Possible Call to Action: NUTS!

[Lucretia MacEvil]

Before we take any donations though I want to get ahold of the wholesaler to see if they can give us a special deal where they will personalize the packaging by letting all of you send in fliers and other misc. stuff before they seal the boxes for us.

Even so, will a bulk order make as much of an impact as a whole bunch of individually-sent packages?
I'm not trying to be negative or divisive, I just want to make sure that we consider every option in order to make this effort as effective as possible.
Whether we go bulk or individual, I'm sure as hell gonna SOCK it too 'em!

[Teege]

I'd go the individual route and not all at once. A steady stream from a lot of people would be more favorable than one gigantic package.

[Sleepy Wonder]

I'd go the individual route and not all at once. A steady stream from a lot of people would be more favorable than one gigantic package.

A steady stream from a lot of people means we wont have any numbers to go by. In addition, we would lose media attention because of the inability to back up our numbers and/or the sheer size of the shipment.

Even so, the idea is multiple large shipments in waves, perhaps a pallet a week.

Regarding personal shipments, if those who donate to the cause ALSO send in their own small packages, that would be ideal.

So for example, Joe donates $15 to the group effort, while he also donates $10 to send in his own package.

Additionally, not everyone can go out to a physical store, purchase a package of socks, then go to the post office and mail it in a timely manner (to include access to a printer to print fliers and/or time to write letters to include). And some people on the "fringe" of such efforts, would find it much more easier to simply sit at their computer, and put in a credit card number to the donation page and that's all they have to do.

[P51mus]

And some people on the "fringe" of such efforts, would find it much more easier to simply sit at their computer, and put in a credit card number to the donation page and that's all they have to do.

It's definitely much easier for me.

[Sleepy Wonder]

I just got off the phone with the merchant. They seem to be willing to hold a large shipment until we can send in fliers and other misc. stuff to include within the boxes before it gets shipped.

I'm trying to think of the best way to do this for everyone. If I tell everyone to send their printed fliers and stuff that they want, and it comes from 200 different people, the merchant will be receiving a lot of mail and we wont really know when everyone is finished mailing their stuff.

So I propose the following:

Someone, somewhere (one of us) becomes the designated recipient for all letters and stuff. Preferably they will have access to a printer. We would need a big stack of fliers this person could get from these forums and mass print at say, Staples or something. They could be reimbursed via paypal depending on the cost.

But this would make it easier to coordinate for the merchant/wholesaler. They could receive 1 box of all of this and then drop them into every box of socks they package up before they send the final shipments.

The guy I spoke with sounded suspicious due to the cost estimate and asked about what charity it was for, so I generally told him it would be shipped to Korea and donated by a 3rd party (NCSoft).

In either case, we need someone willing to share their address with everyone, unless someone here has a PO box or a workplace that doesn't mind receiving all of our letters and whatnot.

I think, again, fliers and posters that are included should be created here, and then the person can download them locally and print those. So all anyone else needs to do is send in their letters, sort of like what we wrote on the petition with a real signature attached.

[Back Blast]

I've never used them, but Indiegogo might be an option. They allow charitable campaigns and they have a 'flexible' funding model option that allows you to miss the target but still keep the cash. Really though, if target estimating is an issue, figure what a minimum order from the wholesaler will cost and peg it there. Or something like that. Basically, what's the minimum needed to make the idea 'work' and have an impact? You can always overfund and exceed the need if things go well. And if that happens, the impact is all the greater.

[Tanglefoe]

Finally, a charity!  Can we please get behind this, get it stickied, and get some serious calls to action for this!

[beveri8469]

i remember when fans of chuck sent subway sandwiches to NBC to renew the show.
i thought that was awesome.
i like the sock idea myself.
ill be on board for that too.

[Lucretia MacEvil]

A steady stream from a lot of people means we wont have any numbers to go by. In addition, we would lose media attention because of the inability to back up our numbers and/or the sheer size of the shipment.

Even so, the idea is multiple large shipments in waves, perhaps a pallet a week.

So, this is more along the lines of a community-solidarity project, showing that we can come together in a united group effort.  That makes sense, since we've already had the masks and capes as an individual project.  I just didn't think of that when I made my earlier comment, I guess.

Regarding personal shipments, if those who donate to the cause ALSO send in their own small packages, that would be ideal.

But the donation to the group effort is the priority, right?  If I can only do one, I should donate?

[dwturducken]

I would suggest a repost (or at least a title change and OP edit) to reflect the refinements that have been agreed to, so far, with a date on which the shipping will occur.  I don't know how much time it would take for something to get from overseas to, say, Texas, but people from all over the world need to have time to get something mailed and received, if they want to do that, but the window cannot be too long, as people here are beginning to get impatient.  Also, we are coming up on the Christmas shopping and mailing season, so that will impact shipping times, at least in the US.

As to the fliers or what-not, the best option would be if the person receiving the what-not be physically in the same city/metro area as the merchant. That way, a lot of uncertainty can be removed.  This will mean moving a lot of people, mentally and emotionally, and that means getting a Titan onboard to get it stickied, which really means getting Tony on board.   This is a good idea, and it's doable, but we need to move fast on it if it's going to happen.

[jeangray]

So, this is more along the lines of a community-solidarity project, showing that we can come together in a united group effort.  That makes sense, since we've already had the masks and capes as an individual project.  I just didn't think of that when I made my earlier comment, I guess.

But the donation to the group effort is the priority, right?  If I can only do one, I should donate?

Know I'm not Sleepy, but by all means if you can only do one it would be ideal to donate to the group project to help get maximum impact for sure.  So, yes, you're right! 

[no hero]

I am interested in this idea. Very interested.

[Sleepy Wonder]

I would suggest a repost (or at least a title change and OP edit) to reflect the refinements that have been agreed to, so far, with a date on which the shipping will occur.  I don't know how much time it would take for something to get from overseas to, say, Texas, but people from all over the world need to have time to get something mailed and received, if they want to do that, but the window cannot be too long, as people here are beginning to get impatient.  Also, we are coming up on the Christmas shopping and mailing season, so that will impact shipping times, at least in the US.

As to the fliers or what-not, the best option would be if the person receiving the what-not be physically in the same city/metro area as the merchant. That way, a lot of uncertainty can be removed.  This will mean moving a lot of people, mentally and emotionally, and that means getting a Titan onboard to get it stickied, which really means getting Tony on board.   This is a good idea, and it's doable, but we need to move fast on it if it's going to happen.

Those are some good points, but a few problems:

I've read TonyV's response to your thread about civility and driving away people, and he mentions/confirms a few of my vague assumptions about him, except that in this particular case I think the donor output would be better if TonyV could vouch for me to handle that kind of money. I don't mind giving him my address and phone number, but I'm a private person so it would have to be only him.

If someone can get Tony's word on any of this, let me know.

Secondly, *assuming* best case scenario, *someone* whether its me or someone else, is going to probably have a lot of suspicion cast on them both from the IRS and everyone else if they suddenly rack up $100,000 in a newly created paypal account.

This sort of thing we're trying for isn't primarily a donation to a named charity per-se, and when you start mentioning how you're going to be sending it to an unsuspecting business who will then *probably* (hopefully) donate it.. peoples eyes start to squint a bit hard at your real intentions. The guy I spoke with on the phone, again, didn't sound like he believed me.

In either case, I will look into refining what we have so far and create a new thread which I can update to reflect bullet points of what I need done.

In the meantime, if someone here has free time and would like to scout generic fliers that reflect everyone's opinion (I saw a few good ones in the flier thread) and pm to me (they've got to be decently sized for printing.. standard paper size is fine) that would be great.

[Samuraiko]

I suggest we ship them No-Doz. "Exhausted all options? Here, this should work."

Or how about Snickers bars? "Not going anywhere for a while?"

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

[downix]

I suggest we ship them No-Doz. "Exhausted all options? Here, this should work."

Or how about Snickers bars? "Not going anywhere for a while?"

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

I am tempted to ask my wife to make a batch of her fudge into the COH/COV logo and deliver it to their office.

[dwturducken]

Those are some good points, but a few problems:

I've read TonyV's response to your thread about civility and driving away people, and he mentions/confirms a few of my vague assumptions about him, except that in this particular case I think the donor output would be better if TonyV could vouch for me to handle that kind of money. I don't mind giving him my address and phone number, but I'm a private person so it would have to be only him.

If someone can get Tony's word on any of this, let me know.

Secondly, *assuming* best case scenario, *someone* whether its me or someone else, is going to probably have a lot of suspicion cast on them both from the IRS and everyone else if they suddenly rack up $100,000 in a newly created paypal account.

This sort of thing we're trying for isn't primarily a donation to a named charity per-se, and when you start mentioning how you're going to be sending it to an unsuspecting business who will then *probably* (hopefully) donate it.. peoples eyes start to squint a bit hard at your real intentions. The guy I spoke with on the phone, again, didn't sound like he believed me.

In either case, I will look into refining what we have so far and create a new thread which I can update to reflect bullet points of what I need done.

In the meantime, if someone here has free time and would like to scout generic fliers that reflect everyone's opinion (I saw a few good ones in the flier thread) and pm to me (they've got to be decently sized for printing.. standard paper size is fine) that would be great.

Not sure how I accidentally just posted nothing but a quote.  Maybe it's a sign I should go to bed.

These are good counter points.  I'm not sure how to get around the "quirky" aspect of the charity-but-not-exactly that's being sent to a company that is not a charity. On the face of it, it almost takes us back to doing it individually.  I know that what you were saying about "accounting" was more to do with getting a large order and being sure the merchant gets paid without sticking whoever's name is on the crowdfunding account, but, given some things that have been said in that other thread, it might be taken wrong by those who aren't able to donate at the moment.  We all seem to feel bad if something good comes up that we're not able to contribute to, or, worse, that things come up that we can't contribute to but wish we could (I'm looking at you, one-note people! ).

I would suggest someone in the Seattle area "volunteering" to be the recipient of the socks, then deliver them, but that's a lot to put on any one person, where a delivery person is just following instructions. (though you'd be surprised the places I've gotten into with nothing more than a clipboard and the appearance that I knew what I was doing) I think you've gotten enough people on board. All I was saying was that a lot of the hammering out was kinda spread out and just needed to be consolidated so the people who are being pointed this way from other threads have it all in the OP, so to speak.

(And, what prompted my other post, since you didn't ask was me telling someone to go sit in the corner until they were ready to play nice with others. I took my own advice.)

[dwturducken]

Or how about Snickers bars? "Not going anywhere for a while?"

Can this be spun, somehow, to imply we're not going anywhere for a while? Maybe empty Snickers wrappers?  That may be too esoteric...

[Sleepy Wonder]

I'm sure there will be a wholesaler somewhere out there who wouldn't mind the income, especially in today's economy. I do like your idea since it gives us a 100% guarantee that the boxes are being shipped as to our specifications.

But then, the person would need to live near the wholesaler to cut down shipping costs, as in this scenario, we pay the wholesaler to ship to an address in the US then that person pays again to ship to Korea. They would also need a lot of lawn space and possibly a rental truck to haul the goods to a fed ex/ups shipping center.

I'm kind of on the fence about the wholesaler I contacted for a few reasons.

[Segev]

Quick note on location: We're shipping these to the Korean HQ, not the Seattle one, right?

[Nafaustu]

First I want to say I like the idea of sending useful things, but I do have a concern. 

From what i've been able to gather, the purpose of this is to draw media attention.   Since the ballon over the border method of shipping is probably not a highly publicised thing, it may not garner the publicity we're looking for.   It would probably garner word of mouth, which is sometimes more valuable.   If they donated them directly to charity, that would probably get media attention.   I'd like to think they wouldn't pass them out as a bonus or set them on fire, but they do have a prechant for burning down useful things.

I would still support this, I just haven't seen anyone else mention these contextual things and it might be something to keep in mind.