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Don't say the words "Group Buy" to Joe

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gaines

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
When I sent an email asking for a ballpark estimate of shipping on an order, I half expected a response saying that they could not give ballpark estimates.

What I did not expect was a rant against group buys and an ultimatum that I should never say that phrase to him again.

I am very disappointed in group orders. Our policy is we are selling to one
person. The person who pays the invoice. It is hard enough to keep one
person happy let alone 5 or more. We are getting bad mouthed from people
that we never talk to or even know we ship to. If you can't afford a
$100.00 order on your own you probably should be dealing with a pet shop or
individual. Anyways I don't want to hear the word group order if you decide
to deal with us. I am dealing with one person and I don't want to talk to
any body else. You can keep your grouped happy.
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Joe was so busy expounding on how he didn't like group buys and that I probably shouldn't order from them anyway (sure makes a potential customer feel wanted, eh?) that he never actually addressed my question about a shipping estimate.

I sent a reply saying that I understood his position on group buys and that I wasn't looking for any kind of special treatment, just a shipping estimate. His reply began:

I am dealing with you. You are dealing with the rest. I only want to
talk to the person who pays for the order. If some one has a problem it's
on you.
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So all this to say that apparently I hit a nerve by just mentioning the G word. It is really pretty humorous in hindsight, but it blindsided me and I hoped through this post to prevent others from stepping on this landmine.

I'm not bad mouthing Joe. We all have our hot button topics and I'm guessing this is one of his. Hopefully we'll be able to move past it and I'll be able to join the ranks of satisfied customers. :)

- Gaines
 
I would get annoyed too in his defense. It's like the soccer moms that go to fast food drive thrus and make 10 different orders.

I think it's fine if 1 person places the order (one single order) and divides it up after that.

I have done a "group" order, but it was one order, on one ticket, for several people. We just figured what each person owes on their own.


the best way we have found to divide shipping is:

1. find the total order (minus shipping) charge
2. find the percentage each person pays of the total
3. Divide the shipping by that percentage.

so if you have a $100 order with $40 shipping, and one person payed for $75 for fish, and the other $25, the first person pays 30 and the second peson pays 10.

we also will pay for the shipping for whoever held the fish for everyone to get them
 
I can understand your frustration, and can definitely imagine his as well. I know you want a better deal than your petshop, but he has a point too. He is scared of the G word for good reason, but maybe could have used a little more tact.
 
rallysman;547291; said:
I have done a "group" order, but it was one order, on one ticket, for several people. We just figured what each person owes on their own.
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I honestly didn't think there was any other way to do it. I've been part of numerous group buys for custom car parts in the past and it was always handled as a single order with the group buy administrator collecting individual payments and delivering individual orders.
 
gaines;547338; said:
I honestly didn't think there was any other way to do it. I've been part of numerous group buys for custom car parts in the past and it was always handled as a single order with the group buy administrator collecting individual payments and delivering individual orders.
Click to expand...

The way he made it sound is that there is too many people placing multiple orders and having him divide them.
I'm curious now, IIRC, he said they were welcome in a new thread.
I'm going to do some digging.
 
rallysman;547343; said:
The way he made it sound is that there is too many people placing multiple orders and having him divide them.
I'm curious now, IIRC, he said they were welcome in a new thread.
I'm going to do some digging.
Click to expand...

Now that you mentioned it, I did remember seeing that. It turns out that on March 2nd he did say just that.
TFDFish;236924; said:
Hi,
Happy to help you on a group order. Give us a call toll free we can discuss shipping from there.
1-877-229-2300.
Thanks.
PS: Thanks all for the kind words !
Click to expand...
 
I think there was an order that went down to Georgia that went awry. A ray died and somebody else had something bad to say. I think Joe means he does not even talk to the recipient, but the guys are badmouthing his shipping and livestock.


I could be wrong:D
 
It would be tough taking flak from someone that never ordered from you directly.
 
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