Sales not near what I thought they would be.

I went into overdrive producing firewood in anticipation of this season being a blockbuster, I even invested in a couple of new production saws. I'm in upstate NY and my firewood sales have been slow this winter, and I'm priced competitively.
I'm attributing this to the explosion of new sellers in the area now, it seems like everyone and their brother is selling firewood around me with tons of ads on FB Marketplace and Craigslist. Anyone else being effected by this market overload.

 

I have cut, split and stacked over 150 cord the past 24 months. I was about the only seller that didn't run out of seasoned firewood last year. With high energy prices and the Ukraine invasion, I thought this would also be a great winter heating season and cut through almost every miserably hot day this past summer. Have been very busy since August and it hasn't let up. I charge 2-4 times more than most sellers, but I have perfectly seasoned high quality stuff and deliver same or next day. Yes, the people selling a few face cords here and there for cost of production keep prices low for most. My advise is have very seasoned wood of the best quality. Take quality pictures and videos that allow buyers to see your inventory and deliver to wealthy areas no matter the fuel expense and driving time. Don't compete with the wet mixed firewood types.

 

Check out my Nashville ads on CL. Type in firewood and view all the sellers. Type "firewood for sale" and most of my ads will appear together. I am fairly new to this game, but hard work and my lucky surroundings are paying big dividends. A lot of sellers have 10-30 ads that are identical. So I have to play the same game to keep one of my ads in the top ten listings.

 

I see alot of sellers in my area will load up a truck with probably 1/2 a cord or a trailer and go park at the grocery store, I see a few people each weekend that do that, it seems that people buy fairly quickly as the trucks dont sit there long at all.

maybe try offer free delivery and stacking, or some kind of deal for first time customers, something you competition doesnt

 

I'm piling up 16s for *next winter. The full force of energy price increases is not yet felt. The 'average' cost to heat with electricity was at $1350 last year in the US, it will be higher this year. I will not be competing with the $75/load guys. I will have premium, stove-ready wood for sale. I do not wish to be in the firewood selling business. I'm looking to offset equipment costs mainly. Would love to find 3-4 older customers who want to burn but are unable to produce wood, and that know what quality wood is. I don't have the means to supply half the County.

 

paper flyers seem to be more effective in my area than online marketing, I have been paying attention to how the market is in my area and getting a few customers lined up for next year, one thing that seems to be working for me is selling people wood thats green in the spring and they can store it while it cures, I have a few people that are wanting to do that, i think tjats going to work better for me because I dont have to handle it nearly as much or use up any of my yard for storage

 

Exactly. I provide free delivery, wheelbarrowing, stacking, kindling and wood chips. I do what others won't. Carrying arm loads of firewood long distances and up stairs is something I do regularly. I see it all as great exercise.

 

i think is a good recipe for success, offer the whole package so people dont have to mess with it, I am just gettingy toes wet in selling firewood, there is nobody around me that will do what you do from what people tell me, everyone just wants to make a pile and leave

 

Not a great fan of parking your loaded truck waiting for a customer. Brentwood, TN is a very wealthy city and I see a lot of loaded parked trucks while making my deliveries. I'll sometimes see the same truck hours later when returning to the area with another full truck and trailer load. If I am not delivering, I am cutting, splitting and stacking. I don't have time to waste setting on my brains.

 

I'm thinking next year will be better for all you sellers.
When people get nailed with the yet to come bills that will adjust their minds regarding next years strategy.

 

I dont think "fishin" as i call it with a loaded truck of wood would be my thing as well, bit for a guy looking to offload some wood it might lead to something.

I've done mobile auto repair in my area for 15+ years and am lucky to have a good customer base established, lots of my repair customers will be buying firewood from me starting this spring when I'm ready to start delivering

 

I sell out every year. It has become known I have a high quality product and am priced high. Most of my customers have no problem spending more on wood they know is clean, uniformly cut and seasoned. Because of this, I sell wood like crazy starting in August until I’m sold out which is usually around thanksgiving. This year was no different.

 

These are the sellers I’m trying to emulate.

high quality, clean, sized 4x4x16 wood and properly seasoned. True size and measured loads

 

Its a good place to be as a seller especially now with the internet and social media.

 

I’m putting wood up now to sell in 12-24 months. If it’s ready early, bonus.

ETA…

the really busy sellers, word of mouth seems to keep them busy by reputation.

customer service for the stacking etc, little things and quality product.

 

Gave up on selling firewood, particularly since the local Gov and state have decide to tax me on inventory ( considered personal property biz wise). Dang desk jockeys always in your pocket. But I hear from some of my customers ( landscapers that do it as a side line) they are having a great season. That's nice to hear as then I get more chains and chipper blades to sharpen.

 

Made two typical deliveries to Nashville late this morning. Most expensive house today was 6.7 million. Had to wheelbarrow to two spots to feed the multiple fireplaces and hand carry up steps into the screened-in back patio with fireplace. Those with multiple fireplaces are my most prolific burning customers. Now what typically happens is the customer will have guests over and receive compliments about the great fire. My name and number gets passed on and on and on. And then I can't sleep because of worrying about keeping up with demand. My truck is now loaded and parked in the garage ready to head out tomorrow morning for another Groundhog Day. Finally landed a customer that wants my beech. Right there with white oak and hickory in BTUs, but people just aren't familiar with it.

 

Demand might be low if all the serious burners bought early

 

My experience is that early buyers are asking for refills by December.

 

Back in the great recession 2008/2009 lots of guys were cutting/splitting wood and putting it right in the truck to sell. It's not as bad today but I'm starting to see that again. I hate to think of anyone trying to burn that wood right away!