Group buys

[Firefight]

It all depends on how they are set up. Sending monies to a middle man is risky at best. Sending monies to the actual manufacturer or supplier makes more sense as I have the opportunity to check their credibility before the transaction.
I joined a big ticket GB last year on this forum and saved 16% under the listed advertised price. I received my quote and was given a week to accept or back out with no penalty. After acceptance of the quote my money went direct from my checkbook to the manufacturer/supplier who in turn promptly sent me a receipt, delivered my product (currently bolted to the floor) as promised and on time and there were no after the fact negative comments posted by any of the members on that GB thread.
If the person who sets up a GB wants to cut a pre deal with the supplier for an even better discount upon the deliverance of a certain amount of GB customers, I don't care because it hurts no one. It takes a lot of time and effort to run a successful GB.

^EXACTLY...a already existing company with no relation to the forum can handle the funds therefor elimination of any dependence on another forum member. There is no need to be paranoid about getting ripped off with a established, well trusted company.

[bsg]

the only reason for having a dedicated section for group buys is to have a means to herd them all into one corral for purpose of conspicuous presence.

a distributing middleman who is also a participant has an inherent conflict of interest regarding equitable distribution of goods when same price goods have varying degrees of value.

[afteractionreport]

I wouldn't do a group buy with the person organizing it if i haven't met him face to face....

[afteractionreport]

Wonderful explanation, I do the same thing by making some basic comment. Thank you.

Ok my bad...i misunderstood your post

[Firefight]

How in the world do you get that I'm excited over that?
Even more, is where YOU get that I'm a smart mouth.
Nowhere in what I've said indicates anything rude, but
In fact I was nice and even thanked him for his explanation.
I think you need to take some of your own advice dude.

[I Swan]

I wouldn't do a group buy with the person organizing it if i haven't met him face to face....

People met the ringleader of the Mosin Nagant group buy scam and still got taken. Although it seems the ones that could not reach him that lived farther away were the ones that got hit. Those close enough and smart enough picked up what they could quick. Like a classic Ponzi scheme if you get in early you might do OK.

[CK_32]

i can think of two good reasons that could justify a separate, dedicated section on the forum for any number of topics; having such an enormous interest throughout the forum that a topic merits it's own section, and when the great number of threads generated on the topic has a cluttering effect in the sections where they are present. i don't see either of those two scenarios happening here on the subject of 'group buys' and don't see a need for a dedicated section to accommodate the topic; YMMV.

I can think of 3 or more other sub sections that get 1 if not 2 views a week if that on this forum that could go by the way side.

I think a group buy section would be great to start and inspire more of them and keep them easily accessible. I know a lot of group buys that go by the way side cause people didn't see them until it was too late or just missed all together.

I actually might be hostng a group buy in the near future for something as soon as I can make out the details and set a pick up location. Am in a delema my self seeing 3 sections could tenically classify the buy topic. But which one would get it attention and seen to all interested eyes, idk.

But yea if more people would man up and not jump in a GB and not spout off to just flake in the end this forum would have a lot better luck with them. The last group buy I was aware of 50% of the guys in it dropped out of just never showed with no response. The whole structure of it was pretty bad but still too many guys are quick to speak but slow to pull wallets on this forum.

[I Swan]

Quick to speak slow to pull out wallet describes a lot of this forum and a lot of the mall ninjas that stalk AR oriented shops. IDK how to avoid that when setting up a group buy. People have to ask permission from wife, unexpected financial difficulties happen, they end up buying some other item.

I swear, when I hear Window Shopper by 50 cent I think of some people here.

[DennisCA]

The last group buy fiasco was conducted by a guy named: "The Expertise" people are STILL trying to get their money back from this guy! And was several years ago!

[CK_32]

Anyone got the original thread? I'd like to see it.


Thank god SoCal guys have more class than the NorCal guys... Jk, jk I kid I kid

[afteractionreport]

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?p=15770799&highlight=mosin+group+buy#post15770799

Here it is...he still signs in every now and then...i wasnt involved but ive read the entire thread...

[I Swan]

Don't forget to read both parts and for extra credit his attempts at opening a gun shop. You also missed a lot that got scrubbed stuff like him bidding on guns on Gunbroker while he owed people. One of the best parts of the those threads is when someone trolled the comments on his YouTube channel. Or when you see him trying to claim to be ex LEO and try to get bodyguard jobs on Craigslist.

Wasn't there an 80% AR lower scam that went down on here too?

[Firefight]

On another forum I belong to, the setup was through a site sponsor. They set the guidelines. I think simple is best, especially with all the skeptics. The sponsor/company was asked to do a run of say 200 of X product. The thread was open until 200 members or pieces were spoken for. The sponsor waited until funds cleared and would post how many were available until the quota was filled. That is the basic framework and could be framed that way or agreed upon in another form after some discussion on the forum.

[Firefight]

Ok my bad...i misunderstood your post

Thank you for saying so

[Markinsac]

I participated in a group buy for Sordin headsets on another forum a few years ago. The guy who coordinated it got our Login IDs for the forum, then arranged an email to each of us to a vendor who agreed to a special price using a code during checkout. All funds went directly to the store, and shipping was direct to each of us.