline flying monkeys out of Mauritius, will stop the flights?

Or maybe the sale is all about Primate Products. Primate Products has been hurt by the weak economy, consolidation among its competitors, and a strong activist campaign. The deep discount may simply be a desperate attempt to attract customers.

There’s no doubt that discounts can attract attention and bring in more business, but selling monkeys at half off regular price could hurt Primate Products in the long term if the bargain-hunting vivisectors are not new customers, or if they never become repeat customers. Another danger is that a competitor like Covance, a company that also sells monkeys from Mauritius, will respond by meeting or beating the sales price (a huge company like Covance will crush Primate Products in a price war).

We can’t wait to see what Primate Products will do next to rescue its dying business.
Are layoffs next, pay cuts? Or, even better, a “Going out of business” sale!