# New group buy guidelines - please read before posting - updated 12/26/15



## Monty

*For Group Buy Organizers:*

Although there is no requirement that you must have “X” number of posts or have been a member here for “X” months, it would be to your advantage that you have been a member here for at least 6 months and have made sufficient posts that other members “know” who you are and have a modicum of trust in you. If this is your first time to run Buy, consult with me before posting the Buy.

*Because of money being involved You must be at least 21 years old to run a Group Buy.*

First and foremost, a Group buy is run by a member who volunteers to do this on a not for profit basis. The sole purpose is to get the greatest discount available for all that participate in the buy. The person running the buy may not charge for his time but he can recover the cost of any expenses directly related to the buy. In most cases, this should not amount to more that a few dollars. Any excess after any refunds should be donated to IAP.

In keeping with the spirit of advertising in the classified sections, In order to run a group Buy, you MUST have your NAME, CITY, and STATE posted in your profile. If you do not trust us or the internet enough to do this, then why should we trust you with our money, names and address?
Prior to starting a Buy, contact the company you will be buying from and ascertain that they have enough stock of the items you will be purchasing to fill the anticipated orders of the Buy. Confirm the discount you will receive and any other charges that will be added by the supplier (insurance, shipping etc.)
Once you have completed item #1, compose your announcement post and PM it to me for approval before posting to the group. Include in it:
The items to be purchased,
The anticipated discount and how many items are needed to make this discount,
Spell out all costs associated with the buy such as shipping, insurance and PayPal fees. Be sure to include a percentage to cover any out of pocket expenses you will have such as boxes, envelopes, mailing labels, printer ink etc.
State what form of payment you will accept (Pay Pal only, checks, money orders)
Will you ship internationally? I believe that all of our international members realize that the shipping and PayPal fees will be more, but please state how you will handle this.
When will the Buy be closed to orders.
What will be done with any leftover funds.
How you will handle any items back ordered.

*Failure to do these first three items will result in your post being removed.*

Create a spreadsheet. After you have posted the information about the Buy and start taking orders, it helps greatly if you keep a spread sheet for all orders. This is not just my opinion, but from several others that have run successful Buys in the past. Things to include in the spreadsheet would be all products, user names, monies collected, etc. it is really handy when all your info is in one place and you can easily compute totals or count how many people you have.
Confirm receipt of the orders, all items and payment with the person placing the order as soon as possible. This can be done as individual posts, email, PM or spreadsheet posted in the thread.
Close the Buy promptly as stated.
Above all, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, and COMMUNICATE, any and all updates on the buy. This should eliminate any misunderstandings between you and your buyers.
BE TRUSTWORTHY. This should be a given. The Group Buys only work as long as we can trust each other. Make sure the orders go out in a timely manner and communicate updates in the group buy post.
*For Group Buy Participants:*

Post amounts in absolute quantities only “I’ll take 10 of XXX” – not “I’ll take about 10 of them”.
Pay promptly. If paying through Pay Pal, do so ASAP. If paying by check or money order, get it in the mail within a reasonable amount of time before the close of the buy. Remember it may take a week for your check to clear the bank. If others are like me, I could probably cover one or two late pays, but if there were numerous late pays, it could delay the Buy.
Get confirmation of the correct payment before paying by Pay Pal. Every additional payment costs an additional $0.30 that would not be charged if it were all in one payment.
Be sure the organizer has (THESE ABSOLUTE MUSTS):
your name
screen name
email
name on the PayPal account
snail mail address
and business name if you are having your order sent to your business.

Nothing is more frustrating that trying to match a screen name with a real name and address and business name and PayPal account and hoping you got it correct.

INSURANCE NOTICE - Although it will not be required, it is highly recommended that you purchase the insurance on you package. You will be required to check either the Accept or Decline Insurance or your order will be returned. If you decline insurance, the Group Buy organizer will not be responsible for any loss of your package once they deliver it to the shipping agent and supply you with a tracking number.

*Failure to adhere to this MAY result in your payment being returned at the discretion of the GB organizer*.

Check your PM’s and emails frequently. Monitor the thread for updates. There may be important messages about your order.
If you have a question,Direct questions about the Buy directly with the organizer after rereading the initial post. That will usually answer 90% of all questions. NEVER contact the company that the Buy is coming from. This wastes their time and could result in them not accepting any more Buys from us.
Be aware that these Buys can take time. If you need your order by a certain deadline, consider placing your order direct with the supplier and pay full price.
Although not required, it is a good idea to let the organizer know that you have received the items in good condition either by post or PM.
In keeping with other requirements for participating in IAP events, you must have your real name and location listed in your profile.
When communicating with the person running the Buy by phone, email, PM or any other media, please keep it civil and refrain from any language that may be construed as abusive, agitative or profane. If you are having a problem with the person running the Buy, please contact the IAP Group Buy Coordinator. Violation of this will result in your being banned from participating in future Group Buys.


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