can a carpet cleaners co-op be created?

[Giorgio]

This may go against the interest of some vendors here so my apologies.

But I wanna save money on everything from chemicals, supplies, equipment, advertising, answering services, insurance, bookeeping, tax preperation, vehicles and anything else you can think of.

With the number of members here is it possible to pool our resources together to create a co-op that would save each of us some serious cash, make our lives easier and possibly aid in the expotential growth of each of our businesses too?

Or, am I dreaming?

 

[Royal Man]

The easiest way would be for suppliers to provide a standard Mikey discount.

May need a minumum order amount.

Usually it works. You can advertise for free if you offer a discount.

It has to work for both sides.

-Members pay X amount per month to Mikey.

-Vendors offer special discounts for free (or reduced) advertising.

-BDCC get some deals

 

[floorguy]

part of the problem is......we ALL have DIFFERENT ideas about what works the best

some love judson or cobbs....while others...wouldnt touch them

some like dealing with Joe...others not so much...

thats why it works to tell your deals when you find them....then people can choose......

 

[Royal Man]

part of the problem is......we ALL have DIFFERENT ideas about what works the best

some love judson or cobbs....while others...wouldnt touch them

some like dealing with Joe...others not so much...

thats why it works to tell your deals when you find them....then people can choose......

Discounts from all eliminates that problem.

Make it a buyers club with, say a $40 monthly fee.

It would add up to some serious money where everyone involved wins.
(Better than selling shakes or what ever)

You have the format. Might as well capitalize it.

 

[FB7777]

How about Mikeybucks ?

 

[Connor]

Why not just make your own ACN and get paid when people buy those goods and services.

NAaaah, never work. :mrgreen:


Thing is, distributors used tiered pricing to give some regulars the deal and the other guy pays big. They tell you that you're getting rewarded for your loyalty, but the field is tilted from the start. The "sales/middleman" is where your savings are. Your proposed co-op would have to take up that position. Are there enough MB'ers to participate? Probably not.

 

[jcooper]

If anything make it for health insurance!

 

[KevinD]

I ran one for years in my area.
Started co-oping Bane products, which led to blocks,tabs,vac and pressure line, carpet dryers, etc.

 

[dgargan]

Inner Circle members from Howard Partridges group get a nice discount with Bridgepoint. Many perks available to you when you work with Howard.

 

[Royal Man]

I set up vendor discount programs to groups in my area.

It's the same concept.

Just make sure everyone benefits along the way.

You could easily have 50 vendors giving out discounts if they are benefited justly.

Mike could make a lot of extra cash too.

 

[Dolly Llama]

donno anything about co-ops , but what's to stop a group of BD investors from opening an i'net store ?
One that sells enough to the public to hopefully support a small distribution center (for what can't be drop shipped) and a staff of 1? 2? 5?? people to run the show .

The BD investors get their booty at cost.
contribute to funding the operation if/when in the red
receive dividends when/if rolling

..L.T.A.

 

[Connor]

but what's to stop a group of BD investors from opening an i'net store ?

Probably the same thing that makes them BD in the first place.

Isn't "BD investor" an oxymoron?

 

[Royal Man]

You really don't need a store, investors or employees.

Just capitalize this already built and well received site with a paid discount club.

Trade banners for vendor discounts and a vendor page.

Get 50 or more vendors to start

$40 bucks (or whatever) every single month from a few hundred cleaners is a good residual/retirement income.

You can even E-mail the members every month to keep it strong.

Beats cleaning!!



This kind of thing is set up for other venues.

 

[Mikey P]

Come up with a fool proof plan where every body wins and Ill set it up.

 

[Giorgio]

For starters,

Would it be wrong to setup our own distributorship?

So we can purchase shit at vendor cost. Then, pass the Non-Profit savings on to fellow members.

Setup some sort of organization with a central facility located in the middle of the nation for easy shipping coast to coast.

 

[Connor]

G3, I think the pro'lem would be that there is some sort of contractual protection for the other product distributors to keep them from being undercut by such a program. Kinda like an advertised MSRP. In these days of teh interwebs, I can see there being a ruckus of complaints at MFRs who "stabbed" the distys in the back.

But surely you could try, right?

 

[Giorgio]

you're probably right.

i'm a dreamer

maybe private label agreements can be reached with certain mfg's?

I don't have all the answers. but surely with enough participation we could improve the lives of many a bdcc.

 

[Desk Jockey]

If you formed a group and had the numbers you could probably get most products.
One problem would be that everyone has their favorite brands, it might be difficult to make large enough purchases? Shipping would negate a good share of the discount too

Good idea but probably not worth the effort.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Distribution is WORK.

Nobody works for free.

 

[The Great Oz]

The way to begin would be by starting a regular "group buy" program. Find product(s) you want, contact manufacturers to see at what quantity you can get what discount, advertise said discount and see if you can get enough interest to make it happen. If there isn't enough interest, no purchase, no risk of being stuck with a ten-year supply.

Set up shipping direct and the only cost is making and taking the calls to organize.

 

[RGH269]

If anything make it for health insurance!

I second THAT!!!

Cost for me is outrageous.

 

[Royal Man]

Don't worry about health insurance.

In a couple of years we will be forced into Obama care and the rates will go sky high while the level of care goes to crap.

What else do you expect from Government.

The money will go right out of your account courtesy of the IRS. Whether you want it or not.

Were all fooked!!!!!

 

[floorguy]

Don't worry about health insurance.

In a couple of years we will be forced into Obama care and the rates will go sky high while the level of care goes to crap.

What else do you expect from Government.

The money will go right out of your account courtesy of the IRS. Whether you want it or not.

Were all fooked!!!!!

if you seriously think that shit of a bill is going to go through...then you are seriously retarded....

aside from the new president (yes i said new)...the republican house, the courts its now in, AND the number of states saying BULL SHIT.....it aint gonna stick

 

[Royal Man]

Don't worry about health insurance.

In a couple of years we will be forced into Obama care and the rates will go sky high while the level of care goes to crap.

What else do you expect from Government.

The money will go right out of your account courtesy of the IRS. Whether you want it or not.

Were all fooked!!!!!

if you seriously think that shit of a bill is going to go through...then you are seriously retarded....

aside from the new president (yes i said new)...the republican house, the courts its now in, AND the number of states saying BULL SHIT.....it aint gonna stick

For our sake I hope you're right.

Govermnent programs are very hard to retract once they are started. I also expect to see astroturf riots (That stupid 99% crap),race baiting, media spin, massive voter fraud, buying of votes and whatever else it takes to put Obama back to complete the job he started.

 

[John Olson]

This may go against the interest of some vendors here so my apologies.

But I wanna save money on everything from chemicals, supplies, equipment, advertising, answering services, insurance, bookeeping, tax preperation, vehicles and anything else you can think of.

With the number of members here is it possible to pool our resources together to create a co-op that would save each of us some serious cash, make our lives easier and possibly aid in the expotential growth of each of our businesses too?

Or, am I dreaming?

Give me 5 Million and you can have my store.... Ivebeensold

I wonder just how much you think we make. You would be so overwhelmed just trying to manage it you would not have any time to actually earn a living, and since your giving everything away at cost, which will become painfully obvious that it actually means your losing money.

The best way to save money on your products is to buy from the person that is there for your buisness, has the products when you need them,can actually answer your questions when you call and will still be there after the warranty expires on the products you bought. Oh and pay the price on the sticker or pony up and buy in bulk and bulk doesn't mean 2 gallons....Someone having your back is pricless....

There are things that are good thoughts and things that need a lot more thought put into. The biggest hurddle though is the co-op part. Carpet Cleaners (for the most part) are Carpet Cleaners because they couldn't work well with others. Do you think they will be able to come together for a co-op? Especially if it means they have to put up some $$$$$

As for there being a Mikeysboard price, everyone is treated the same when you call here I don't give Mieky one price and the rest of you a different price. If I get a discount on something I pass it on. I buy in bulk and pass that on to you when you buy in bulk(see my ultrapak prices) If I buy it on sale I sell it on sale until I am out of it not when the "sale" is over. So I guess you could call us your own little mikeysbaord co-op except there is no co- in our op :mrgreen:

 

[RGH269]

The main reason most of us are always looking for the "best price" is we don't make enough money to go ahead and pay a fair asking price for goods or service. The reason for this is simple either we are not charging enough or we are not marketing enough or doing it improperly. We are guilty of the same thing we gripe about with our prospects "price shoppers".

Frankly with some of the low prices I have seen guys show on the boards I don't see how they can be making much unless they're working themselves to death. If you are a young guy who that applies to trust me there will come a time when it wont work anymore. If you have found a way to make a living and save money by doing whole house cleaning for $169 please let me in on your secret.

People get these stupid offers in val-pak and other places and they automatically think that is what carpet cleaning is suppose to cost and we all know that the company that ran that ad has no intention of cleaning for that price. That creates problems for all of us at some point.

 

[dgargan]

John Olson is right. Not a ton of profit in that business for the work involved. Chemicals are such a small part of our cost of doing business it's not worth worrying about.

 

[The Great Oz]

I wasn't thinking chemical, I was thinking about the horrific profit margin included in many of today's tools.

Should be able to get a better price per each when ordering a hundred, eh?

 

[Ken Snow]

Re: Re: can a carpet cleaners co-op be created?

I wasn't thinking chemical, I was thinking about the horrific profit margin included in many of today's tools.

Should be able to get a better price per each when ordering a hundred, eh?

I agree- we couldn't even get a better price trying to buy 20 overpriced upholstery tools!

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[Dolly Llama]

I wasn't thinking chemical, I was thinking about the horrific profit margin included in many of today's tools.

AMEN....

and if my wife's Grandfather offers your guys a tip, instruct them to graciously accept it !gotcha!


..l.T.A.