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Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2011-10 > 1317875843


From: "RICHARD KENYON" <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] time=$
Date: Wed, 5 Oct 2011 21:37:23 -0700
References: <E7B4F2E388AD433EBCE347CDA8F73FFA@kenPC><009001cc8370$19f8e6e0$4deab4a0$@dgmweb.net><CAA-Ub_CK9PqXjNw=60Q3zn7kFp1Si97+YGwnZCZ_CZrzzWiL3w@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <E7B4F2E388AD433EBCE347CDA8F73FFA@kenPC><009001cc8370$19f8e6e0$4deab4a0$@dgmweb.net><CAA-Ub_CK9PqXjNw=60Q3zn7kFp1Si97+YGwnZCZ_CZrzzWiL3w@mail.gmail.com>


For many DNA tests, there is often a very large fixed cost that is the same no matter if the batch consists of one sample or, say, 96 samples. So if a batch consists of a single sample, you can figure the lab costs would be about one hundred times that of a 96-sample batch! That means that a pretty steep price would have to be charged, a price that I doubt any customer would be willing to pay, even the most affluent among us.
I would assume that the least frequently ordered SNP tests would have the longest turnaround times. Thus for the fastest turnaround, it would be best to convince as many people as possible to order the same test at the same time.

Richard R. Kenyon ("Dick")
----- Original Message -----
From: Ann Turner<mailto:>
To: <mailto:>
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 8:48 AM
Subject: Re: [DNA] time=$


I can picture some scenarios where it could be a win-win situation. Ken
didn't specify the type of test, but he may have been thinking of low-volume
"boutique" SNP orders. I don't know specifically how this is set up at
FTDNA, but typical laboratory work flow systems center around 96-well
plates, where all the samples are processed the same way. If FTDNA is
waiting for a certain number of samples to run the test, someone who pays an
extra amount to expedite the test might actually subsidize others who have
ordered the same SNP. But ... Ken might be surprised at how much the extra
amount would turn out to be.

Ann Turner


On Wed, Oct 5, 2011 at 8:04 AM, Diana Gale Matthiesen <>wrote<mailto:%3Ewrote>:

> So, the affluent get to move to the head of the line, while the rest of us
> have our results delayed because of it.


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