In short
- A spreadsheet and a chat don't know who ordered what: the organizer has to remember it.
- In the software, buyers place orders themselves, and collection totals are calculated at closing.
- The catalog is moved over from a spreadsheet in one go.
- It's easiest to start with one collection, alongside your old method.
- The software doesn't take payments or send orders to the supplier: that stays with you.
Where do spreadsheets and chat lists stop coping?
| Task | Spreadsheet and chat | Software |
|---|---|---|
| Take an order | The buyer writes, you copy it over | The buyer orders on their own |
| Change an order | A chat message, a manual edit | The buyer changes it before the collection closes |
| Add up a collection | Formulas, cross-checking, an evening | Totals for each item at closing |
| Tell buyers their order has arrived | A list in the chat, private messages | A notification to each buyer |
| Hand out an order | A mark in the spreadsheet | Pickup with a mark and a waybill |
| Track prepayments and debts | A separate spreadsheet | The buyer's wallet |
The main difference is who is responsible for accuracy. With a spreadsheet, it's the organizer, who copies over every message. In the software, it's the buyer, who sees their own order.
Why do buyers overwrite each other in a shared spreadsheet?
Shared edit access means anyone can change any row. An accidental deletion, a paste into the wrong column, a sort that shuffles the orders, and the only way to work out who ordered what is the edit history.
In the software, each buyer sees and changes only their own orders. The organizer sees them all and can correct a quantity or price, and the buyer gets a notification about it.
How do you add up orders without formulas?
Products with a shared end date and time make up a collection. When a collection closes, the software:
- hides the products;
- moves orders to "Purchasing";
- notifies buyers;
- shows totals for each item: how much was ordered and what share of the supplier's box that is.
The totals show which boxes have filled up and which haven't.
How do you switch without pausing your purchases?
- Move your catalog. If your products are already in a spreadsheet, upload them in a single file.
- Add photos. Products with photos get ordered more readily.
- Set up your shop. Contact channels, pickup points, access mode.
- Invite buyers. Ready-made posts and images for your group.
- Run your first collection in the software. Keep running the rest the old way for now.
- After a week or two, move everything over. A plan for the first week.
Won't buyers refuse to install an app?
The app isn't downloaded from an app store. It opens from a link in the browser, and takes a couple of taps to add to the phone's home screen as an icon.
Buyers who can't figure it out on their own usually do at pickup. While a buyer is waiting for their order, help them add the app to the home screen and turn on notifications.
What the software doesn't do
- It doesn't take payments. The wallet and the "Paid" marks are for record-keeping; buyers pay you the same way as before.
- It doesn't send the order to the supplier. The software does the counting; deciding what to buy is up to the organizer.
- It doesn't replace your group. News, discussions and announcements stay in your group, and the software gives you ready-made lists for them.
Questions and answers
How long does the switch take?
The catalog moves over in an evening. Buyers switch over two or three weeks, as they come in for pickup.
Can you try it for free?
Yes, for 7 days.
Do you need a computer?
No, the main actions are available on a phone. For large catalog edits, a computer is more convenient.