Have you ever purchased through a co-op?

[mommy2babybean]

I am thinking about purchasing a few things through a co-op because I can get a great deal but I am a little hesitant.

Have you ever purchased through a co-op, was it worth it and would you recommend it?

Is there anything I should look for specifically in one?

Thanks!

[keen1981]

A diaper co-op?

[dncnshu00]

I have made several purchases through co-ops and have never had any problems. I have purchased diapers, my little legs, and a tablet among other things.

[qsefthuko]

I have bought yarn from coop. It really isn't cheaper. I do however like that I get to choose my colorway to some degree and I also get my pick of trim.

I have bought natural soaps from coop. These I have found cheaper. Locally they cost me $5 a 5oz bar. I don't really have any scent or additive options. From coop it has cost with shipping and insurance included about $3.35-$4 for a 5oz bar. I then get to choose scents and additives if I am buying by the loaf.

Some coops after adding in coop fees, ship to host, ship to me, and insurance I find them to save me nothing and at times even cost more.

[rainbowgirl28]

I love the co-op I am in. Well technically I am in a bunch, but I only buy from one, and even have hosted a few orders.

It can be a very rewarding experience, but you do have to be careful. There have been some scams out there.

Here's what I recommend:
- Join several different co-ops, so you can get a feel for different atmospheres and policies.
- Spend at least a few days reading through old posts. How do the hosts/admins treat the members of the group? Are there many people posting with problems with their orders? Do the hosts seem to ship stuff quickly? How do they respond to problems?
- How do they take payments? Most either use PayPal or WePay or both. Will they invoice you, or do you have to remember to check back to the group to see your totals? Remember that anything sent as a "gift" through PayPal is not covered under PayPal protection.
- Be sure to carefully read the policies for each group.
- Be sure to check all of the fees with each order, and try to at least estimate how much shipping to you will be. Be sure you are really going to save money. Is this something you can order elsewhere for cheaper?
- Know what you are getting. There are a lot of co-ops selling knockoffs/replicas of stuff. Make sure you are clear if you are getting a genuine product from the manufacturer or a knockoff. Knockoffs can be great, just know what you are getting into.


Hope that helps!

[Jelymead]

I'm a co-op newbie myself, but so far I love them. Different co-op's run differently, so make sure you are aware of their shipping policies, fees, etc. The more you buy, the more worth it it becomes. Also keep in mind that shipping takes a bit longer because, more often than not, your items are shipped to the host who then sorts and packages a TON, and then they are shipped to you. I'm currently waiting on some CD that closed at the beginning of January. Don't be in a hurry

[Junipervt]

I've bought from 1 & it took way longer than expected to get the things that I ordered & cost a bit more than I expected b/c of double shipping charges (to the host then to me) and host fees.

I love the items that I bought, but they ended up not being as below retail as I expected after all the extra costs. In the end I probably would have been willing to pay the extra $$ to a real store to have the items sooner & probably could have gotten free shipping.

[TinaDeanette]

It really depends on the product. You need to figure in co-op fees and shipping to you before you order. Sometimes it's not cheaper and sometimes it is.

[Kissed by the Moon]

Originally Posted by TinaDeanette It really depends on the product. You need to figure in co-op fees and shipping to you before you order. Sometimes it's not cheaper and sometimes it is.

that's what I was going to say. I've bought food and yarn through co ops and had good experiences. but I have also had people tell me that it only saved them $1 or so to do a co op versus buying regular for certain things and they had to wait a while to get their items. Depends what shipping/fees are, so make sure you calculate.