Having followed closely both the Q8 and GT threads it seems to me some lessons should be learned and some ideas should be implemented for such future group actions.
Here are a few ideas:
1. Use a team account to avoid being stuck if the leader pulls a disappearing act - or “milerizes”.
2. Rephrase “Group buy” for “BLF project” when the project is about a totally new design from ground up. A group buy is only appropriate when a group of people want to buy an existing product at a wholesale price.
3. In the project main thread use the first post only for a short description and the current status. It may also include the most recent and pertinent news, but it should remain short. That way most interested members can follow the project without reading thousands of sometime off topic posts. Posts #2 and #3 can be used for more detailed specs and pictures, and the interest list.
4. Always include at the start of the project a disclaimer explaining what this kind of venture may imply: changing specs or esthetic, long wait and possible additional delays, sometime increased price… It should be made clear that participating in such a project is different from buying a product off a vendor’s web site, and that anybody can opt out at any time. This may reduce the number of disappointed members clogging the threads with pages and pages of complaints about delays or small defects…
Please fell free to throw your ideas!
BLF projects are a big part of this forum and it has brought us some really great value lights. Lets make the process more efficient.
Thanks
1. Better list management. (Agreeing with thijsco).
Having to watch the thread for requests and then manually add people to the interest list is time consuming and error prone.
It would be nice if people could “sign up” on their own.
I’m not sure a google doc is a good idea. There needs to be some configuration control. With as many people as we’ve seen in the Q8 and GT lists, I’d bet someone would make a mistake and people get removed. Or people would be added at the top or middle vs bottom of the list. Lots and lots of potential for confusion here.
It would be nice if (behind the scenes) the list used the BLF USER ID rather than a name. We’ve had several instances when “Robert” signed up but later change his user name to “Bob”. When PMs were sent out to “Robert” they were undeliverable. Took some manual investigating to sort it all out. (Not a show stopper. Doesn’t happen much, but did for both Q8 and GT.)
2. Ability for PMs to the group account to be emailed to all team members on that account.
I think that having a base price and later add the actual shipping costs (when project close to finalized and not price gouging) in the interest list would be a good idea, so everyone interested can see what would the end price be to have the item delivered to them.
After all the on going rants on the threads, I wouldn’t blame if anyone would still be interested in organizing one… :cry:
Never assume that shipping is included.
I still remember when I said a year ago that there was no way they would fit the price of shipping in the $111 cost, and that’s exactly what happened.
Overestimating the price and then lowering it would also be a lot nicer than saying $X and then having to increase it because of this or that.
Queue and shipping are culprit for many issue in GT project beside tightened reflector quality check.
Those who want to save shipping cost can queue in the bulk shipment, but should be available for popular region or coutries only.
Those who opt for paying own shipping should not need to queue when there’s ready stock.
This will make manufacturer follow the payment sequence of members more closely.
And should not declare the value of product too lower. Being a groupbuy, the price is already lower than retail price. I think putting value as 50% of gb price is low enough. But this is open forum, we should not discuss this openly.
One way to help with controlling the list would be to start another thread for registering your interest only and not allowing any off topic posts whatsoever or allowing any “I’m in” posts in the main thread.
With shipping if it is as big a group buy as the GT then they could send one pallet load to USA then the equal amount to less than pallet load places, rinse and repeat, while this does not strictly keep to the order of paying it is as economical as possible and will stop the fiasco of early payers still waiting for one while much later buyers have got three <—-stating a fact not whining.
Also, I see that first 111 users of the GT thread changing constantly. Or trolls deleting users.
No, it really does not look like a good idea.
Someone was writing some software scanning the threads and it seems like a much better idea.
I am also in favor of having some form to fill out including the BLF user ID so it is tied to a legitimate account. How to properly sign up to show interest can be outlined in the 2nd post of the project thread. If it’s a little “harder” for some to get so be it, it takes unnecessary tedium off of the project leaders.
1. Have one closed topic for the changes that occur during the designing and prototyping showing the progress of the project
2. Create an off topic chat for the light
Create own topic for the interest list, and tell people only to reply if interested and delete any other chat
3. topic for only making suggestion on the design no offtopic in there, move it to offtopic if it dors not get considered or approved
Anyone with a web browser can view a google Doc. And nobody outside the team should be able to edit it (that does require a google account).
I would like to see shorter, simpler OPs in the project threads. Something Like:
I felt like the constantly growing OP in the Q8 thread caused a lot of confusion, especially where it got out-of-date and conflicted with the latest info. The Miller did a great job, I’m not complaining, but a less unwieldy OP MIGHT reduce the number of redundant questions.
That’s actually a pretty good idea, use a google form for inputting information into a spreadsheet so there is no need for someone to be constantly updating a list.
Using a Google Form is the way to go. Create a simple order/interest form that can filled out by the user. The responses are automatically parsed in a spreadsheet and sorted by time stamp by default. There is no way for the end user to manipulate or change the data if unwanted. This also allows for easy capture of email address to build a mailing list to keep the group updated of the projects progress and make for a very efficient way to alert sections of the list when lights are ready for purchase. 100 lights ready? email the first hundred on the list.
I cannot imagine how much work it was to maintain the interest list for the Q8 and GT. A Google form would essentially eliminate this time consuming chore.
It’s a good thing the first prototype was tested in a remote area…
I want it NOW!
Back on topic…
That’s certainly a must have for future projects. It does not seem very complicated to setup. A few members here use such forms and lists for their GB.
Following the GT thread things were going bad after registered shipping did not took place. When some fooks in the USA had multiple GT’s and European members were told to be patient, and nothing was shipped, people got disappointed. My advice, first produce 555 lights (or whatever the first batch is) and start sending from there, everything out within one week. Or ship by numbers on the list #1 #2 etc. Use tracking numbers for every shipment. And about the shipping cost, take some time to overlook the costs and possibilities before setting the price. Use software program or special website to subscribe to a GB.
The form/s is a really good idea, i think it will reduce the clutter from most of these special edition flashlight threads
Best approach would be a form integrated with BLF, where anyone can sign up for a device/group buy, and it’s linked to their account along with the requested quantity.
