FRC Blogged-FIRST Chocie-Liquidation

[Steven Donow]

http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...ce-liquidation

As you may know, AndyMark has been executing FIRST Choice on behalf of FIRST since its inception in 2011. Since then, very small volumes of excess inventory have accumulated. The nature and volume of the selected items are too small to put in Kickoff Kits, distribute via FIRST Choice in 2014, or ship in Spare Parts cases.

Instead of scrapping these materials, we're going to make them available to FRC teams, for free.

Please understand that there isn't enough dispensable inventory to supply everyone, but it's important that these items end up with teams if they want them.

AndyMark is going to make these items available under the following parameters:

Items are available in a limited time frame, specifically 8/19/13 (12pm noon ET) to 9/13/13.
Teams are responsible for shipping costs.
Items are available to 2013 FRC teams only (will be confirmed by asking for team number upon checkout)
There will be no hard limit on the quantity of items ordered, but please be reasonable with your order. If outliers are identified (e.g., someone is trying to scoop up a significant amount of inventory), the order will be placed on hold until FIRST has an opportunity to contact the team to better understand the situation.
Items going out of stock prior to your purchase will automatically be removed from your shopping cart.
Visit http://www.andymark.com/FIRSTliquidation to access the FIRST Choice Liquidation.

Thank you to the team at AndyMark for performing this service for us, as well as the FRC Suppliers for their generous donations!

If you have any questions, please send them to frcteams@usfirst.org.

I don't see why things such as the photosensors and terminals can't just be put into next year's FIRST choice, assuming extremely similar items will be there next year(considering they've been there nearly every year). But this is a welcome addition that enables you to get some stuff that you would otherwise have to eliminate from your FIRST Choice list due to limited points.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by DevenStonow

http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr...ce-liquidation



I don't see why things such as the photosensors and terminals can't just be put into next year's FIRST choice, assuming extremely similar items will be there next year(considering they've been there nearly every year). But this is a welcome addition that enables you to get some stuff that you would otherwise have to eliminate from your FIRST Choice list due to limited points.

Quantities too low? Discontinued parts?

[Michael Hill]

My, that Igus slewing ring looks purty.

[protoserge]

Originally Posted by Michael Hill

My, that Igus slewing ring looks purty.

Don't snatch the last one up! Also, I am pretty sure this was out of stock in FIRST Choice this year. Maybe they got an untimely delivery?

[AllenGregoryIV]

Are we really doing this again? Isn't this the same system that got people so upset last year. I know it's not the real FIRST Choice but it's still just who has the quickest mouse. Especially with no quantity limits per item at all and currently no way for anyone to know how many of any of the items they have in stock. At least not yet, they could post item quantities on the 19th.

If I'm ordering and I think 3 IR sensors is reasonable but then find out they only had 10 to give away maybe that is too many for one team.

Also how are these items going to be considered for next year's robot? Are they kit items (doesn't seem like it), are they previous years' kit items, or are they some other category? Seeing as some of these parts are discontinued and would then be no longer available to all teams, they wouldn't fit the 2013 definition of a COTS part.

I like this idea, just a little unsure on some of the details. I think as long as the people ordering actually use the items they get for their team and they just don't sit on a shelf, it's a great idea.

[Dad1279]

Too bad the stuff couldn't be auctioned off to teams, and the proceeds donated to charity.....

[DonRotolo]

Fastest mouse it is....

[MechEng83]

Originally Posted by DonRotolo

Fastest mouse it is....

This is what I heard when I read that.

[nicholsjj]

This looks worse than First Choice(did I really just type that? ). There are no credits, no order limits, and no team #id login or password. I don't think someone has to be Yoda to figure out what's going to happen on the 19 if nothing changes unfortunately.

[sanddrag]

Oh not again.....

Am I really going to have to stop teaching in the middle of my class (or get someone to cover) on Monday morning to make an AndyMark order? How do they choose these opening times? Mentors ARE AT WORK trying to earn a living in what little time we spend away from FRC.

It's like Black Friday at Best Buy. People are going to get virtually trampled on this one, again...

I know I don't have to make an order but when there's goods this good that are just being handed out, I have to make an order. You just can't pass on an opportunity like that. When it's free, who says "no thanks"? At least charge something for them maybe.

Also, so what happens when you try to press your luck, order gets sent to FIRST for review, and you end up with nothing? How much is too much? Can we pre-request quantities, or at least know the quantities?

Why don't they just eBay the darn stuff and roll it into their operating budget? Heck, I'd be content with them sweeping it into an office cake fund, just for us to not go through this again.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

Why don't they just eBay the darn stuff and roll it into their operating budget? Heck, I'd be content with them sweeping it into an office cake fund, just for us to not go through this again.

Or a scholarship, or a donation to charity.

[rees2001]

Anyone have any luck?

[MechEng83]

Originally Posted by rees2001

Anyone have any luck?

Every time I hit order, it gives me more notifications that stuff is no longer available or quantities had changed. Lost out on most everything of significant value...

Finally got the order to process 12 minutes after noon.

[JB987]

Started with 8 different items and every time I waited for shipping calculation items dropped out...so a shipping recalculation was required and guess what?...more items dropped out. Eventually not ONE item was available Last time I ever go through this frustrating process (odds are better here in Vegas!)

[magnets]

None of the stuff was really worth the shipping cost IMO, except for maybe the photoswitches.