Go for it Brian, Doesn't matter what others think, if we can save some money, good.
Ron Wallace ---- Original message ---- >Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 22:58:47 -0500 >From: Brian Rohrbacher <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Re: [WISPA] INSURANCE NOW canopy prices >To: WISPA General List <wireless@wispa.org> > >I have never done a group buy, but this is how I would approach it. > >First step. Principal Members only. You want a deal, fork over 200 >some bucks and support the industry. >Second step. Find 10 people who want ten units. (500 if possible, but >prolly 100 pack to start) >Third step. Go to moto website and look up resellers. >fourth step. Call resellers and get quote. Say "look here. I have a >buying group. I want 100 SMs, charged to 10 credit cards and shipped to >10 addresses. Send me a quote to email" Forward quote to next reseller >and go from there. Whoever is cheaper wins. If they want the business >of the buying group, they better figure out how to cut a deal. Am I >acting like a know it all Charles? Would all the resellers say screw >you if I approached like this? >If all resellers say we can't do this.....then I would (big trust here) >run all cards through paypal and pay with one lump sum and re ship from >here. Now add the 1.9% for paypal and add more for extra >shipping....don't know what that would be, but it would be figured >before hand. > >I just made all that up, but it seems like it would work. Only question >is how warranty is handled. By MAC addy or by who bought the radio. > >Someone let me know if my approach is out of line. Never done this and >might be reinventing the wheel (I hope it rolls) > >Brian > >A. Huppenthal wrote: > >> Charles, >> >> I know you don't support the idea of group buys. Enough said. Fact is >> I've done group buys with high-end equipment before - it wasn't >> difficult at all. If you are comparing a public distributor to a >> closed membership buying club, you aren't comparing apples to apples. >> I sure as hell don't want to create a distributor organization. >> >> However, as our discussion continues, I might be willing to send Jim, >> George, Brian or whomever offers a group buy $2600 for 10 Canopy SMs >> if the buy is 100 units and we're all lined up. I don't need support, >> training, stocking, any of the services that distributors offer. >> Frankly, I don't need my distributor under cutting me to sell direct >> to customers. You have your pros and cons for going to distributors >> for *everything*. Certainly what's being discussed here isn't >> pretending to create a distributor that has *everything*.. >> >> Frankly I think the board with the exception of myself, uniformly >> doesn't support group buys. >> >> The buyers create the relatonship for the purpose of the buy, it ends >> when the product is delivered. >> >> >> Charles Wu wrote: >> >>> <snip> >>> You would think it would work that way, but Volume Buying ends up >>> eating the organization and the organization becomes caught up in >>> being a volume club. >>> </snip> >>> >>> We all know that there's more to a WISP than just putting up an AP and >>> getting a T1 line >>> >>> Having run both a WISP and a distribution company, I can personally >>> attest >>> to the fact that there's more to distribution (which is what your >>> proposing) >>> than breaking up a 500 pack amongst WISP >>> >>> Have you considered all the risks / implications that the buying group >>> faces? For starters, there's the question of payment -- given that the >>> buying group has no / limited credit, chances are that any vendor will >>> require cash up front for the purchase >>> >>> So, for example, say Motorola Canopy is the product WISPA chooses >>> Then WISPA / Buying Group needs to come up w/ $100k to purchase that 500 >>> pack (at say, $200 / unit for simplicity's sake) >>> Then, WISPA / Buying Group needs to come up w/ a warehouse to store >>> stuff >>> Then, WISPA / Buying Group needs to come up w/ a shipper/logistics >>> guy to >>> repackage / ship stuff >>> >>> On top of that, chances are, 50% of the WISPs who committed to >>> purchasing >>> the packs will renege and/or delay their deliveries due to unforseen >>> things >>> that always happen in deployments (e.g., lightning, customers don't >>> sign >>> on, interference from competitor, DSL coming to town) >>> >>> So now, WISPA / Buying Group needs to hire a sales guy to sell excess >>> units >>> >>> Now, you've added overhead (and you need to add an administrative fee / >>> margin to compensate) >>> >>> In the meantime, either >>> >>> 1. Motorola to announce a 50% price reduction in their Canopy line, >>> and all >>> WISPA members now wanting the new lower price (therefore causing a huge >>> loss) >>> 2. Trango (or some other company) to come out w/ the new "flavor of the >>> month" and no one wanting the inventory anymore, sticking WISPA w/ $100k >>> worth of boat anchors >>> >>> -Charles >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------- >>> CWLab >>> Technology Architects >>> http://www.cwlab.com >>> >>> >> > >-- >Brian Rohrbacher >Reliable Internet, LLC >www.reliableinter.net >Cell 269-838-8338 > >"Caught up in the Air" 1 Thess. 4:17 > >-- >WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org > >Subscribe/Unsubscribe: >http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > >Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ Ron Wallace Hahnron, Inc. 220 S. Jackson St. Addison, MI 49220 Phone: (517) 547-8410 Mobile: (517) 605-4542 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- WISPA Wireless List: wireless@wispa.org Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
