Next Powerbuy

[cameron]

I don't disagree with some of the points, but no local sponser has clams of the quality of Clams Direct (at least that I know of) and none of the stores around here QT incoming clams like Clams Direct. There are also other items that would no longer make a PB such as the Neptune Systems PB we just had... not going to see one of those again as to my knowledge none of the local sponsers carry the Neptune equipment and I doubt they could match the deal anyway. What about a powerbuy on say magnetic frags from aqua-mags.com? There are dozens of potential PBs we are walking away from because we are basically bowing down to sponsers. It is great we can do a GB, but why do we have a club like this and pay dues if we can't get the PBs we want as a group of like minded reef aquarists? Maybe those discounts are worth it, but I do know we compromise ourselves at least a little by restricting ourselves to sponsers only.

Course you should take my opinion with a grain of salt... I had to be talked off the ledge when I found out how we were limiting sponsership to locally owned businesses only. Seems better to me to have no commercial influence in the club than giving over to commercial interests in these cases. I just want the club to put members first always with absolutely no question about where loyalties lay.

Anyway, I will shut up... everybody knows my opinion on the subject and guess I don't need to rehash it.

 

[linda lee]

How much interest would you need to put together a group buy for clams? How much would the discount be?

 

[tsciarini]

I have a ClamsDirect gift certificate for $116 if anyone is interested in purchasing it from me...

 

[jgoal55]

Ok, first, I agree that PB's should not be limited to local sponsors for many of the reasons stated above....there are lots of things that they don't or can't offer....I am not saying that we should not give them any PB's but if there is alot of interest for something from a certain place then a PB should be allowed...that to me was one of the main reason's for joining the club, as was the local sponsor discount which I have used plenty....we can definitely do both in my opinion. Now to the main thread point:

here is the thing: I want a clam....I am willing to try one out and I want to get one from clams direct...their shipping is $40 for one clam or 15 clams....it doesn't make a difference.....that means if we get 4 people to buy a clam from them that's $10 a pop for shipping....well worth it in my opinion....I'm one clam....do I have two, three, and four? Let me know, I am more than willing to head this thing up. I can call them to get the details of a group buy first.....if you'd all prefer.......

 

[mojo]

Cameron- You're stirring things up unnecessarily.

I was at that May meeting, and we made no such vote to not allow non-sponsoring vendors. The vote was made that *if* a sponsor store has an equivalent or competing product (like Sammy's RK2 vs. Neptune's AC), then we clear it with the sponsor stores. If the sponsor stores aren't interested, or can't deliver what we want, then we go elsewhere.

The only thing that we stopped was out of state sponsors.

"Power buys" are done with sponsors; "group buy" is done with anyone. Typically, the club tries to coordinate things on the power buy- the group buy is usually more of a member effort, but there aren't any hard and fast rules.

In this case, if someone wants to contact a few sponsor stores and see if they're getting any unique clams in AND want to do a power buy with us, then go for it. No one anywhere said that we couldn't go elsewhere.

As for the OM group buy- AFAIK, it just wasn't finalized. It only takes someone to make it all happen.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

mojo;58581 wrote: Cameron- You're stirring things up unnecessarily.

To Cameron's defense, He was reacting to this post by Alan,

Sprayin70;53091 wrote: We will not be using any non sponsors for powerbuys. I will call our sponsors and see if I can work on the clams.

Which I read what Alan wrote the same way that Cameron did... We will not be using non sponsor for powerbuys, period. There was no * to that statement. There was no, if they can not or will not do anything then we can arrange something somewhere else. And after the last clam PB, I much rather not get a clam from some of our local vendors. Please understand it is a touchy subject and a vote that MANY of us do not agree with and the BOD has never really addressed or explained with its members.

As such, I think this shall be a group buy and Jorge can help head it up. I will get on the phone and make a few calls so that George can take it over from there.

 

[mojo]

I didn't want to make Alan look bad publicly. Alan either misstated or misunderstood the policy.

Please understand it is a touchy subject and a vote that MANY of us do not agree with and the BOD has never really addressed or explained with its members.

I thought I explained it pretty well in http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=4219">this thread</a> (see [IMG]http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showpost.php?p=37726&postcount=19">this post</a>)?

If "MANY" people do not agree with, then please bring it up at a meeting (BoD or otherwise), in a thread, or anywhere. It's hard for the Board members to read peoples' minds.

 

[cameron]

I replied to what Alan told me and if that is not true then I will retract some of what I said. Again, I will shut up on the matter.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

I think this should be closed before it gets out of hand... The BOD has made a point and no need to open old wounds or debate the topic again.

Any group buy on the issue will get its own thread here in the next week or so.