This is one heck of a weird start to the heating season... Topped out at 55° today!! Started the bike up, and took it for a spin. In a sweatshirt... and it was nice! (for a little bit..) I think some of you are right... there is a possibility of some surplus pellet stock at some of the BBS... whether it prompts price cutting, is an unknown.. But it sure is easier on the consumers' wallets!! At least by the amount they have used up so far, compared to years past at this point... Dan
It sound and looks like the BBS are going to be writing off some inventory. With wet weather and temps above freezing and stock outside it sound like a recipe for disaster. Pellets are tough to handle even when they a stored inside. Even with pallet covers, this outside stock needs to be tarped. Water damage can occur well into the middle of a pallet and may not even be visible. Trust me, I've been down that road a few times. Buyers at the BBS aren't generally aware of the need to store inside when the weather is above freezing and some of that stock has been exposed for months now.
I never had a problem with storing pellets outside. They are sometimes not even wrapped as good as when they are at the boxes. As long as there are no fork truck incidents those pellets will be just fine.
With all due respect... when we get pallets with even small tears in the top cover, more often than not... we have to remove several bags of damaged product. You don't think it would hurt much, but it really does... We get a lot of damaged stuff, that I take apart, and chuck a pound or two of spongebob pellets or more in the trash... and use the rest myself... but it's a lot of work.. and very time consuming... OR... Henry will deduct the price of the bags from the sale.. Not a lot of profit on that pallet.. Dan
Getting off the subject for a minute (and yes Ive been drinking) every time i look at your avatar picture i see a red coat on a coat rack with a blue scarf. Just though i would share that
Nobody mentioned pallets with tears in the wrap. But you are right. If there is damage to the wrap more than likely you will not like what you find
And really... often times the tear is really small... but somehow.. the water gets in there. And you're right... you will not be happy!
I actually see it every time when I am on my phone. The avatar is so small it looks like to me a big red coat and someone with a tiny head.
IMHO its not just the BBS that have a surplus. Many tons were ordered as initially the season was projected to be same as the last 2. So many houses have stuffed the shelfs to handle a rush/crunch and not loose sales. Wanna bet we see sales come spring? Oh wait its already happening! Look at CT pellet site and you'll see he's dump prices to move them. It ain't cold so can sell em with the price all jacked up now can ya!!
Fortunately, we are all set... regular inventory at this time, due largely to a lot of people getting stuff here, rather than the BBS... The warm weather has been a factor, though, to say the least.. Another factor, right now, is holidays.. Things always get slow. When this unusual weather ends, sales will perk up, I'm sure. As for that CT sale... their "normal" prices are pretty steep.. I did notice that woodpellets.com has a short sale going too.. But no 'huge' cuts, like people would like to see. Dan
Doesn't look to anytime real soon, So hang on to your britches................. BBS price was also in hopes of the usual cold we have experienced the last couple a seasons. And the early start still had shock from this so they sold some, But not as much as expected by looking at the stacks in their lots. Won't be much longer before they get scared and decide they must move them as the lawn supplies are due to arrive in February. CT prices now are about what he had during the spring buy deals. He usually held them until mid September. Then began the steady rise expecting the rush of the late bloomers scurrying to fill their stashes. I didn't ask, But bet he put more in than the previous season thinking he would grow. Then the warmth and oil crash......... Seems funny the price drop was just after yet another oil price decrease!! 2 things against the pellet sales are warmth and the lowest oil prices we've seen in several seasons. Very similar to what happened in 2008 and pellet along with stove sales crashed.Been there done this before. I even got to tell a certain pellet rep I told ya so!! I held out as I can ride my stash for the season. And I got some dandy deals come April. Hamers for $239 and Cubex for $240 where the previous fall both were over $300/ton. Box stores kicked off the next fall with $178/ton with all stores holding wars for sales. I snagged 2 tons of chows for $160.00($178 less 10%) each. All of these stars have aligned again and I'm banking on deals we haven't seen since or there about's. What pellets didn't get consumed this season are still in the flow for next along with mill adding as they need to make dough while they can. Between the left over stuff and the spring deals. It should be a good one for the pellet buyer.......... Anyone wanna bet?
