Group Organised Buy: Jabonman Soaps

[filobiblic]

I'm going to get some Jabonman soaps and this is your invite to join in...

Manuel Garcia hand makes his Jabonman soaps in Spain. The soaps are 100% vegetable, except those carrying lanolin. They are made of good quality oil concentration. I've heard nothing but outstanding feedback on these soaps - scents, lather and results.

Without lanolin:
- Vetiver-Citrus
- Lavender
- Mountain (Tea Flower, Lavender, Cedar, Cypress, Musk, Laurel)

With lanolin:
- Ylang Ylang-Patchouli-Orange
- Wet Earth
- Eastern Breeze
- Citrus
- Roses
- Floral
- Violets
- Lima-Incense (with Menthol)
- Lima-Cinnamon
- Coconut
- Honeysuckle

The price is 13.80 euros (approx. <A$20) in plastic pot large diameter and 125g.

He only sells his soaps DIRECT via email and NOT through any store.

SHIPPING COSTS
Up to 500g (two soaps) costs 12.35 euros (Registered Mail)
Up to 1000g (three-four) costs 23.44 euros (Registered Mail)
Up to 2000g (8-9 soaps) cost about 30 euros (International Express mail)
No weight limit (!!!) costs 17.37 euros fixed + 5.16 / kg (International Economic Mail)

Here is how I will run this group organised buy.
You have 2 options:
A) Go it alone
B) Join the pack

More information on each choice...
A) Go it alone
I give you the information, you purchase directly and have it posted to yourself. You pay for it all (soaps, postage and currency conversion). He takes bank transfer or PayPal. I'll send you his email address and you take it from there.

B) Join the Pack
I collect your order by Sunday 16 November, I will pay & have it posted in bulk to myself. I will divide the cost of the soaps (they are all the same price), the conversion fees (my bank is very good) and shipping costs. So you will pay a set price per soap in Aussie dollars. Then you work with me to either collect or have shipped within Australia.

Either respond to this post or PM me direct and we'll go from there.
I'd like to receive all orders by this Sunday 16 November since he will have all items restocked and ready to go soon after.

 

[Nick the Knife]

Personally I find taking a rough splintery sliver of bamboo and SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY RAMMING it under my toenails causes immense pain.....but this groupbuy should also achieve roughly same result for you.

However on a serious note, my personal well done to you on organising what looks like an absolutely excellent group buy with such a well regarded artisan vendor. Is a credit to you and P&C.

 

[filobiblic]

Personally I find taking a rough splintery sliver of bamboo and SUDDENLY AND VIOLENTLY RAMMING it under my toenails causes immense pain.....but this groupbuy should also achieve roughly same result for you.

Errrr... Can I back out now? [emoji15]

We'll see if anyone joins in. Otherwise it'll just be me posting European soap reviews in a month or two's time.

 

[stillshunter]

I am, like my PM is, in.

 

[Nonick]

Does he do any sample sizes? I'm happy to pay for some sample sized if he does

 

[filobiblic]

Does he do any sample sizes? I'm happy to pay for some sample sized if he does

I believe he throws in some samples with each purchase. Some could be passed your way. Otherwise, I'm happy to pass on some of my soaps as samples.

 

[Nonick]

Ok filobiblic what about I subsidise your expedition by getting samples from you of what you plan to get? I really can't justify more soaps in my already bulging bag and I have occams to buy yet.

Have you any barrister and Mann soaps?

 

[Mong.]

I'm in for two, I reckon. Is there a minimum threshold we need to meet to make collective postage from Manuel economically viable?

 

[filobiblic]

Ok filobiblic what about I subsidise your expedition by getting samples from you of what you plan to get? I really can't justify more soaps in my already bulging bag and I have occams to buy yet.

Have you any barrister and Mann soaps?

Nope. No B&M soaps yet. That's another on the hit list... But I've heard from someone who has both B&M and Stoppe Shop soaps that these soaps perform even better. That's saying a lot so I intend to check it out for myself.
(The lads here also like Mike's Natural soaps but I'm yet to try them as well...)

 

[filobiblic]

I'm in for two, I reckon. Is there a minimum threshold we need to meet to make collective postage from Manuel economically viable?

I've asked for a discount for us but haven't heard back as of yet.

Doing the maths it seems that it's not really viable to do a group buy unless it's over 9 soaps. As what you save is devoured by the final postage within Australia. You could save this if you picked up from someone but it won't work for all of us.

Without factoring conversion fees and at current rates:

2 soaps delivered directly to you
> each soap is A$28.50
So total for 2 soaps: ~A$57

7 soaps delivered and re-distributed
> each soap is A$25.80
Add AusPost ($7.20)
So total for 2 soaps: ~A$58.80

9 soaps delivered and re-distributed
> each soap is A$24.42
Add AusPost ($7.20)
So total for 2 soaps: ~A$56

 

[Drubbing]

This is why group buys often don't add up. Other forums can do it because they're keeping postage withing a region/continent.

Vendors can often discount the product, but not the postage and local divvy up. So the numbers still don't change much.

 

[filobiblic]

This is why group buys often don't add up. Other forums can do it because they're keeping postage withing a region/continent.

Vendors can often discount the product, but not the postage and local divvy up. So the numbers still don't change much.

Yeah... I'm finding that...
Oh well, I did call it a "Group organised buy" as I was thinking it could very well not work out.

 

[borked]

Have you any barrister and Mann soaps?

Samples ever so kindly supplied by @Barrister & Mann for the Traveling Box #3 are in the post with the items I've taken one for the team and purchased blind
Actually am anticipating these arriving to test them out

 

[Mong.]

Okay, well, let's see where we end up with numbers and go from there. If we can get to seven, I'm happy to wear the couple of extra bucks for postage to make it easier.

 

[filobiblic]

Okay, well, let's see where we end up with numbers and go from there. If we can get to seven, I'm happy to wear the couple of extra bucks for postage to make it easier.

You're a champ. We have 7 soaps so far but if we get to 9+ that's better. I'm not heading to Melbourne anytime soon so I can't deliver afraid.

The other advantage of the group buy is that only one does the international transfer navigation whilst the rest enjoy favourable Aussie to Aussie exchange.

It's been a day. As you say, give it a couple more and we'll go from there...

 

[Nonick]

Ok I'll join in for two.

 

[Nick the Knife]

I've asked for a discount for us but haven't heard back as of yet.

Doing the maths it seems that it's not really viable to do a group buy unless it's over 9 soaps. As what you save is devoured by the final postage within Australia. You could save this if you picked up from someone but it won't work for all of us.

Without factoring conversion fees and at current rates:

2 soaps delivered directly to you
> each soap is A$28.50
So total for 2 soaps: ~A$57

7 soaps delivered and re-distributed
> each soap is A$25.80
Add AusPost ($7.20)
So total for 2 soaps: ~A$58.80

9 soaps delivered and re-distributed
> each soap is A$24.42
Add AusPost ($7.20)
So total for 2 soaps: ~A$56

Please allow me to establish upfront that I'm not poo-pooing Filo's efforts nor anyone for trying to make a group buy work. But the above maths (which I strongly commend Filo for) pretty much states the run of things better than anything else can.

Plus it's one thing to get the group buy unit cost a dollar or two cheaper than an individual order of 2 soaps - but you've really got to factor in the hassle factor or redistributing, taking individual payments, risk for damage or loss occurring to the ONE BIG order (as honestly it's hardly Filo's fault if this happened but many folks often feel the organiser is 'responsible'), packaging costs etc etc etc.

So I concur with Mr Drubs and having organised a few group buys I've found it very hard to get a viable group buy in place. I'd tend to recommend doing a couple of smaller buys e.g one in MEL, ADL, SYD etc assuming you have 2-3 buyers in each area buying 2-3 soaps each. If you can pickup from the organiser in each city and value add a swap of other gear on top of it it'll be cheaper and also have other benefits.

~$28+ per unit is bloody expensive IMHO. As I had a significant bday I splurged on 6 Cold River Soap Works soaps yesterday (as they have a 25% discount on their Classic/Original lines until sold out). Worked out at just under $AUD17 delivered to my door.

Anyway I have to say Filo's done a VERY good job at being completely selfless and making the costs etc very transparent to everyone so thats a real credit to him - I really hope you guys get a few more folks onboard (perhaps allow yourself another week to bolster numbers?) and perhaps a small discount from the vendor too. Best of luck.

 

[filobiblic]

Thanks NtK for your helpful comments.

You're right about pricing and the high cost. A lot has to do with shipping, but also how the vendor prices their product. (It's not only the Traditional English shaving companies that can charge a premium for their products!)

I could give it another week and see how many more are interested. But I'll definitely be doing the maths at the end and working out the viability of the group buy. If it's not a high enough savings for us all, then it'll be every man for himself (or in smaller groups as you suggest).

 

[Nonick]

Sounds fair. I'd like the soaps, and happy to pitch in to make it viable, but if the wheels fall off that's ok too, nothing lost.

It is expensive soap, but on the plus side two soaps is probably a year supply for me just about

As they say, buy quality and cry once, buy rubbish and cry every time you use it. (I know there's also good cheap soaps, I could quite happily live on Proraso and schpike)

 

[filobiblic]

Manuel just got back to me. He will give us a discount for our group order. Not sure how much, but it's better than nothing. [emoji4]