On another board I used to frequent (Porsche Petes Boxster Board) they would quite often do group purchases of favorite upgrades-accessories. Think it would be good to have a listing for this on the Sprinter board that way groups of Sprinter owners to use the power of a large purchase to lower the price, IE conversion to MB badging, adjustable sunshade, etc. The way the boxster board did it was a selected person kept the names of all those wanting a selected option. An "end date" for enrollment in the current purchase was announced, as well as min number committed to purchase to get the discount. In some cases the lead individual collected the funds, in others the mfg agreed to let individuals contact directly with the knowledge if the min number wasn't purchased each person was req to pay additional. I personally used it many times to buy maintenance materials, cleaning materials, floor mats, bra, etc. Think it would be good for all us Sprinter owners to get together on sonething like this.
Group Purchase Listing
- Thread starter dsevr
- Start date
acvr4
New member
Some what similar to what Chazzo's doing with the scan guage. 
I did a group buy several years back in my car club. I contacted a nmanufacturer of am electronic mirrors and got a sweet deal but the problem I had is that some people decided to take their time to pay. Well I had to purchase the bulk order and sold them at cost to pass on the super deal but due to the slow payers I lost money. You live you learn. Tough being a nice guy sometimes.
But hey, any Group buy may be of interest
I did a group buy several years back in my car club. I contacted a nmanufacturer of am electronic mirrors and got a sweet deal but the problem I had is that some people decided to take their time to pay. Well I had to purchase the bulk order and sold them at cost to pass on the super deal but due to the slow payers I lost money. You live you learn. Tough being a nice guy sometimes.
But hey, any Group buy may be of interest
BaywoodBill
pre-Yuppiedom
Having spent some time with the clip on/foldout/opps-I-need-to-tighten that screw/that-thing-could-kill-you-in-an-accident sunshades, I'm very interested in the new product.
Your welcomeThanks for helping out the Sprinter community Chaozz!
Seek
buying stuff is what I do for a living ..
it just helps i fixed cars for over 20 years
and my inlaws own 2 auto repair shops.
Last edited:
Zach Woods
New member
Howdy chaozz and others -
Polls could be used to keep a running tally of how many group buy respondents there have been.
Unfortunately this would not allow the group buy "leader" to know the order in which people have signed up for the group buy but it would make it very quick and easy for someone new to the poll determining if they are still within the cut-off number.
PM me if you want to learn more about this option. Short version is:
1. Set up a public poll and new thread for every new group buy.
2. When someone wants to be a part of a group buy require them to both post a message and respond "Yes" to the poll question and post their intention (the post captures the date and timestamp to allow mediation of who signed up when).
3. The group buy "leader" could always update the poll results if someone forgot to vote in the poll but did remember to either email, PM or post their intention to buy.
Zach
P.S. I always want to thank you for your group buy efforts! This is the kind of thing that makes The Sprinter-Source.com great!
Polls could be used to keep a running tally of how many group buy respondents there have been.
Unfortunately this would not allow the group buy "leader" to know the order in which people have signed up for the group buy but it would make it very quick and easy for someone new to the poll determining if they are still within the cut-off number.
PM me if you want to learn more about this option. Short version is:
1. Set up a public poll and new thread for every new group buy.
2. When someone wants to be a part of a group buy require them to both post a message and respond "Yes" to the poll question and post their intention (the post captures the date and timestamp to allow mediation of who signed up when).
3. The group buy "leader" could always update the poll results if someone forgot to vote in the poll but did remember to either email, PM or post their intention to buy.
Zach
P.S. I always want to thank you for your group buy efforts! This is the kind of thing that makes The Sprinter-Source.com great!
Last edited:
sikwan
06 Tin Can
Hey Zach:
Don't we have enough polls?
The thing with polls is that people can change their minds at the last minute or some may skip the poll entirely due to privacy reasons.
I suggest that people post, private message, or email that they're interested, and the group buyer decides which is the best way to gather info. Private message or email, imho, is probably the best way.
Set a deadline and hopefully you can get the minimum amount of people for the group buy. Most businesses have a 30 day grace period anyways and it is a good idea.
Set another deadline for payment so that you can receive payment before making the big purchase. Unless you're a business and can overcome the initial hit, it's always hard trying to gather funds before making the big purchase. Try as you must, but you'll always get the slow payers or at worst the flakers.
I hope one day the Sprinter-Source can not only supply a medium for information but also a place for discounted hard parts.
Seek
Don't we have enough polls?
The thing with polls is that people can change their minds at the last minute or some may skip the poll entirely due to privacy reasons.
I suggest that people post, private message, or email that they're interested, and the group buyer decides which is the best way to gather info. Private message or email, imho, is probably the best way.
Set a deadline and hopefully you can get the minimum amount of people for the group buy. Most businesses have a 30 day grace period anyways and it is a good idea.
Set another deadline for payment so that you can receive payment before making the big purchase. Unless you're a business and can overcome the initial hit, it's always hard trying to gather funds before making the big purchase. Try as you must, but you'll always get the slow payers or at worst the flakers.
I hope one day the Sprinter-Source can not only supply a medium for information but also a place for discounted hard parts.
Seek
Zach Woods
New member
Howdy Seek -
Maybe it hasn't become obvious . . . I like polls.
In connection to group purchases I would love it if everything could be handled by a poll (Yes answer, contact info, and count of remaining items for purchase) but I know that it currently can't. My thinking is that the poll makes it very clear how many of the purchase items are still remaining - both for the buyers and for the seller.
Zach
Maybe it hasn't become obvious . . . I like polls.
In connection to group purchases I would love it if everything could be handled by a poll (Yes answer, contact info, and count of remaining items for purchase) but I know that it currently can't. My thinking is that the poll makes it very clear how many of the purchase items are still remaining - both for the buyers and for the seller.
Zach
sikwan
06 Tin Can
Hi Zach:
There's always going to be someone that does not participate in a poll, and then the count will be skewed either way. Do we make it a requirement that we participate in the poll otherwise we can't get in on the deal?
What I would suggest, and it is the group buyer's decision, is to use a check out type window rather than vB's poll format because it would simpify data/fund collecting. Use like a Paypal or a Google Checkout link for the group buy.
While a poll is great at collecting data, it's not a means for collecting personal data/funds for a group purchase. I'm sure it's possible to put some programming time to create this type of poll, but then it wouldn't be a poll anymore and there's already programs out there that do this type of thing better.
Lastly, I don't want to discourage using a poll. I just think there are better methods. It's really up to the seller.
Seek
For a seller maybe, but for a buyer I don't think it matters does it?
There's always going to be someone that does not participate in a poll, and then the count will be skewed either way. Do we make it a requirement that we participate in the poll otherwise we can't get in on the deal?
What I would suggest, and it is the group buyer's decision, is to use a check out type window rather than vB's poll format because it would simpify data/fund collecting. Use like a Paypal or a Google Checkout link for the group buy.
While a poll is great at collecting data, it's not a means for collecting personal data/funds for a group purchase. I'm sure it's possible to put some programming time to create this type of poll, but then it wouldn't be a poll anymore and there's already programs out there that do this type of thing better.
Lastly, I don't want to discourage using a poll. I just think there are better methods. It's really up to the seller.
Seek
sikwan
06 Tin Can
We now have a Group Buys category under the Classified section. I'm not sure how we should go about listing them, so this is what I was thinking...
1. If someone wants to gauge interest in a group buy, then it should be announced/placed in the Sprinter Talk category; threads, posts, polls, etc.
2. When we have a definite Group Buy going, a new thread will be in the Group Buys category.
Or should we just combine everything and place it in Group Buys?
Any thoughts welcome....
Thanks,
Seek
1. If someone wants to gauge interest in a group buy, then it should be announced/placed in the Sprinter Talk category; threads, posts, polls, etc.
2. When we have a definite Group Buy going, a new thread will be in the Group Buys category.
Or should we just combine everything and place it in Group Buys?
Any thoughts welcome....
Thanks,
Seek
Zach Woods
New member
Howdy Seek -
I would suggest keeping Group Buys (both interest gathering about them and the actual Group Buy process) in the Group Buys category.
I think by doing this we are helping to keep the Sprinter Talk category from becoming too much of a catch-all. We run the risk of Sprinter Talk becoming the only (or at least the first) place that people go for everything.
Folks can subscribe to the new Group Buys forum and therefore never have to visit it but still guarantee that they get notified when a new or potential Group buy turns up. They can learn how to subscribe here: http://www.sprinter-source.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1437&postcount=1
Zach
I would suggest keeping Group Buys (both interest gathering about them and the actual Group Buy process) in the Group Buys category.
I think by doing this we are helping to keep the Sprinter Talk category from becoming too much of a catch-all. We run the risk of Sprinter Talk becoming the only (or at least the first) place that people go for everything.
Folks can subscribe to the new Group Buys forum and therefore never have to visit it but still guarantee that they get notified when a new or potential Group buy turns up. They can learn how to subscribe here: http://www.sprinter-source.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1437&postcount=1
Zach
BaywoodBill
pre-Yuppiedom
Will there be subgroups under the Group Buy head so that we can see what Buys are being organized? I hope the whole project works and that all who express interest cooperate all the way. chaozz was getting up a scangauge group but I don't see it under this rubric.