Corn burning stove

[shvl73]

What the heck do you mean? They "can" raise the prices anytime they want....whoever "they" are.

Specifically, why sell for $3.00 a bag when the oil prices are so high? A distributor can easily charge more to the dealer, who sells them for $5.00 a bag and sells all he can. They (manufacturer/distributer) don't need to be as inexpensive as they once were. People will easily pay much more. If the pellet stove sales drop off and thus pellets sales also drop off, the market prices will come down. I do doubt manufacturing costs have gone up as fast as the retail price of the pellets has gone up. To sell for less would possibly leave money on the table. People are looking for options to oil and the pellet producers are gladly providing one.

 

[LMTC]

The seller "can" raise the price anytime they so choose...but what you are saying (as I understand you anyway) is that current market conditions are such that the end user of that product is willing to pay more for it than during previous market conditions....so the seller raises the price based on the end user's willingness to pay more. If I understand you correctly here, then we are in agreement on that point. The factors that led to the end user's willingness to pay more would be a related but separate issue.

If people will pay more, then they are worth more (as defined by the marketplace). Market value or worth is ultimately defined by what the buyer will pay for an item or product.

 

[tglass]

Ahh, distributors are raising their prices as much as the consumer will allow. Correct me, but the price of bagged corn in Wal-Mart (deer corn) is kept fairly in line with what a co-op or farmers union charges. Little higher because of the convenience. It is alot harder to price gauge corn, when there are so many other uses, avaliability, and worldwide demand for corn. As far as the seller (farmer)can raise the price when he wants, well..I think not. Seems like there is no comparison between corn and wood pellets as far as the long run of demand and future price.

 

[LMTC]

OF course the farmer can raise the price of his corn. Why can't he? He may not have buyers at that price, but that's what supply and demand is all about. That doesn't mean he can't raise the price. That's why I said the market determines the actual selling price. If the seller wants more than the market will bear, no sale. If the buyer won't pay what the seller is asking, no sale. Both have a certain level of control over their own end of the transaction.

 

[scesnick]

This whole discussion is why I sold my pellet stove and bought a nice wood burner. No one can raise the price of wood !! And I bet the wood stove sales got through the roof in the next heating season. No longer have to make the rich even richer just to heat the house.

 

[tglass]

An apology is an order here. What I meant was the price increase doesn't always return to the producer (farmer, wood supplier, etc.). The exact reason I'm looking at buying a corn or wood stove. Because the rich can't control it. My original question was which is a better brand. Sorry if I offended anyone.

 

[Highbeam]

As far as price stability you really can't beat wood especially if you own the trees. There are also bazillions of farmers growing corn and their product is what you can actually burn. Pellets on the other hand are only produced by a few companies with the pellet making equipment so you are at the mercy of that relatively small group. If you don't want to burn cordwood then the next best thing would be one of the burners that will consume pellets or a combination of pellets and corn. I believe it is the quadrafire brand where all stoves will burn a combination.

 

[scesnick]

I believe it is the quadrafire brand where all stoves will burn a combination.

I had an Englander pellet stove that I also burned corn in. It usually required a 50/50 mix of pellets and corn but it burned very well. Had to clean it out a little more often when I used the mix however.

 

[tglass]

The more I looked at them it was between the Englander and American Harvest. Ordered the American Harvest simply because of availability in my area. Time will tell, I'm still waiting on delivery. With such a short stack or exhaust, what about soot against the side of the house and has anyone seen or gotton the update sold on e-bay to improve the 6039 American Harvest model ?