wood-fan-atic said:
Krex & dave - I concur completely....and never would I press a 'reputable' dealer for charging full fare for a superior product.....charge whatever you think is fair for your product. My dander only gets up when lies are passed off as truths - and dealers knowingly purpetrate fraud and rip-off unsuspecting clients. Im 40 yrs old ,and have burned all my life...I can tell green from seasoned. That does not mean I think someone 'got what they deserved' if they are newbs, just bought a stove, are new to the area, or are just plain ignorant. Honestly - I dont mean to come off as the Patron Saint of Woodburning... I just really can't tolerate dishonesty... not from my neighbors, friends, or family. I was raised to always tell the truth- period. Anything less is , well, less than acceptable. In no other genre (did I spell that right), is blatent fraud not only tolerated....but expected. It saddens me, really. And gives all of us a black eye. I know of several co-workers whose opinion of woodburners is that we are a shady, crooked bunch. This is due to the fact that anyone theyve ever known to buy wood has gotten ripped off.
Sorry to go off on a rant ,here, and I can't expect the situation to change,I guess. I just wish people would act more civilized.
;-)
I'm in agreement with you. But the also we live in the real world. There are dishonest folks out there (have been always will be)
I believe it come down to me to decide which product I buy. I know I've bought products that did not hold to the sellers high praise.
If possible ask for a refund or swap for better dryer wood. If they say "NO". Never buy from them again. ANd the biggest part of this is to LEARN.
"Very few knowledgeable consumers get screwed" The saying: "Screw me once shame on you, screw me twice shame on me" ; holds true yesterday, today & tomorrow.
No law, rule or decree written, will solve dishonesty (how careful are you when you by a used car??)
In the free market system, it is the best product for the best price that will raise to the top.
If you have a dealer for wood that you get good wood from but he charges $50 (or whatever) more & you decide you will try to under cut him & get a load
of wood at $50 less. Then you find out you got low quality wood. Is it the sellers fault, (he knows the going price of good wood yet he's selling his for less)
You shop around, find the best price for the best product you can afford. If you can only afford fresh cut wood, then you have to season it. The guy with good dry wood
does not have to lower his price so you are able to buy it & he works at a loss.
We have been so used to buying cheap & expecting the best, & then complaining if it isn't.
& sometimes taking legal action. That we've forgot is is us the consumer with the power to regulate markets.
My theory is there are not enough "good, honest quality, knowledgeable, consumers" buying good honest products.
"We want it & we want it now", even if we can only but the cheap version we buy it. We want laws to protect us because we don't take & don't want to take the
time of a few extra steps to become knowledgeable good consumers. We then open ourselves up to the dishonest. (who will gladly fill the void we created)
When I get a product I'm not happy with, I try refund, swap but that don't alway work.
I then have just paid for "education, a piece of knowledge" called "Street smarts" .
You know nothing is free, neither is "Street smarts"
So my advice is to learn what dry seasoned wood is, looks like feels like. Buy a moisture meter if that's the way you elect to go.
Don't pay up front, be there to inspect you product before it's laying there with no recourse but to leave it there 2 years to dry before it's usable.
Say the Avg wood price is $250/cord: (& it burns ok)
Don't feel cheated if Joe charges $75 more but it burns great.
Don't feel cheated if Robber, sells you wood $75 cheaper but it don't burn.
AND the "NEWBs" as you called them, have to pay for their education too, we paid for ours.
Some of us buy buying wet, unseasoned wood
Some of us by cutting ourselves & learning what dry seasoned wood is & the work it takes to get it
"NOTHING IS FREE" ** "Sounds to good to be true" "You get what you pay for" "buyer beware"
All these phrases came from someone who paid for an education, one way or the other.
You/we & supply & demand, decide the market price & quality.
The more of us that are educated in the wood burning area, the better it helps us all.
We will create a "niche" , price & quality standards for a wood seller to sell good dry seasoned wood, in the process; educating the wood seller.
But it won't be "cheaper".
It won't get rid of dishonesty, but education will lower it to very few. If there were none, who would we pay to get our education from
