My position remains what it was - I'll be in if you need me.
Let me explain somethings, because there have been some bitter remarks because of the understandable disappointment.
First, I haven't posted on this thread because I thought it was locked - I remember distinctly seeing the padlock in the lower left-hand side of the screen as I read Chris' post in which he asked the mods to close this thread. I'm saying now what I wanted to say then, so we all understand the difficulties which Chris has been faced with.
When the supplier which we had hoped would supply the stoves fell through, I had discovered a German supplier. So I bought three stoves from them. I also spoke to a man about the possibilities of a group buy, and he seemed opened minded about it and very easy going. Later on, the same or next day, I spotted something else on the site I wanted to buy, so I called them again to see if I could put that item on the same order as the stoves I had ordered and save postage. It was about 18:15 in the evening. A woman answered the telephone, and all I could say was "I have just ordered some stoves from you...", when she interrupted me and said "All orders will processed and mailed the next day, have a nice day and thank you" and then slammed down the telephone.
The word "rude", among other words, comes to mind.
So I was not surprised when Chris told us he was having problems getting a reply from them - an easy going guy with a wife who had a rather narrow attitude to business is the picture I have of the company.
Hence after one delay, we were faced with another delay, and yes the GB lost momentum. So many people thought the GB had died a natural death.
I don't think it is right to blame anyone for this, certainly not Chris who had hung in there and in the end delivered the goods, whereas I would have given up on the German suppliers - out of anger if not out of rational reasons.
Nor the other group members who thought that the buy had died a natural death.
My position after buying the stoves - I needed them quickly - was that if you need someone to make up the final numbers I'd be in - btw, these stoves make excellent presents
! But I wasn't part of the core group of buyers since I had already bought some - so I waited to see if the others send in their money and whether I would be needed to "top up" the numbers.
So, I really do not think there is any need for bitterness - and this GB is only dead if you want it to be.
