BRS Group Buys

[downbeach]

In September I did a BRS Group buy with DVRC, and I just did another one with MR. When I reviewed my pricing, it didn't appear that there was any difference in discount from my normal "Preferred-customer" discount. So, I decided to see if there had been some mistake, I sent an e-mail to customer service and this is the response I got:

Hi Jim,

I took a look at the order, and thanks to a combo of the weekly special on Red Sea test kits and your preferred customer discount, you were able to achieve the group buy price on everything before it even began, so you are all set to go =)

Best regards,

Jon Westmark
Marketing Coordinator
Bulk Reef Supply
jon@bulkreefsupply.com

So, I responded with this:

Hi Jon,

So, if I understand what you are saying, once you are a preferred customer, there is no benefit to participating in group buys?

Thanks,

Jim

He responded with this:

Hi Jim,

Only in select circumstances. The Bubble Magus skimmer you ordered has the same discount at the group buy level (the high cost of shipping oversized items making it more difficult to give larger discounts on them) and we have been asked by Korallen-Zucht to not have discounts on their products. You happened to place the order when all of our Red Sea test kits were on special at the group buy price, so that is why the price did not see a difference there. I’d estimate that 95-99% of our products that have both preferred and group buy discounts have a deeper discount in group buy status, with the ones that don’t mostly consisting of oversized items. Even those have the plus side of not having a wallet-smacking heavy item charge =)

Best regards,

Jon Westmark
Marketing Coordinator
Bulk Reef Supply
jon@bulkreefsupply.com

I decided to go another step and look at the GB I had just done in September with DVRC. I checked my order item by item and added them to a shopping cart, when completed there was no difference in that pricing there either.

Based on this evidence I believe that, once you have their "preferred customer" status, there is no benefit in doing group buys with BRS, except maybe the $20.00 in store credit that the coordinator gets.

 

[asonitez]

That is eye opening sir.

 

[thirty5]

I had asked the same question when I participated in the GB on MR.

I was told that the GB pricing is the pricing when you buy the maximum number of that item. So the price of the single item would be the same as if you bought say 5 of them.

The preferred price that you get (after being part of a group buy) is somewhere in the middle of regular price and the GB price. I actually have played around with the car adding items logged in and not logged in, and there is a savings with a GB price. But as their email says, they will not discount everything. Certain items they will not discount nor have a bulk pricing.

I got a good deal on my RO-DI when I got it from there.

 

[redfishbluefish]

BRS Group Buy policy has always been the "perferred" pricing on all merchandise. So you are correct in that regard. Once you have preferred pricing, the only advantage of running a group buy is if you have it all shipped to one location....you save on shipping....or for those who don't have perferred price, they could get the discount and now be on the perferred pricing list.

 

[downbeach]

I had asked the same question when I participated in the GB on MR.

I was told that the GB pricing is the pricing when you buy the maximum number of that item. So the price of the single item would be the same as if you bought say 5 of them.

The preferred price that you get (after being part of a group buy) is somewhere in the middle of regular price and the GB price. I actually have played around with the car adding items logged in and not logged in, and there is a savings with a GB price. But as their email says, they will not discount everything. Certain items they will not discount nor have a bulk pricing.

I got a good deal on my RO-DI when I got it from there.

I remember reading those threads and is one of the reasons which raised the questions, and caused me to do this research.
I like their pricing, and I believe I get good deals, in fact I do most of my dry goods shopping there. I think that the videos and instructions they provide are a valuable tool for all of us. But, the evidence I have gathered, on 15 items that cover a good cross section of their products, over the two GB's reveal that there is NO difference in the "preferred customer" pricing and the GB pricing.
This isn't going to prevent me from continuing to use them as my primary supplier for dry goods, but I think that the time and effort that goes into doing group buys, is really unnecesary, and can be a real PITA.

 

[downbeach]

BRS Group Buy policy has always been the "perferred" pricing on all merchandise. So you are correct in that regard. Once you have preferred pricing, the only advantage of running a group buy is if you have it all shipped to one location....you save on shipping....or for those who don't have perferred price, they could get the discount and now be on the perferred pricing list.

They do not ship to one location, they ship to the individual, (which is one of the reasons I can participate in the GB) and if you don't meet their minimum shipping threshold you pay the standard shipping rates.

 

[TanksNStuff]

I had thought this might be the case once I got "preferred pricing" as well. I know I did the "add to shopping cart" test and I found that the only times the GB was cheaper was in one scenario...

Basically, if you don't see tiered pricing for more than one unit, there's no discount to preferred customers, but there is for the GB (unless they specifically exclude that item).

I agree that probably 95% of the items you would normally buy from them it's just as cheap to order direct as a preferred customer, and even better if you meet the free shipping quote because it gets shipped to your house. Much less hectic that way than organizing a pickup/dropoff schedule from a GB delivery point!

 

[falconut]

When I saw the title I though this thread was for a member organized group buy in the South. I really should read the folder too. I wasn't able to do the last group buy to become a "Preferred Member" because I typically order my BRS supplies end of December to early January and didn't have the funds to do it early. I wind up ordering my stuff myself (RO filter kit & Calcium suppliment), pay full price and full shipping.

I wish we did more group buys from them thoughout the year in different parts of the state. They are certainly a great place to order from and it seams that most of us order from them. It's interesting to see how the prefered membership is working. I wonder if this will cause the group buys to stop, since it appears that the savings aren't really different then the preferred members ordering on their own. When I was considering the previous group buy, it only came to a few dollars in savings, but I would have gotten the Preferred Membership status. Which would have saved me $ in the long run. I knew it would bit me in the butt, but I had just gotten some fish, so the wife would have killed me if I spend more money on the tank.

 

[downbeach]

When I saw the title I though this thread was for a member organized group buy in the South. I really should read the folder too. I wasn't able to do the last group buy to become a "Preferred Member" because I typically order my BRS supplies end of December to early January and didn't have the funds to do it early. I wind up ordering my stuff myself (RO filter kit & Calcium suppliment), pay full price and full shipping.

I wish we did more group buys from them thoughout the year in different parts of the state. They are certainly a great place to order from and it seams that most of us order from them. It's interesting to see how the prefered membership is working. I wonder if this will cause the group buys to stop, since it appears that the savings aren't really different then the preferred members ordering on their own. When I was considering the previous group buy, it only came to a few dollars in savings, but I would have gotten the Preferred Membership status. Which would have saved me $ in the long run. I knew it would bit me in the butt, but I had just gotten some fish, so the wife would have killed me if I spend more money on the tank.

There are other ways to get the "preferred customer" rating. Go here:

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/preferred-customers

You may already be qualified.

 

[9supratt4]

Falconut....the BRS group buys are not labeled North, Central, South.....the nice thing about BRS is that for their group buy's everything is done on their website and they ship everything to each individual....no central shipping.

In regards to the pricing....when we ran the BRS buy a few months ago, I was already a Preferred Member at their highest tier, but I was able to still save more money by going through the GB. The prices on my items were lower than the Preferred pricing. But I also didn't buy anything large. Most of my stuff was Two Part supplies, GFO, etc.

 

[falconut]

Falconut....the BRS group buys are not labeled North, Central, South.....the nice thing about BRS is that for their group buy's everything is done on their website and they ship everything to each individual....no central shipping.

In regards to the pricing....when we ran the BRS buy a few months ago, I was already a Preferred Member at their highest tier, but I was able to still save more money by going through the GB. The prices on my items were lower than the Preferred pricing. But I also didn't buy anything large. Most of my stuff was Two Part supplies, GFO, etc.

That's right, I forgot they delivered to our houses, so location wouldn't matter for this one.

 

[downbeach]

Falconut....the BRS group buys are not labeled North, Central, South.....the nice thing about BRS is that for their group buy's everything is done on their website and they ship everything to each individual....no central shipping.

In regards to the pricing....when we ran the BRS buy a few months ago, I was already a Preferred Member at their highest tier, but I was able to still save more money by going through the GB. The prices on my items were lower than the Preferred pricing. But I also didn't buy anything large. Most of my stuff was Two Part supplies, GFO, etc.

I have to assume that the "preferred customer" discount is the same for everyone, and I had a good cross section of products, both large and small to include: GFO, Two Part, RO/DI filters, filter sox, test kits, etc. and saw no difference in the GB or "preferred" Pricing.

You still have to meet their minimum purchase of $175.00 to get free shipping.

 

[harthag12]

Falco there's a guy organizing a group buy from them on Reefcentral as we speak. The thread is really derailed atm but here it is, http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2095741

 

[TanksNStuff]

Also Craig, I'm "preferred" so next time you want something there, let me know. You live close enough that we could just use my account and get the stuff shipped to my house. I'm sure between the two of us we could meet the free shipping quota. If not, I'm sure we could talk downbeach or fatoldsun to chime in with a few items.

 

[downbeach]

Also Craig, I'm "preferred" so next time you want something there, let me know. You live close enough that we could just use my account and get the stuff shipped to my house. I'm sure between the two of us we could meet the free shipping quota. If not, I'm sure we could talk downbeach or fatoldsun to chime in with a few items.

Any time.

 

[fatoldsun]

Any time.

+1

we ARE ....south jersey

 

[falconut]

Also Craig, I'm "preferred" so next time you want something there, let me know. You live close enough that we could just use my account and get the stuff shipped to my house. I'm sure between the two of us we could meet the free shipping quota. If not, I'm sure we could talk downbeach or fatoldsun to chime in with a few items.

Thanks George, would be appreciated. Mine are usually only around $40-50, so we'd have to get others involved to get the free shipping. But, from the sounds of it, it doesn't sound like it will be hard to do.

 

[TanksNStuff]

+1

we are ....south jersey

lol