Small csusa carte blanche buy?

[Dan Masshardt]

When we do our group buys we have a minimum of 10 artisan kits among 10 people to reach the hundred needed for the max discount.

And we often limit the other stuff purchased to keep things simpler.

What I'm wondering is whether there are fewer people who buy in heavier quantities that would possibly be interested in doing a buy with no restrictions in other stuff.

Like 4 people who would buy 25 or more artisan kits each plus anything else they want as long as they pay the actual shipping cost.

It would exclude many people not wanting as much quantity but would be less logistics in some sense.

Just a thought.

 

[TonyL]

I like that thought.

 

[thewishman]

Sounds good to me. Sometimes I need 50 kits, but would like the extra discount that a group buy provides.

 

[wob50]

I mite be interested any of the artisan as long as we get 25 kits ??

 

[JimB]

Perhaps I am mistaken but I thought one of the purposes of the group buy was to give the members who don't normally buy enough to get a discount to participate in the group buy and received a substantial discount. The 25 piece minimum would leave many people out and perhaps they are the ones that need it the most.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

Perhaps I am mistaken but I thought one of the purposes of the group buy was to give the members who don't normally buy enough to get a discount to participate in the group buy and received a substantial discount. The 25 piece minimum would leave many people out and perhaps they are the ones that need it the most.

Yes, it would certainly exclude some people. Again, just an idea.

The strength would be the ability to order almost anything and assumedly getting the 10% discount on those items.

It would certainly not replace the 10 participant / 10 kit min group buy!

It seems to me like there is always plenty of interest in those buys and I don't see that changing.

 

[JimB]

Perhaps I am mistaken but I thought one of the purposes of the group buy was to give the members who don't normally buy enough to get a discount to participate in the group buy and received a substantial discount. The 25 piece minimum would leave many people out and perhaps they are the ones that need it the most.

Yes, it would certainly exclude some people. Again, just an idea.

The strength would be the ability to order almost anything and assumedly getting the 10% discount on those items.

It would certainly not replace the 10 participant / 10 kit min group buy!

It seems to me like there is always plenty of interest in those buys and I don't see that changing.

I'm sure there would continue to be plenty of interest in the regular group buys. However, there are only a few people that run them and not very many are done. If those people are now running the 25 minimum buys they probably will not run regular buys as often. Another lost opportunity for the people who don't buy large quantities.

I'm sure all members would like the opportunity to get the discount on almost everything.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

I'm sure there would continue to be plenty of interest in the regular group buys. However, there are only a few people that run them and not very many are done. If those people are now running the 25 minimum buys they probably will not run regular buys as often. Another lost opportunity for the people who don't buy large quantities. I'm sure all members would like the opportunity to get the discount on almost everything.[/QUOTE


That would be a logistical nightmare I'd think to have 10 plus people ordering anything although some have done it pretty open like that.

There is no doubt that the 10 min buy needs to be the standard.

The buy I'm proposing conceptually would be substantially easier to run id think and could gain more organizers. I know i'd be more likely to be willing.

The idea will prob die anyway. I just wanted to air it out.

 

[JimB]

I don't think it will die so quickly. I think there will be enough people who will be interested. I'm glad you put the idea out there. It's all the ideas that people have had over the years that keeps IAP growing and getting better.

 

[Ed McDonnell]

I'm sure there would continue to be plenty of interest in the regular group buys. However, there are only a few people that run them and not very many are done. If those people are now running the 25 minimum buys they probably will not run regular buys as often. Another lost opportunity for the people who don't buy large quantities.

I'm sure all members would like the opportunity to get the discount on almost everything.

If someone can't meet the higher minimum quantities on a particular group buy, there is nothing stopping them from organizing their own group buy with smaller minimums. Maybe it's time to start talking about getting some new blood running group buys instead of stopping people like Dan from introducing a different type of targeted group buy.

Ed

 

[GDGeorge]

Dan,

I'll coordinate it if you want. It should get run past Mannie but I really don't think it will be an issue with enough interest.

Jerry

 

[GDGeorge]

Further to my last: it seems to me that it would just be a matter of keeping track of levels to track the various discounts. Most of the stuff is available on the existing spreadsheet now.

J

 

[Dan Masshardt]

It's still only a conceptual question - not something I'm going to take to Mannie at this point.

Thanks for the feedback.

I'd be willing to run a buy like the one I'm proposing. Although it might make the most sense to have whoever is ordering large stuff to run it since it will all be shipped together. If that makes any sense.

 

[JimB]

I'm sure there would continue to be plenty of interest in the regular group buys. However, there are only a few people that run them and not very many are done. If those people are now running the 25 minimum buys they probably will not run regular buys as often. Another lost opportunity for the people who don't buy large quantities.

I'm sure all members would like the opportunity to get the discount on almost everything.

If someone can't meet the higher minimum quantities on a particular group buy, there is nothing stopping them from organizing their own group buy with smaller minimums. Maybe it's time to start talking about getting some new blood running group buys instead of stopping people like Dan from introducing a different type of targeted group buy.

Ed

I'm not trying to stop Dan, or anyone else from doing anything. Dan posted an idea and I provided him with some feedback. I believe that is what he wanted, feedback. If you read my last post you will see I encouraged him and his ideas.

 

[TonyL]

I like the idea. There will always be large GBs for all to participate.

 

[The Penguin]

every CSUSA buy I've done I have always offered to include "a few" other non-pen items.

the problem for the group-buy coordinator is shipping to the end user - if they order gouges or other heavy items - estimating shipping can be difficult.

 

[SteveG]

A crucial element to this type of buy is whether CSUSA offers the GB discount across the board on all or most items. Does Mannie or anyone know that answer?

 

[Monty]

First let me state that there is no actual minimum number of people or amount per person for a Group Buy. I leave this up to the individual coordinating the buy. They could choose to limit it to one other person and as long as the total $ amount exceeded what CSUSA wants for the maximum discount, the buy would be allowed, but there would be a lot of unhappy people complaining about being left out. On the other hand, there has been one recent buy that had no minimum $ amount per person and allowed all that responded to the post to be included and it worked out for that coordinator just fine.

The only reason for the suggestion on the limit on the number of participants is for someone that has never run a GB before. From past personal experience on CSUSA buys, 10 participants usually results in a buy totaling between $4-6K, and for someone that has not run one, this can be overwhelming when sorting and packaging. Also, if you use your PP debit card, PP limits you to no more than $3000 per day on the card so you have to have CSUSA do multiple billings. If you are using another card and can cover the total amount in one billing than this would not be an issue.

I would encourage anyone that has done several buys in the past to open their next buy up to more participants if they feel it is not overwhelming.

A crucial element to this type of buy is whether CSUSA offers the GB discount across the board on all or most items. Does Mannie or anyone know that answer?

IIRC, they do allow the club discount on all items, it's the maximum quantity item discount that would vary.

 

[wwneko]

I would be more interested in running a buy with fewer people, but a 10 person limit isn't all that bad.

 

[The Penguin]

A crucial element to this type of buy is whether CSUSA offers the GB discount across the board on all or most items. Does Mannie or anyone know that answer?

the group discount IS applied across the entire order, unless an item specifically states that additional discount do not apply. I believe that PSI pen kits, most lathes and grinders are just about the ONLY things that do not get an extra group discount.

NOW - the advantage of our "pen" group buys is that you get the "group" discount in addition to the "quantity" discount...so for those considering group buy for "other than pen" items - pay attention to the quantity discounts.

for example - purchasing one gouge would only get you the group discount, but if you guy 2 gouges - you get the group + quantity discount. And the gouges DON'T have to be identical - so long as they are in the same "family" of gouges, the quantity discount applies.