He walked away mad

[sb47]

A guy calls up wanting a half cord of oak cooking wood. I say sure, stop by and i
ll fix you up.
He calls back an hour later form the wrong place, lost and wanting directions.
He shows up an hour later and rolls in, in a 50K plus pickup.
I show him what I have and he starts balking at the price.
He wanted the wood for an outdoor pizza oven.
My price for a half cord of oak is $140.00 and $180.00 for a half cord of my premium heart wood.
He wanted the heart wood but he didn't like the price.
He offers me $160. for the premium wood and I say, sorry that wood is firm at 180.
He then lies to me by saying I quoted him a price 2 years ago at $132.00 for a half.
First off, I never have put such an odd price on my wood. Secondly, that was 2 years ago.
So he walks back to his truck and I hear him say "my wife is going to kill me if I don't get some wood.

I break my rule and counter at $170.00
He still kept walking and then left.
So lets break this down.
It was 5 pm and the traffic in my area is very bad at that time of day.
So for 10 bucks, he walked away. And will spend way more then that in time and gas driving somewhere else.
I guess he thinks firewood sellers are poor and will take anything someone offers.
WRONG!!!
I say, let him bitch and moan while he sits in traffic, fuming! lol
Cheap bastard!

 

[svk]

Nice.

Happiness is being a seller who doesn't need to make a sale.

 

[sb47]

Nice.

Happiness is being a seller who doesn't need to make a sale.

He knew the asking price, and he made an offer. I met him half way and split the difference. Basic negotiations 101. He still walked. Why enter negotiations then not budge?
He kinda had the attude that he was doing me the favor.
5 pm on a Friday afternoon. Good luck there buddy! lol

 

[svk]

And now he's getting his azz chewed because he bought a bundle of wet wood from the gas station at an adjusted price of $700 per cord.

 

[Zale]

Wonder how that pizza is turning out?

 

[cantoo]

I sell a lot of stuff. Nothing better than sending some low balling ahole on his way with nothing. I had a guy one time pick apart a car I was selling, "it needs this it needs that, that isn't safe, that is about to fall off" crap. Car was already safety checked and ready for the road. After wasting my time for an hour or more and him wanting it for half what I was asking I told him it wasn't for sale anymore. Told him that maybe he was right it was a piece of crap and I just didn't feel right about selling a piece of crap. Not sure who was more pizzed off him or his wife who really wanted it. Another time a dumbazz drove 3 hours to look at a truck I had for sale. On the phone said he was a serious cash buyer. Shows up and pulls out a wad of cash and says here's $2000 in 100 dollar bills take it or leave it. I was asking around $3500 for it. I said nope and walked back into my shop and went back to work. Guy comes in mad and trying to flash the money, I told him I thought you said take it or leave it? Well I decided to leave it so see ya. But but but. Getting old doesn't make me a nicer guy.
PS, I usually have a gun or two hidden and sitting handy in case some dick decides he's gonna try to get one over on me.

 

[sb47]

For 10 bucks this is what he walked away from.

 

[svk]

I get that some guys feel they need to at least try and haggle. I can respect that if they do it respectfully. Otoh, insult me or my item and they will be going away empty.

 

[Stihlbillie]

Wonder how that pizza is turning out?

Lol, he probably just got dominoe's

 

[Oldmaple]

After telling me about their trip to Italy for the installation of the pope, trip to see Notre Dame play in the National championship game and sitting in the luxury boxes at the Kentucky Derby a customer wanted $50 off a $350 prune job because "money is tight for us". No thanks.

 

[67L36Driver]

My C'list adds always contain a note: "Lowballers will be treated rudely."

 

[Streblerm]

We have an impound lot at work. Way in the back is a 1 ton Toyota box truck that belongs to us. Some guy sees it and is hot for the rear end. I guess they are hard to come by. He comes in and talks to my partner who tells him $200 for the whole truck. The guy hems and haws, says he really doesn't have any way to haul the truck so my partner says ok, 100$ for the rear end but you have to pull it yourself, we are too busy to mess with it.

After some time the guy and his buddy come up asking if we will run our bobcat back to lift it up for them. It's an old 753. The cap on the machine is about 1300#. It isn't going to lift the box truck like a big floor jack. Now I have flipped over lots of cars but the box truck is definitely pushing it. I reluctantly agree. I go back with the machine and something isn't right. It just won't lift the boom arms under load. No bypass, no squealing I know there is a fairly significant hydraulic leak so I suspect foamy fluid or something with the pedal linkage. Either way I'm not thrilled about the equipment's condition or the task at hand.

So I give it my best shot. I line up and try the old push and lift. The whole time the guy's buddy is yelling at me. "Don't be afraid, you just have to lift, lift, lift...quit using the wheels...don't be afraid...lift, lift". The dude is obviously drunk at 1:00 pm. They showed up with party plates on their truck (party plates are bright yellow plates they give you in Ohio after a dui). After about the fifth time the guy told me not to be afraid, just lift...it struck me. I'm doing this guy a favor. I am working way over the cap of my machine. If I'm successful without killing myself or breaking bob then I'm stuck with a box truck with no rear end, so a 3 ton boat anchor that can no longer be moved for $100. Totally not worth it.

I politely told the guy neither the truck nor the rear end was for sale anymore and that he could stop by the office on his way out and get his money back. He did a bunch of back talking realizing he just missed out on a good deal. He apologized for his buddy, but too little too late. I'll push that truck into a hole and bury it before I sell this ******* any parts off it.

 

[Streblerm]

Dude stopped by a few weeks later says he has a couple bumper jacks and can he have another shot at it. My partner was wavering but I happened to be within earshot. I told the dude we do not sell parts. If he wants the truck it is $200 and he needs to hire a licensed and insured tow truck to move it. Just what I need is some drunk smashing himself under my truck in the back 40.

You make someone a fair deal and then they crap all over you for it. Piss on 'em. Go bother somebody else.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

No dickering,

I don't negotiate, period. The last few years I have sold out prior to Labor Day on any speculation inventory that I put up. Once a seller starts special pricing for a one time sale, to a new customer he runs the risk of that pricing getting back to a regular / repeat customer. Potentially angering and / or loosing a 3 cord a year repeat customer for a few bucks to make a one time sale to a cheap whiner isn't worth the risk to me. (Let's face it, it's a small world)

That said, on a few occasions where I found myself with some extra wood to move, I'll email or text regular customers, explain the situation, and offer them a discount if they take it off my hands. Usually ends up with both of us being happy.

Take Care

 

[c5rulz]

I put a statement on CL ads to the effect, If you want discount low quality, wet wood look elsewhere. This is high quality Red, & White Oak with a little hickory and you will not be shorted.

 

[muddstopper]

I hate to haggel, but I do like to ask if thats the best price they can do. Sometimes the seller will drop a few bucks without me making an offer. I kind of figure I am going to pay full price when I show up, and if i dont think its worth his full asking price, I dont even go look at it. When I price something to sell, I usually set a pretty firm price, a sort of take it or leave it deal, of what I figure the product is worth. Flashing hundred dollar bills doesnt impress me if there isnt enough of them there to meet my price. That doesnt mean I wont lower my price under the right circumstances. If the buyer shows up in a old beatup truck with three snotty nose kids and his wife and he looks like he has been working his arsh off just to get by, then I will haggle. On the other hand, if the driver shows up in a New hummer and his wife is decked out to the ninth degree, buddy its take it or leave it.

 

[sb47]

Every year without fail, at least one or more high rollers pull in with a stack of cash and want every stick of wood I have on the lot. But I have to discount it in order to make the sale. No thanks buddy.
Every year I sell every stick I can produce at full price, why in the world would I want to sell it at a discount?
With a shelf life of at least a year or more under good conditions, that wood is like money in the bank.
Besides this guy said he bought a half cord 2 years ago from me for 132.00.
He only buys a 1/2 cord every 2 years. Not a steady costumer by any means, and he is trying to bargain with 2 year old pricing. I know the game there playing and I'm not going to play.

Now, I really don't care where someone spends there money. Nice fancy truck, fancy house, fancy close, what ever floats there boat.
But don't spend all your money in one spot, and then ask me for a discount.
Well, you can ask, but I'll turn you down.

When I shop I do ask for a lower price. But if the price is firm, then I have a decision to make. Walk or pay there price.
I have given plenty of discounts and even donated wood for free, under the rite conditions or circumstances.
The 20 bucks that he was asking for, wouldn't have broken ether of us, ether way.
It's just kinda silly.

 

[sb47]

No dickering,

I don't negotiate, period. The last few years I have sold out prior to Labor Day on any speculation inventory that I put up. Once a seller starts special pricing for a one time sale, to a new customer he runs the risk of that pricing getting back to a regular / repeat customer. Potentially angering and / or loosing a 3 cord a year repeat customer for a few bucks to make a one time sale to a cheap whiner isn't worth the risk to me. (Let's face it, it's a small world)

That said, on a few occasions where I found myself with some extra wood to move, I'll email or text regular customers, explain the situation, and offer them a discount if they take it off my hands. Usually ends up with both of us being happy.

Take Care

I live near a city with a population of over 4 million. I agree it can be a small world. Been there done that.
But with a population of 4 million, it aint that small. lol

 

[lone wolf]

Nice.

Happiness is being a seller who doesn't need to make a sale.

I got people still wanting to buy wood now. I am trying to have enough for next year! I just say I dont sell it till Sept.

 

[muddstopper]

I dont understand the "Wont sell it till Sept". If I have something to sell, its for sale, period. I can understand wanting to sell a quality product, such as dry or seasoned wood, but If I can make the same money selling fresh split wood as I could waiting for the wood to dry and season properly, as long as the buyer understands what it is hes buying, then I would sell in May, just the same as I would in the fall. The way I see it, most likely they wont be burning the wood now for heat, and if they stack it for winter use, it will dry out just as well at their place as it can at mine. Plus, it frees up space at my place to store even more wood for future sales. Since I dont sale firewood, maybe I just have a different perspective on things, but I cant see the point of not selling something now and waiting for a sale that might or might not come in the future..