Bang for your buck?

[apellet]

I'm looking forward to purchasing wholesale for my show next year and I'm curious what you guys spend, on average. Are shipping costs pretty much the same amongst companies? I know that it goes by weight, but do they differ much per pound? Lastly, how long of a show do you typically do? I just want to make sure I'm getting the best value for my money.

[Bazerk]

I'm looking forward to purchasing wholesale for my show next year and I'm curious what you guys spend, on average. Are shipping costs pretty much the same amongst companies? I know that it goes by weight, but do they differ much per pound? Lastly, how long of a show do you typically do? I just want to make sure I'm getting the best value for my money.

I have found that 1 pallet of 18 cases is roughly $200 to ship. I would purchase from wfboom.com in february where you get an additional 40% off of your entire order for that month. Thats more than enough to cover any of your shipping and then some. My shows tend to last anywhere from 12-20 mins. There is no down time (black sky) and there is almost always more than 1 cake going off at the same time. The finale obviously is different. People here will tell you that 7-10 minutes is the perfect amount of time and I understand where that number comes from. In my case, I dont have any police issues to worry about so my shows can be longer without the added headache of cops trying to shut it down. If the show is boring than 7-10 minutes or more would seem like eternity. I am for the first time this year, doing a scripted show, with both 1.4+1.3 as well as 3 firing positions. Its going to be epic!

[fatcat]

I usually purchase between 12-1400 from a wholesaler, I only shoot 500 gram cakes and cannister shells. The show lasts anywhere from 10 -15 minutes and that is always keeping something in the air. Roughly that means about 100 dollars a minute for my shows. Just looked at my invoice for this year and I am getting 14 cases and shipping from MO is $121 and change My pyro partner purchased 20 cases from the same company and his shipping was $156 and change. Hope that helps you a little

[apellet]

That's perfect, guys! Exact info I was looking for. With this being my first year, I paid retail and I'm in for a little over 2K, so I am excited about saving quite a big chunk! I also didn't know that about the Feb. WFBoom discount. Guess I better budget in for a few months of climate-controlled storage. lol

[N3OQO]

Retails stores are for the Dad that wants to take a few bottle rockets out back for the wife and kids. Wholesale is the only way to go if you are a serious pyro. Once you have stacks of cakes and shells to work with, you will be looking into firing systems and bulk fuse as well. LOL, have fun buddy!!

[FlyingDutchman]

Retails stores are for the Dad that wants to take a few bottle rockets out back for the wife and kids. Wholesale is the only way to go if you are a serious pyro. Once you have stacks of cakes and shells to work with, you will be looking into firing systems and bulk fuse as well. LOL, have fun buddy!!

Yep this is my first year doing wholesale, and I saved a lot....but then I took that savings and bought even more fireworks, racks, fuse, basic e-fire system......:rolleyes:

But I am smiling ear to ear :D

[Bazerk]

Yep this is my first year doing wholesale, and I saved a lot....but then I took that savings and bought even more fireworks, racks, fuse, basic e-fire system......:rolleyes:

But I am smiling ear to ear :D

This is so true. You never SAVE money with this hobby, you just find up ways to free up more in your budget so you can spend more of it. 5 years ago, I would have never guessed I would be burning 4-5k in 20 mins time. Low and behold, here I am. I also wouldn't say that retail if for Dads as just last year I spent 3k at TNT and several thousand a year prior to that. I would say that retail suits those who arent aware of wholesale. Once you've found wholesale, its all over.

[apellet]

Haha! That's what I'm afraid of! I had already set an amount I was going to spend and got all of my stash in, yet I STILL find myself grabbing one here and there to complement an effect I have in another! Lol And that's exactly the game plan-buy wholesale and put the money saved into a starter firing system :)

[jh35ky123]

I find it harder and harder to walk into a retail shop anymore, if I do its for a few fountains a few smaller cakes, roman candles,wheels and some rockets or novelties like smoke bombs or whatever.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

That's perfect, guys! Exact info I was looking for. With this being my first year, I paid retail and I'm in for a little over 2K, so I am excited about saving quite a big chunk! I also didn't know that about the Feb. WFBoom discount. Guess I better budget in for a few months of climate-controlled storage. lol

I also spend about $2K each year, and I buy mine from WF Boom's sister company Patriotic Fireworks. They also offer the 40% discount if you buy in March. This year that $2K worked out to be 26 cases. I live in hot and humid Florida and I kept them all in my garage. No climate controlled storage required. Even with the shipping cost (around $350 as I recall) I still saved $500 off the retail prices. So it's definitely worth it to buy early.

[ilovecrackle]

I'm looking forward to purchasing wholesale for my show next year and I'm curious what you guys spend, on average. Are shipping costs pretty much the same amongst companies? I know that it goes by weight, but do they differ much per pound? Lastly, how long of a show do you typically do? I just want to make sure I'm getting the best value for my money.

Like Bazerk mentioned, around $200 sounds about right.
I personally drive to pick up my items (within a 300 mile radius) so I'v never dealt with shipping before.

My 4th show is typically the longest, usually around 15-18 minutes. Other mini shows through out the year last anywhere between 3-10 minutes.

As for how much I spend annually, I won't even disclose that to my wife. :p

[Rick_In_Tampa]

As for how much I spend annually, I won't even disclose that to my wife. :p

Lol.. Smart man!! What she doesn't know won't hurt you. :rolleyes:

[apellet]

Good to know, Rick...I would much rather use that money for more fireworks!

[apellet]

Like Bazerk mentioned, around $200 sounds about right.
I personally drive to pick up my items (within a 300 mile radius) so I'v never dealt with shipping before.

My 4th show is typically the longest, usually around 15-18 minutes. Other mini shows through out the year last anywhere between 3-10 minutes.

As for how much I spend annually, I won't even disclose that to my wife. :p

haha! I hear ya. What's so funny is that I figured my husband would think I was a little nuts about getting so infatuated with all this, but he was actually really supportive. He started talking about how he would like to open a tent one day! :)

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Good to know, Rick...I would much rather use that money for more fireworks!

That's exactly right. Like someone else already mentioned, you never actually "save" any money. You just wind up with more cases of fireworks.

Something you also might want to consider is joining a Pyro group in your area. Quite often there are retailers who offer bigger discounts to Pyro club members that they don't offer to the general public, or even a basic discount that the public doesn't get at all. It will more often than not offset the cost of your club membership too!

[kmosmen]

This is definitely the DUMBEST hobby known to man! Where else do people basically light 20 - $100 bills on fire and watch them burn for 15 minutes....to music in many cases.

But it sure is FUN! And every year, I seem to burn more $100 bills....

What is wrong with us?!

[apellet]

haha. I sent a friend the pics of my stash this year and he said "Just think of it as an investment. That you're setting on fire". My response? "And it's going to be completely awesome"

[Rick_In_Tampa]

This is definitely the DUMBEST hobby known to man! Where else do people basically light 20 - $100 bills on fire and watch them burn for 15 minutes....to music in many cases.

But it sure is FUN! And every year, I seem to burn more $100 bills....

What is wrong with us?!

Unless you're burning the rent money or the food money or the retirement money, I don't think there's anything wrong with us! It has to be the rest of the world that just doesn't get it!! :o