OK.
Wasted potential as in things that should be going on with group buys but are not. Group buying going thru retail outlets is not that good of a potential when in fact with the group effort that this community is capable of you should be dealing directly with non-retail markets because it has became very crystal clear that dealing with retail markets has serious limitations and they discourage group buys.
Subjects, as in tooling, upgrades, new items, improved parts, supplies. Oh and lets not forget about threads like this
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f102/turning-smocks-colors-110229/#post1534297 where some of us actually has been waiting for 7 months. To be limited on buying potential via a large group is a gross and sad state to be in. You could talk to all the vendors individually then look at what was said then come up with several products that would be the same for all vendors yet exclusive and unique to each vendor. You can then do group buy bulk orders and those products would be heavy top sellers.
The white elephant is about all the 'vendors' who want to go it alone in reflection of these group buys. While group buys are indeed very good there are many avenues that the community SHOULD be taking in order to help encourage these 'vendors' to group together. What I see happening is bulk alienation of users and competition among the vendors which grossly discourages good healthy innovation in the industry.
Customs, I don't know how else to lay it out without writing a novel to say it but buying anywhere that customs is not involved is a win no matter how you look at the problems that customs throws into the nightmare. Knowing that you can get the same quality, same cost but less BS with customs out of the picture is just epic win. When you buy like that customs is null and void.
So put all this together and at the end of the day you find it's common knowledge of some very trivial concepts yet so revolutionary some call it a paradigm shift.
Buy direct from manufactures with the community setting the standards and designs as to what is needed. Will be cleaner, easier, cheaper and more market pull. No I am not talking about buying directly from places like Dayacom, China, Taiwan or the like nor is this a 'buy US' junk spill either.
Sorry about the novel and I hope this helps clear things up for you.