Business is slow!

[butler]

I sold 300 cube in one day!!! Closely garded secret thou!!!! Sorry

[spudulike]

Thanks for the advice all, we will stick to our guns, the product is a good one. Look forward to reading up on the Kiln and will follow up all the suggestions.

 

We are in Much Hadham between Bishops Stortford and Ware, delivery is free within a 30kms radius. If your interested let me know.

 

Sorry, bit far out, he is in the Hitchin area - good luck anyway.

[jonsi]

What sort of money are you asking ?

[j warwick]

Have you considered setting up a kiln to dry some of your timber as a premium product? I'm not for one second saying that kiln dried is necessarily better, but people are prepared to pay quite a bit more.

 

You can get a kiln that will dry air dried firewood to sub 15% in about a week or ten days set up for less than a grand. Electricity costs are less than £10 a cubic metre and you could charge £40-50 more a cube.

 

Just an idea to expand sales. I'm putting some fairly green firewood into my kiln for the first time tomorrow so I'll report back!

 

Hi big j make sure you do post back I would be interested in your findings as been thinking on the same lines of a kiln myself

[Gnarlyoak]

I'd say hang on in there Chaldean. Tis but the start of winter, and if you believe the media we could be in for another cold one.

 

I'd expect things to start picking up from mid-Jan onwards as existing supplier stocks start to decrease and customers shake off the post Xmas blues and start stocking up if the weather looks like its going to stay cold.

 

By the end of Jan, expect the firewood forum to be full of people looking for more stock!

[rovers90]

I am just going in to my third season but business is up 200% on last year. I am getting a lot of business from my Gumtree ad and my Yell listing, both of which are free.

 

I always treat customers how I like to be dealt with, pleasant on the phone, my answer phone message says I will call them back within three working hours and I do (amazing number of customers who say other people have not returned their calls), my emails go straight to my Blackberry and any enquiries are answered immediately. Upon delivery I always introduce myself, ask where they would like the logs unloaded (loose pick up load) and if its not far I will help them stack.

 

If you're on an estate is there any local church or school fairs you can get involved with and display your goods at - I do this as a form of advertising and PR; sales on the day tend to be small but I got sales totalling a couple of grand within four months of a parish Christmas fair I did last year.

 

Little things add up and help gain repeat business and referrals. Good luck with your venture.

[johnedentreecare]

It all takes time and word of mouth etc as well as advertising. The more your seen about the more likely people will ring. A well marketed business image that links the adverts to the trucks etc is the secret. people buy into you then like a brand.

[gensetsteve]

I'd say hang on in there Chaldean. Tis but the start of winter, and if you believe the media we could be in for another cold one.

 

I'd expect things to start picking up from mid-Jan onwards as existing supplier stocks start to decrease and customers shake off the post Xmas blues and start stocking up if the weather looks like its going to stay cold.

 

By the end of Jan, expect the firewood forum to be full of people looking for more stock!

 

 

I would agree with the above. We have been selling logs now for 6 winters. The first 4 we could have sold ten times as much. Last winter was a waste of time and so far this one is not much better. Alot depends on how many small people are in your area and if the weather is cold enough they will run out. I think selling logs is down to how much competition is in your area even if you have the best logs at a reasonable price at the moment for some its a struggle. Maybe look at pallet freight into areas with less competition.

[Crazy Cutter]

I would agree with the above. We have been selling logs now for 6 winters. The first 4 we could have sold ten times as much. Last winter was a waste of time and so far this one is not much better. Alot depends on how many small people are in your area and if the weather is cold enough they will run out. I think selling logs is down to how much competition is in your area even if you have the best logs at a reasonable price at the moment for some its a struggle. Maybe look at pallet freight into areas with less competition.

 

All so true. Did Herts need another firewood merchant? I know Norfolk doesn't need anymore. Cord will be in short supply in 2013 including softwood so maybe look to sell cord direct to your firewood merchants. We have plenty of people here doing logs but no one can offer volume production of consistent dry product at a decent rate 70 to 80 a cube that will satisfy 95% of the buying public.

[andy26]

You have to remember winter 08/09 and 09/10 were two of the coldest on record. This led to a surge in demand, which led to a surge in supply for winter 10/11 which was the warmest on record.

 

Your website is excellent by the way....

 

Home page

 

Perhaps offer a bulk discount, you look to have a very nice lorry equipped with a Hiab. I reckon delivering a bulk bag costs £20, delivering two or more doesn't really cost any more, so pass this saving to the customer and get some bulk shifted.

Alternatively could you sell some wholesale?

 

Hope this cold snap boosts sales on the run-up to Christmas.