It concerns me that so much emphasis is placed on how "we" as a club impact the LFS's, rather than what "we" as a club can do for our members... Yeah, it's great to have a variety of LFS in our area, and sure, it's wonderful when they support MARS. But they're in business to make money, and that's why they support MARS in the first place. They're hoping to generate awareness and prompt a sales response. So let's not act like they're acting in a solely charitable manner. Don't get me wrong, I am constantly amazed by the generosity and level of support expressed by our LFS; but just as their main focus is to make enough money to survive, mine is to save enough to make this hobby feasible. Because if I can't afford the hobby I'm of no help to them anyway...
I've proposed and managed a number of "group buys", and I've always found a way to keep track of the participants and payment options without difficulty. Sure, I often try to coordinate with a LFS to facilitate the process of ordering through a vendor, but that's usually due to the vendor's designation as a wholeseller. So, in those cases, working with a LFS is often the only option. And as noted previously, it's often a win-win situation for both the buyer and the sponsoring LFS (or atleast, that's the intention). But, as I see it, most group buys are often made on items that are either not readily available locally, or are generally overly expensive when purchased on an individual basis. In those circumstances, I think a club sponsored option not only makes sense in a financial manner, but also adds to the club's value as a service to its members.
I gain more knowledge, receive more advice, and am exposed to more depth of experience here, on the MARS forums, than I ever have from any LFS. I originally came to MARS seeking knowledge and community, but I stayed because of its members. I could never support all of the LFS in my area, as they are numerous and somewhat widespread. If I were truly concerned about their sustainability, I guess that I would divide my monthly expenses between them all and "share the love". But that's not often feasible. I can, however, support MARS, and I do so when I can. I believe in the club, and I support its endeavors. But ultimately, I think that a club should be about its members, as opposed to being an off-shoot of community commerce.
One final thought: If there's so much concern with regard to supporting our LFS then maybe we should stop all of our home-grown coral propagation practices as well. I mean, think of how much more business the LFS would have if we HAD to buy all of our corals from them. Seems to me that that hurts their business much more than a few group buys ever would...
BAR lost it's exempt status over something very similiar. So have other clubs.
