Mash 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2009 Hey, Me and a mate are looking into selling xmas trees (the real ones) Does anyone know were to start? And if it is your own business or you work for people? Had a look on the internet but no help! So thought I would give you guys a go. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pjay 8 Report post Posted October 21, 2009 Side of a busy road yo. Big bright sign. Impulse buying ftw Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaz 64 Report post Posted October 21, 2009 Wouldn't it be a bit late if you were to grow trees? Or are you thinking of buying them and selling them on? Usually outside supermarkets are common places they are sold although you would have to sort something out with the supermarkets for that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elmarco 56 Report post Posted October 21, 2009 Start by obtaining some land, and growing the trees. Unlikely you will get a return on investment for the first few years though. Would be an ideal thing to do if you had a 10 acre block spare. I see most of them for sale on the side of the road - no idea of the asking $. Do yourself a business plan and make sure you will get some $ out of it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mash 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2009 Yeah well obviously all the guys out there that do it, don't own there own land and grow their own trees haha ( all students etc from what i see) So i guess you go buy all the trees, then sell them of with 20-30 profit. What i thought it was, you get payed commission from a larger business ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elmarco 56 Report post Posted October 21, 2009 Depends on the agreement you come to with the organisation.... I wouldn't think The Warehouse or any of the supermarkets would give you much interest unless you could supply in bulk and sign contracts etc (not exactly a job on the side at that level). I reckon your best bet would be to sell them door to door at local businesses (back of a truck), with an optional delivery service (or something else to differentiate you from the others). But you would have a very limited window of opportunity (not too early, not too late). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OLLIE 26 Report post Posted October 21, 2009 Some friends of mine did it for a few years. They sold trees for between 20 and 45 bucks depending on quality and size. they purchased a bunch of 99 cent buckets and filled them with water it helped to keep the trees nice and so they'd fetch more for them. They built a simple wooden frame to rest the trees against. They also bought a bunch of tree stands and lights and sold those as add on sales. What really helped them is that they lived on a main road and therefore didn't have to cart all the trees back and forth each day ruining them and being a PITA. What also helped them is that they had access to a flat bed truck and a trailer which they would take every couple of days to pick up new trees from the depot which is somewhere in Onehunga, I can't quite remember where but i think they got them from here - http://www.christmastrees.co.nz/ but there is also these guys http://www.apexpines.co.nz/pages/10/wholesale.html who deliver to your site Another thing they did was offer to collect the trees on a specific day after xmas for an extra 5 or 10 bucks. They took the money when they sold the trees and wrote down all the addresses, they then drove round in one day a collected all the trees and dropped them "somewhere" if the trees weren't left out for collection and no-one was home - tough luck. I hope that helps ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elmarco 56 Report post Posted October 21, 2009 Another thing they did was offer to collect the trees on a specific day after xmas for an extra 5 or 10 bucks. They took the money when they sold the trees and wrote down all the addresses, they then drove round in one day a collected all the trees and dropped them "somewhere" if the trees weren't left out for collection and no-one was home - tough luck. Now that's thinking for you. And the smart money is on selling them as firewood after the fact! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
