Group buying (or GB) is the process of allowing custom creation and distribution of new products (such as keycap sets or keyboards) through the idea of a collective buying organization. Furthermore, with global sales volumes, products (which otherwise would not exist) are able to exist and achieve lower pricing through economies of scale. Usually, this means that a certain quantity is required to reach production.
Typically, group-buy products go through several stages before being delivered to your door. Here is a rough overview of the process from start to finish:
An Interest Check (or IC) is the first step in the chain, where a designer or supplier presents an "idea" or design for a product to gauge interest, demand, or feedback. Often, projects may change to meet the needs of more people or to improve the design through community feedback. You can usually choose to leave your email address in the survey, or join the chat room for updates.
Development: At some point, the designer or supplier will complete the design, share all available information, and start getting quotes. Once completed, the IC will be deemed completed and the "Group Purchase Date" will be announced. marks the beginning of the group buying phase
Group buying: At this stage, interested customers pre-order said items to support the project. Often, suppliers post the sales required to make the product possible. Group buy dates vary, but tend to be around a month.
Wait: If the item is successfully supported. The supplier hands the final order to the manufacturer, who will start production at this stage. Updates will be released throughout the process, such as when color matching swatches are complete, but usually this is the longest wait period. Typically, customers wait 8 months to 1.5 years to receive their final package
Fulfillment: After waiting, the item will be shipped from the manufacturer to the supplier, who will then deliver the item to your door.
Notice:
Group buys don't last forever!
Group buying has set dates on which customers can pre-order if they are interested in a product. Most items don't come back. This means that group buy dates are the best chance to get items delivered to your door at the cheapest price. In fact, keycap sets are frequently traded, bought, and sold by those who miss their group buy dates, almost always at significant price increases.
supplier? agent? where can i buy it?
"Supplier" is an online e-commerce site focused on keyboards. Due to the complex and expensive logistics involved, a project often brings in suppliers from different continents to assist with the sales and distribution of the project. "Agents" are suppliers who will make group purchases for their region.
Cancellation or refund of a group purchase order?
Cancellation policies vary by supplier, but generally suppliers will not accept any cancellations if GB has ended.
This is because the final order is placed with the manufacturer. Due to the nature of group buying, this makes changing orders difficult, as manufacturing costs, product pricing, shipping pricing all depend on the number of people supporting the product.
in conclusion
We are a keyboard supplier based in Spain serving the EU region. For any questions about group buying, you can always visit our discord server and chat with us on all things keyboard.