Wood Duck
Minister of Fire
Just because the only legally defined measurement of firewood is a cord doesn't mean you can't sell 1/3 cord at a time. That still counts as selling by the cord.
Had to purchase a cord. Did I get shorted?
- Thread starter Franknj229
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I'm sure you can work out whatever deal you want to but there is no face or rick in the code here, just cord.I would think you could do the math and sell a 1/16 of a cord if you want to and all parties are happy.
I had to buy some wood last year and the one thing I learned VERY quickly was to ask what they were calling a 'cord'. I found more ignorance than dishonesty in my conversations with sellers. Many bragged about selling a "REAL CORD" but when asked they defined it as 4'x16'x16"(log length)....When I told one guy that he'd have to give me 1.5 of those to make a full 'REAL CORD' he didn't agree and/or believe me when I told him....
Heck, I asked one seller on Craigslist and told them I had gotten several people that didn't know a cord was 4x4x8. The reply I got in email said, "Oh, I don't know, I always thought a cord was a pickup load".
Heck, I asked one seller on Craigslist and told them I had gotten several people that didn't know a cord was 4x4x8. The reply I got in email said, "Oh, I don't know, I always thought a cord was a pickup load".
Sorry all. I've been really busy but wanted to update you on my situation and comment on some of the posts since my last one.
First, in response to Maple1 and the guy who said basically, "oh well, you're out $50", they charged me $195 for the cord and $30 for delivery. So, I actually paid an extra $70 or so for nothing (not to mention the $20 tip I gave the delivery guys). Yes, $50 or $70 is not going to bankrupt me, but money is very tight and I don't see a reason to throw money away no matter how much you have. The seller and I had an agreement and I expect to get what I paid for whether the difference is $10 or $1000.
Now, the seller's website clearly defines the size of a cord as 128 cubic feet AND states that it is "seasoned hardwood". In response to Carbon_Liberator, no, the wood is not dry. It is also not all good for fireplaces (found some pine pieces, etc.). It may be seasoned in the sense of "the tree has been down for a year", but it was clearly not cut very long ago.
To CTYank, yes, I do believe the odd sizes were part of the scam, and yes, I do believe I was shorted intentionally.
To li_jotul550, the reason I believe I was intentionally shorted is because I got a similar response when I called back that you got. I love that your dealer had the nerve to say "How much is it supposed to be? 108?" What??? If he doesn't know how much wood is in a cord, how did he know how much to bring you in the first place??? The answer is, he knows EXACTLY how much wood is in a cord, which is how he knew to give you less than that amount. I'll tell you what my dealer said below.
So, to Pen, I took your advice on how to approach the follow-up call once I realized I had been shorted. No reason to get testy right off the bat, right? I played dumb. I said, "Thank you again for coming out yesterday. I know it was a holiday and you were very busy. I really appreciate it. I'm concerned about the amount of wood though. I think maybe your delivery guys didn't know exactly how much wood I ordered because I'm about a third of a cord short."
To that she replied, "well that's not right. You ordered a cord and you should have gotten a cord. Call me in a week or so and I'll send over the rest of your wood."
Pause for a second here.
I felt like that was the response of someone who already knew I didn't get what I paid for. Maybe I'm wrong here, but I feel like the first question should have been, "How do you know you don't have a full cord?" Then I could have explained about the sizes of the pieces and the sizes of my racks, etc. But there was no questions asked. Just immediate acceptance that what I was saying was true.
Anyway, I continued to play the "niceguy" card and said I would call in a week. (This was on Tuesday) I waited until Friday and said I would be available to accept delivery on Saturday. She said she couldn't do it because they use their trucks for plowing and salting in the winter and we had a storm predicted this weekend. I told her I would be off Monday as well and she said to call back Monday.
Well, today is Monday and I called this morning. After a bit of reluctance, she said she would send someone out in a couple hours. Five minutes later she called back and said the only available truck was in the shop. She had another truck, but it couldn't back up (really?) so the wood would have to be dumped in front of my driveway and I would have to transfer it by wheelbarrow to the back of my property.
At that point she gave me one last option. She hadn't charged my card yet (I paid by CC, by the way) and she would simply charge me a third less to compensate for the shortage. I took that option. What do I want with another face cord of unseasoned, funky sized wood anyway?
Now, in the interest of full disclosure, she seems like a genuinely sweet woman, and she didn't charge my card immediately, so maybe I'm overreacting. Perhaps this has just become such common practice in the wood selling business that she doesn't feel she is doing anything wrong (a lie isn't a lie if you believe it), but I will certainly look elsewhere next time and be much more insistent about the details upfront.
Finally, to 48rob, paying to have it stacked is great advice. If it comes up short, there is no argument.
Thanks again to everyone who chimed in on this topic.
-Frank
First, in response to Maple1 and the guy who said basically, "oh well, you're out $50", they charged me $195 for the cord and $30 for delivery. So, I actually paid an extra $70 or so for nothing (not to mention the $20 tip I gave the delivery guys). Yes, $50 or $70 is not going to bankrupt me, but money is very tight and I don't see a reason to throw money away no matter how much you have. The seller and I had an agreement and I expect to get what I paid for whether the difference is $10 or $1000.
Now, the seller's website clearly defines the size of a cord as 128 cubic feet AND states that it is "seasoned hardwood". In response to Carbon_Liberator, no, the wood is not dry. It is also not all good for fireplaces (found some pine pieces, etc.). It may be seasoned in the sense of "the tree has been down for a year", but it was clearly not cut very long ago.
To CTYank, yes, I do believe the odd sizes were part of the scam, and yes, I do believe I was shorted intentionally.
To li_jotul550, the reason I believe I was intentionally shorted is because I got a similar response when I called back that you got. I love that your dealer had the nerve to say "How much is it supposed to be? 108?" What??? If he doesn't know how much wood is in a cord, how did he know how much to bring you in the first place??? The answer is, he knows EXACTLY how much wood is in a cord, which is how he knew to give you less than that amount. I'll tell you what my dealer said below.
So, to Pen, I took your advice on how to approach the follow-up call once I realized I had been shorted. No reason to get testy right off the bat, right? I played dumb. I said, "Thank you again for coming out yesterday. I know it was a holiday and you were very busy. I really appreciate it. I'm concerned about the amount of wood though. I think maybe your delivery guys didn't know exactly how much wood I ordered because I'm about a third of a cord short."
To that she replied, "well that's not right. You ordered a cord and you should have gotten a cord. Call me in a week or so and I'll send over the rest of your wood."
Pause for a second here.
I felt like that was the response of someone who already knew I didn't get what I paid for. Maybe I'm wrong here, but I feel like the first question should have been, "How do you know you don't have a full cord?" Then I could have explained about the sizes of the pieces and the sizes of my racks, etc. But there was no questions asked. Just immediate acceptance that what I was saying was true.
Anyway, I continued to play the "niceguy" card and said I would call in a week. (This was on Tuesday) I waited until Friday and said I would be available to accept delivery on Saturday. She said she couldn't do it because they use their trucks for plowing and salting in the winter and we had a storm predicted this weekend. I told her I would be off Monday as well and she said to call back Monday.
Well, today is Monday and I called this morning. After a bit of reluctance, she said she would send someone out in a couple hours. Five minutes later she called back and said the only available truck was in the shop. She had another truck, but it couldn't back up (really?) so the wood would have to be dumped in front of my driveway and I would have to transfer it by wheelbarrow to the back of my property.
At that point she gave me one last option. She hadn't charged my card yet (I paid by CC, by the way) and she would simply charge me a third less to compensate for the shortage. I took that option. What do I want with another face cord of unseasoned, funky sized wood anyway?
Now, in the interest of full disclosure, she seems like a genuinely sweet woman, and she didn't charge my card immediately, so maybe I'm overreacting. Perhaps this has just become such common practice in the wood selling business that she doesn't feel she is doing anything wrong (a lie isn't a lie if you believe it), but I will certainly look elsewhere next time and be much more insistent about the details upfront.
Finally, to 48rob, paying to have it stacked is great advice. If it comes up short, there is no argument.
Thanks again to everyone who chimed in on this topic.
-Frank
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