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04/17/08, 06:57 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 275
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No One Wants My Eggs
I put an "Eggs for Sale" sign out about three weeks ago and no one has stooped to buy any. I am totally surprised, I honestly thought that people would love to buy fresh, free range eggs. Now they are piling up in my fridge. Am I missing something here?
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04/17/08, 07:01 PM
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Lanolin Junkie
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: MO
Posts: 1,148
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Maybe folks think if they're free range, they'll be too expensive?
Are there any other egg sellers close to you? Maybe there's just too many for your area.
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~Falcon
Spreading lanolin love one fleece at a time. 
It's a wooly job, but someone's got to do it.
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04/17/08, 07:12 PM
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AFKA ZealYouthGuy
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NW Pa./NY Border.
Posts: 11,453
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Where are your signs? Do you list how much? Give some away for free to get them hooked. What's your competition look like? Have you posted on Craigslist and localharvest? Have you let anyone try them at work? Have you copied the M.E.N. article comparing Free Range eggs vs. store bought? What is your demographic area like? Is your sign nice and attractive if you live in an more wealthy area?
Lots of questions! LOL 
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04/17/08, 07:14 PM
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Seeking a country~Heb 11
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: WA state
Posts: 187
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That is amazing, considering how much they go for in the stores!
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Kim~Sean's good thing for 8 years and mama to 6 here on earth, many more with Jesus
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04/17/08, 07:22 PM
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Sugarstone Farm
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 811
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People might not really know you're there yet. If folks already have a good local place to buy fresh eggs, they are pretty loyal. I'd make a BIG sign and put your price right on it until you get a good amt of customers. Hang flyers at the feed store and laundromat. It can take awhile to get the word out locally.
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04/17/08, 07:26 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,273
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Are there any local restaurants you can try? I was also going to suggest what seedspreader said, take them to work and try to sell them there.
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Anne
Give me a sweet home set among the trees,
With friends whose words are ever kind and true.
-Phoebe Carey-
LONE PINE FARM
Barnesville, PA
Boer goats, Angora goats, Eclectic mix of poultry
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04/17/08, 07:46 PM
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Scotties rule!
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: IL
Posts: 1,614
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When I first started last year I had lots of extra eggs. I took them to the local food pantry and women's shelter and donated them. Also made sure the workers knew where they came from. Handed out a few free ones to friends. Friends that I know had money, that's all they got. Friends where I knew money was tight, got several dozen as long as I had extra. Also stopped at the health food store, that no longer carried brown eggs and let them know I had them. Stopped at the local Farmer's market and traded a couple dozen eggs for putting up a sign in a couple booths.
I haven't had spare eggs all year. The cooler is usually empty every night. I do have a couple professional signs out there and am only a mile from town.
Kathie
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www.littlebitfarm.net
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04/17/08, 07:47 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 114
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wow how weird we have waiting list to get eggs from sellers in our area. You put your name on the list and if someone else cancels out that week then the next name on the list gets some.
Try selling them at small farmers or tailgate markets they should go fast there.
People who come to those are usually actively seeking local organic foods.
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Jen of the Woods
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04/17/08, 07:48 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 407
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Marketing. Marketing. And more marketing. I don't know what your sign says but "Eggs for Sale" is just insufficient.
Those are not just eggs you are selling. Those are "Free range eggs - $0.00 per dozen" and anything else you can use to advertise them other than just "eggs". I have no idea where you live, what your sign looks like, but improve on what the sign looks like - the more professional the more eye-catching it will be. No spelling mistakes. Easy to read. Follow up on the same line and drop a few flyers in mailboxes. Personally, I would prefer to buy eggs like yours, but I am one of those strange ducks that doesn't like to go into strange places, and if there isn't a price I will not ask. There are a lot out here like me.
So - try improving your marketing - those are golden eggs you have for sale there. No chemicals, pesticide free, hormone free, etc. etc. etc.
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04/17/08, 07:48 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 120
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Do you have your phone number on your sign? I know people around here won't just stop in to buy anything - they want to talk to you first. weird but true.
Do you have any stop-n-shops or feed stores that have bulletin boards? We've had good luck in the past using those for advertising. Also, if there are any chiropractors, natural food stores, nutritionists etc. in the area you could market to them. My BIL is a chiropractor - that market is very hot for natural foods!
I also think that Craigslist is a great idea - there are usually 2 posts a week from people asking for eggs where I live.
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Judy 
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04/17/08, 08:07 PM
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Original recipe!
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: NC foothills
Posts: 13,984
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How I got started in the beginning was a sign in the library... I delivered there on Wednesdays.. it just spread from there. Always, always, always carry a cooler with eggs in your car.. you can hang a sign in your car window saying ....whatever..but basically eggs for sale..especially in the grocery store parking lot. Give away free eggs whenever someone will stand still long enough to take them.. make sure your name and address are on the cartons and say that you do sell them etc.....
On the sign in your yard.. say honk horn so people know they don't have to get out.
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04/17/08, 08:07 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 4,443
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Try setting up at a intersection somewhere close by and sell them either at market price or just a tad bit lower. If anyone is interested in buying from you on a regular basis tell them you are only selling them this cheap to get customers and your prices will be going back up.
A friend of mine done this. She was selling them for $1.50 a dozen and when word got out that her eggs was cheaper then from the store she started having customers from all over. She was practically squeezing the eggs out of her chickens trying to keep up with the demand. Then she raised her prices to $2. per carton. This ran a bunch of customers off but she was left with some really good customers who are willing to pay her demand. Now she has no problem selling her farm fresh eggs.
Last edited by Oldcountryboy; 04/17/08 at 08:12 PM.
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04/17/08, 08:15 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 9,511
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Someone put up a sign here locally, just a few weeks ago.
I haven't stopped, and probably won't, because I don't know how much they are. I know how much they are in the store, and don't want to waste my time finding out that they are more than I want to pay.
Put a price on your sign: Fresh Eggs 1.75/Doz., or something of that nature.
Clove
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04/17/08, 08:16 PM
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 724
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"Follow up on the same line and drop a few flyers in mailboxes."
DO NOT do this. You can be fined. You probably won't be but all it takes is the mail carrier turning a flyer in. This happened to some lawn care people around here.
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“Don't wait for a light to appear at the end of the tunnel, stride down there and light the bloody thing yourself.” - Sara Henderson
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04/17/08, 08:26 PM
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Suburban Homesteader
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 2,559
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I agree with Clovis; I want to know the price before I drive up to the house. If it's more than I'm willing to pay, it would leave me in an awkward position of feeling that I have to buy some because I bothered you.
A phone number is a great idea. I hate bothering people, and I might call you from the street to see if anyone's home. Another thing you might want to consider putting on the sign; times you are selling eggs, like "9am to sunset" or something similar.
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04/17/08, 08:45 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: ohio
Posts: 155
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Make your sign bigger and then clearly mark which door you want people to come to for eggs and hook up a good bell - door or other so customers feel comfortable coming on your property asking for your eggs.Several places I stopped at looking for eggs I was not comfortable walking around looking for someone .
I bought property in Amish country and try to buy any product I can to support locals and meet my nieghbors.We found a few families we like and buy eggs, chicken, maple syrup , honey, and thru
them found people to buy lamb, beef and pork.
Make friends with other folks in your area that raise food!
Networking works great and you can always trade for something.
I have some work lined up for my backhoe that will make my freezer and neighbors both happy.
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04/17/08, 08:55 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: ohio
Posts: 155
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Make your sign bigger and then clearly mark which door you want people to come to for eggs and hook up a good bell - door or other so customers feel comfortable coming on your property asking for your eggs.Several places I stopped at looking for eggs I was not comfortable walking around looking for someone .
I bought property in Amish country and try to buy any product I can to support locals and meet my nieghbors.We found a few families we like and buy eggs, chicken, maple syrup , honey, and thru
them found people to buy lamb, beef and pork.
Make friends with other folks in your area that raise food!
Networking works great and you can always trade for something.
I have some work lined up for my backhoe that will make my freezer and neighbors both happy.
Last edited by sbin; 04/17/08 at 09:04 PM.
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04/17/08, 09:08 PM
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Where we all fit in!
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 743
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Try your local health food stores, one near me will take all I have. Plus, like others stated, make a nice sign with the price on it.
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 If it needs a home, it ends up here!
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04/17/08, 09:13 PM
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Nohoa Homestead
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: SW Missouri near Branson (Cape Fair)
Posts: 5,398
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shellyr44
I put an "Eggs for Sale" sign out about three weeks ago and no one has stooped to buy any. I am totally surprised, I honestly thought that people would love to buy fresh, free range eggs. Now they are piling up in my fridge. Am I missing something here?
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Well, I know for sure you aren't around here (SWMO). Every time I see a sign I stop and try to get some eggs and they are ALWAYS SOLD OUT! It's mighty frustrating. It seems like if you aren't there at 8:30 in the morning they are all gone by noon. grrrrrrrrr
I'd love to find a source of eggs near me.
donsgal
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Life is what happens while you are making other plans. (John Lennon)
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04/17/08, 09:21 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Ontario
Posts: 12,685
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Add a sold out sign tomorrow and remove it in a couple of days. Seriously a price and phone number would help.
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Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup........
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