Boards.ie launching a group purchasing site.

DeVore

Hi there,

Just running out the door but something we have kept under wraps is that we are starting a group purchasing site (separate to Boards) which will offer decent deals for a good discount.

The idea is that we will negotiate a deal which is of benefit or interest to at least some of the users (we are betting) and if enough people commit to buying it, then it "triggers" and we all get it cheaper.

Its pretty standard stuff and we have ring fenced it into its own site but it is part of Boards Ltd.

Sorry to be vague but there really isnt a great deal more to say (did you see what I did there! :rolleyes:).

The first deal will be 50 euros of Thai food and cocktails from Koh for 25 Euros for example. Its currently in test with a test user group (the mods!) and we'll be releasing it thursday evening, or friday.

Anyway, this is just a heads up to you guys, things have moved relatively quickly on this.

As far as Boards.ie itself is concerned, apart from "buying" some of our own advertising it wont have an effect on the day to day site.

Sorry to run but I have a train to Galway to catch, stuff questions in here and I'll try to answer them as best I can.

DeV.

Is this your way of punishing retired mods DeV ?

AckwelFoley

Great initative dev.

Im not sure about the logistics of it, but i think its worth trying to get started.

Put me down for 6 cans of dutch gold when you get around to it.

Overheal

snyper wrote: »

Great initative dev.

Im not sure about the logistics of it, but i think its worth trying to get started.

Put me down for 6 cans of dutch gold when you get around to it.

Basically it seems like it works on the basis of Group Rates and group Buying Power. Wholesale, if you will.

If you get 100 people that want to buy computer XYZ, they will have more sway with the vendor to say 'sell it to us for €450' than a single person, who would normally buy one of the same machines for say €500.

Another concept being that a Cinema might offer tickets to boards users at a lower rate if BoardsDeals can get a full screening worth of people to sign up for the deal.

If enough people dont buy into the deal, and it doesnt trigger, those that buy it get their money refunded.

AckwelFoley

Overheal wrote: »

Basically it seems like it works on the basis of Group Rates and group Buying Power. Wholesale, if you will.

If you get 100 people that want to buy computer XYZ, they will have more sway with the vendor to say 'sell it to us for €450' than a single person, who would normally buy one of the same machines for say €500.

Another concept being that a Cinema might offer tickets to boards users at a lower rate if BoardsDeals can get a full screening worth of people to sign up for the deal.

If enough people dont buy into the deal, and it doesnt trigger, those that buy it get their money refunded.

The concept i understand, the logistics i dont. People will say alot of things but then back out of it then afterwards.. Taking the thai food example, will itravel to dublin to collect a few spare ribs? Or is it a case with Tesco that if there is a deal on Beer / Milk / Bread that i swipe a boards card, and get a refund of x% if the quota of purchases are made by boardsies around the country at the end of the month back onto the card?

Overheal

snyper wrote: »

The concept i understand, the logistics i dont. People will say alot of things but then back out of it then afterwards.. Taking the thai food example, will itravel to dublin to collect a few spare ribs? Or is it a case with Tesco that if there is a deal on Beer / Milk / Bread that i swipe a boards card, and get a refund of x% if the quota of purchases are made by boardsies around the country at the end of the month back onto the card?

It would be a coupon/gift card/voucher that you purchase. Whether you redeem it before it expires would be up to you at that point.

Don't know if people will be able to back out of the deal though. I've seen it work elsewheres and in private circles, you put your money in, and you cant get it back out until the deal is made. A la Escrow accounts.

escrow also helps insure you actually pay for the deal by - technically - already paying. Holding onto the funds so that if the deal triggers you can't say "Oh actually, I dont intend on purchasing this deal". Doing so kinda breaks the mechanic and spirit of it.

oscarBravo

It's an escrow thing. You authorise payment, and if enough people take the offer up, the payment is taken and you get a voucher.

Whether you use the voucher or not then becomes your problem

My name is URL

Sounds like a novel idea & a great service.. hopefully it won't be too Dublin-centric once it's on its feet =p

El Weirdo

Sort of like Pigsback.com?

4zn76tysfajdxp

DeVore wrote: »

Sorry to run but I have a train to Galway to catch, stuff questions in here and I'll try to answer them as best I can..

Pint?

DeVore

we dont want it to be dublin centric but the truth is the so far only dublin companies have bitten. hopefully that will change. if any cork, belfast etc or national companies approach us we'll gladly talk to them.

its an escrowed purchase, we aren't mad.

DeV... on train in athlone!!

DeVore

pints in galway.... sure im in at 10..... pints near the square at 10.30???

DeV.

4zn76tysfajdxp

Name where und I'll see you there. Maybe.

DeVore

western hotel bar on prospect hill. i presume it has one!!
ill be there at 10.30 alone or otherwise in a black and grey RATM tshirt

Dr Galen

ah ffs get a room

DeVore

i have one in the hotel but he aint invited lol. anyone who fancies a pint is welcome (to the bar).

Daemos

How many have to say yes for it to go ahead? :rolleyes:

-Chris-

Why the rolleyes?

Overheal

-Chris- wrote: »

Why the rolleyes?

Its his god given right! I fought for that right! Long ago, against the cycloptards of eld. Those were the days my friends...

Daemos

So people know I was joking, sorry if it wasn't subliminal enough for you :rolleyes:

:rolleyes:

flahavaj

DaPoolRulz wrote: »

So people know I was joking, sorry if it wasn't subliminal enough for you :rolleyes:

:rolleyes:

:pac:would have been more appropriate tbh.:pac:

I like the idea of this concept btw.

-Chris-

I don't even know if you're referring to DeV's offer of hotel escapades or the boards deal...

...confused.

DeVore

on this thai deal its 25 buyers which i believe has already been passed by the mods alone. there are 100 on offer at the moment.

i thought dpr was rolling his eyes at the idea of a threshold for access to my hotel room... lol. its been a long day!

DeV.

Daemos

-Chris- wrote: »

I don't even know if you're referring to DeV's offer of hotel escapades or the boards deal...

...confused.

This \/

DeVore wrote: »

i thought dpr was rolling his eyes at the idea of a threshold for access to my hotel room... lol.

Was it really that vague?

Keano

I really like the idea as well. Hopefully it takes off.

DeV if you are still in Galway tomorrow night pop down to the Róisín Dubh. I'll be there and you can buy me a pint

AckwelFoley

Where i see the real benefit to this idea is with bigger type purchases perhaps..

Say for example tv's computers..

If for example you have 30 people that signs up to buy a tv set at 400 euro, im pretty certain (from my purchasing exp) you will be able to get the best whole sale prices out there, be it from the uk or ireland or further afield..

With quantity comes bargining power.

..hope you enjoyed your..emm.."stop" in athlone

P. Breathnach

DeVore wrote: »

...
The first deal will be 50 euros of Thai food and cocktails from Koh for 25 Euros for example....

Surely more of a Feedforward than a Feedback matter.

Keano

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Surely more of a Feedforward than a Feedback matter.

Nope.

we are starting a group purchasing site (separate to Boards) which will offer decent deals for a good discount.

AckwelFoley

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Surely more of a Feedforward than a Feedback matter.

Hes DeV.

If he wants to put it in the Smoking forum he can :pac:

P. Breathnach

Keano A Legend wrote: »

Nope.

snyper wrote: »

Hes DeV.

If he wants to put it in the Smoking forum he can :pac:

So much for my attempt at humour!

oscarBravo

P. Breathnach wrote: »

So much for my attempt at humour!

That's the problem with clever people...