Need your Group Buy feedback

[ldimick]

I am a huge fan of the group buy concept. I have always appreciated the work that gets done by the coordinators. To that end I would like to find a way to make it simpler. So I am interested in your ideas and feedback.

Let me know what you think of this idea.

We need a site that has a simple shopping cart set up that can be used to set up the group sales, collect sales/payments, and collect the data for the shipping. I think these tools would substantially cut down on the administrative headaches for the coordinators.

I am particularly interested in the feedback of the people who have done these group buys in the past.

 

[Dario]

Lynn,

If there is faster and better way I am all for it. Right now, I am trying to inventory the package I received from CSUSA and trying my best to make sure that I got everything...it is a headache.

Getting the orders and compiling it is easy for me...sorting the orders and sending them out properly is the biggest challenge as far as I am concerned.

 

[DCBluesman]

That's a great idea, Lynn. The only problem would be that someone needs to set it up and administer it. That's probably not a huge deal, but it will take time or money--maybe both. The money can probably be made up with a small charge, like $1 per order until cost is recovered. There are a number of member sites that would be adaptable to this. In fact, it's probably something I can manage if we get enough interest in this thread.

 

[Daniel]

When I did the CA Bulk Buy my web page was set up to take the orders. tis made it real simple. organizing the orders took a bit more effort but once I had a spreed sheet set up I only had to enter each individual order. it then kept a running total of everything for me. It was the actual sorting and repackaging that was the time consumer. and I never figured a way around that one. to have all bulk orders going to one web site woudl require that there be on person that was notified of the order, they woud have to relay that order to the person actually coordinating that particular purchase. and that person would still have to keep it all organized in whatever fashion worked best for them. the extra steps beg to create problems.
I am with you in incouraging more bulk buys. I hope others come up with more creative ideas than I have.

 

[chitswood]

Comment removed - sorry bout that

 

[Ron Mc]

Darick,
I'm going to take this thread as an example and give you a little piece of friendly advice. At no point did anyone discuss setting up a bulk buy for any particular items. Not kits, sandpaper, glue or your snakewood.
The members are talking about setting up a website. That's it. I personally think that a snakewood bulk buy would be a lose for anyone involved. The waste factor would be so high that it wouldn't be worth it. But actually that particular comment belong in a different thread.

I would kindly ask that the "advertisements" are kept off of every ones threads and left where they belong.
I have been in marketing and sales for over 20 years and understand that posts like the one you decided to post looks like a flea market advertisement. That's not good for this forum. Why not do what the other sellers here do? Do it in a professional and business like manner. You never know your sales may go up.[]

 

[jeff]

Ron - Good comment.

To anyone considering plugging <b>their own</b> products for sale or services for hire in a posting outside the classifieds. Don't do it. Read the Terms of Service regarding Spam. Nothing wrong with mentioning other products, providing sources for things, etc. Just don't sell your own stuff in the discussion forums.

This isn't too much to ask, is it? This is a free site and we have a dedicated area for selling stuff.

 

[ldimick]

Thanks to all for the comments. The last thing I want to do is place us into a position of needing to set up another website to have to visit. (We all have more that we'd like to visit but don't have the time for already (RSS!!!))

 

[Ron Mc]

Let's think about this. CSU has coupon codes right? Why not have a running coupon code for a month that is used? Is there a way to incorporate a code number into a bulk buy that is run by someone? If so the buy could be run then the order placed via the website using the code. Actually at that point you may not need the code at all.[?]