Is it normal for timber merchants to sell each others wood?

[Tetsuaiga]

I've noticed somewhere that sells timber and from the images posted I know where its come from because I was looking at it myself a month or two ago.

Only now its being priced around 2x the amount.


Of course its a free world and people can do what they want buying/selling.



Does it seem strange though? To me I feel as though people must be getting taken advantage of.

 

[custard]

I can think of a couple of examples where it's normal. For example some big timber yards specialise in processing, drying and selling very large quantities to flooring specialists, the flooring boys want plain and homogenous boards that accurately reflect the product photographs in their catalogues. Consequently they'll separate out the rippled, fiddleback, curly, highly figured boards and pass them on to other timber yards who service the furniture makers willing to pay a premium for these timbers.

That's how I get much of my timber and personally I'm happy that system exists. It means I can offer clients unique and highly figured timbers that they can't find on the High Street. The fact that I pay a bit more is neither here nor there in the scheme of things as generally timber accounts for only about 10-15% of my selling prices. I'm comfortable paying more per cubic foot, but in return getting reasonably consistent access to amazing timbers.

 

[Aggrajag]

It could be their own wood stock but they've stolen the images to build their website?

 

[bugbear]

It's been perfectly normal for dealers in <whatever> to buy and sell <whatever> from each other all the time.

Been happening for centuries.

BugBear

 

[Tetsuaiga]

Hm okay thanks. Itsjust when it starts to feel like people are being taken advantage of which I don't like, when they could buy the same stuff for around half the price. Guess that's maybe their fault for not searching hard enough though.