Group Buys

[Off in the Bushes]

Have people ever joined up on here and have done a group buy to get things cheaper, are you saving money, do retailers allow it/ participate? Are mark ups on sporting goods (binoculars, spotting scopes, clothing, rods, reels, etc) tight?
I like to get quaility/ high end stuff, but I am to cheap to pay full price.

[DarkAisling]

I belong to several co-ops (for stuff for my littlest son and fabrics).

Co-ops can be a great way to save money (sometimes a lot of money), but it is a LOT of work to set up. Some retailers will participate, but others won't. All of the co-ops I participate in are mail order, and smaller retailers are generally more willing to work with a co-op than a big-box-store. The goods are shipped to a couple of houses here in Calgary, and I can either pick the goods up in person or have them shipped to me: so sometimes I pay a portion of the shipping to the organizer's house, and then to my house.

Of the ones I'm a member of there is a co-op fee charged (usually a buck or two per order, which goes to the individual running the co-op). The co-op fees don't come close to truly compensating for the time the individual has put into organizing it (which can take hours and hours). While I would certainly interested in participating in co-op purchasing for outdoors gear, I'm not at all interested in setting it up (though I would be willing to offer a little advice with an organizer in regards to how to manage payments, etc.).

[Off in the Bushes]

I was thinking more along the lines of getting 5-10 people together and going to Business _______ and seeing what kind of price they could do for item X, this way there is not overhead for the retailer, they get it in, it's paid for, and out the door.

[fordtruckin]

buy in bulk and see what kind of deal they can cut you. THen sell the rest off at regular price.

[ccmckee]

Been involved in a couple group buys on diesel truck forums, usually one of the site sponsors is tagged and asked to particpate after a general concensus comes through in a thread. Generally a conversation has taken place with the vendor as to what numbers are needed to make it worhtwhile for everyone invloved and then the buyers just contact the vendor saying they are part of the group buy. No one was liable for shipping or anything.

[4thredneck]

There was a group buy for Foxpro items on here not to long ago, seemed to work out.

[greylynx]

Originally Posted by 4thredneck

There was a group buy for Foxpro items on here not to long ago, seemed to work out.

I think fish-e-o ran that one.

He will probably post after he melts his barrel off shooting gophers this afternoon and has to go home.

[Alberta Bigbore]

Originally Posted by 4thredneck

There was a group buy for Foxpro items on here not to long ago, seemed to work out.

i hope there is another one.. i missed out on that last one