DSW
Addicted to ArboristSite
I have some extra firewood I'd like to sell this year. Small amount, maybe 5-15 cord. I've read that some people only deliver and some never deliver. If you had a little bit to sell what would you do?
Small time firewood sales
- Thread starter DSW
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It depends on you! Are you comfortable having people come to your house or location and loading their Vehicles. and have a safe place for them where they won't twist an ankle or fall and could sue you!!
Do you have a safe place. I had a customer come back at night time And try to take even more wood. Is that so thing you want around your family or equipment?
But on the other end do you have the equipment to deliver wood?
Do you have a safe place. I had a customer come back at night time And try to take even more wood. Is that so thing you want around your family or equipment?
But on the other end do you have the equipment to deliver wood?
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If you have the equipment then I would deliver. Nobody needs to see your wood stash. People see my big piles and assume I should be selling it cheap because I have so much. Yeah, follow me around for a weekend in the bush or at the splitter when it's 95 out in the summer.
jrider
Addicted to ArboristSite
Just as previously stated, it comes down to your equipment, delivery distances and if you really want others on the property. I generally discourage people from picking up but there are a few that just feel better about it or use the excuse they want to get out and do something. I tell them all the wood is at my moms. I'm on a tight schedule with deliveries so if they say 8am they better be there then or they will be waiting. My mom is a 72 year old widow and felt much safer getting security cameras installed she can pull up on her tv while laying in bed or on her computer and smart phone. There is a sign saying property under surveillance. I let everyone know this in advance and I also let them know she keeps a shotgun on each floor in the house and she knows how to use them. If I get any weird vibe from people I pull out my phone and snap a quick pick of their plate as they back up to the pile. Have never had an issue but I don't want riffraff running around my moms property especially if I'm not there.
Deliver. Keeps people off your property and away from your stuff.
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I once pulled into the backyard of a customers house and she was sun tanning in the nude on her back deck. That right there was a sign from above to always deliver the wood.
LoveStihlQuality
Addicted to ArboristSite
He probably is still there!
?? must have just missed the "welcome wagon & come on in" ?....... lol
johnnyballs
ArboristSite Operative
I've got a place that I split wood just for my parks, all the wood comes from within 1 park, thus they are trying to prove that they/we are not responsible for any pests. All of the wood is in a gated/locked area until it is bundled. You would be amazed at the loss I see some days. It's like every park worker with a key has a fire pit at home and thinks they can help themselves. I jumped a couple guys about the loss, they had no idea that I had been keeping track of my time for all these years and knew how many bags the time should yield. Bag count has been more on track for the last year.
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
No way im having them pick it up I'd deliver free over the chance of inviting thieves to my place.
Plus people wanting to pick up always want to take a little extra and get a deal for coming to pick it up.
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
My woodlot is not at my house so I do both. I have a pick up price and delivery price. Most people want delivery and are willing to pay for it. I have been tipped, sometimes very nicely, for delivery. Never been tipped by customers who pick up the wood. I do not expect tips, just stating my experience. I started out hoping to never deliver. It ended up not being practical in my area, and the extra money/tips were nice.
You know some people you just get a bad feeling about. I hired a guy once to help me do a little work. He wasnt here long but you could tell he was scouting out my shop. Next he was asking if I had any pain pills. Just the sort of person you dont want to know what you own. We worked a couple of hours and I decided I didnt need his help and sent him home. Few months later my Uncles home was broken into and a lot of stuff carried off. Turns out the thief was the same guy I had hired and let go after only a couple of hours work. Later the guys girl friend broke into my other uncles house and stole a lock box with over $70,000 in it. She is in jail now. My uncle never got his money back and probably never will. It doesnt pay to have people you dont know, or can trust, to know anything about what you have.
That's really a tough deal. It's amazing how terrible some people are.
DSW
Addicted to ArboristSite
First post and you got to my two main issues.
I would rather not have people at my place. I have a decent amount of wood at my house, while I have no problem sending someone away I would rather not have them come back when I'm gone or asleep. And it's not like I have a lock on it.
I really am not setup to deliver wood. But I could change that.
It seems like delivery is the way to go. I would like to deliver a cord minimum. Even if i lose some business I don't wanna fiddle fart with a truck load/face cord.
I feel the same way you do about selling ricks or pickup loads. I also aint into having to stack and restack wood to sell it. While I dont sell firewood, I have the perfect dump trailer for the chore. Its 6x10 with 2ft sideboards. stacked just above the side boards equals a full cord. Throw the wood loose in the bed to 3 ft high and you have another full cord. Easy to do the math on how much wood is on the trailer. Deliver, back up and dump, get paid and drive off.
Highbeam
ArboristSite Guru
Theft is a big one but more important is liability. Selling firewood in an unofficial, unlicensed, uninsured way as most of us do means that any injury or damage that occurs while that buyer is on your property is uninsured. In other words, you will pay. Forget wood theft, you could lose your whole house!
Always deliver and even then, know that while you're driving or unloading that you are really exposed to major loss. You back over their dog or kid during the delivery and you will be losing your house!
Always deliver and even then, know that while you're driving or unloading that you are really exposed to major loss. You back over their dog or kid during the delivery and you will be losing your house!
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