Question on Group Buys

[crazzyreefer]

I usally manage about 1/3-1/2 of the buys of the past, or I lend my resale licence for the savings and let others do the management of the buys, I haven't done one in months because I am getting a large company off the ground. Apart from this, BAR always seems to have a problem with distribution at the meeting and steeping on the toes of the club donors, this makes it less than ideal when you have 50-100 people trying to pick up their merchandise. I have found mars members join in on some, but vary little from the other clubs, As I said I'm more than willing to let you by through my permit thus saving quite a bit, but I am unable to spend countless hours arranging it at this point and time.

Nicholas

 

[Apon]

No Problem anymore, individuals can organize group buys here or on the BAR forum....we actually have a thread there now. From what I understand, in the past it does look bad if the club sponsored it without going through a sponsor, but there is no problem with an individual organizing one and opening it to group as a whole. Nickolas and a few others has done this in the past, someone just has to be willing to organize one. Its hard to find enough people who want the same thing you do at the same time. The last one I was part of was the Cyclopeeze but in Jan, and I think DSWONG01 is trying to do one for an aqua controller in the forum.

http://www.bareefers.org/bar/viewforum.php?f=13

Good Luck and feel free to post.

 

[Thales]

The sponsorship issue was one of the issues, but not the reasons why the club hasn't sponsored a group buy. The reason the club hasn't sponsored a group buy is because of the amazing amount of work it takes to pull one off. There are lots of people who think they would be great, me included, but few who are actually willing to do the work to pull it off.

 

[sfsuphysics]

There have been quite a few group buys in the past, there have been atleast 2 cleanup crew group buys I've been apart of, 2 oceansmotions group buys (I was part of the first, there's another going on), tunze group buy, seio group buy, think there was a bulb buy at one point (phoenix knockoffs?) and I'm sure I'm missing some others.

But you're right someone has to step up to the plate and take the mantle of responsibility, as well as willing to take the risk if people flake out.

Another problem is how much money are you really going to save, you mentioned carbon, I don't know about you but DR Foster/Smith sells blackdiamond 3.65 liter containers for $14, you're not going to get that much cheaper than that regardless of how much quantity you buy (unless you buy some non-reef brand of carbon then you're really dealing with a crap shoot if it's actually any good! pellet vs. granulated.... lots of threads on this alone). So at this point if you buy "aquarium brand" about all you're going to do is save on shipping, which unless you're a real cheap*** isn't going to be much, I think something like $6 on low weight items and considering the pain associated with having people coming to your house (or going to theres) really makes having the stuff delievered to your house only for you much more appealing.

That's not to say there aren't some uses for group buys, but to be perfectly honest it's something along the lines of "S*** or get off the pot" sitting around waiting for someone else to start one, then complaining really isn't productive at all. You need to know who wants what ("feeler posts") and find out if you can get any sort of deal, etc. But the club itself is not here for the members to get "cheap stuff", too many issues associated with that, the club has in the past gotten some deals with local sponsors, but it's not the club's job (nor should you expect it to be) to procure a bunch of cheap stuff, that being said the club won't prevent you from getting one started just realize it is not going to be "backed" by the club.

Geeeeeeebuz that was one wordy post, that's what I get for replying after waking up from a nap... I tend to ramble, sorry

 

[xinumaster]

and dannieboiz successfully organized the cyclop-eeze group buy last january, too.

 

[crazzyreefer]

I miss that one... I just got my Brokers licence and Notary Commission, it was Hell month for me... as for carbon I was quoated 1.00 per lb in a 2 pallet load.... thats alot of carbon!

 

[Elite]

I'm interested in getting some filter sock. I don't think we have filter sock GB before. Do you want to set it up so you can get a feel of setting up a GB ..

 

[dannieboiz]

There are a few things I noticed about organizing GB. You have to be willing to shell out the cash and be prepared to be stuck with more than what you ordered.

The OM GB we did was smooth, but I ended up payinig probably $600 upfront and waited to get my money back when people started to pick up.


On the Cyclopeze GB I'm stuck with 1 extra bar, which is fine cuase I can use it, was only like $30 bucks so no biggy. But if I were to be stuck with a OM I might end up spending even more money setting up another tank. :lol:

GB should consist of popular items or things people would have to buy anyways.

I'm always looking out for GB I think it's kinda fun.

 

[Kinetic]

danny, I'll buy the bar from you. I've been looking for one. =)

and I'd be down for filter socks!!!

 

[Lordhelmet]

a filter sock group buy would be ok with me. i know that Mars did one earlier but i could never get details so i didn't bother.