axeville t1_j6uu5ed wrote on February 2, 2023 at 1:11 AM

Reply to comment by No_Stress_1313 in Market research discussion - have you bought or sold firewood recently in PA? by No_Stress_1313

The minute you connect the buyer and the seller they don't need to complete the transaction via the app unless you are delivering it. Once they have done business one time they can pick up the phone. The fireplace isn't moving and the person selling the wood isn't either. Just stuff to consider.
If the people are serious about wood for heat they are looking for high quality seasoned wood bc a load of green or poorly seasoned or mixed wood is really a pain. For that reason they are going to go back to the same person they trust vs using an app to shop. One load of bad wood is painful. (We heated with wood in Lanc city row house in the 80s w a Swedish combo stove, I was the free labor to stack wood and manage the firebox. Many more trips w bad wood than a quality seasoned hardwood)

I don't mean to rain on your parade btw. But don't spend money on development wo thinking thru some of these issues.

axeville t1_j6uuj6v wrote on February 2, 2023 at 1:14 AM

The number of fireplaces in reasonable distance of the wood seller is fixed. Your app won't bring any more fireplaces to the market.

No_Stress_1313 OP t1_j6uw6ay wrote on February 2, 2023 at 1:26 AM

100%! This is exactly the feedback that I am looking for. Do you think there's any correlations to take from food delivery apps where users could also pick up the phone but choose to order online instead? Offering delivery services is one of the options we are considering, but first want to determine if there's enough unmet demand from consumers looking to buy online. For the record, 100,000+ people look for firewood online every month, so that's one data point. But of course the real world operates differently.

axeville t1_j6uyrc8 wrote on February 2, 2023 at 1:45 AM

Uber eats is generous w messed up orders I think. Delivering a large (cord) of wood is expensive for everyone. Load and unload and then find out it's smoky af maybe a month after delivery. That's an expensive mistake. And is also subjective. My wood standards are different than the next guy. Also Uber eats delivers daily and I might get a cord or 2 max each winter for 2500 sf house. Last, in nyc everyone delivers and always has, no need for an app. The food comes from a block or 2 away max or it's cold. The delivery guy comes up the 5 flights of stairs so you don't have to.