Bring and Buy

[Bechet]

At risk of sounding like a church WI meeting but I don't know what else to call it, I'm floating the idea of a Bring and Buy sale to raise funds for TSR. This would be either a one off or an annual event.

My initial thoughts are to spend a designated week setting up stall and then opening the doors, so to speak, one Sunday morning.

Ah! A Car Boot Sale.

Members would donate items and indicate a price, including postage and fees during the week - so hopefully, we'd finish up with a bunch of photos of items for sale. Members could browse these items in preparation for the doors/car boots opening.

We'd open for business at a set time and members would buy on a first come, first served basis - the first post offering the full asking price wins the item.

So the whole thing depends on generosity. Paul could donate his Weck Surgical, for instance.

Is this idea worth pursuing? I'll count answer in the vein of No, Yes - donating and Yes - buyer.

I think we would have to agree to abide by BST Rules and hopefully not need them.

 

[pjgh]

Yes - donating (NOT the Weck)
Yes - buyer

How about flip it around?
Indicative price is the starting point, bids are placed over a period of a week ... highest bid wins?

I take it all proceeds (minus postage and fees) goes to TSR?

 

[Bechet]

Good idea, Paul - except for NOT donating the Weck - but BST forbids auctions, I believe. Also, we might not get the asking price, if that is important on a donated item. I think we've been permitted to bend the rules enough for the raffles and wouldn't want to undermine the foundations of TSR.

All proceeds to go into TSR coffers, help support this place.

 

[The Geordie Shaver]

I will bring , I don't think I will be buying , I have too much crap around me as it is , most of it never see's daylight

 

[pjgh]

Sound! Quick decisions, quick sales.

How do we decide a starting time? There'll be a massive bun fight at, say, 0900 on a Monday. Can we make it 0200 on Sunday? I'm a night owl

To keep some momentum on sales, I think I'd list my contributions at a gradually decreasing price depending upon how long it is left unsold. I believe that is within the BST T&Cs - it has a price, just that the price becomes less over a pre-determined amount of time.

 

[moodymick]

Are we talking of a central payment point or individuals collecting the donations and then forwarding on? If the latter, we could end up paying double fees (in and then back out) making paypal happy and boab sad.

Other than that, I have *cough* spare software I'd be happy to pass along. Probably buy too.

 

[Bechet]

Thanks, Mick. I guess send all payments to me so I could keep track and donate all of them in a oner to TSR. Same deal as the raffles in that respect.

---

Aye! that would work, Paul, and stay within the Rules - just like BST only over a shorter time frame. More quickly.

Opening time could be long before I even start breakfast - posts after 'x' o'clock are legit, those before don't count. GMT or whatever we are on in UK - BST by now. (I'm still on BST from twelve years ago!)

 

[globalm]

In for Donate and Buy.

 

[AlexNoodles]

in for both.

 

[Uncle Bertie]

I can do both.

 

[Bechet]

Thinking about this over-night: the way it's envisaged at the moment, each item would need two payment - one for the item cost (including fees) to me and one for the postage to the donor. That is easily enough done - the buyer and donor could sort out postage and I'd keep tabs on the item payments coming in. OR - the donors could get even more generous and cover the postage themselves - simpler but more expensive for the donors.

I'm guessing a vote would get a clean split between buyers and donors but let's see. Which way would you prefer this to run?

I guess a third way would be for donors to specify whether they will contribute postage or whether they wish to receive it as an 'extra' payment - that would be Gift as it is not for anything sold.

The quoted price for all items should include fees, per BST Rules. I'll post a link to a Fee Calculator if we go ahead with this - I think we will based on response so far and knowing it is for the benefit of our Forum.

 

[pjgh]

Personally, I'd be happy to cover postage, envisaging that I'd put up perhaps four items, so little over a tenner. Buyer would pay into one central fund, once.

 

[Bechet]

That's grand, thank you, Paul. I would do the same.

 

[moodymick]

Just one straight fee for me.

The balance to achieve is going to be 'mates rates' v 'it's for charridy(-ish)'. Personally I'm looking at donating software. I'll check the online prices (inc. post) and then price to sell.

Like most people with too much in my stash (shock admission!), my real 'pocket' contribution to TSR is going to be the postage.

 

[Bechet]

The balance to achieve is going to be 'mates rates' v 'it's for charridy(-ish)'. Personally I'm looking at donating software. I'll check the online prices (inc. post) and then price to sell.

Like most people with too much in my stash (shock admission!), my real 'pocket' contribution to TSR is going to be the postage.

This idea has been bouncing around in my head all day - forgot to take my pills again last night.

Best I can come up with is that it is a fund raiser - so prices should be set at a reasonable level rather than give-away and buyers can feel perfectly free to offer more than the asking price. Generosity from both buyers and sellers. The idea is to give this wonderful forum a cash injection, after all.

 

[Bechet]

Hi Guys - so we are into count-down time! Only six days left to post your seller contributions and tempt buyers to come along to the sale next Sunday - 10am opening.

This is a bump post for sellers! Get your photos posted! The more the merrier!

Support your forum with a generous donation of shaving gear!