Personal Gain Retail Selling

[Mike Del Tergo]

>ALL GP should be either on a separate list, or in Marketplace.  Why?  >Cuz
>it's a grey area, even those with the most pure of thoughts may be >getting
>personal gain (other business if he gets 6k worth of clutches, >or his
>clutch free, whatever), how can it be enforced or even known?  >If a guy is
>setting up GP to get his "widget" free, is that "personal >gain"?

>GP (I call them group gropes) don't reflect wholesale prices, rarely >are
>they the "best" prices.  I've been tempted many a time to take GP
> >>Instead, I figure if that's what the qlists think is "value", then >let
>it be.  All shops will be dealing or already did with the issue of
> >customer parts installs.

Scott speaks eloquently vis-a-vis the shop side, I'll attempt to take up the
"retail" buyers side.  I joined/started the clutch GP fray and clearly
stated that I was acting as a conduit and would be using a list vendor as a
source.  I didn't name them as I didn't want people going to them weeks and
months later asking for similar pricing.  The price $285, was stated and
people could do with it as they pleased.  All funds went direct to vendor
(not usual, but takes me nicely out of the loop) and I paid the same thing
and got my clutch via UPS like all others.  I did it because I got about $50
off of my usual parts source price, hopefully saved others some dough, and
made a few bucks for the vendor who I'd like to be in busniess a year from
now.
On the UrQ list I've done a few GP's from europe and they are a pain!
I always state the price, what you get and the fact that I am not making
anything.  Given the prices on most of these things, I've never actually
personally participated in any of the buys I've arranged, before the clutch.
  I do not ask for money until parts are stateside.  This has caused me to
actually lose money on 2 buys over the last 9 months as the Euro has
appreciated about 9% vs the dollar.  Throw in the unpacking and reshipping
hassle, long lead times,plus breakage from UPS, replacement from Germany and
more than a few people would like to shoot me, but it gets done and
hopefully all are happy.  The Marketplace would be a tough place to
accomplish these unless a special GP section was set up and then only of
marginal utility I think.
I've often seen GP sponsored by vendors directly and I think this is OK.
Most of them that I have seen are for higher dollar items and seem to have a
fairly widespread appeal.  While I guess one GP a day would get tiresome,
from my experience so far, I appreciate them even though I expect to only be
a passive participant going forward!
Mike



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