Want to save some money? Of course you do. That was a silly question. How’s this for a solution? Don’t go it alone when making purchases. That’s what this entry is all about: Teaming up with others so as to consolidate shipments and save money. Form a buying group. It’s a good thing, but it’s not without its pitfalls. This article can help your pack rule.
Making it Work
We know a few people that team up to split the freight. For some it works and for others it’s sort of a hassle — or worse. Regardless, we hear things from both sides that are pretty telling. Here are some factors that will lead to a more successful relationship.
- The person or company you’re doing this with is fairly close by. The further apart the parties are the more of an inconvenience it seems to be.
- The person or company you’re doing this with appreciates that these are living organisms and must be attended to accordingly — with urgency.
- Distribution is figured out ahead of time. Especially if there are multiple parties. In most cases one cannot wait until the next meeting or get-together.
- Avoid doing this with some parasitoids like Leptomastix dactylopii that don’t like the extended handling. (See instructions for storage info.)
- The person or company you’re doing this is communicative and responsive. The buddy who never checks his phone messages or email might not be the one.
- Ordering and paying is determined ahead of time. To do this appoint an overseer to manage this aspect. If all being billed separately — which is fine with us (for offline orders) — still have a single POC do the ordering.
When one or more of these factors is omitted it may lead to a breakdown resulting in delays and in extreme cases, dead bugs for the other guy. We’ve seen it before. With a little effort and coordination, though, you’ll discover what works. Just be aware, as mentioned, only for some, the prepared, will it work.
You Can Do This
So who can do this? Anyone. Neighbors, friends, family, your church, a local school, clubs, groups, co-op, industry-mates — even rivals if both parties can handle it. Mix and match, use you imagination. For example: a garden center customer buying group. Retailers, this is yet another opportunity to serve your customers. Better yet, contact us about being a dealer/distributor.
It’s Worthwhile
This is a great way to save money. The more who split the pie the smaller the slice. Moreover, additional money can be saved if the members of your group are ordering the same predators and parasites. This saves not only freight costs but may offer the economies of scale by permitting bulk purchases.
