A question re: bash discounts

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Did You Use the Discounts in the Bash forum?

  • Yes, I use them every year

    Votes: 64 55.7%

  • I don't normally, but saw one that I liked this year

    Votes: 8 7.0%

  • none jumped out at me, but the idea's nice

    Votes: 28 24.3%

  • I didn't know that there were any discounts offered.

    Votes: 8 7.0%

  • No, it's a waste of time.

    Votes: 2 1.7%

  • What Birthday Bash?

    Votes: 6 5.2%
  • Total voters
    115
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Andrew,

Your vendors will KNOW the answer. Whether they will be honest with you, is a different question. But, if they offer it again, they either think it helped their business or they figure they have nothing to lose, it won't be used anyhow.

Either way, the vendor should be happy.

You could legitimately ask, why doesn't Exotics offer a discount, then. Because our arrangement with our partners makes discounting impossible on their products and, so far, we don't have a code that eliminates that problem.

Probably will next year.
 
I always look to see who has special deals during the bash. I also shop with some of these vendors throughout the year. I hope they continue to offer great deals during the bash next year!
 
Absolutely use them the last couple of years. This year I used 4 different offers and the only reason it wasn't more was I had just purchased tool rests a few weeks earlier.

Thanks to the vendors who offer the discounts and to all that make the birthday bash what it is.
 
I joined last September so this is my first Bash, but when I found out about the Vendor discounts, you can bet I used them where I could. When I sent in my order or acknowledged receipt of the product, my Vendor was thanked for support of the IAP and the Bash. I firmly believe that whoever it was, Andrew?, coordinating the Vendor discounts, did one outstanding job and deserves one huge THANK YOU from the entire membership.
Charles
 
I dam not going to vote as my situation did not apply. I usually use some of the discounts. However, given my current unemployment....still, I couldn't take advantage like I usually do.

On a side note. I found it unfortunate that CSUSA, PSI or BEREA did not want to participate this year. I remember last year one of the larger vendors did participate.
 
I recieved a bash discount. Not because I was paying attention to or thinking about bash discounts.
They yelled at me for not taking it when I paid when they refunded my discount amount.:redface: Thanks Mike and Linda (Indy Pen Dance)
 
I did not use any discounts. I did not need anything any of the vendors offered. I did however visit each site that offered a discount and bookmarked the ones that I will use in the future discount or not.

Discounts are nice, I appreciate the offer and I take advantage when I can.
 
I wanted to use a discount but shipping and brokerage fees to Canada killed the deal. I have taken advantage of the discounts in the past and will in the future.

Thanks Andrew for your hard work in getting the discounts and prizes arranged.

Michael
 
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Here is another choice that would apply to me:

"As it is my first bash, I didnt realize what that means. I spent most of my budget in Jan. Next year I'll hold back some budget for Feb"
 
I also didn't happen to need to buy anything during the bash this year. Even though I have several things in the works I was not able to get any of the orders to a final decision. For any vendors that did offer discounts though. I do notice who supports this group, and when it comes time to order, discount or not, it will effect who gets my business. I have a person asking if i can make pens in K State and KSU Colors. My first thought was Ed and Dawn to get the blanks. They may not be able to offer a bash specific discount, but they do support this group. So I say yes it is worth the effort even if it means nothing more than giving the vendors a way to show they are an active part of this group and that we matter to them.
 
I bought from 2 vendors this year that were offering discounts. I was disappointed that the biggies such as PSI, CSUSA, Berea didn't offer any type of discount, but it should be noted that both CSUSA & Berea did support the bash buy providing prizes for some of the contests. Of the 2 vendors that I did by from that offered discounts, I was only influenced by one to make the purchase because of the discount offered, the other one, I would have bought from regardless, the discount only sweetened the deal.

Never looking a gift horse in the mouth, I've very grateful for the vendors that did offer discounts, but overall was quite disappointed by the lack vendors participating.
 
I took advantage of a couple discounts and will do so in the future. Discounts are always good and the more that are offered the better. I would like to see more discounts in the future bashes. The more discounts available the more likely it is that everyone will find something to take advange of. I am all for saving money....at bash time....or any other time.

Thanks to everyone who offered discounts this year. Thanks to the BB team for working so hard to make these discounts available. It was all greatly appreciated.
 
Andrew,
Thanks for all your hard work in doing what you do to provide this, and thanks to all the vendors who offer them. I definitely use the discounts. Every little bit helps.
 
Yes

I used the discount for a small order that I would not have made without the offer. I don't offer discounts during the birthday bash in my store because my prices are already about as low as I can make them.
 
I took advantage of at least 4 Bash discounts. I would have done more of them, but sadly my piggy bank was empty.

Bill
 
I look at this from both sides of the coin. We did take advantage of R&B's discount. I meant to place an order with Ernie, but it slipped my mind. Doesn't matter as we will order anyway. As a vendor I was shocked at how many people did not take the discount. Anyone that placed an order with us and did not take the discount, we researched if they were an IAP member then issued the refund. I would say that 40% did not take the discount. This could be the result of a couple different things, but the most obvious is the customer did not know about the discount or forgot to enter the code. Either way no problem. I really do not a better way to announce the discounts without a bunch of annoying posts, and that ain't happening. :cool: I would rather research and issue a refund. To me the discounts are about saying thank you to the members for their support and thank you to IAP. IAP went out of it's way to show who offered discounts and who donated prizes. As a vendor I could not ask for more.
 
Being a newbie to this hobby I took advantage of the discounts to upgrade my tools and to try a few things that I probably would not have at this time. I really appreciated the discounts. My problem however, is that I had to hurry home every day to unload the mailbox before my wife got home! :)
 
I took advantage of at least 4 discounts. Plus I already used my trivia coupon and used a discount on that. THANKS Mike and Linda you two are awsome!!!!! I purchased a wood chuck pen pro finally. Used it last night on a couple acrylic pens. It was smooth. I cannot wait to do some tougher material.

I am always thankful for the vendors that support the site. When placing an order I will visit their sites first and see who has what I need. If I can get it all at one place for the best price I usually do.


Thanks again to all of the vendors that offered discounts or prizes to the Bash.
 
I also took advantage of the great discount offered by a few member vendors. Many thanks guys, it's really appreciated!!:biggrin:

I do however think that the discount offered should be proportional to the amount of airtime the vendor gets during the bash ( and the rest of the year too) Don't insult us with a second rate freebie with an order and expect us to rave about it here!!!

Everyone knows the reason that these discounts are offered is to get new business and that's cool. But why would the big boys like CSUSA etc offer big prizes and discounts if their competition right here gets tons of free airtime for very little offered discount?

Maybe next year we should ask the vendors if they would like to sponsor a particular event.

Could be like;

The Ceative Dimensions Freestyle Contest
The Exotic Blanks Trivia Contest
The Laserlinz Beautiful Pen Contest
The Alumilite Best Blank Contest
The CSUSA Beautiful Pen Contest

etc etc.
That vendor would supply the prize(s) and offer discounts for all the advertising they are getting during the bash.
Then each vendor would/could promote the hell out of their event or even get a popular member to do it for them.

Now I know that IAP always prided itself on not relying on vendors so that we wouldn't be plagued by adverts. However, now that virtually every second post is an advert for one vendor or another, then we should use it to our advantage. Some vendors are certainly using it to their advantage!!!:wink: Yeah, yeah, slap me down if you want, but we all know it's true.

Maybe this way it won't be the same old faces having to donate prizes and then also bid on them too.

I remember a few years ago when there was even a new lathe as a prize.
Now we are frequently told that it's 'the taking part' that counts but I noticed that it was JEFF that offered two of the biggest prizes this year.


Just my 5 pence worth:wink:
 
The lathe was a very nice prize from Grizzly a few years back. I remember it vividly, becase Jeff pulled my name from the hat to show that there were names on all the sheets, and THEN pulled a name for the lathe! :smile:

As far as companies not offereing discounts, one of the problem with some of these big companies is that the connections I make one year are not with the company the next, so I have to start from square one! :)

Another issue is when we speak badly of vendors during the year - then expect them to give a host of prizes or discounts during the bash - it makes my job a bit difficult, to say the least! :smile:

Thank you to all for the input. If the discounts are used in the Bash, I'll keep asking for them from vendors next year. I certainly don't think it's a requirement that they donate one, and I don't think we're should feel entitled to it, per say, so it's always nice when one of them offers!

Many thanks for the input!

Andrew
 
LOL Charlie, I would LOVE to be in some sort of collaboration with CD in a contest.
You guys have alway been MASSIVELY generous with your discounts and prizes and glasses etc etc!!! Not to mention other stuff away from IAP.:wink:
I don't sell anything, but I'd be more than honoured to sponsor a $200 prize and even be the 'loud mouth' for CD. :biggrin:


You guys are the perfect example of the vendor that is FAR TOO quiet for the possible returns you may get!!:wink:
 
I took advantage as well. I got some stuff from R&B and Mike and Linda. Although I didn't use the discount with them (Totally slipped my mind). I also won a Kryo tool from CSUSA, which I placed a pretty good order with them to show my gratitude. Wish I could of bought from everybody, but will have to find some very rich woman before that happens!!
 
EBorraga said:
I took advantage as well. I got some stuff from R&B and Mike and Linda. Although I didn't use the discount with them (Totally slipped my mind). I also won a Kryo tool from CSUSA, which I placed a pretty good order with them to show my gratitude. Wish I could of bought from everybody, but will have to find some very rich woman before that happens!!
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But you got your discount anyway. :biggrin:
 
I have just been seriously reprimanded by a good friend over a mis-interpritation (sp? sorry it's late here)) of my first post.

I chose that list of vendor names purely as an example. It could have been any of the great member / vendors big or small we have here or even one of the actual manufacturers of the stuff we use.
Perhaps I should have used made up names.

If a member vendor can only afford to give a moderate discount that is of course perfectly fine. You could also simply donate a prize to the Donation Drawing.
My point was that if a vendor wants massive adverts during the bash or during the year, then they should put their money where their mouth is.

I apologise for any misunderstanding, but if you want anything re-said or clarified then just say so or PM me.

......alternately, ask for my post to be deleted. I really don't care.:wink:
 
I'm one of the dummies who ordered from one of the vendors but forgot to use he code. But that's OK, the deal was still good. I appreciate the vendors offering their discounts. Who wouldn't?

I have some reservations about the sponsorships. I do not agree that there is an excess of advertising on the IAP. I don't see much, if any advertising outside of the classified section where it belongs. Someone will have to point it out to me because if it is there, I breeze right over it without notice. In fact, there was at least one incident this year where a contest post was modified because the vendor who contributed to the contest was acknowledged, by name, in the post. The reason it was changed was because it had the appearance of advertising even though some members of the committee disagreed.

The vendors who contribute to the Bash in the form of prizes or discounts are all recognized and thanked for their contributions on the front page of the site. I hope the discounts continue.
 
You need another choice on the vote. Something like "there were great deals that I wanted to take advantage of, but lacked the necessary funds".
 
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MLKWoodWorking said:
EBorraga said:
I took advantage as well. I got some stuff from R&B and Mike and Linda. Although I didn't use the discount with them (Totally slipped my mind). I also won a Kryo tool from CSUSA, which I placed a pretty good order with them to show my gratitude. Wish I could of bought from everybody, but will have to find some very rich woman before that happens!!
Click to expand...

But you got your discount anyway. :biggrin:
Click to expand...

That's why you guys ROCK!!!!!:wink:
 
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