co-op forum thought and question

I agree that most co-ops generate many questions. I really feel that there should be a Q&A thread for the co-ops. Especially a large co-op, otherwise the order thread becomes way too long and too much of a mess to go back through.

right... I guess "chat" may be a misnomer... co-op "chat" threads are generally Q&A threads for the co-op, and questions arise at all phases of the co-op, not just during the inquiry phase... with a big co-op, it helps keep the order thread organized if only orders are posted there and other questions etc. have another place to go.

We can leave Q&A threads up to the discretion of the co-op organizers: there are certainly legitimate questions that crop up; the organizer can decide if they want to deal with a separate thread for them.

And for those who think we're being overly strict by stipulating who can start threads and what kind of threads - please understand: we're delighted to see all the fun bantering and chat that goes on all over DG. That's how it should be!

But the co-op forum regulars desperately want to keep this specific forum free easy to navigate and be able to see what's new without wading through dozens of off-topic threads. I trust the organizers will do their part to maintain a business-like tone in their threads so we don't wind up back in a muddle ;o)

I have a question. When I first joined DG I was given to understand that organizers negotiated with vendors to get a better price for the co-op participants. But more and more I'm seeing co-ops where the organizer isn't doing that. Instead they're just looking for people to join them to get the best published price the vendor has offered to the public.
I'd like to see a return to co-ops where the organizers negotiated for good prices. Any way to manage that?

MollyD

Molly, that is concerning to us as well. We don't "pre-approve" co-ops so we don't really have any control over the process. We've had members choose to proceed with co-ops after asking us for our input, and us telling them that we didn't think they should. Shrug...we could pull the plug on those members, or pull the plug on the entire forum but neither of those choices is palatable.

We encourage vendors to use the classified ads for ongoing or intermittent sales or "special discount offers." Some have taken advantage of the classified ads; some apparently derive more profit from offering their specials via a "co-op."

Probably the best way to influence this situation is for members to support the traditional co-ops (by either organizing or participating in them), and abstaining from the others. If the majority feels the way you do, and everyone took those actions, the "quasi-co-ops" would eventually fade away due to lack of interest.

Terry, I haven't been to the co-op thread in a while because it seemed so "noisy" in there and I haven't read all of this thread... I just wanted to say THANK YOU!! to you and everyone who provided input for the "new" co-op thread. It is so much nicer there now.

Now that the dust has settled a bit...what's the verdict on the changes?

Did it accomplish what needed to be done?

Are there any other changes that need to be made?

Terry it did some of what was intended but left a major problem. When someone like me (who isn't eligible to run a co-op) wants to ask if there is anyone interested in running one there is no way I can do it. If it were for a specific plant I could post in that forum but for example I wanted EON markers. There is no forum unique to that. I dmailed the last person running it and she was not interested. That left me with no way to express an interest in someone forming such a co-op.
Is there a work around for this?

MollyD1953

Part of what was clogging up the forum were a lot of "wish-list" threads for "is anybody thinking about running a co-op for [fill in the blank]?"

Most of those threads were filled with idle back-and-forth "no, I'm not interested, but how's your garden (or husband or dog or kids) doing?" stuff.

The forum was always intended to be a place for potential organizers to post serious "feeler" threads and for the orders/purchases/shipping information - it really wasn't meant as a free-for-all for things we wish someone else would offer ;o)

What does everyone think: is this a serious limitation? If so, does anyone have some suggestions for fixing it without winding up back where we were?

If you're trying to see if somebody might do a co-op for a plant/item there's been one for in the past, a good place to ask about that might be in the interest thread for a prior co-op... presumably, the people still "watching" that thread or those who would click on it are people who are interested in the item and who might be willing to put together a co-op.

Does that make sense? I know that doesn't cover new co-op ideas, but it might cover a lot.

Also, I'm thinking it might be acceptable to post an "interest" thread even if you were only able to assist with a co-op and still needed somebody to help host... for whatever reason (you're a vendor of another type of garden product, you don't have the time/space) you might not be able to host, but you might be willing to help with spreadsheets/invoices, address labels, etc. ?

Terry, I think what you did with the new guidelines made a big difference. There are a few coop coordinators who are missing the guidelines or not marking coops as closed when they are closed. I don't know what you can do about that.

Also under the heading of horses led to water but not drinking, I do think the hundreds of extraneous posts in the coop threads that have little or nothing to do with the coop are a real problem but I sure don't know of a solution.

I think it's a bad idea - sorry Critter - to post new coop interest in an old post. There's so much chit chat to plow through, I wouldn't check those. I do think it's a great idea to post them in the relevant forums - roses for roses, perennials for perennial and so on. I don't know where you'd put all the garden tools and other non-plant items, though. Garden Products maybe?

I think posting coop info in other forums has to be carefully considered as the coop forum is only visible to paid subscribers. Members can see the first post in most threads but I don't think they see the coop forum anywhere at all?

I wouldn't catch it if it is in some other forum. But that will save me $$

I like to get in on as many coops as possible, and this time of year sometimes the coop section is the only place I get to for several days in a row. So, I don't necessarily agree that the interest threads be placed in specific rose, perennials, etc forms. I like the interest threads to be in the coop forum.

I'd never see them if they went elsewhere. Heck I sometimes don't see them right in the coop forum!

MollyD

Some of the chat threads have been moved to other forums, and that's good for keeping clutter out of the Co-op Forum. I agree that interest threads need to be kept in the Co-op Forum as well. I'm still hanging in for multiple ways to sort rather than "view all" or "view open." Maybe someday...

Terry said potential organizers can post feeler thread--so I would think posting is anyone interested in_______________ is fine in the co op forum, like others, I'd never see it if it weren't posted there. Posting it in a closed co op isn't going to get the exposure it needs, and kind of pointless, if like me, you un-watch a co op after you've completed your business with it.

The biggest problem with the cluttering of the forum is all the chatty stuff that leads organizers to have to start additional threads to accommodate... the interest threads don't cause that much clutter.

Not to say that I wouldn't much prefer the co op forum to be only for co op ordering, and a separate forum for shipping/chatting/interest/payments, but, this IS better than what we had before.