Bulk Firewood Purchase...Educate Me

[Jutt]

99% of my customers have fireplaces and fire pits. The firewood they buy is purely for recreational purposes and they appreciate a high level of customer service, communication, upfront pricing and eta when I'm in route and a good product that is ready to burn. My goal is to make sure they have a great firewood experience from the delivery to the use of the firewood for their specific application. The firewood I provide them also has a "Satisfaction Guarantee", if they find a few pieces of firewood they don't like I'll swap it out or even replace the whole load (very rare) if that is what it takes. My business is now about 70% repeat customers. I do not target people with woodstoves that need to balance the cost of wood heat over other fuels for home heating. There are plenty of wood suppliers in my area that can beat my price and deliver bulk. My target area is Charlotte and Lake Norman, NC ...... not Boston or NYC....

Kinda sounds like the Artisanal Firewood guys:

 

[DSW]

Stacked a half cord that had to be wheel barrowed around the back of a guys garage in the city Saturday. Nice place, cobblestone driveway. It took an hour and he was happy to pay $240 for the 1/2 cord stacked. Sunday delivered and stacked out a cord in a brick wood bin at a house on the lake, it took an hour and a half to unload and stack, $400 for that job. I'll take those numbers all day.

I'm with ya, not a bad deal.

My full story may fill in the blanks, this is my second year selling, have repeats from last year, new customers who want to become repeats next year, and continual customers, all the good stuff. I've done just a hand full of deliveries in the city, most have been local....or what counts for local in the country.

If it was the opposite, I'd for sure be pulling a trailer full into the city and wheeling a barrow around. I haven't built up the city contacts yet. You're established and all in it sounds like, and I like that. For me, I'm not sure how invested I am.

 

[lknchoppers]

I'm with ya, not a bad deal.

My full story may fill in the blanks, this is my second year selling, have repeats from last year, new customers who want to become repeats next year, and continual customers, all the good stuff. I've done just a hand full of deliveries in the city, most have been local....or what counts for local in the country.

If it was the opposite, I'd for sure be pulling a trailer full into the city and wheeling a barrow around. I haven't built up the city contacts yet. You're established and all in it sounds like, and I like that. For me, I'm not sure how invested I am.

Stick with it and let your business evolve. If you are not already doing this, you may want to watch Total Quantity - $$/cord -expense/cord delivered year to year. As you get more efficient you should see a steady increase in your margin.