WinonaRail's Wood Yard

Sounds like you're still killing the bundle market! I've stopped setting goals at this point. I'm focused on selling what I have and what I can make the best profit on. Numbers will be whatever they are. My sales dollars are probably about the same as last year. I'd love to see the dollars increase but I'm doing it with less wood so that's still a plus.

My biggest change from last year is I haven't been able to buy any processed wood at all. I've been flipping firewood, probably close to 25-30% of my total sales. I typically had to resplit a lot of it but it really filled in the gaps for my inventory.

 

How are fuel prices affecting your business? Gas just came down to about $3.75. Diesel is $6.79. My F150 is dead so I have to borrow my father-in-law's F350 dually for now for deliveries (which I don't do very often).

 

I know I'll probably never catch buZZsaw BRAD but year-to-date I've sold 311 firewood bundles and 93 mini bundles (average 12" long splits). Bundles have made up 17.7% of my sales. Last year I did 284 bundles and 104 mini bundles.

 

Looking to be a good year for you.

My normal bundles approaching 1500 for the year. Smoker bundle sales are way down. Yet to hit 100. Tempted to give it up.

 

Another 20 bundles sold at the stand last week (plus 3 minis). I suspect I could have sold more but didn't have time to restock over the weekend.

I've sold 50 smoking wood bundles since switching from loose stacks mid-August (2 months). I think what works for me is the availability. People just know I have them in the stand. And some folks come for regular firewood, see the smoking wood, and grab some. It takes a little time to build the clientele. In your case, you don't have to make up 50 at a time. I would think you could keep 3-5 bundles of each species, almost made to order, so it doesn't really cost anything to offer them. I don't think I'd throw in the towel just yet. If you're selling for more than regular bundles, just think of each sale as extra profit and don't stress about the volume.

 

Great deal with the smoker sales.

I keep loose splits here and assemble as needed. Seems if I premake a bunch it comes back to bite me as they don't sell. I have a few FBM listings including premiums for pear and plum but no interest. Im tempted to now offer only one bundle at $20 with huge price cuts for 2, 3, 5, 10 bundles etc.

I think my price increase stopped sales and after a good year least year I got greedy. I had multiple buyers tell me I should get more.

Im thinking of offering quarter and half cords of apple come Winter as I hoarder a bunch from that orchard. Exotic firewood is my marketing trick! A little BS goes a long way.

 

I have told you many times how to sell apple
Coals burn blue/green

apple is a great firewood BTU wise just impossible to get nice splits

 

Ive mentioned that selling point before and I guess romance is a big thing anymore. I know it isn't around here!

I tell Ms. buZZsaw I'm a hopeless romantic and she says I'm just hopeless!