New log merchants

[gensetsteve]

Depends what you call new, this is winter no 6 for us. We are new to logs because the last five generations of my family were not in logs.

[Treemon]

I started selling logs before i could drive some 25 years ago and to be fair around me there has only been 2 or 3 merchants selling firewood , but in the last couple of years we have been flooded with new have a go Harrys trying to undercut us. The worst was the most recent one who smothered the area with signs "seasoned harwood logs from £50 a load" - my mate phoned them and its a builders bag of softwood for £50 and £60 for hardwood which if were in a cubic metre bag wouldnt be far of our prices - so the answer to the problem - take down all his signs - though he phoned my mate who took them down and threatened him with GBH - perhaps they steel bronze war plaques at the weekend !!

[farmer_ben]

What we're seeing is only the norm for any market that suddenly increases rapidly in volume, with customers inexperienced in telling good product from bad. With all the stoves going in, volume has to increase and people are trying to take advantage of that.

 

What'll happen next is normal market dynamics: everyone who wants a stove will have one in a few years and the market for those will be replacements, upgrades from tat to quality, and the odd new build. The vast majority of the customers will be educated about what's good and what's bad, and will shop more carefully. Those who've built up a base of experience, who have developed an efficient operation, and who have a good name will come out on top - they will have a loyal customer base and word-of-mouth will be their main marketing tool. The rest will simply hover round the edges of the market, but won't have the nous to produce the quality product demanded by the customers - they'll only sell to the naive and gullible.

 

It just needs to settle down over the next 5 to 10 years. In the meantime, we'll all be irritated by Mick and his battered white transit van, selling rubbish for peanuts.

 

HA HA i think every firewood chap up and down the UK can appreciate that comment!

[Alycidon]

I came across some oak sold cheaply to a new stove owner that I had delivered his stove tonight.

 

Been felled 5 years !!, logged since mid summer, 20-22%, so to wet for best results. I have advised the customer to store it inside for another 12 months when it will be ideal, meanwhile have some of my nice dry soft !!.

 

A

[mikey10]

I came across some oak sold cheaply to a new stove owner that I had delivered his stove tonight.

 

Been felled 5 years !!, logged since mid summer, 20-22%, so to wet for best results. I have advised the customer to store it inside for another 12 months when it will be ideal, meanwhile have some of my nice dry soft !!.

 

A

 

Thats probably drier than 95% of the logs being sold, although oak does burn slowly so needs to be very dry but i would sell at 22%

[benhudson treeworks]

Logs; you might not ever get rich but let me tell you, its better than diggin a ditch !

[pembswoodrecycling]

I'm just starting up, and I couldn't agree with you all more!

We've been burning logs of all types for as long as I can remember and we've never bought a log!

My dad made sure that I knew the difference between hard/soft, wet/dry, green/seasoned etc and I would never sell anyone anything that isn't up to a standard good enough to burn. I also make sure the customer knows exactly what they're getting from me so that they can make their own decision.

 

Then I read in the paper ''hardwood logs for sale, £40 a cubic meter".

 

I must be mad.

[Marko]

Lots of new customers out there as well as lots of new have a go Harrys.

 

The new customers are finding out the hard way about what a tonne bag of wet conny looks like and the have a go Harrys are also finding that it isn't the easy money game they thought it was although as one drops out another will always take their place so get used to it.

 

Play the long game and be philosophical about it. Customers have a choice and as long as your product is consistent then they will know exactly what they will get if they buy from you. After that it is their choice.

[windfall]

Thats probably drier than 95% of the logs being sold, although oak does burn slowly so needs to be very dry but i would sell at 22%

 

Me too without hesitation!

[firewood]

Competition is savage up here at present. those who sell wet wood do not last. The main problem is load size.

 

One guy near me sells for 30 quid a load for softwood I sell for 100 quid.

His load is a small halfords trailer holding about 0.5 cube. My load is 2.5 cube.

 

on the phone customers only hear price. They cant compute quantity.

 

 

http://www.kinnoirwoodfuel.co.uk