Online Birdseed Business

Online Birdseed Business 27-3-8 High quality birdseed sold on the Internet at a premium price is putting money in the hands of Gordon Moe and Dan Ecker, who combined their skills to form eBirdseed.com. Moe, a computer programmer from Hawley, Minn., was floored by the difference between the farm price for grain and the price being charged in stores for the same grain sold as birdseed. He enlisted the help of Ecker, a Grandin, North Dakota sunflower grower, to launch a birdseed-selling business on the Web. Moe programmed the easy-to-navigate website while Ecker provides the sunflower seed and coordinates orders and shipping. The Web-based business launched in February 2002. Offering a varied selection of products and free shipping, the site took off and volume has increased steadily. While their prices aren't cheap, they're still within reach of many local stores. For example, a 7-lb. bag of "Sunflower Hearts Wild Bird Food" fetches $16.79. Their biggest seller is a 25-lb. bag of black oil sunflower seed, produced by Ecker, that goes for $26.25. After deducting the free shipping and the cost of the bag, the price received is still well above that of the local sunflower market. Other products offered at the eBirdseed.com have names like Backyard Buffet Finch Mix, Nyjer Plus, Premium Wild Bird Mix, Cherry Cobbler and more. They offer cracked corn, in-shell peanuts, Nyjer seed, peanut bits and pieces, red millet, white millet and safflower. Ecker will eventually produce millet and other grains used in the various eBirdseed.com mixes. Moe notes that while business increased 120 percent during a recent month, they're still not getting rich. But considering the U.S. wild birdseed market is about $2 billion, they figure even a little piece of it will be worthwhile. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, eBirdseed.com, 27823 86th Ave. S., Hawley, Minn. 56549 (ph 218 486-5607; email: gordon@ebirdseed.com; website: www.ebirdseed.com).

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