How much do you mark-up fertilizer?

[BROWNS LAWN CARE]

When you buy the fertilizer what is the markup?

thanks

[cgaengineer]

We do t sell fertilizer, we sell an application/service.
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[humble1]

I second that you are paying for the fertilizer the broadleaf weed control, blowing the prills off the walk and the advise I give you.
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[BROWNS LAWN CARE]

ok, i guess i don't understand. i am also in the computer business and when i buy new parts for clients, i mark up the price 15-20%.

does the lawn care industry not work this way? each time a product changes hand in america, the price goes up...

[Snyder's Lawn Inc]

I dont mark anything up I make my money on my Labor

[BROWNS LAWN CARE]

ok, well maybe i am misunderstanding how the system works.

my understanding of the american economic system is that it is greedy and everyone involved in touching a product or service marks up the price....

[GreenI.A.]

Originally Posted by BROWNS LAWN CARE

ok, well maybe i am misunderstanding how the system works.

my understanding of the american economic system is that it is greedy and everyone involved in touching a product or service marks up the price....

yes there is a mark up. But in this industry, particularly fertilizer it is not a set percentage. Instead most companies have a sliding scale they charge by the square foot or 1000 sq feet. The way my sliding scale works is that I have a minimum price for 3k sq feet, then there is an additional charge per 1k sq ft. Once the lawn hits 20k sq feet that additional charge becomes a little smaller. At 40k the additional charge becomes a little bit smaller again.

The reason why a general markup does not work is because each round of fertilizer is going to cost different, fert w pre-m is a different cost than fert w merit, fall fert is another price, winterizer is another, spraying weeds do=uring the visit or a service call is all figured in to the price as well. Most customers do not want to pay a different charge each visit but would rather pay a set price each time, to do this you simply add up all of the projected costs for the season and devide by the number of billing cycles to get an average.

[GreenI.A.]

are you spraying weeds as well? I don't see why someone would pay an inexperienced applicator to spread straight fert when they can get a liceansed company to spray the weeds as well.

[32vld]

Are you buying a large bag of fert from home depot for $45?

Do you buy from a mom and pop garden center and you get that bag at a 10% discount?

Do you buy from a commercial/wholesale dealer for $25?

Paying retail can't markup unless you charge too little for your labor.

How can you mark up more then the 10% discount you get from the garden center? Can't.

I buy from wholesaler, I charge fert cost plus $10 to cover time to get the material. Then my labor has always been the same rate as mowing. Yes that means the $45 box store bag I charge my customers $35 + my labor. Never give fert and labor pricing. Give on inclusive price. They don't need to know how much labor vs material.

My prices for fert are competitive.

[BROWNS LAWN CARE]

Originally Posted by GreenIndustryAssociates

yes there is a mark up. But in this industry, particularly fertilizer it is not a set percentage. Instead most companies have a sliding scale they charge by the square foot or 1000 sq feet. The way my sliding scale works is that I have a minimum price for 3k sq feet, then there is an additional charge per 1k sq ft. Once the lawn hits 20k sq feet that additional charge becomes a little smaller. At 40k the additional charge becomes a little bit smaller again.

The reason why a general markup does not work is because each round of fertilizer is going to cost different, fert w pre-m is a different cost than fert w merit, fall fert is another price, winterizer is another, spraying weeds do=uring the visit or a service call is all figured in to the price as well. Most customers do not want to pay a different charge each visit but would rather pay a set price each time, to do this you simply add up all of the projected costs for the season and devide by the number of billing cycles to get an average.

thanks for this explanation. the yard in question i estimate to be around 16K-18K sq ft.

Originally Posted by GreenIndustryAssociates

are you spraying weeds as well? I don't see why someone would pay an inexperienced applicator to spread straight fert when they can get a liceansed company to spray the weeds as well.

and no i will no be spraying for weeds, i am not licensed and i told her that. however, she was left with the understanding that i could probably spread a weed-n-feed, but i have since found out i cannot do. just straight fertilizer without a license.

so there is a chance she will no longer want to hire me. i will be talking to her on Monday.

Originally Posted by 32vld

Are you buying a large bag of fert from home depot for $45?

Do you buy from a mom and pop garden center and you get that bag at a 10% discount?

Do you buy from a commercial/wholesale dealer for $25?

Paying retail can't markup unless you charge too little for your labor.

How can you mark up more then the 10% discount you get from the garden center? Can't.

I buy from wholesaler, I charge fert cost plus $10 to cover time to get the material. Then my labor has always been the same rate as mowing. Yes that means the $45 box store bag I charge my customers $35 + my labor. Never give fert and labor pricing. Give on inclusive price. They don't need to know how much labor vs material.

My prices for fert are competitive.

i would buy the large bag. will have to check local stores, can probably get as good or better price.

i would have to be doing more volume for wholesale prices.

thanks