Group buy for Chinese teas including Pu-erh

[netsurfr]

Scott over at Yunnan Sourcing is willing to support a group buy from us so I thought I would check to see what the interest might be. He carries over 500 varieties of tea including quite a wide selection of Pu-erh.

You can see the approximate prices over on his e-bay listings. He has indicated that he can provide variable discounting depending on the item.

I would be willing to consolidate an order if there is enough interest. The shipping costs from China on a large order would be significantly less than a small order.

Let me know what you all think...

 

[Hobbesoxon]

Steve, thanks for looking into it - sounds good!

Did you read the other thread, perchance? I you'd like me to send you some of the Menghai bing we've been discussing, do shoot me a PM with your e-mail address in it and I'll sort you out.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

 

[R-James]

I would most certainly be in for a group, I have started to take Pu tea as part of my day to day consumption, at least one or 2 times per day since I got my samples in, so a group buy would be a good way for me to find out what hiding places are left in the house for my hobbies!

 

[netsurfr]

I did see your kind offer and sent you a PM. Thanks!

Steve, thanks for looking into it - sounds good!

Did you read the other thread, perchance? I you'd like me to send you some of the Menghai bing we've been discussing, do shoot me a PM with your e-mail address in it and I'll sort you out.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

 

[Suzuki]

FYI, Scott's shipping is pretty reasonable - as soon as you buy a couple of cakes, the shipping is pretty minimal - especially given his prices.

As soon as you start having to transship (break down a big shipment into smaller individual shipments), you're likley not saving very much (if at all) given the bulk/size/weight of tea cakes.

Just make sure you check this out before thinking that a bulk buy is worthwhile.

 

[Presently42]

I would be very interested, all things being equal.

As all things aren't (which is a pity, given that I am an egalitarian), the total amount of money would have to be considered before I give a definite answer.

 

[Hobbesoxon]

I did see your kind offer and sent you a PM. Thanks!

Got it!

 

[netsurfr]

So here are the teas that I am thinking about:

1998 Lincang "CNNP Green Wrapper" Raw Pu-erh tea * 250g - Scott's Ebay pricing is $32.00 plus $7.00 shipping to USA

1999 Gu Pu-er * Simao Raw Pu-erh "Fang Cha" brick tea - Scott's Ebay pricing is $19.00 plus $4.50 shipping to USA

2002 Jingmai Mountain Wild Arbor Raw Pu-erh Bricks 250g - Scott's Ebay pricing is $24.00 plus $4.50 shipping to USA

Early Spring Mao Feng Yunnan Green tea - Scott's Ebay pricing is $12.50 plus $6.00 shipping to USA for 250 gram quantity

Early Spring Yunnan Silver Needles White Tea - Scott's Ebay pricing is $19.00 plus $6.00 shipping to USA for 250 gram quantity

I believe that I can break up the shipment and redistribute them within the USA for approximately the cost that Scott is charging without his international shipping. So, there would be a savings of about $7.00 on a 250 gram cake of Pu-erh. Shipping to international members would involve extra cost.

For the green teas and white teas, I should be able to do a bit better.

So, if you all could give me some indication of what you would be interested in, I can do some better calculations. Some of the raw Pu-erh that I have chosen is only available in limited quantities, so the sooner I hear from you, the sooner I can secure the tea from Scott.

If there is a large response, I will pass on any savings to the members.

 

[netsurfr]

Just did some calculations on the green and white teas.

If we get an order for one kilogram or more, I should easily be able to pass on an additional 20% savings on green or white teas even after my shipping costs. So, prices would lood something like this:

Early Spring Mao Feng Yunnan Green tea - Scott's Ebay pricing is $12.50 plus $6.00 shipping to USA for 250 gram quantity
Your cost: $10.00 per 250 grams including shipping in the USA.

Early Spring Yunnan Silver Needles White Tea - Scott's Ebay pricing is $19.00 plus $6.00 shipping to USA for 250 gram quantity
Your cost: $15.80 for 250 grams including shipping in the USA.

 

[Hobbesoxon]

Ah, the greens. Be careful not to buy too much green! I always make this mistake, every spring. By autumn, I'm looking at whole tubs of tea thinking, "This has all got to go in the next few months." This year is different - I'm buying very small amounts of green, so that I can guarantee myself that I won't be holding onto any past winter.

Ware the greens!
(and whites, and yellows)


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

 

[netsurfr]

I hear you!

 

[R-James]

Well I would be in to try some whites and greens as well as pu, just let me know for definate what is on, I am at a friends house, not home until late tomorrow so I can't reply to very much in detail right now.

 

[netsurfr]

Wow, this group buy idea is getting very little interest...

 

[ouch]

Greens have to be very fresh and have a short shelf life. It's entirely possible that by the time they arrive from China they'll be past their prime.

 

[ouch]

Greens have to be very fresh and have a short shelf life. It's entirely possible that by the time they arrive from China they'll be past their prime.

Dragon Tea House seems to have a much better selection of greens than YSLLC.

 

[hereistim]

I've just received 6.5lbs (3000g) of Pu-erh tea shipped from China to Washington DC from www.Pu-erhTea.com
I got 8 cakes 250-500g each.

Generically it worked out to just over $1 per oz of tea. $106.90 = 107.8oz
Shipping was 32.50

So all said and done it was a great deal and a so far I've sampled all 8 of them and I'm very happy with them all.

Hope this helps you guys.

Tim

 

[Hobbesoxon]

Wow, this group buy idea is getting very little interest...

Steve, I think this thread is a great idea, and it's very good of you to look into it. Speaking personally, and I wonder if this reflects the opinions of the others here, the post-purchase shipping is going to get heavy (particularly for me, as I'm in the UK, but even intra-US I suspect it's going to be significant). Also, it's very hard to match up the cakes I want to buy with those that others want to buy - invariably, we all want different things.

Don't let that dissuade you, though - if you can get enough people all interested in the same tea(s), it could work out to be quite a money-saver. Like I said, it's very good of you, nonetheless.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

 

[Hobbesoxon]

Dragon Tea House seems to have a much better selection of greens than YSLLC.

I like Yunnan Sourcing for pu'er and Dianhong. Other sites exist that specialise in hongcha, general greens or wulong that you might want to look at, too.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

 

[R-James]

Scott has been onto the forum and had a look at the thread, but for me, and speaking after I looked this up, the shipping doesn't work out any better at all for scott to you to the UK

 

[netsurfr]

Scott has been onto the forum and had a look at the thread, but for me, and speaking after I looked this up, the shipping doesn't work out any better at all for scott to you to the UK

You are without a doubt correct. I had not actually looked into those costs yet. That was why I left the note about shipping outside the USA would incur additional costs. So, probably not such a good idea as an international buy... Thanks for checking on the costs for shipping from the US to the UK.