You can see there is a price difference from this GB to the SPtech site.
Yes but the question is why? Normally group buys have cost savings associated with them. This doesn't.
If you want to order direct and have interest in 100 units I am sure you can get a better deal.
Of course because there are some cost savings. Shipping a pallet or two is much cheaper than 100 individual boxes. You shouldn't get an outrageous discount like 50% off for bulk buys since this is a preorder and it's not like they are trying to get rid of stock.
What is the motivation to discredit this group buy?
There is nothing in that which is evil or some how illegal or fraudulent. In fact it is a good thing if you want a unit or two and don't want to pay full sticker going it alone.
This is just a negotiated deal which is fine but should be offered to EVERYONE. If you are in September batch you should pay the same price regardless of if you were unlucky enough to preorder before prior to this deal or from the website.
It is just a bad marketing scheme to have a sale this way.
Honestly, what is wrong with someone trying to organize the smaller orders into a larger collective order and working with SPTech to do so?
What's the point? It's just an unnecessary/inconvenient extra step in the ordering process.
The point of the thread and I don't think it is anything other than that is to pool resources and getting a group rate on miners. Should I now go to every other AM group buy thread or small fabricator and question everyone's motives for it and what Asicminer is doing to "gouge" customers? Is that the game we are playing?
Yes you should if you think there is anything shady/unfair going on.
Listen if you want to fight the good fight take a look at people who have ACTUALLY stolen coins and ripped people off. This GB whoever is pulling the strings is merely collectivizing the power of individual customers and pooling it. We need more things like this not less. I really do not see your actions as consumer activism in fact when people are actually being stolen from a great many people simply turn a blind eye and that is what really bothers me much more than the perception you have this is a 'faux' GB. Who cares if SPtech gives you a coupon or asks a community member to beat the sales drum? You do that same exact thing in the open source AM threads right?
I happen to think it is a rip off to pay $600 extra because you already ordered from the website. Please let me know of anything in the open source AM thread that is even remotely unfair.
Right now we see what? 600$ USD off already. I want more before I hop on this train especially for a September buy. I got a great deal that you even admit Jimmy was awesome from the last GB... so I don't get the grief? If you are trying to persuade people to buy AM product this is not the way to get them over to those threads.
I only advocate buying in stock hardware. Preordering is gambling and to suggest otherwise is dishonest.
I think SP knew that the $5100 price for September was way too high but they chose to milk their customers for what they could get.