I would like to propose some rules for Group Buys done on WSC based on some of the things I've seen in the past few years that haven't worked, worked poorly, or just plain bug me.
This thread will be to simply discuss what I am proposing, and get some community feedback.
Feel free to critique, suggest alternatives to what you don't like, and even suggest rules that aren't listed.
However, please do these things
with reasoning and explanation.
"I don't like this rule because it sucks" isn't enough.
Nothing has been decided yet, but if these are implemented then we would like to refer back to this thread when people ask questions.
In no particular order:
- Must include contact information for the vendor selling the product - this is for the security of members purchasing of the product. Sending money to "a guy" on the internet who claims he will give the money to "his friend" who has a "great deal" is a good way for things to sour.
- Must contain a price or pricing model in the first post - Too often the response to a group buy is "in depending on price". Then when the price is realized, half the people back out. If the vendor has minimum order requirements (for example) then it may die at that point after everyone gets their hopes up. Do not post a Group Buy until you have worked this out.
- Must contain payment method - Who is taking money? Who is holding money? For how long? At what point does vendor get paid?
- Must contain delivery/shipping information - This detail is an important aspect of a GB. If the group buy price is only 5 bucks cheaper than a regular purchase but it will then be shipped to the organizer in a different city, I will then need to make additional shipping/delivery arrangements that may cost more than if I just had the item shipped directly to me. This may be acceptable to some but not to others, which is why it should be made apparent at the very beginning.
- Group buy should contain information about the product - Put a little bit of effort in here. Normally the reason you want to do a group buy is to get a better price. You need multiple people to participate in order to make this happen, so become a salesman. Not everyone knows everything about the part you're trying to buy, or that it even exists.
- Group buys from other forums/sources can be posted here - links to group buys from other sources are fine, but the requirement would be that you should state that you are not the organizer (unless you are) and that people should direct their questions to that source.
Some of these are for the financial safety of our members, some are just common sense, and some are just because the lack of this detail pisses me off.
Of further note, other forums only allow vendors to start group buys. I don't think we need to go that far, but I do see a lack of structure for the group buys that are posted here.
Are we for it?
Completely against it? (please list why. If everyone agrees that we don't need rules in GB that's fine, but please explain why you think it would be a bad thing)
Like it but needs adjustments?
Discuss.
