Group orders and free gifts...

If there's enough for the whole class I think it should be shared, just because it'd be cool, all of us benefited from joining. The runner could get more than everyone else, because they put in the most work if they wanted to do it that way. I joined my first GO a while back and Luts sent us some soda candy. o.o I'm assuming all of us got some, and that was pretty cool.

If it were an event head, I'd say raffle it off between the participants that actually wanted it and be fair about it. I really like the idea of selling whatever it is to discount shipping to the owners though ^ ^

 

I think it's okay for the organizer to keep anything that comes along. I made a group order of almost 3000$ and it was really a lot of work, so I totally understand those arranging group orders. Besides, it seems to me that when my group orders are over, I've lost some money. Even if the free gift is a head, I think it's okay to keep it.

I think I worked somewhat 10 or 15 hours for that big GO, and my salary is somewhat 9€ per hour when I'm working at McDonald's. If I count it like that, the work for the GO is about 90-135€. A doll head is usually around 120$, right? (That makes 90€). Fair, isn't it?

 

I, too, believe that the leader of the G.O. has first dibs to the goodies, as they are the ones going to all of this trouble to get everyone's orders correct and delivered in a timely manner.

 

I agree with the overall sentiment, here. I'd never really thought about it, even, until I saw this thread, but I do think the organizer of the GO deserves any free goodies. I'm just doing a very small one right now (myself and one other person who's probably realistically about an hour away from me), that I did to save on shipping, and it's involved and takes some time. I can easily see how a larger one would take more time and be more difficult... I always just assumed they got points, and I think anything else should be counted similarly to that, the organizer gets them to do with as they wish.

 

Incidentals, like lollipops, postcard sets, even up to free eyes are fine! Even if it's a small article of clothing or pair of eyes, I'm fine with it. I know Mio sometimes tosses in free hats, scarfs, etc. as gifts... which is awesome because it seems like ordering from her is a lot of stress.

I draw the line at dolls and doll heads. If there are specific "Buy this and get this" promos, I am wary of the GO organizer keeping the goods. For example, there was a promotion through Fairyland where if you buy ten pukis, you get one free. A couple people organized a LOT of group orders and for the sole reason of keeping the dolls. (This was also during the time when buying 2+ pukis guaranteed free shipping). I think that the organizer should only get to keep the even item if they have paid in a significant portion to the order and everyone else is okay with it... I am uncomfortable seeing the organizer only ordering one small thing, but taking the points and items from everyone else's expensive order.

I've seen a few GOs sell the event item and put it toward everyone's shipping. I thought that was awesome!

I have a run a few GOs now... and they are a lot of work. But if you do all the math really carefully, it really doesn't cost you out of pocket. And as the GO, you're benefiting by splitting shipping (and usually getting a lot of points!), so it's not like you're not getting anything out of it. If you aren't benefiting at all by running a group order, why run one? Just order on your own. Some people say that you shouldn't join a group order if you don't like the organizer's ethics, but sometimes it's the only ship sailing... and people get really tichy if other people start their own GO threads at the same time.

 

I actively participate in GO. I think organizer has right to keep everything that comes along IF it's not "buy this item and get another one" proposition - such things should go to buyer. I save a lot of time and effort while organizer had to spend theirs (and sometimes shipping money as many sites do free shipping after certain price of order) - and I'm strong believer in rewarding any effort. So... I could order everything myself and got points and other benefits. But i choose to save myself this bother - and "pay" for it with little extras is alright for me.

 

I have done several group orders as well as several private orders and outside of an event, not one company has sent anything extra. In fact, I did an order during an event, did not get the head though I qualified, and someone who had ordered after me who ordered after the cutoff got one. (I think that's just my luck.)

The one time that the only thing I wanted was the event head from Luts, I was very upfront about the deal, offering to pay all the shipping costs for the person who wanted a doll but not the event head. In the end, the transaction was flawless and I paid for her doll's shipping from Korea to me, and then the FedEx 2nd day from me to her. Both parties were perfectly fine with the deal, as each got what she wanted.

However, while I had the thread open, the whiners who wanted me to sell the head to them, or who outright told me in PM that I was being selfish have guaranteed that I will not make such an offer again, and will restrict my group orders to friends and family that I trust.

I never enter a group order thinking anything other than to get what I have paid for. If the organizer of the order gets a bonus from the company? Hey, great. They did the work, they can keep it.

Think of it this way:

When you buy something from Denver Dolls, or another doll shop, you sometimes get the benefit of free shipping from them to you, and often enough the knowledge that someone other than you is dealing with the company and the issue of language barriers and the hassle of getting to the post office and mailing it out. You don't call them up and demand to know what perks and bonuses they got because you want part of it. That would be incredibly rude.

And the discount they get for buying more than one at a go, or by wholesaling? It's not much of a discount, and is often eaten by paypal fees, packing supplies, and time on task to do intake, distribution, and mailout.

So no, I have no issues with the organizer/runner of the group order keeping anything they earn by handling the transaction on my behalf. It's the cost of doing business, and a payment for the headache of getting it right before they send my things to me.

 

I'd think it would depend on the item and how the order as a whole was run. If I ran the order and got a few inexpensive little goodies, I'd probably keep them. If it was an item identical to or similar to something one of the other participants wanted, I'd give it to them most likely.

It would depend on the situation and items in question, but I think that the organizer should have first dibs on anything extra that comes with the order.

 

I don't think the host has a "entitlement" to the free head or other gifts, but I think it is generally a good, honest, and polite gesture to allow the host to keep it. Those who host GOs go through way more hassel than most people would realize and they don't recieve any consolation other than the items that they purchased.

It would be kinda rude I think for the host to just flat out state, "I am keeping the freebies because I am the host" but I think the best way to go about it would for the host to ask all participants, "would it be okay with everyone if I got to keep the freebies as consolation for hosting the GO?" If the participants say it's okay, go for it. If even one says no, I'd offer to raffle it off between those who'd want it using some internet based random-selection thing that you could provide a screenshot of to show the result.

I was wondering about this too yesterday because I wanted to save on shipping from both Fairyland and Luts by ordering with two different local friends. Neither of us would have any particular use for the event heads but I'm sure both of us would like it to practice faceups. I thought that possibly the best thing to do in that situation would be to sell the event head and split the profit equally between the two of us. Or one of us could pay the other for "their half" of the head's value.

 

I think it's all something each GO should discuss within each other, because there are so many ways to go with the free gifts. Raffle the event head to somebody in the group--if everybody's in agreement, go for it! The GO organizer wants the event head, or other freebies, for him/herself? If everybody's cool with that--go for it! Sell the head to make the shipping cheaper? If nobody objects--go for it!

 

I dont mind people who run the GO to keep the freebies, they ordered the whole thing and have to orginise everything. I wouldnt mind finding out what they got either! But whenever I run them I tend to give the freebies to people who I think might like/want them, which includes myself Like if I knew so and so was after any blue eyes and I got some I would pass them on. Maybe it would be a good idea if when doing group orders the person orginising could ask about if there is anything in particular theyre after? Just a thought. I just did one and I knew that someone I knew would appreciate the eyes I got so gave them to her, whilst I got something I had meant to make for a while.

 

For me, little unexpected presents that the company may add to the order (or the expected but still little things like the candy or postcards) can be kept by the organizer if they want. After all, they do go through a lot of hassle to make sure that the order is run smoothly. However, for events where heads or even dolls are given away for ordering XXX amount of product, I think that the final outcome of the items should be set in stone long before the order is placed.

Whether the organizer wants to keep the big gift item, or do a free lottery between the participants, or auction it off and refund everyone a little money should be stated well in advance so that everyone knows what they're getting into before placing their order with that person. That way, misunderstandings can be resolved in advance and if someone wants a specific policy in regards to the item they can find a different group.

Personally, I prefer the group orders where big event gifts are raffled off among the participants. One could always opt out if they didn't want the event item, and for everyone else there's the excitement that always comes from entering a lottery!

 

I've never run a group order or participated in one, but I think any free gifts should go to the person who ran it, after all, they did all the organising, collating all the information and then all the sending out once the order has been received by him/her. Oh and of course they have all the worry and possible hassel if the order is late arriving!!!

And I'm sure that when a person runs a group order, although they probably ask for the paypal fees, there will be expenses such as fuel when going to the post office etc. So it is just a nice little bonus for them.

I wouldn't begrudge the gifts to the organiser in the least!!!

 

I am all for this going to the GO runner! Although it is nice to recieve a gift, the runner goes through a lot of hustle to get everything in order. I've participated in a group order so i have witnessed (kinda) what the runner has to go through. The little gift should be their "Ta-saah, you did it!" reward imho.

 

Let them keep it. If I ran a fairyland order and got over the amount for all four gift heads, I know I'd wanna keep two. But if it was something someone else wanted, I might raffle it or give it to them.

I have given the free head to a friend who wanted it. It was just my order, and I didn't care for the head, he did. So he got it.

 

I feel that the free gifts should either be

1) kept by the person who ran the group order; That's a lot of work to run a GO, not to mention stressful and time consuming. You've got to take all that time to go through the site, order, double check, send out invoices, wait on those to be payed, checkout and make sure everything it correct, wait and wait for stuff to arrive, sort it out, package it, go down to the post office and mail it, ect ect.
That's a lot of work, if they want the chips and stickers, let 'em keep them.

or if they don't want the stuff or it's something big, like an event head or whatnot then-
2) do a random selection of the people who want the item or can use it. Now if they company gives you a pair of msd shoes for free, I wouldn't put in people who didn't have any msds, because they can't use the shoes. put names in a hat and chose who gets the stuff.

My opinion.

 

Even if it's a head or other large gift, as long as the organizer is up-front about wanting to keep it then it's fine to me. On another board a gal just ran a GO specifically to get the free head. She told folks that was why she was running it & there weren't any problems with it. People wanted things from that company & didn't want to place large orders themselves so why not let the organizer keep it?

Of course, there could be problems if the intention to keep a large gift wasn't stated in advance but still, if you really want the gift, then simply place an order on your own.

I've participated in several GOs & never expected anything extra but a couple of the hosts have sent a number of the little gifties on to me. That's been a very sweet gesture but certainly not anything I'd expect.

 

AGREED!

 

I think if it's eyes, wig, clothing etc. the runner should ask everyone if anyone really needs or has been wanting that item. If no then the runner should keep.
Now for something like a free head, Unless someone asked for it ahead of time and everyone was ok with it the organizer should get it. The organizer is the person who organized the whole thing and did the work they should get some benefits.

 

i recently ran a Luts GO and we got enough orders to qualify for the event head. It was quite unexpected, I even thought that the event period had finished!
When I realised that we had reached the required amount I informed everyone that if we bought the order forward a couple of days we would get the head. It was mutually agreed to bring the order forward, but then there was the issue of "well, now what do we do with the head?" No one specifically wanted it to start with but when he arrived I really quite liked him. I then offered to refund everyones shipping (from Luts to me) in return for me keeping the head.
A part of me did feel "entitled" to keep the head as my portion of the order was over half of the total and I was the one who put in the effort to order, receive, sort out and repost everyones items. Another part did feel a bit of guilt that I scored a cheap head out of this, especially seeing how much they are now going for on the marketplace! I don't think I could ever sell him though as I would feel REALLY guilty if I made a profit out of the go. I did it to save on shipping for me and other Aussies, not to make a buck!