Selling direct to retailers

[shooterjim]

Hi everyone. I may have the chance to supply direct to several retailers directly. What sort of price would you charge for a sack weighing 20kg and 25 logs? Very good quality ash and sycamore. Obviously they will want to make good money on the deal but it would save me time and fuel if I could deliver to several large retailers. I have seen the nets with a handful of poor logs selling for nearly 8 quid!! What do you sell the sort of thing I've mentioned above for? Any advice gladly received!

 

All the best

 

Jim

[Mortimer Firewood]

Where abouts are you?

[Chris Gagen]

I am perceived by the retailers as expensive. My nets match your description for weight and quality and this year I am not selling for less than £4 + VAT each wholesale.

I arrived at this price by working backwards from what I sell a cubic meter for:

1cm hardwood = £100

out of 1cm I on average get 30 nets.

it takes me on average 90 minutes to bag 30 nets.

so £100 divide 30 = £3.33 just for the wood.

1.5 hours @ £10/hr = £15 divide 30 is 50p for the time

17p per net

There you have the £4.00

 

I started selling firewood solely in small nets as I didn't have enough to meet demand for bulk, now the situation has changed to mean that I don't want to work my guts out doing small nets when I can get the money I'm asking for bulk loads.

 

If folks are happy receiving £2.00 ish for their nets of logs then let them be the busy fools.

 

Best of luck!

[davetaz]

I sell nets to 3 or 4 retailers. I use 40x60 nets holding about 8-10 logs each. Wholesale at £2.75, retailers just add £2 and sell at £4.75 (all seasoned hardwood).

Local sainsburys selling same size nets, 6 large chunks soft wood "real wood logs" for £5.99!

[shooterjim]

Im in Leicestershire. Was thinking around £6 quid for decent numbers ordered. Can get the sacks printed with whatever they want at a good price so it would look the part! I dont want to appear greedy but i dont want to do all this work for not very much return! Ive sold 3 bulk bags so far asking £75 so starting to move it. Takes me an hour to do a bulk which i think is quite good considering its all axe and chainsaw! Putting 250 logs in each bag.

[davetaz]

What size are your bulk bags (width x depth x height)?

Average ones seem to be 80cm x 80 x 80 , 0.512 cubic metres. £75 per bag is good going!

250 logs in a bag = 30p/log

if you put 25 in a net at 30p each they should be worth £7.50 each to you!

[gensetsteve]

A loose loaded cubic meter weighs 350kg approx when dry.

 

350kg div 20kg = 17.5 bags at £6 = £105 a cubic metre people charge this for a loose load and dont need to spend an hour stuffing nets.

 

 

We get asked for bags wholesale for £3 x 17.5 = £52.50 a metre we dont do wholesale

 

 

We sell 10kg nets at the gate for £5 = £175.00

[Chris Gagen]

A loose loaded cubic meter weighs 350kg approx when dry.

 

350kg div 20kg = 17.5 bags at £6 = £105 a cubic metre people charge this for a loose load and dont need to spend an hour stuffing nets.

 

 

We get asked for bags wholesale for £3 x 17.5 = £52.50 a metre we dont do wholesale

 

 

We sell 10kg nets at the gate for £5 = £175.00

 

Begging your pardon, I've just weighed several of my nets, and on average they are just 14kg...

[gensetsteve]

Begging your pardon, I've just weighed several of my nets, and on average they are just 14kg...

 

Thats because they are so dry

[Chris Gagen]

Thats because they are so dry

 

so true, cheers steve!