The point is, the BX/SX is VERY affordable... I've never had a problem with viability, the point is, the risk isn't high. You would see that joining other clubs may cost you on the upwards of 50 bucks for a pack of seed and several hundred for a small bulb. This program is FANTASTIC and so is everyone that is involved! If you feel the quality isn't up to your expectations then don't order, to me, 2 bucks for a packet of seed is very worth the risk! Dennis has a good point as well! Josh Y. Anderson IN ________________________________ From: Dennis Kramb <dkramb@badbear.com> To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Monday, May 2, 2011 1:52 PM Subject: Re: [pbs] BX rate change > That said, here's another idea: When poor material gets donated, these > should be available at a lower rate (or not at all) (instead of my idea of a > credit system.) > > I'd say that's an unfair burden to ask Dell to sort through and judge the quality of the merchandise. PBS-BX donors all have varying levels of expertise with their geophytes. So I check the donors name before ordering. If it's someone I admire like Mary Sue or Jim Waddick, I can be confident that it's (a) properly labeled, (b) viable, and (c) healthy. Other donors provide high quality stuff too, but if it's a name that I don't recognize then I don't have the same level of confidence or expectation. Again, caveat emptor. Instead of changing PBS-BX's system, you could contact the donor in private (off-list) and ask about their experience/success/etc. with that particular item. Then use that feedback to judge the risk of ordering it.