Just a suggestion:
Given some (ongoing) problems in getting people to respond to requests to pay up - I would suggest that in order to be accepted into a GB you pm your phone number and or other details (tbd) to the GB thread organiser??
Will
QuoteHaving to chase people for communication/payment is not fair on the person organising the group buy: creating hassle for someone who is doing you a favour is not a way to thank them.
It's also not fair on other people in the group buy who have paid up and are in need of whatever it is.
I would suggest in cases where the group buy is definitely going to succeed (malt, hops) that people pay up front to get on the list.
Agreed^2 However for the less likely then a mobile number is a much more reliable contact medium than waiting for someone to log back in, check the forums and/or read the PMs
Suggest: In future newbies joing the Group Buy scheme have to submit a phone number. Also try to get the existing members updated
Will
Yes. The beer gun is an example of all the work put in and very few to have paid..which is ok if they intend to pay but just not responding is an altogether different thing. :(
That would not solve the problem I have described above! Even old hands with 100s of posts often go "off-line" at the payment stage.
A phone number would help is all I'm saying
Will
Could we extend the user profile info to include a contact number that is only available to the mods, group buy scheme organisers ( via the mods ) and also the individual?
BTW: If any one is going to organise the US Counter pressure filler I suggest that they get a phone number before accepting the request. I don't need one! I only got involved for the design discussions.
Will
as a guy who has been tardy when it comes to the payments in the group buys - usually due to not having checked posts and what not ( not through an unwillingness to part with the cash)
I found that the email notification for the t shirt group buy worked for me - once I got the notification I think I paid up that day , generally in the mornings when I'm killing time waiting for the kettle to boil - I have a quick check of mails on the phone - that's how it worked for me - other wise its down to when I have time to check the site - which at various times - can be difficult
just my experience of it
As some of the older members can remember the TV series "the 6 million dollar man",it coined a phrase "we have the technology,we can do it", can a text message be created to a contact phone :)
The only guaranteed way to solve it is to have pre-payment to get on the list. Otherwise, as more people join up here it'll become completely unmanageable. People will soon get disillusioned organising group buys if they have to chase people.
I'd support prepayment on the hops. It'll make it much easier to organise and will mean people get their hops quicker if there's no payment chasing going on.
If asking for prepayment there probably needs to be a set close date.
QuoteThe only guaranteed way to solve it is to have pre-payment to get on the list. Otherwise, as more people join up here it'll become completely unmanageable. People will soon get disillusioned organising group buys if they have to chase people.
I'd support prepayment on the hops. It'll make it much easier to organise and will mean people get their hops quicker if there's no payment chasing going on.
If asking for prepayment there probably needs to be a set close date.
I think prepayment on malt and hops and any other group buy that it is known will definitely be happening.
On other group buys where there is a chance that it might not happen like "we need 10 people to organise...." then it's a bit harder to call in the cash up front. But maybe the best way to approach this is to get the cash up front and refund if the group buy doesn't happen.
A paypal thing would work for me, I have to go into the bank for a group buy payment, thats 8 miles away. I'd happly pay an extra little charge to use paypal
I spent a lot more on diesel and time, for the next buy I might go that way so :)
use the account very little, Paypal is easier for me
i dont have online banking so would prefer paypal for groupbuys as i could make payment straight away, dont mind paying the surcharge
Hi there,
I can't see how prepaying and refunding money would work as it would just introduce more work for whoever organised the group buy.
Maybe want to be a bit smarter in the organisation in the first place. Group buys such as grain, hops etc are probably easier to fill than more expensive items such as kegs, bottle guys.
My experience from the kegs group buy is that there are things going on in people lives that are not aware to everybody. Illness, illness of relatives, waiting to get paid, problems accessing the site.
Setting a deadline for payment and asking people to be realistic about signing up with respect to paying by the deadline. Might not be a bad idea to also set some ground rules that if you don't pay by the agreed deadline that you will be automatically be removed from the list.
The idea would be to let people know in advance how things will roll so that if and when somebody is dropped they know why and their is no bad feeling afterwards.
Just my two cents,
Declan
QuoteQuoteThe only guaranteed way to solve it is to have pre-payment to get on the list. Otherwise, as more people join up here it'll become completely unmanageable. People will soon get disillusioned organising group buys if they have to chase people.
I'd support prepayment on the hops. It'll make it much easier to organise and will mean people get their hops quicker if there's no payment chasing going on.
If asking for prepayment there probably needs to be a set close date.
I think prepayment on malt and hops and any other group buy that it is known will definitely be happening.
On other group buys where there is a chance that it might not happen like "we need 10 people to organise...." then it's a bit harder to call in the cash up front. But maybe the best way to approach this is to get the cash up front and refund if the group buy doesn't happen.
You make some fair points Declan, there is no getting around it being a nightmare to ensure everyone pays, etc. I had the benefit when doing the off flavor tasting nights that I was getting cash in hand, but the price wasn't figured out until the day before we started due to people cancelling last minute etc.
Anyway my point is that the group buys are hassle for those who organise them and I appreciate the patience the guys have and I hope others go ahead and organise things in the future. Like when I did the off flavours, that was because I wanted to do the tasting myself and wasn't willing to wait for someone else to step up. This might be something I do again in the new year if there is an interest then, but I will let ye know again!
So fair play to everyone for taking the initiative and getting things done for the group! That's what makes this site great!