Selling eggs- people not paying for eggs

[HenryNHenrietta]

An alternative is to put the stand closer to the house. A sign directing them to the sign. Depends on how your property is configured, for sure. I would guess that fewer people would steal if they were in sight of the house.

Unfortunately I had the sign right in front of the house and they still didn’t payI can look out my front and side windows to see the stand and sign.

The egg stand is in clear sight of the house, maybe 20 feet away?

 

[SpicyDisaster]

Was just wondering if anyone was having the same problem I’ve been having selling eggs.

Ive been selling eggs by the side of the road last year and this year. Last year was going great, selling dozens every week. I have a small container for the customers to put the money in. My sign was clearly marked $4 for eggs. One day I go out and see someone has taken the eggs but put no money… I try again the next day, same result. Someone was taking the eggs without paying. I had to stop putting the eggs out by the road.

A new year comes and the chickens are back into laying. I try again to sell by the road. My sign clearly says $5/dozen. I put 4 dozen out to sell… see 2 dozen have sold and I go get the money. There was only $5 instead of $10. I’ve put the eggs out to sell again… I’m not sure what to do at this point if someone keeps taking the eggs without paying for them. If this happens the next few times I put them out to sell I’ll have to stop selling by the road again.

Has anyone come across a problem like this? It’s very discouraging

Maybe install a camera, and a sign "Smile! You're on camera! Thank you for being honest." or something to that effect. Or if you have a Ring camera on your porch, put the eggs there with a sign by the road pointing the way. Just my ideas. We've always just had a sign by the road and have a regular series of customers, plus I sell them at work or donate to the church bishop for distribution.

I'd go the camera route and we'll likely do so when we get our stand going. The Wyze 3 cameras are what we use in the coop/yard and have had a good experience. I was getting ready to do a stand but found three regular customers through the local FB page that I am now at max capacity. That will change later when this year's chicks are online so I plan to go the camera route.

 

[SpicyDisaster]

Unfortunately I had the sign right in front of the house and they still didn’t payI can look out my front and side windows to see the stand and sign.

The egg stand is in clear sight of the house, maybe 20 feet away?

Wow they are ballsy to be doing it so close to the house.

 

[HenryNHenrietta]

Stupid question, but what does your sign say?
The only time I've heard this was a problem was when a neighbor up the road put a sign out that said "free range eggs $3"
Local campers thought the eggs where free.
My signage says FARM EGGS-Open Range Available to avoid that confusion.
Other than that, I'd think putting out a fake security camera and sign that says due to XX, theft, site is now monitored.

The sign says “Eggs, $5/dozen”

 

[Fallenone05]

I'd have them knock to buy eggs. It'd be different if they genuinely couldn't afford them and *needed* them - I'd be glad to spare a dozen or two to feed some kids until they get paid. I have family that buys all mine up from me with just a text message to see if they're interested, and usually they are.

 

[HenryNHenrietta]

Unfortunately I’m a little uncertain about answering the door to anyone. If the customer caught me outside and asked about eggs that’s a different story, I was always glad to tell them yes or no if I had eggs. So if this keeps happening I’ll either have to stop or maybe try a security camera. My friends and family can only eat so many eggs per week and we still have extra eggs. Oh well…

 

[HenryNHenrietta]

Wow they are ballsy to be doing it so close to the house.

I knowit’s extremely discouraging

 

[sourland]

Once a thief always a thief - unless caught. I like the idea of a camera and a sign indicating that they are being monitored.

 

[raingarden]

We have been selling cut flowers at a roadside stand in front of our house for thirty years. It's the honor system and If we had to stop what we're doing to interact with every customer then it wouldn't be worth the trouble. You have to get used to being taken advantage of by thieves or the stress will eat you alive from the inside. Keep telling yourself that most people are honest. We figure that 10% loss is unavoidable. When it gets to 30-50% loss we just quit for a while. Cameras show it is usually repeat offenders. You can have video of the theft along with the auto license plate number but the police just laugh and will not do anything. They say we are crazy to trust people to put the money in the box. Try to minimize the impact by only putting out a few dozen at a time. Put a lock on the cash box, remove the money often and hope the whole box is not ripped off the post and stolen more than about once a year.

 

[preciouschick]

Was just wondering if anyone was having the same problem I’ve been having selling eggs.

Ive been selling eggs by the side of the road last year and this year. Last year was going great, selling dozens every week. I have a small container for the customers to put the money in. My sign was clearly marked $4 for eggs. One day I go out and see someone has taken the eggs but put no money… I try again the next day, same result. Someone was taking the eggs without paying. I had to stop putting the eggs out by the road.

A new year comes and the chickens are back into laying. I try again to sell by the road. My sign clearly says $5/dozen. I put 4 dozen out to sell… see 2 dozen have sold and I go get the money. There was only $5 instead of $10. I’ve put the eggs out to sell again… I’m not sure what to do at this point if someone keeps taking the eggs without paying for them. If this happens the next few times I put them out to sell I’ll have to stop selling by the road again.

Has anyone come across a problem like this? It’s very discouraging

i agree to have them knock. if you own a trail cam put that there.. if someone was desperate and said so i would of course give them eggs. No need to steal. just sayin'.