Group orders

[mrflytrap2]

While reading the forum here, in the thread dealing with import / export laws. Rainforest made the statement...

"I do not encourage group orders, that is the straightest line to the end of a great CP relationship."

And I found it to be a very interest insight of advice. Anyone want to share his/her thoughts on the subject?

I'm interested in this topic as I'm about to have an open house here near Chicago, and was going to touch on the subject of possible group orders in the future if I could get a local group together regularly.

But based on this statement, and other things I've noticed, I'm starting to second guess. I've already seen how people love to commit to wanting 5 hamata's then realize they don't have money 2 weeks later. Or people just backing out of the decision as the time gets near. Then, let alone dealing with people once the plants arrive.

So far I'm taking the approach of buying things that I want, with an extra here and there that someone else might like. If it goes great, if not, no hard feelings.

What are some other thoughts / past experiences out there?

-Nate

[obregon562]

Nate,

I tried (am still) trying to do something quite similar a while back. Let me tell you, IT IS WAY HARDER THAN YOU THINK! there are many many many import laws, export laws, USDA permits, stickers, etc...then you need to arrange the actualy order, and ge the money together, and send it to the seller, and if its more than a few grand thees a tax (at least in CA), and even if everything goes good, then you have to arrange getting all the plants out of the airport, which usually requires a broker ($$$), and THEN you have to ship them out! and thats the simplfied version! The simpleified balck-and-white verison too!

So in short, good ****ing luck man!
Frankie

[rainforest]

I am not condoning the importation of plants into the US, but for an order of this kind, you really have to know/trust who you are inviting to participate in this. People have always asked me to host a group order since I've shipped and know my way around it. Many participants think that all they have to do is pay for the initial cost of the plant and you'll compensate the rest. Nope/nada/no way Jose! I even sold some plants at my retail store (not the same business) and a nepenthes buyer wanted to use his charge card to pay for it. Get real!

So you see, it's a real pain and to educate anyone about what is involved with importing CITES related material is more frustrating than worth the time.

So before you announce that you want to do a group order, buyer/importer beware! If you have done a deal before and your participants was ok to deal with and you know each other pretty well, then do it. But to ask strangers to participate that's asking for a lot of trouble.

M

[phissionkorps]

Let's pretend everything went with with import/export.

As to the people you'd have to deal with, I don't think it's very hard at all to decide what you want, and even less difficult to decide what you can afford. So, if you want people in on the order, there's going to have to be mutual trust, and you're going to have to give them a week tops to decide what they want, then contact whoever you're importing from, then give the people you're dealing with a week tops to pay for their share of the costs. I'm in class or studying literally 13-18 hours per day, so I'm busier than probably 99.9% of people on all the forums, and it wouldn't take me more than 2 days to make up an envelope to send some money out, or more than about 5 minutes to use PayPal, and that's being liberal with the time I'd allow myself.