Phicle wood buyers this year.

[sb47]

Been going weeks with no calls, then just today I sold 5 cords before noon.
Many calling for pricing when the price is clearly marked on my adds.
These people cant read.
Then they try to haggle me down as if I'm going to settle.
Little do they know I sell all I can produce and get full price.
They don't understand, I don't work for free, and I have no problem turning down the insulting offer and waiting for my wood to sell at full price.
In fact I have gone up a little on price and still sell plenty.
And it's still in the 70', and hasn't even gotten cold yet.
If you show up wanting 150 worth and you only have 140 cash on you. I wont sweet 10 bucks and make the sale.
But these guys roll in here with 50,000 trucks and then want to haggle.
Same when I used to deliver to these Mc Mansion's and want something for nothing.
I found a great cure for haggling, if the price is 150 and they ask for 20 dollars off, I simply respond that it now cost 170. lol that stops them in there tracks.
Hope everyone has a great firewood season.

 

[jrider]

I love people who tell me they will offer me $20-$30 less than my price. I simply state I sell out earlier and earlier every year getting the price I want. Some will contact me a few months later and act surprised when I tell them I'm sold out but I secretly love it when that happens.

 

[farmer steve]

glad to see i'm not the only one with these types. see the same thing in my produce market all summer. my overhead is the same for 1 or 10.

 

[sb47]

I live in the deep south where firewood is not a big money maker .
I make more catering to BBQ restaurants and cook-off teams.
I sell about 30% firewood and the rest is cooking wood.
I get people in all the time that are very impressed with my set up.
I'm very anal about keeping my wood stacked in measured stacks and ether kept indoors or stacked out in the open.
I never leave a pile on the ground for more then a week when I'm working up a pile from splitting.
I also split my wood green and stack for seasoning.
I also offer it in a variety of sises to fit the needs of different clients.
I almost never advertise, I'm now have a great customer base of regulars that have shopped the rest and now have found the best.

 

[mainewoods]

People with money are some of the cheapest sob's there are. That's one of the reasons they have so much money in the first place.

 

[mainewoods]

Then there is the guy with a $50,000 truck who stays with mommy and daddy, or lives in a $2000 trailer.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I don't get annoyed at folks trying to get a deal as I've done the same as some point as well as every single person on here.
Perhaps not for firewood, but same idea.

I just respectfully tell them my prices aren't flexible since the profit is pretty thin. No big deal.

 

[spike60]

I naturally have plenty of customers who sell firewood. All of them; not most, but ALL of them tell similar stories. Another thing they usually have in common is that the hagglers are usually the same folks who wait until the last minute to order wood. "It's getting cold, so I'll start calling around for wood." And of course, they want it seasoned too. That's the one that I don't get. I could understand someone who is new to burning wood thinking that way. But people who have been burning for 10-20 years haven't got it figured out yet?

 

[farmer steve]

when they ask you the price ya tell 'em the wood is free. they are paying for you time and equipment and fuel. and tell them your getting tired of hot dogs.

 

[sb47]

Oh I'm guilty of asking for a better deal. But I ask one time and let it go. I don't keep hounding for it or try to make the seller feel guilty for sticking to there prices.
Some even give sob stories about how hard life is on them. But they never consider how hard my life is.
Friends always ask for the friend discount, and I say If you realty are my friend, you'd pay my price and support my business.
Otherwise your just a friend as long as it in your favor or for what I can do for you. Thats not true friendship.

 

[flotek]

If I ask for a better deal it will be asking a little break on multiple deliveries not on one load . I understand how hard it is to process a cord of wood with my own hands so I'm reasonable on haggling sellers

 

[stihlaficionado]

People with money are some of the cheapest sob's there are. That's one of the reasons they have so much money in the first place.

Dkat…folks with serious money pay other folks that make good money to make more $$ for them. Those folks spend $$ & lots of it.

I think it's more a matter of values & mutual respect

 

[zogger]

Been going weeks with no calls, then just today I sold 5 cords before noon.
Many calling for pricing when the price is clearly marked on my adds.
These people cant read.
Then they try to haggle me down as if I'm going to settle.
Little do they know I sell all I can produce and get full price.
They don't understand, I don't work for free, and I have no problem turning down the insulting offer and waiting for my wood to sell at full price.
In fact I have gone up a little on price and still sell plenty.
And it's still in the 70', and hasn't even gotten cold yet.
If you show up wanting 150 worth and you only have 140 cash on you. I wont sweet 10 bucks and make the sale.
But these guys roll in here with 50,000 trucks and then want to haggle.
Same when I used to deliver to these Mc Mansion's and want something for nothing.
I found a great cure for haggling, if the price is 150 and they ask for 20 dollars off, I simply respond that it now cost 170. lol that stops them in there tracks.
Hope everyone has a great firewood season.

hahahah! Good one! Yep, hold out to cold weather and realistic full price, it'll sell.

 

[sb47]

These high rollers come marching with big promises of lots of business big volumes, but only at a whole sale price.
They must think because I sell wood I must be desperate for money and will take what I can get, if they make an offer.
lol.....They don't realize, wood stored properly is a non perishable item. And I'm in no hurry to make a nickle then wait and make a dollar. I sell out every years and over the years I have learned a thing or two about advertising and marketing.
There is a fine line in pricing to high or too low. It takes a few years to feel out the local market.
As soon as it gets cold, the mexicans will show up parked on the side of the road selling cheap "GREEN' firewood.
My market is a nitch market with BBQ restaurants and Cook off teams.
But I still get those eventually when they can make there wood burn, and they come see me.
I'll sell you green wood if thats what you want, But I believe honesty goes a long way, and I get a lot of thanks for being honest.
I've never had one single complaint on quality or it is exactly as I said it was.
I get lots of complements on my quality, and that means the most to me.
I have all I can handle, so I don't even bother with the riff raff.

 

[sb47]

I don't mean to come off like a tight wad, but I am when it comes to the general public.
I do donate free wood to benefits for fallen firefighters and police officers every year.
So I try to help when I can and chose who I help.
But for the general public, one thing is clear, it gets cold every year, so it's no surprise.
I like being the ant not the grasshopper.
Another down side is I get lost of late calls saying,"I forgot to pick up wood, are you open?
NOP!! Regular business hours only.
If you start making exceptions, they will expect you to always be there.
If I'm here I will make some exceptions, but my gate closes at dark. Period.

 

[sb47]

Another thing I do is not post my address on any ads, just a number to call.
I want to hear the persons voice and feel them out a bit before I let them know where i'm located.
And I'm always packin heat.
I had a friend I went to school with that was murdered in his front yard for scrap aluminum cans.
He tried to run to the house but they shot him in the back.
I always face my customer and never turn my back on them.

 

[sb47]

People with money are some of the cheapest sob's there are. That's one of the reasons they have so much money in the first place.

It's been proven many times. The ones with the least are more generous then those with most to give.

 

[jrider]

This is the first year I can remember I didn't hear from some middle man looking to turn a big profit off my sweat. They see my piles in the yard or online and come in with a low ball offer on 25-100 cords thinking I should jump at. I tell them my price is the same whether they buy 1 or they buy 50. Generally they respond with, "I can't make money at those prices." My response is, "I've been working on these piles for the last year. You think I can make money at what you offered?" If they dare come back at me with "but" I hang up before they can even finish.

 

[ponyexpress976]

My favorite is the clown that asks for the price and after hearing it tosses out his lowball of "well, would you take xyz if I paid in cash". My response is "that is my cash price, your price just went up $20".

 

[mijdirtyjeep]

Tis the season around here for low balling calls. They always say, I can get it for less down the road. To which my response is, Then why you calling me? Once the snow flies and the guys that only have a cord or two of crap wood sellout, mine will sell at my asking price.

This is why I really only like dealing with my repeat costumers. They know the price, they know the quality, and they don't haggle!