opinions on club idea.(SPONSORS)

wasabi · #1 10/20/2004, 08:20 AM

i was thinking about the sponsors and a club discount...is it really nessesary to ask a business that already has a tough time statistically; making a go of it, offer our members a 10% discount? or would it be better to maintain a great relationship with the sponsor stores and when we visit them for a club function to allow them to offer us reduced pricing. i would rather have a great relationship with my local fish store, with no strings attached..i dont think the 10% discount helps the club or the sponsors....we could let our sponsors offer us discounts on the sponsor page when they choose...we havent been actively pursuing sponsors as a club, but maybe if we make it attractive to the sponsors we can all benefit....just my opinion

jokermgp · #2 10/20/2004, 02:38 PM

I've never started shopping at a store just because they offered a discount, nor have I stopped shopping at a store because they didn't. Its a nice perc, but it doesn't seem to be worth the agrivation that it causes to either the sponsor or the club members.

I'd rather a sponsor store work to developer a better relationship with their clientle then worry about waving a 10% in front of their noses.

Cheers...Michael

Mafiaman · #3 10/20/2004, 03:43 PM

I agree, besides with just a little chatting most times they discount better.

wasabi · #4 10/22/2004, 07:22 AM

i have recieved several emails from members who stated they did not think we should ask our sponsors to discount.they thought a good relationship with the sponsor store was important. with no strings attached.i have to agree. i think our sponsors should be freed up to offer their own percs for the club...if they choose to do so

akula · #5 11/20/2004, 08:06 PM

I guess I did not realize it was so hard for a store to offer a discount. thinking about all other types of stores, supermarket, electronic stores and so forth, discount programs are a standard marketing idea. i would say it would be inappropriate for the club to "pressure" a store but I dont think it is taboo to ask. i didnt know it cuases a strain between a store and a club to offer discounts. seems to me that a fair number of the local stores are expanding, CB, MF, imaginocean, new openings ocean treasures, optimum, atlanta aquaria opening a physical store to go with its web based operation, where is the "tough time statistically; making a go of it"? I dunno. I just dont think it is a burden. I agree with joker that it doesnt necessarily control my purchase actions but it doesnt hurt me to save a buck or two. MF just upped their discount to ARC to 30% livestock and 20% drygoods which is a great increase over the "standard" 10% club discount. that sounds very nice to me.

wasabi · #6 11/21/2004, 12:03 AM

great subject for a club discussion and vote

daytona955 · #7 11/21/2004, 06:43 PM

Yeah but look at the prices some have to charge to do it. I'll not name names, but I have looked at pumps before and found a mag 9.5 priced for over $150 in a retail store when I can buy one online for under $100 including shipping. I am not a part of this club yet as I have been incapped by a broken back and unable to make it to a meeting, but figured I'd throw my .02 in.

georgiajams · #8 11/21/2004, 06:58 PM

Not a member yet, but if you are looking to recruit members, a discount is one way to do that. However, since I get the feeling that this group wants to keep this club low maintenance, low political nonsense, and so forth... I'd say screw the discount.

Money, sort of like politics, tends to divide. Heck, if the club didn't have sponsors already, I'd almost discuss trying to figure out a way to do this without any sponsors at all.

Note that, I do appreciate the ARC discount, and the ARC sponsors are awesome... but I'm just trying to bounce some ideas around. It seems that the sponsor thing (even with the discount) is typically a win-win thing for the local sponsors. But, maybe for someone like MRC, who does more national (global?) business, it isn't as quite as big.

Maybe, instead of a discount, the club could basically have reef companies (could be limited to sponsors) donate for fund raisers, meeting locations, and special events. You know maybe in exchange for them set up a booth, display a banner, donate items, donate raffle items, etc. etc. whatever... depending on the event.

I'll shut up now. I don't really feel that strongly on this... just rambling...

Nomad37 · #9 11/21/2004, 08:18 PM

What does a LFS get for being a sponsor? They get advertising for the store form the club. I would rather have sponsors that get personally involved with the club than just offer the dicount and never show up. Discounts are great but relationships are priceless! I like to buy from people I know (and know what there about) than just going for a discount. I can stay at home and order on-line and beat the discount, but I would rather do business with someone that I know. One hand washes the other and one cant live without the other and all that stuff.

Nomad37

wasabi · #10 11/21/2004, 11:59 PM

yep nomad, i have to agree with you 100%. i think i have remembered to ask for my discount one time in three years.

jesspaul · #11 11/22/2004, 07:15 PM

I didn't join the club to get a discount but to meet people in the hobby. I would rather the sponser thrive and be able to get good deals for everybody. Besides I would hate to guess what the free frags and such would have cost me.
BTW i've got a ton of pumping xenia if anybody wants it.

akula · #12 11/22/2004, 07:42 PM

where is it written that just becuase there is a 10% discount given that that negates good relations, fair pricing, meeting people and so forth? I am not a big buyer. I have a small tank. I would not expect and have never been offered a "good deal" or "mark down" price just becuase I was recognized as a return customer. the discount if offered does not hurt anyone. for those that have the clout to be "A list customers" or can shop without looking at the price, congratulations, but for more that a few people saving a buck is not considered an act of cruelty to a store. I just fail to understand when getting or using a discount became a shameful act. I understand if the idea is to "keep it simple" and so not have a "discount program' to pitch to stores. ok I see that. I dont see the idea that I will somehow get a good deal just out of the blue. I agree with meeting people as the main reason to join, not just to be a cheap skate. anyway in the long run it wont make a difference to me, just seems to me that as was already mentioned discounts are generally a win win. store draws in customers, purchasers get a slight savings.

wasabi · #13 11/22/2004, 08:01 PM

as a club we have not pursued sponsorship up to this point. i guess when we do, we will let the sponsors decide on what terms they will offer us. i have been fortunate enough to have met and befriended several retailer/ wholesalers who have let me in on some great deals.there are many in atlanta who offer online pricing in a retail environment...andy at www.myreefcreations.com is one who comes to mind...also we have several lfs's whos everyday prices on corals, can hardly be beat online.

georgiajams · #14 11/23/2004, 09:01 AM

Quote:

as a club we have not pursued sponsorship up to this point.

I'm confused: http://atlanta-smas.org/sponsor.htm

Are you basically saying they came to SMAS instead of us pursuing them, or are they not sponsors at all?

Mafiaman · #15 11/23/2004, 09:07 AM

They are sposors who have come to us with the offer, But no one has gone out to canvuse for sponsors.

That I know of. But we would welcome any and all

wasabi · #16 11/23/2004, 10:02 AM

we the members of the smas do promise to look the other way when a sponsor makes a great offer to the club.we promise to accept all commercial post on our website as a gift. we promise not to condem the sponsor to death for posting great deals.and so on and so forth.

wasabi · #17 11/23/2004, 08:32 PM

we have several(three) new sponsors to be announced very soon.all have offered a substantial discount to the club members...

kbxiong67 · #18 12/10/2004, 07:52 PM

Here's my 2 cents on this matter. If in the future, other LFS offers us a discount, let it be. I say....if they offer, just go with what they want. But if we're thinking about asking a sponsor to give us 10%...that's a different story. I totally disagree with that. I believe in good relationships also......so does the LFSs. That's why they offered it to us. Whether we have 10% or not...that wouldn't hurt us a bit. Should we call our sponsors and tell them not to offer the 10% discount to us anymore? Obviously no. But our job is to continue building relationships w/LFSs and not seek discounts. Make sense?