View Full Version : Micro Carabiner Group Buy
Life Scout
08-20-2014, 19:44
Got my beaners today. Thanks.
ralexander9646
08-20-2014, 20:22
Gunner, would you you mind sharing how you are speeding up the shipping process? I am curious. Maybe someone else would be willing to take on other group buys if the shipping task can be simplified.
Vexorg2112
08-20-2014, 20:50
Got mine today! Thanks for doing this. Everything looks great.
gunner76
08-20-2014, 21:42
You sure took on a tall order here, thank you again.
If it had stayed as small as I thought it would be at just a few hundred binners then it would have been much easier to handle. In my research of past group buys this is the largest in the number of items for a group buy.
Gunner, would you you mind sharing how you are speeding up the shipping process?
While I did figure out how to speed up process, it was not a major increase in speed.
Started off slow as I was not sure how and or the best way to tackle the processing of so many orders.
Printed out persons user name and number of binners requested and taped it to back label of padded mailers ( on the first few orders I wrote the users name on the inside of the mailer's flap but my handwriting is so bad and the surface was slick so that did not work out ). I then arranged the mailers in same order as master spread sheet As I filled each order I would then record weight on package. Usually tried to do about 10 at a time. Would then record the weight of package on spread sheet ( I had cheat sheet where I had postage costs depending on weigh ), enter cost of postage and let spreadsheet calculate final figure due. After about 6 orders I found a mistake in the formula I was using (in your favor not mine and corrected it ). Then the hard part was doing the PM with information to requester's, as I had to cut and paste users name, paste standard payment due msg, fill in amount due, send and record on spreadsheet date PM sent. At this point I started keeping the mailers in alphabetical order by users name. Once I got payment I could copy and paste persons mailing data to my label maker ( I have a Dymo dual label printer from when I had a mail order business, has one slot to print shipping labels and second slot to print postage stamps ) to print shipping label and then print postage stamp with same label printer. Having label printer that prints shipping label and postage stamps is a real time saver. Would attach shipping label and stamp, remove users name from back of label, mark on spreadsheet that order was mailed and drop off at post office.
I apologize again to the folks whose request I could not fill at this time. I am hoping I will find that the supplier shorted me on the order and will send the missing binners. At any rate I do see another group buy in the future but it will be a few months off as we have to give the supplier a chance to restock on the blues and purples and what ever other colors they might have run out of.
Please remember I am not making any money on this and have probably lost money when you consider the time it has taken and the amount of money I tied up up front not knowing for sure that the people who said they wanted x number of binners would actually pay for them. I have also been able to keep shipping cost low by using the padded mailers I had and by doing so was able to save the majority about $4 each in shipping over going with USPS flat rate boxes.
Wow, I got tired and quit reading half way thru your how to--can't imagine doing that for every order, what a job.
Thanks a bunch for this, Got mine today.
Wow, I got tired and quit reading half way thru your how to--can't imagine doing that for every order, what a job.
Thanks a bunch for this, Got mine today.
Think about how tired Gunner got sorting those binners out! I bet he wanted to quit a time or two himself! :)
gunner76
08-21-2014, 20:49
I bet he wanted to quit a time or two himself!
Nah, but I did have an OH S*** ! reaction when I saw the total number of binners requested.
barchetta
08-21-2014, 20:51
Just got my first arrowhead quilt today after the sale :-) are these the same little biners that come on the quilts?
Yes. They also come on one of the Arrowhead tarp ridgelines. I really cranked down on that thing once, and the biner just pulled apart. I felt like the hulk. Just go easy on these biners, and they'll be fine. I've received them from at least 3 cottage vendors, and I've seen them on several more sites for sale.
barchetta
08-21-2014, 21:10
Yes. They also come on one of the Arrowhead tarp ridgelines. I really cranked down on that thing once, and the biner just pulled apart. I felt like the hulk. Just go easy on these biners, and they'll be fine. I've received them from at least 3 cottage vendors, and I've seen them on several more sites for sale.
Nice. They seem really good, especially at this price!
My Biners came in the mail today. All are in great shape with no gate issues.
Since joining his forum I always wondered why the group buy section was never used. Now I see that anyone who organizes one just signed up for a full time job.
Thanks Gunner for all the time and effort.
gunner76
08-22-2014, 01:40
I really cranked down on that thing once, and the biner just pulled apart
I have never had any problems with any I have gotten and use. Maybe you are the Hulk :lol:
I always wondered why the group buy section was never used.
Group buys are a lot of work and there is also the problem of finding something that you can get enough people interested in going in on. I was looking at a possible group buy on Nite Ize Number 2 plastic binners could not find a place where I could get the price down low enough to make it worth while.
gunner76, have all items been shipped and this group buy complete?
I'd like 4 if you have any left.
I'd like 4 if you have any left.
There are none left. If you read back a bit, you'll see that he ran out/was shorted, and came up a bit short on the Group Buy order, so no extras for late-comers...
gunner76, have all items been shipped and this group buy complete?
I think we're still waiting to hear whether the order gunner received was complete...
Coldaddy
08-22-2014, 13:54
Just received my biners...many thanks Gunner!
Order received thanks Gunner.
gunner76
08-22-2014, 20:48
Technically no this is not thru, there are 5 people that have not responded to their PM's ( have to try and PM them again, I believe at least one of them had a full mailbox) ) and I came up short on the binners. Going back over numbers ordered vrs numbers sent out to see if I made a mistake and did not order enough or did the supplier short me on the order.
No there not any binners left.
Yukon, you can close this group buy if you want and or feel the need to. I have all the users info backed on my computer and can continue to try and contact last few people.
fishaholic
08-22-2014, 20:58
got mine today. looks great.
Before you close. Thanks gunner76.
Got mine and they are just fine :)
dirtwheels
08-22-2014, 21:44
Thumbs up for all of gunners work, I received my order today while I didn't thouroughly inspect each binder, I did clip each into a chain of like color and all seemed well. Thanks!!
barchetta
08-22-2014, 21:53
Got mine today! All worked perfectly and cookies looked great. Thanks for all your hard work and hope you feel better soon. Thanks :-)
I gots Dragon Flys with my order!
uberkhool! :tonguesmilie:
gunner76
08-23-2014, 07:51
I gots Dragon Flys with my order!
Found a few of the Dragon Flys left over from when I had a mail order business and decided to use them on a few of the packages. Company that made them discontinued them several years ago,
barchetta
08-23-2014, 07:52
I gots Dragon Flys with my order!
uberkhool! :tonguesmilie:
Me too :-)
Dragon flies? Pictures or they don't exist!
gunner76
08-24-2014, 20:50
I figured out the problem with the shortage of plain binners. The supplier over shipped on the engraved binners and under shipped on the plain binners. My fault for not counting the 2,500 binners when they came in.
I will be contacting the 5 members whose orders of I could not fill to see if they want to go with the engraved binners.
12trysomething
08-24-2014, 21:03
I figured out the problem with the shortage of plain binners. The supplier over shipped on the engraved binners and under shipped on the plain binners. My fault for not counting the 2,500 binners when they came in.
I will be contacting the 5 members whose orders of I could not fill to see if they want to go with the engraved binners.
Gunner, I ordered and received all plain. If it makes it work out I will send back the plains and take engraved, no worries at all. Just give me the word.
gunner76
08-24-2014, 21:42
Gunner, I ordered and received all plain. If it makes it work out I will send back the plains and take engraved, no worries at all. Just give me the word.
Give it a couple of days to see what the 5 folks I PM about taking the engraved binners want to do first. I will PM you in a few days once I hear from these folks and let you know but at this point I don't see any issues with other than you will have to pay for S&H again.
gunner76
08-24-2014, 21:51
Dragon flies? Pictures or they don't exist!
Hard to get them to stay still long enough to get a picture but here they are.....
Junebugdawn
08-24-2014, 22:23
Gunner, I received mine, too. Thank you. Mine arrived 10 red plain. If someone wants plain, I don't care if mine are engraved or not. Just let me know.
Pacific Atoll
08-24-2014, 22:47
Are there any leftover? I am not color conscious.
gunner76
08-24-2014, 23:42
Are there any leftover? I am not color conscious.
Not at this time. I see you are signed up ( # 10 ) on the spread sheet for a potential future group buy.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rhqErP_gJSr_uExavo5mL0fk2MbI5Fi87AWj9Dta3T0/edit?usp=sharing
Yukon, you can close this group buy if you want and or feel the need to. I have all the users info backed on my computer and can continue to try and contact last few people.
Closing this thread now as the group buy has been concluded.