Suggestion for common practice in GB

[damorgue]

Here is a suggestion on how we could start doing group buys.

Lets say n sets are sold in  GB, then approximately 1.1*n sets are ordered. The extra cost of these are distributed among the ordered key caps. These extra sets are then up for sale after the GB is over and since they are already paid for, the money they are bough for could be donated to GH.

This will yield the following:
- Ensure that sets are available after the GB to a greater extent, relieving the market and making it generally easier to find the caps you want.
- GH receives donations.
- All we have to do is pay 10% more for every set and instead of that just being donated, it is set up as a safety for the extra caps. 55 instead of 50 etc, and it goes to two great causes, bot to finance GH and to ensure that sets are available longer. The GB organizer doesn't have to take chances and have money locked in the investment if he wants to order extra sets.

That 1.1 could easily be made 1.05; or 1.3 depending on how charitable the GB is. I do think this is already practiced to some extent in GB.

[Djuzuh]

Dude, why do you want to fix something that is working?

[xJaPx]

What djuzuh said.

Plus, from the looks of it, most GB runners order the extras to compensate for any defective caps, and to also make some money with.  Im all for donations and stuff, but this going this route would be far too messy all around

[Soarer]

Agreed. Not necessary. The way prices work on keycaps, as long as the GB meets the price break it's aiming for, ordering to the next price break costs a comparatively small amount. If the GB exceeds its price break by even a few keys/sets, the extras are almost free!

The problem is how to use that fairly. Distributing the gain around the group buyers leaves the organizer with a fairly large risk of being hit with a hefty loss (and piles of unwanted caps). I honestly feel it's best for everyone for the organizer to use extras to make some profit. It gives organizers confdence that they won't face a loss. Buyers still get keys at good prices. In theory organizers could make quite a decent profit, but let's face it, right after a GB the extras are NOT going to sell like hot cakes!!

There was a fairly long and open discussion about the economic side of it in i3oilermaker's billiards GB thread.

As for the political/moral side of it, I strongly disagree with those that demand there is no profit from a GB. That just puts the organizer at risk of a loss, and they won't do it.

[damorgue]

This ensures that there is no risk since the extras are a safety, a sort of insurance for the organizer. The safety which isn't needed then goes to GH. But yeah, no one liked the idea, so I guess we can drop it. No need to beat a dead horse.

I always barely miss the deadlines and I have never found that there are enough left right after the GB.

[alaricljs]

Several extra sets is rarely enough anyway.

[longweight]

I think that all GB's should include 5-10% for the organiser.

[damorgue]

The higher the percentage, the higher the risk for the organizer. Best would be to order a hefty amount of extras, since it makes them cheaper. It also avoids the need to buy two smaller runs which is expensive and inefficient. I don't blame organizers for that though, the risks are huge and best case scenario is that they have money tied in the extra sets until they are sold. This alleviates their risk.

But yeah, you guys seem to not like the idea so lets just drop it.

[longweight]

No I mean that 5-10% of the GB set's price should be for the organiser.

[hazeluff]

- Ensure that sets are available after the GB to a greater extent, relieving the market and making it generally easier to find the caps you want.

It would be nice, but that means the buyer needs to put in his own money (this isn't always possible. More in next part)

- GH receives donations.

I don't think it is fair to force donations, however it is something nice to do, since GH is providing us a venue to do all these activities.

- All we have to do is pay 10% more for every set and instead of that just being donated, it is set up as a safety for the extra caps. 55 instead of 50 etc, and it goes to two great causes, bot to finance GH and to ensure that sets are available longer. The GB organizer doesn't have to take chances and have money locked in the investment if he wants to order extra sets.

This is absolutely unfair for the buyers tho. Neither organizer or buyers should pay just so that people later could get it. If there is enough interest, a second run will be done. This is only fair to some degree to cover some things in the GB. But definitely not for extra keys that are for other people later on.

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I think organizers should think towards extras for people who missed the GB, but it shouldn't be a "standard".