Firewood hacks, at it again....

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avalancher said:
Not much of a way of calling him out short of taking out a classified ad calling him a cheat. But, then again, if he wants to sell his labor that cheap, who am I to object? It is what it is.

Like many of you, I have been doing this for years, and count on firewood sales as part of my income. Fact, every cent spent at Christmas time is firewood money, and I have never spent a dime of family money on a saw or any other tool for firewood and tree service. Been my experience that most of these guys run out of wood quickly, usually by Christmas time,so I reckon its just a waiting game. The only long lasting effects these guys have is often customers will buy his wood until he runs out, then expect you to match the price. And often they will wait until the deliver is sitting on the driveway and you hold your hand out for payment and then they start the "well, last delivery only cost me a dead kitten and a quick peak up the wife's skirt, how about you match that deal?"
Click to expand...

You hit the nail on the head... If he's legit on amounts, then he just needs to move the wood for whatever reason. It's his time and labor... If he values it less than we know it's worth, the only business recourse you have, is to use him and his product. Tell him to make small splits and just deliver it to your wood yard when he gets a chance... I actually sell some to a fellow who I know re-sells it in KC. And I don't mind... He pays me 150 per cord, and hopefully he makes a ton on it from there...
By the way, I'll guarantee the stuff he's selling isn't really dry...
Just sayin...
:big_smile:
 
I see it all the time, I call them weekend warriors, they will run out when the snow flies, to be honest I've had a third party buy wood from one guy that is selling wood for 70.00 a honest cord, I have the guy who buys it for me have it delivered to his house, keeps me out of the picture. He's usually good for about 30 cord a year. It just keeps him out of my hair. We actually went up on wood 15.00 this year and just on word of mouth are selling more than we can produce. I like to think it's because of the end product, the customer always gets at least 10-15% more than they pay for. Wood is always stacked neat, we paint a mark on the pile so that when they get to that point they can call for another without the fear of running out. I do some bartering for folks who don't always have the cash. The guys delivering are always on time and courteous, I make sure to donate wood to a couple of needy families each year, expecting nothing in return it always comes back in spades. Educate your customers on the differences between dry wood, hard wood and mixed crap. Building a relationship with customers has done us more good than anything, we will go the extra mile to exceed their expectations, I'll take home baked cookies to some of the older customers or homemade peanut brittle, they love the little attention you give them. Check the guy out, if it's legit, and you can afford it, buy ever stick the guy can cut, bottom line, at that price he cannot sustain it with the cost of fuel,mix,chain etc. After they beat their brains out for a month, they'll figure out they aren't making a penny. Like Hedgerow, I know I've got one guy buying off me that is taking it to a woodlot in Nevada, who in turn is taking it to Kansas City, I've got no issue as I'm making all I want out of it and he pays like clockwork.
 
avalancher said:
Not much of a way of calling him out short of taking out a classified ad calling him a cheat. But, then again, if he wants to sell his labor that cheap, who am I to object? It is what it is.

Like many of you, I have been doing this for years, and count on firewood sales as part of my income. Fact, every cent spent at Christmas time is firewood money, and I have never spent a dime of family money on a saw or any other tool for firewood and tree service. Been my experience that most of these guys run out of wood quickly, usually by Christmas time,so I reckon its just a waiting game. The only long lasting effects these guys have is often customers will buy his wood until he runs out, then expect you to match the price. And often they will wait until the deliver is sitting on the driveway and you hold your hand out for payment and then they start the "well, last delivery only cost me a dead kitten and a quick peak up the wife's skirt, how about you match that deal?"
Click to expand...

This is where I tell anyone who looks about to get squirley...you can look all you want but the cash is in my palm before I hit the dump switch. If you don't want it, it stays on the truck. Once it hits your driveway, it's yours. You dont want it, I pull away no harm no foul.

If the guy is selling honest cords, buy it up. It's an investment into next year. You have an established and quality business...it'll all sell.
 
This is my first year selling firewood. I took over a firewood business from a man who has been selling wood here for almost 40 years. I am seeing ads in Craigslist and in the newspaper for wood at cheap prices. Heck, every newspaper ad had prices cheaper than me, and cheaper delivery charges. I am selling at the same price the former owner sold wood for last year.
This situation has had me kind of worried, so I called the gentleman I took over the business from. He told me it happens every year. Just stick to my pricing, offer good quality, seasoned hardwoods, good delivery service, and the sales will come. He said these cheap guys will be out of wood by the time winter really sets in. I am selling a lot of wood to his long time customers, but the calls from the newspaper ad are all looking for cheap price, and, I guess buying elsewhere.
So, now, if someone calls about my ad in the paper, the first thing I ask is if they are looking for good seasoned hardwood, or low price. If they want a low price, I nicely tell them I will not be the low price, they need to check elsewhere.
I do believe all these fly-by-night, junk wood sellers will be out of wood and gone in a month or so. I am so confident, I just bought a second trailer so I can haul in more wood and build up my stockpiles. I guess time will tell. My goal is to sell 100 cords this first year. I am at 26 cords right now.

I hope you other guys can weather the cheapos and do well this year.
Jeff
 
With all the storm damage from Irene and the Halloween snow...seems like everyone around here has wood for sale. Probably why my green sales have been way down. Looks like I'll have that much more seasoned on hand for next year.
 
Boy, this is amazing. I'm in Sacramento, and right now seasoned oak is 300.00 per cord. Later it will go up to 350.00
I see it advertised upwards of that in San Francisco/bay area

I was offered on deal to thin out a grove earlier this year, but had just made a deal to sell off my big dump trailer. There's lots of wood around here though, and sales seem to be a bit slow due to the economy.

Face cords.....never heard that before, but I understand it. I just measure the stack and figure out the cubic feet, but I guess a lot of people don't have a tape measure or can't cypher beyond the basics
 
The last several years here were few sellers on the local CL. Last year there were probably 40 regular ads with low ball prices. This year that number doubled selling mostly 'fresh' wood.

A pawnshop here buys wood from the hacks for $35 a PU load It has to be split and stacked for that price. I seen a couple guys splittiing and stacking there and stopped to talk a bit. They had about a cord and a half and between the 2 of them they were going to split about $100 for the day after fuel. That works out to about $5 an hour. That's not for me and I don't know how they are doing it. Of course as soon s something better comes along they'll drop cutting wood for better pay or to stay in where it's warm.
 
Around here the cheap guys are generally what you'd call part timers. They come into a limited source of wood, figure they can make a few bucks selling it, and when it's gone, it's gone. That's why many of you say these types always seem to run out of wood by Christmas. These guys hardly ever have a consistant supply of wood. Amounts and species vary, and most of it is unseasoned as it's usually cut and split just before delivery. Not a good recipe for repeat customers, but the cheapskate buyers will just call a different low baller for their next load anyway.

The guy who was in it for 40 years gave good advice. Good product plus good service equals a healthy business.
 
spike60 said:
Around here the cheap guys are generally what you'd call part timers. They come into a limited source of wood, figure they can make a few bucks selling it, and when it's gone, it's gone. That's why many of you say these types always seem to run out of wood by Christmas. These guys hardly ever have a consistant supply of wood. Amounts and species vary, and most of it is unseasoned as it's usually cut and split just before delivery. Not a good recipe for repeat customers, but the cheapskate buyers will just call a different low baller for their next load anyway.

The guy who was in it for 40 years gave good advice. Good product plus good service equals a healthy business.
Click to expand...


Cheapskate buyers are not customers you want to have. No matter how cheap your wood is, it won't be right for them.
 
well i tell one thing i ran out of fire wood last year and i tried to go out and buy a few ricks to get this green wood going.but you want to know one thing.i went out and started to price some wood where they always set year afther year.and i pull up and got swormed by them and the lowest truck load that was there was 165. i said **** you all trying to get rich over night aren't you.they said thats the going rate for a truck load wood these days.i said that kight be your price but not mine. but this year is alot differnt then last year i cut enough during srping and summer to last for 2 years and then some.i might go friday and see what the price is on it and go set up someplace and see if i can sell some.but i won't sell much though.
 
avalancher said:
Not much of a way of calling him out short of taking out a classified ad calling him a cheat. But, then again, if he wants to sell his labor that cheap, who am I to object? It is what it is.

Like many of you, I have been doing this for years, and count on firewood sales as part of my income. Fact, every cent spent at Christmas time is firewood money, and I have never spent a dime of family money on a saw or any other tool for firewood and tree service. Been my experience that most of these guys run out of wood quickly, usually by Christmas time,so I reckon its just a waiting game. The only long lasting effects these guys have is often customers will buy his wood until he runs out, then expect you to match the price. And often they will wait until the deliver is sitting on the driveway and you hold your hand out for payment and then they start the "well, last delivery only cost me a dead kitten and a quick peak up the wife's skirt, how about you match that deal?"
Click to expand...

Not one stick comes off of the truck ' til I see the money. That better be one SMOKIN HOT wife if I'm going to give a discount for the sneaky peek--- already have one @ home that gives it up for free!
 
Steve2910 said:
Not one stick comes off of the truck ' til I see the money. That better be one SMOKIN HOT wife if I'm going to give a discount for the sneaky peek--- already have one @ home that gives it up for free!
Click to expand...

lol nothings free in this life time ! not even from the wife!!!!!!!!!! lol a hot wife might mean a free woody??lol :confused:
 
MNGuns said:
Cheapskate buyers are not customers you want to have. No matter how cheap your wood is, it won't be right for them.
Click to expand...

+1

The complaining doesn't stop with price. Delivered amount is always short, wood has dirt on it, can get it cheaper from someone else, you made ruts when backing in, then the usual kicker, will you take a check.

Even if you're a small time operation like me, regular repeat customers are the lifeblood. Any wood cut on a speculation basis is sold at a fair to me price. I try to be selective with whom I deal and refuse to be a charity. Must be working because sales and inquiries keep going up even with the CL hacks undercutting me.

Take Care
 

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