Platinum and Silver model woofers

FrankieD, you noticed! We agree on how, where and when to get 'em, maybe not on how to test 'em.

New thought:
Has anybody with more savvy about wholesale buying than I have (and that really could be anybody) entertained the possibility of setting up a buying club, maybe through the forum, to save members some dough on these woofer, or anything else, for that matter? If just Ferrari and I replaced our woofers, there's over half a gross, right there.

Robert R

If someone wants to approach the dynavox? people,, I'd be in for 8,,, a group buy would be a great idea.

FrankieD, you noticed! We agree on how, where and when to get 'em, maybe not on how to test 'em.

New thought:
Has anybody with more savvy about wholesale buying than I have (and that really could be anybody) entertained the possibility of setting up a buying club, maybe through the forum, to save members some dough on these woofer, or anything else, for that matter? If just Ferrari and I replaced our woofers, there's over half a gross, right there.

Robert R

If someone wants to approach the dynavox? people,, I'd be in for 8,,, a group buy would be a great idea.

I live one and a half hour away from them and can (If they let me) pick them up. I would be willing to be the middle man who could work with them getting the price down for a big buy,,,My woofers-Your woofers-others woofers. It may help out a lot!!! Who ever needs them let me know and when I get a good idea how many want some I will call dynavox and work em on the price some for the big order.

I'm in need of 8 woofers for the original Amazings, so, I'm up for some type of "group buy".

-and i hate everyone equally

And that's why I .....ugh, like you.

If there is interest in a large order, why go through Dynavox? Why not go straight to the manufacturer if anyone knows who that is.

Yeah, Skip, that was more my idea. Even if it didn't pan out, just the fact that someone is considering doing so might get Dynavox thinking before they lay another price hike on.

My other vague idea extended beyond just woofers, to all sorts of parts that members buy. If we form a buying club, we gain wholesale status for everything, and members could at least pay "jobber" prices for stuff, instead of high retail. But a I say, I'm just tossing out the idea; don't know much about the specifics of such things. I do know that such things are done sometimes, and they work.

What we need mostly are figures. That's what this is all about. Minimum orders, costs, shipping. Also details about importing and storage. And assurance of build quality.

As to finding the woofers' manufacturer, the last batch I bought (from Orovox 8 years ago) came in a box marked Chuan Tai Electric, Taiwan. They could probably be located, but I've been to Taiwan several times and have to tell you that the standards for English there are very low. The spellings of Mandarin Chinese that are used in English very according to which of 4 or 5 systems the translator is using; sometimes, just within one street map, the same road will go from Danshui to Tam-shue Rd., or such. So be forewarned. Chung=Jhong=Zhong - shit like that. It's terrible. And the pitiful part is that even when they write the language in their own characters, it is pronounces differently in different dialects, over two dozen of them, so the people from different goegraphic can't understand each other either. This is why the a Mandarin dialect has emerged as the language of educated Chinese. Everyone learns it, whatever they speak at home.

That said, I have a friend in Taipei, a native Mandarin speaker, who could investigate possibilities there and perhaps even act as middle-man if this thing develops. If nothing else, he might find the right person to talk to, someone in the company who speaks English well enough to haggle with.

Robert R

Throw my 8 into the mix, too -- for Original woofers that is (honeycomb version), to increase the wholesale order count. I don't need new ones yet, but it's a matter of time, I'm told.

Throw my 8 into the mix, too -- for Original woofers that is (honeycomb version), to increase the wholesale order count. I don't need new ones yet, but it's a matter of time, I'm told.

so we are up to what? 24? your 8 my 8 the OP's 8--I'll probe the dynavox folks if no one minds--george

George,

Probing can't hurt, but why not give it a few days for more members to respond?

Actually, somebody who knows how should transfer the last dozen or so posts, from when this idea became the focus of the thread, to a new one, with a catchy title, such as Save on ALS Woofers! or something like that. Then there's a better chance that those concerned would all see it. I don't know if this can be done, let alone how to do it.

Maybe just start the new one and drag in all the pertinent history from this thread?

Robert R

I really like your thinking on wholesale buying guys. Not only woofers but other stuff as well. Our equipment needs servicing as it ages to keep it alive and there might be enough of us to form a wholesale buying group.

Just my 2 cents on this subject, but has anyone tought about shipping costs? Buying in bulk still entails someone having to pay for shipping to whoever will be holding the equipment and then pay for shipping and packaging again to the final user. Shipping costs are brutal these days and often the small discount you can get will get wiped out by the double shipping costs. To get a good enough deal on bulky items like woofers to offset the shipping costs, you have to think pallet loads (several dozen at a time).

The reason people seem to be talking about this right now is the recent large price increase from Orevox on the Amazing woofers. Well guys, guess why the price went up? The just got a new batch made in china and the shipping costs from there have almost tripled since they got their last batch + the US exchange rate has gone down the crapper.

Another factor to think about. Who is going to front the cash to buy all this stuff? The distribution business is cutthroat at the best of times and even harder in these tough economic times. It has become the second most common type of business to fail after the construction industry, so run the numbers before even thinking about getting into this.

As tempting as it sounds, it just doesn't make economic sense unless you have a large volume, can get a huge discount or have several people living close enough to share the shipping costs. Made sense years ago when shipping costs were still reasonable, but no longer the case.

As tempting as it sounds, it just doesn't make economic sense unless you have a large volume, can get a huge discount or have several people living close enough to share the shipping costs. Made sense years ago when shipping costs were still reasonable, but no longer the case.

All good points! I do live about a hour and a half from them, I have a car so can not get more then would fit plus I would half to get Gas but I too need woofers! I am not sure how many would fit in a Ford Taurus but Orevox does give a discount for a buyer looking for 16 or more. I may talk them into letting me pick up the Woofers that save "ME" shipping any how. They take PayPal but must swallow the PayPal fee's so I am sure CASH would put a sparkle in there eye and help lower some cost. For now I do plan to try and pick them up and see what the cost goes to with a big buy - If its good enough I will jump on it with someone and get as many woofers as I can fit and even make 2 or so trips but I guess I would need the money a head of time to pay for them so that may be a issue OR - OR Maybe I could have them ship the woofers to all who need them from there shop but pay for them all at once kinda thing and I would only need to leave with my woofers but still pay the "LOT" Price!!! Well find a way to make this work that helps us all...
(In the works)

No offense to you Scarabeo, but I don't think you're going to find it easy for people to fork over hundreds of dollars to someone that just joined the forum.

ummmm. I have a little wholesale business/buying club in which about 10 to 20 of us (mostly work related contacts) make a group order once a month for nutritional supplaments. We get around the double ship cost thing that OBI56 talked about because for wholesale orders over $500, we get free shipping (from the supplier). I then ship to out of town members and they only pay one shipping charge. Since we get 1/2 the retail price, we save bundles. So that could be part of the discount that you negotiate for with speaker manufacturer. Normally I'd say that without getting a business license that you would not have much luck negotiating any discounts, but with times as tough as they are, I'd say you probably can (find out how big of an order that they would need in order to give free shipping and perhaps a 20 to 50% discount).

This also brings up an idea (along the lines of eBay, etc.) that I once had: I wish someone would start a website wherein folks would post there driving travel plans (dates, start/end points) and the site would then match them up with people (like us!) who needed stuff (mainly "heavy" stuff) shipped around the country. The "shippers" would then pay (or bid what they would pay - or travelers bid on what they pick up and deliver the item for - low bid wins here!) to the folks traveling a reduced fee (after all they were going there anyway...) to pick up the product and then drop it off at there final destination. In this era of GPS and mapquest, finding the addresses (and best routes) would be easy. Travelers would get help with their gas costs; "shippers" would get a much reduced shipping cost! Perhaps some computer savy types out there could start something like this...a "Craig's List" of shipping? Like eBay, each "traveler" would be rated on reliability, timeliness, etc., and of course you'd probaly want to insure each shipment
Ed

No offense to you Scarabeo, but I don't think you're going to find it easy for people to fork over hundreds of dollars to someone that just joined the forum.

Yep, I agree.
But I am willing to help in any way I can! If anyone has a idea I am sure we are all open to it. I sure do-not have that kind of cash to front buying lots of woofers and then re sale them at my cost. I am looking to get em cheaper then $45 and others are as well - Well find a way that's safe and works for all. Oh and thanks for letting me feel like Iv been here a while (Not just days) as I have been a CARVER fan for oh 20 years!!! GREAT FORUM! FUN...