ASPEN fuel why so expensive

[GardenKit]

I've tried to get a couple of local places to buy it in, they've looked into it and just laughed that it will not sell. .

 

I do agree Andy, that as well as the price the availablity issue is a problem.

 

Without a comprehensive dealer network it is impossible for many potential users to get hold of it. I you can't get it, you can't use it.

 

What I cannot understand is why other dealers are so reluctant to get into it, it must be pure ignorance of the product.

 

As I said before, the stuff flys off my shelves, we have new supplies every 2-3 weeks at the moment.

 

It increases footfall in the shop, which in turn leads the aspen user to have a greater awareness of my other products. And its making me tidy money.

[Matthew Storrs]

If they can sell supermarket water so cheap then I don't understand the packaging reason for the cost.

Would they ever install it on the petrol pumps- can't see the demands ever being high enough even if 2 stroke oil was banned.

£3 per litre is too high. The govt need to remove tax for health reasons if it really is that good for us. They will save the money in health costs reduction.

I'm sitting on the fence- we have tried it but I am waiting for the cost to fall before diving in. Believe me I do want to go down this route but for now the cost can't really be justified. Or can it

 

Well the fact that so many people claim to suffer headaches/nausea/sore throats from standing in clouds of petrol but not from Aspen says it all (unless its a placebo effect). I can't pass the cost directly to my customers because i could use the normal stuff but to hell with it. Im not going to risk my health and possibly loss of earnings due to future ill health just for the sake of an extra 20 or 30 quid a week.

[GardenKit]

If they can sell supermarket water so cheap then I don't understand the packaging reason for the cost.

 

Maybe if the volume of water sales was not so high, the price would not be as cheap?

[josharb87]

Well the fact that so many people claim to suffer headaches/nausea/sore throats from standing in clouds of petrol but not from Aspen says it all (unless its a placebo effect). I can't pass the cost directly to my customers because i could use the normal stuff but to hell with it. Im not going to risk my health and possibly loss of earnings due to future ill health just for the sake of an extra 20 or 30 quid a week.

 

Plus it doesnt 'go off' or perish rubber, so if you use a machine only a few times a year, the machine wont suffer through lack of use

[jose]

Forgive my ignorance but if shipping costs r so high and it's not a massive volume being produced could it not be actually manufactured over here ?

I would use it but have trouble getting over paying 2-3 times the price! I have never suffered from the smoke so don't have a burning desire to swap for a much more expensive product.

I fill up my 20ltd jerry can for £23 or so. Aspen is approaching 20 for a quater of the fuel.

Be interesting to see the profit margins of aspen. I know that everybody needs to make profit or else it's not worth operating but from my position there needs to be a reasonable margin. Or else we end up with companies like the gas and electricity companies that lie and rip us off so bad claiming its due to the market values an then turn around and post profits in the billions!

[Mark_Skyland]

Its easy to say "just up your daily income by a tenner"

 

But we read on here time and time again that 2 man crews are going out with truck, chipper, saws and all the other gear needed to do a days work for £250-£300 a day. They may not be able to up their daily income.

 

And yes price is irrelevant when it comes down to health.

 

 

Why stop at a tenner? If we could just charge another tenner then why not twenty or thirty quid extra?

 

 

Ive never tried Aspen due to the cost but have looked at selling it but ATM until we build up a larger customer base I dont think its worth us stocking it. Apart from having it on the shelves ther is the added H&S and insurance issues.

 

Its a pity about the high cost as from what I can gather the only negative it seems to have is the price.

 

Chainsaws and hedge trimmers are a start but if cost really is irrelevant in regards to health then are people running their stump grinders and chippers on the stuff?

[Pat Ferrett]

Its expensive so I carry normal 2 stroke and aspen and choose the best fuel for each situation.

[Rob D]

So do you disagree that reducing the price is the best and perhaps only way to increase the dealer network and promote sales? If it were available locally and the price were more reasonable I would use it.

 

 

 

I think that more would be sold if there was a higher profit margin for dealers and the retail price was lower....

 

.... The trouble is we can guess but we just don't know what the actual costs are in producing it... Everytime a thread comes up about Aspen it always ends up being the price that is the problem.... surely if they could reduce the price they would?

 

But again we'll never find out as I can't see an oil company opening their books and giving us a breakdown of costs.

[treequip]

Just up your daily income by a tenner, the customer will hardly notice .

 

But your competitors might, customers are interested in price price price.

[treequip]

I was responding to reasons for the cost and stated that my belief is that the only significant reduction in price may be if the government were to remove the Excise Duty.

This would obviously apply to alkylate fuels in general, not just to Aspen, but the thread is entitled 'ASPEN fuel, why so expensive'

 

I never mentioned bringing ASPEN down to pump petrol prices, they were your words, but surely a price reduction of 58p per litre would be significant.

This would mean bringing the pre vat price down from £3.02 to £2.45, I for one, would welcome that.

 

Of course I agree that reducing the price would make it easier to sell, that applies to everthing in my shop, I would love it to be much cheaper.

 

But the price of anything can only be reduced if the profit margins remain viable, so assuming that no one is making a killing from this stuff, the logical way to reduce cost other than a possible (dont hold your breath) tax reduction will be to reduce costs. This will be best achieved by increasing sales volume, something Anglo American have been striving to achieve in the UK for years.

The last year has seen the largest growth in sales yet, so they are at last getting somewhere. I understand that Aspen is a very small part of their overall business in the UK.

 

So for those who want to use Aspen the best thing will be to bite the bullet and buy some. Those who have used it see beyond the price.

 

For those who dont want to pay the price, thats OK. Its your choice.

 

and I was responding to someone else