how to pay for firewood orders

[thor97]

Does anyone have any experience with setting up a display with fireplace/woodstove businesses? I am thinking of having a display with local businesses for firewood and would be willing to pay them for the leads. Am wondering how much is enough and if anyone has done this? Maybe $25 per order and then I could build my customer base. Any thoughts?

 

[svk]

When you say display do you mean like a trailer full of wood parked by their business with a phone number?

 

[thor97]

Yes. I would stack a face cord to show what it is with a listed price, including delivery (or not) and how far i would deliver. Then I would have my information there for an order, and give the business a cut. What do you think is fair? I would sell for $100 a face cord.

 

[rarefish383]

I'd just ask the dealer if I could leave a little card holder on his counter. Maybe show him a load of my wood so he could see the quality. If you gave him $25 per face order, you would have to be working for free. That's 25%, I don't think many businesses run at much more than a 25% profit margin. I get all my wood free, all standing dead Oak, and by the time I cut, split stack, let season more, and sell, I could make more working at Micky-D's. It's just all cash mad money, and I enjoy splitting wood, but it's not a get rich operation. Unless you are a big processor, but then you wouldn't be asking this question, Joe.

 

[moondoggie]

I see guys around here park at the grocery stores sometimes. I don't believe they pay the store anything. They just ask if it's OK to park there.

 

[Jere39]

The larger stove stores in this area always have several of their indoor and outdoor stoves lit as demonstrations for their customers. I haven't done this myself, but they must be getting their "demo" firewood somewhere. I'd approach a store and offer them firewood for the opportunity to include a nice stack of some primo wood with my card/flyer/tear-off strips. Then just keep the stack fresh with a visit as often as it takes, maybe drive by on your delivery runs to other customers.

I would not start the negotiation with any offer to exchange cash for customer leads.

 

[jrider]

If you sell a quality product, deliver the amount you said you will, and show up on time your firewood business will take off on its own. Also, look to your local community Facebook pages for free advertisement.

 

[svk]

Agree with Jere.

It's very subjective to offer them commission per order and they are 100 percent at your mercy to be truthful on what orders come from their display. You may know you will be fair but they may not. I'd be more inclined to offer them free wood for their demos or maybe a sum of money per month to leave a display there.