During a pub meet with 10 or so Scoobynet regulars, we had a brief natter as to the failure by the folks that maintain this forum to create a GROUP BUY section. We all agreed that this was a damn good idea.

Now if sections can be created for Bikers, Sports and even the Muppet area then surely we'd all benefit with a group buy section. These group buys go on all the time, covering different categories and are spread all over the forum. Any chance of considering this by creating a Group Buy section?

Please post with your feelings on this idea.

 

Well I, as a retailer, think its an excellent idea. I am now negotiating my second group buy with fellow Scooby owners and it benefits everybody. If the organiser is willing to put in time to help then we as retailers can cut the prices because less time is involved. And - terrible to have to say this - but our risk to credit card fraud is less because fraudsters are less likely to purchase in a group buy. So, again, we can afford to work to smaller margins.

I am considering opening up a group buy area on our web site to see what happens. There's a US web site called groupbuy.com, I think, which puts retailers and purchasers together - so I was even considering opening a UK version.

Colin

 

Yes, lets see a GROUP BUY Section

RR

 

seen threads like ths all the time! mentioned this ages ago, never happened as yet though.

 

My opinion on

IMHO The new scoobyshop will over ride the need for a group buy section.

Group buys have always been one of the most difficult things on scoobynet to deal with. Why?

Because many companies pay for banner ads that keep scoobynet running and as such they pay for benefits of reaching 1000's of people with their products and services.

Now say, a company who does not pay for a banner ad(and therefore keep SN running) helps sort out a group buy, for products which another ad paying company can offer too.

Now alls fair in compeition you might say, and to some exent it is. BUT its also unfair and unjust on the companies that pay for the right to advertise(after all the group buy company are getting free advertising by means of the group buy).

So do we ban all group buys? No, Why? Because in many cases the services and products offered are'nt conflicting with an ad paying customer and secondly they give value add to the scoobynet community.

The difficulty with a group buy forum is that it increases the likelyhood of conflict between paying companies and non paying ones and therefore would threaten the ongoing operation of scoobynet.

The New scoobyshop is an opportunity for all companies to offer discounts/group buys etc etc that will benefit everybody and avoid the tricky situations of group buys.

My opinion off

[Edited by Neil Smalley - 9/24/2002 10:04:55 AM]

 

Good point neil but I still think it would be a good idea if you guys set the rules and moderated it correctly. For example you could restrict it so that the author could only declare which products (for example an ITG filter) he/she has secured a group buy agreement for and what price, but not naming the actual supplier on SN. This way the benifits of the group buy are brought to the masses without stepping on anyones toes and of course peeps that want to know the supplier of the goods can discuss off line through email.

A personal messaging function would also help here by the way, hint, hint

 

I believe the “for sale” section should be split to various sub categories.

As too much is getting posted in the existing “for sale” section - and post are going off page 1 in less than a day - just plain silly.

 

Trouble is,

The Company would still get advertising, albiet second hand.

Ok lets say Company A has a banner ad and sells DVD players

I say I've got this great deal on DVD players for 100 quid(50 quid less than company A). People then mail in and say who is it, etc etc I then tell them in an Email.

Company B still get advertising by the fact that you've mentioned the knock down price to lure people into finding out who they are.

As I said its a moot point as if you buy a scoobynet plus card you get discount on everything in the scoobyshop, so in effect everything in there is a group buy. IMHO we're better off putting time and effort into making sure the scoobynet shop works(which will benefit everyone all of the time) than working out convuluted ways of not mentioning company names and arranging group buys(which only benefit some people some of the time).

Hope this makes sense.

 

Neil,

Thanks for your excellent explanation. Now I have to agree with your points above. Just thought I'd ask on behalf of the scoobynetters that met last night.

At the end of the day, if it puts Scoobynet in an awkward position with sponsors then back off and put up with the searching.

 

Yup, fair point Neil. I'm happy to scan around for the occassional cowboy group buy thread that you mods, 'accidently' miss