Couldn't say for sure, but my gut says few if any at all. This place is out in the middle of nowhere, and it was like a graveyard - no one around. My local TSC looks pretty much the same - hundreds of tons of pellets that are not moving. Ever since the weekly price increases started, their sales have slowed to a crawl. People (at least around here) just aren't willing to pay what they are asking these days. I'm baffled why they would accumulate such a massive supply and then raise their prices to a point no one is willing to pay. If they want to start moving product again, they will either need to reduce the prices to at least match HD, or I think we're going to see some great spring sales going on...
Earth Sense where i buy most of my pellets was out of there private label 'southern hardwoods' and one of their doug fir lines… plenty of Uncle Jed's softwoods on hand… they bag them at there own facility just up the road.
Not seeing a shortage here. Some of the mom and pop places run out of selected brands, but them are getting shipments in weekly. I am still amazed by the number of folks I see at HD who buy two or three bags at a time.
A certain ridiculously overpriced stove shop in Port Murray NJ has more pellets than he knows what to do with. Wonder why?
Stopped by Family Farm and Home tonight to pick up a furnace filter. They have pellets in stock again. $239.50/ton or $4.99 a bag. Limit one ton. Looks to be a full truckload that got dropped off in their lot. That price isn't terrible, though I paid $189.50 for my first two tons and $214.50 for my second two tons (Pro Pellets), but the ones in stock now are Michigan pellets (from Holland). It'll be interesting to see what happens to prices as the season progresses.
Its funny how different areas can seem so different, pellet-wise. In the NE, the largest pellet market, we have a few brands we literally cannot keep in stock.....other areas are dead...go figure.
Hey, what can I say. I have 5 tons in inventory and I burned more than that last year. My plan all along has been to buy 5 bags of shoulder stuff every week. Yes, I have 3 tons of Blazers on order, so I'm not taking chances. It just so happens HD had FSU's sitting side by side with Blazers at the same price, so I bought Blazers.
I have a similar plan, I have pellets stuffed everywhere. Hoping they start to "blend in" to the decor so the wife stops complaining. I will stop by the boxes once a week. And try to refill what I use. Hoping to not have to go below four tons all year.
I may never see pellet see really good pellets again at these prices so as long as they have them I will buy them.
IN northwest NJ, there are pellets everywhere. As petroleum prices continue to fall, the pellet panic will subside and retailers will be left with excess supply. They'll buy less stock next year, which will cause another pellet panic. It's the same, old song....
