The 1st Annual Style Forum Sample Swap Box

OK boys, here is the official thread. The gist of this is you get the box, take out the things you're interested in, put in the things you no longer want, and ship it to the next guy. Let's hammer out the rules and get a running list of who's in. So far I've got:

Rambo - West Palm Beach, FL
Thomas - Spring, TX
Joel - Apple Valley, MN
Master Classer
Big Pun - Willmar, MN
Kunk - some NY hellhole
Quevola - Irvine, CA
MSCommereid - San Leandro, CA
Jinda - Herndon, VA
Chessus - Santa Clara, CA
Why - Cleveland, OH

Here is the updated shipping order:

Thomas - Quevola - MC - Big Pun - Joel - Master Classer - Why - Jinda - Rambo

If anyone wants to be added to the list please PM me and I'll find a way to work you in.

Rules:

Max 3 days hold time

What kind of sample?

Originally Posted by Jumbie

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What kind of sample?

I was trying to leave it open for skincare and etc but I should have known better. How about "The 1st Annual StyleForum Traveling Sample Box"?

Originally Posted by Rambo

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I was trying to leave it open for skincare and etc but I should have known better.

You're not helping...

Okay, I will stop messing up your thread now.

I'm in.

By the way, there is no such thing as a 'first annual'; it can't be annual until it occurs twice in two years.

Originally Posted by why

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I'm in. By the way, there is no such thing as a 'first annual'; it can't be annual until it occurs twice in two years.
True, but 1 is the loneliest number. Also, 1st StyleForum sample swap box sounds like ****.

I'd be interested in this. But I'd suggest expanding it beyond a "sample" box, to a "swap box" (sort of like your last post suggested). I participated in a similar critter on Badger and Blade, and it was pretty fun.

kunk is in

I'm in

Originally Posted by MCsommerreid

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I'd be interested in this. But I'd suggest expanding it beyond a "sample" box, to a "swap box" (sort of like your last post suggested). I participated in a similar critter on Badger and Blade, and it was pretty fun.
1st Annual Style Forum Swap Box? What does it imply we're swapping? I've already got Jumbie thinking I'm trying to send him a vial of my man juice. Can you describe the B&B experience? Anything you picked up from that experience we can implement here would be great.

http://www.superfuture.com/supertalk...d.php?t=144313 That's what Sufu did if you want to model it after that

I want in!!!!!

I didn't take part in the B&B shaving soap pass, but what I recall reading is that one member seeded a box with a number of soaps and then sent it to the next person on the list. The next person might keep the box for a few days, try a soap or two, take a few out for testing, and add a few different ones of similar value for the next person on the list. The list was settled in advance according to geography to minimize transit time and shipping charges.

IIRC, each shipment was to be tracked in case the box went astray. And, if you know you'll be out of town or unable to retrieve the box for a while, you ought to communicate that: probably most reasonable to bump someone else up into your slot and you take a later slot once you're available again. I think the soap pass was derailed for 5 weeks because a guy took a trip to the UK that was longer than expected and forgot to say anything.

Being that these are decants and samples, I'd expect people to sample a few and put them back, and pull a few that they like for further testing, dropping an equal number to replace what they took.

As for getting samples: Most retail counters have samples, but some tend to be rather stingy unless you're buying something. If you're in Neiman/Bergdorf/Nordstrom, and have just bought something, it never hurts to ask. Also: many firms will ship you samples just for asking: I've received samples from Ormonde Jayne and Frederic Malle. I mention this in case you want in but don't feel like you have much to contribute. But that said, any contributions to the box ought to be interesting, and you don't have to like it. Someone else might.

btw. Canadian members: may be a problem...iirc, customs tends to impound and destroy outright any perfume shipments.

How do you guys feel about a want list? I'd have to think that between the bunch of us, we ought to be able to fulfill a few requests.

Originally Posted by Thomas

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I didn't take part in the B&B shaving soap pass, but what I recall reading is that one member seeded a box with a number of soaps and then sent it to the next person on the list. The next person might keep the box for a few days, try a soap or two, take a few out for testing, and add a few different ones of similar value for the next person on the list. The list was settled in advance according to geography to minimize transit time and shipping charges. IIRC, each shipment was to be tracked in case the box went astray. And, if you know you'll be out of town or unable to retrieve the box for a while, you ought to communicate that: probably most reasonable to bump someone else up into your slot and you take a later slot once you're available again. I think the soap pass was derailed for 5 weeks because a guy took a trip to the UK that was longer than expected and forgot to say anything. Being that these are decants and samples, I'd expect people to sample a few and put them back, and pull a few that they like for further testing, dropping an equal number to replace what they took. As for getting samples: Most retail counters have samples, but some tend to be rather stingy unless you're buying something. If you're in Neiman/Bergdorf/Nordstrom, and have just bought something, it never hurts to ask. Also: many firms will ship you samples just for asking: I've received samples from Ormonde Jayne and Frederic Malle. I mention this in case you want in but don't feel like you have much to contribute. But that said, any contributions to the box ought to be interesting, and you don't have to like it. Someone else might. btw. Canadian members: may be a problem...iirc, customs tends to impound and destroy outright any perfume shipments. How do you guys feel about a want list? I'd have to think that between the bunch of us, we ought to be able to fulfill a few requests.
That's essentially what I was thinking. Maybe a week max or something along those lines for keeping the box. As for a want list, maybe we could get the person who has the box to list what is in his wardrobe and the next recipient could not anything he might be interested in.

Originally Posted by Rambo

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That's essentially what I was thinking. Maybe a week max or something along those lines for keeping the box.

As for a want list, maybe we could get the person who has the box to list what is in his wardrobe and the next recipient could not anything he might be interested in.

Actually, my thought was to cast the net a bit wider: there's so much out there between us all that I thought we might take a general list and try to fill those with decants. For instance: Knize Ten, Antaeus, Jicky, etc. If those turned up on the want list, I'd put a decant (10ml or so) in the box so multiple people could give it a try. I guess at that point you have your decants that more or less stay in the box and samples that can come out.

Not everyone will get to try everything they ever wanted, of course, but I'd like to try and scratch as many itches as I can.