Educate Me...What's a Group Buy?

[rickboone1]

I see it, but have no clue what it means. What's the benefit of such.

I saw it on the 88 cologne. I thought about trying some, but even at the discount, it's a lot to pay for something I don't know if I'd like. Do they have samples of it? Anyone know?

Sorry, that came out to two questions. It's all good.

 

[_JP_]

No samples unless you happen to be in Cambridge Chemists (who is providing the stock) and sniff the tester bottle like I did a few days ago.

A group buy is just that - Somebody arranges a purchase of a volume amount of goods, often at a discount for those who participate in it. It's a good way to get something for a price that you wouldn't see otherwise.

 

[Jim]

Its also a group activity. The best one for entertainment was the Irish Moos buy.

 

[rickboone1]

Oh, so like B&B tells Vendor X, look give my members a discount and they do b/c they know they'll get XXXX sales? And a post is made with the discount code, what have you?

I was thinking like one member says, hey I'm going to buy X, and we all send that member our money and order.

Thanks for clarifying it. My theory didn't make a lot of sense and was confusing.

 

[rickboone1]

Its also a group activity. The best one for entertainment was the Irish Moos buy.

While we're on the topic, Jim...you have the link for the 88 cologne on your sig. (dang product link) Just giving you a hard time.

But seriously, Have you tried it? What do you compare it to? I'm trying to see if it'd even be in the ballpark of anything I'd like. Figure since you got it there you may know.

 

[Jim]

I do have the soap and Cologne and use them all the time.
Its an expensive luxury product- so the group buy is a bit of a taste.

 

[BROWNS]

Its also a group activity. The best one for entertainment was the Irish Moos buy.

Any chance of another IM buy??

 

[The Knize]

rickbone1,

Our mod Jim is as impressively diplomatic and even-handed as anyone I know. I am always impressed. It a valuable and valued skill!

There is an amazing amount on Czech & Speake 88, edt and shaving soap, on these fora in various threads. It somehow became the scent of lots of folks wanted to talk about, and to me for good reason, although I am alwasy surprised that it has gotten quiet this much attention. I think if you read up on it you will get the drift of what I am talking about. I would say that it is one of the last scents I would suggest buying blind, except for the fact that I think you could resell it if you did not like it--expecially this special purchase set of soap and edt--on BST virtuall immediately and get most of your money back.

Also, re samples--Czech and Speake has the most generous and nice; put together sample pack I have ever received from any scent house. And I am sure it will always include a sample of 88. I forget whether they charge for shipping or something like that. Very modest for what one gets. Only problem is that people have had problems getting C&S to actually send out sample packs to them. This problem may have abated. But even if it continues to be a problem, I think the thing to do is to just keep after C&S and eventually they will send you a sample set

Of course, to me, 1 ml samples of any scent are only enough to let me make the broadest of quick judgments about whether I like most scents, and I would consider 88 particularly challenging.

 

[Edcculus]

I was thinking like one member says, hey I'm going to buy X, and we all send that member our money and order.

Thanks for clarifying it. My theory didn't make a lot of sense and was confusing.

I guess it can be like that. There are a lot of group buys on the Homebrewing board I frequent for malt and hops. This lets everyone involved get the benifit of bulk prices. Buys like this are usually local. One member will arrange to order a pallet (a couple hundred pounds of grain), or x pounds of hops. They usually pay for it, but can collect money before if they are so inclined. Then, all the members get together and split up what they ordered and pay up.

 

[Doc4]

Oh, so like B&B tells Vendor X, look give my members a discount and they do b/c they know they'll get XXXX sales? And a post is made with the discount code, what have you?

I was thinking like one member says, hey I'm going to buy X, and we all send that member our money and order.

Thanks for clarifying it. My theory didn't make a lot of sense and was confusing.

Actually, the classic "group buy" sort of goes like this ... a member here and a soapmaker (QED, SCS, &c) get together on an idea for a unique one-time-only soap scent. A price is agreed to, and the member here takes orders and collects money, and tells the soapmaker how many tubs of soap to make. The soapmaker ships the tubs to the member, who distributes them to everyone who ordered, and maybe gets a free tub for his efforts. So it's an unique product opportunity made possible by group buying power.

A slightly different version is obtaining a hard-to-find products (like Irisch Moos shave sticks ) and again using group buying power to actually make it worthwhile/cost-effective to import a crate of the stuff.

Occasionally group buys can be co-ordinated so the manufacturer/wholesaler ships the product directly to the individuals, but more often they ship one big box to the volunteer member who then distributes.

All group buys need to be approved by and co-ordinated with the Moderators here (to ensure that the proposed buy is appropriate for our forum, and to make sure that the various group buys are not stepping on each others' toes, so to speak.)