Turn your neighborhood into a savings engine. No experience needed. Starting a Bloc is simple — and incredibly powerful. Whether you're a student group, family network, church community, neighborhood association, or cultural circle, your group already has the social fabric needed to save together.
What is a Bloc?
A Bloc is a community buying group that pools grocery demand to unlock wholesale pricing. By organizing your community to shop together, you can save 20-40% on groceries while maintaining access to the cultural foods you love.
Step 1: Gather Your Community
Start by identifying your community. This could be:
- Your neighborhood or apartment building
- A cultural or religious community
- A student group or campus organization
- A family network or friend group
- A workplace or professional association
Aim for at least 10-15 families to start, though larger Blocs (30-50 families) achieve better savings.
Step 2: Find a Coordinator
Every successful Bloc needs a coordinator who can:
- Organize orders and communicate with members
- Coordinate delivery and distribution
- Handle payments and cost splitting
- Maintain the group's schedule and momentum
This can be one person or a small team. Many Blocs rotate coordination duties to share the workload.
Step 3: Set Up Communication
Create a communication channel for your Bloc:
- WhatsApp group for quick updates
- Email list for formal communications
- Facebook group for community building
- Cartnicity platform for order management
Step 4: Establish Your Ordering Schedule
Decide how often your Bloc will order:
- Bi-weekly: Most popular, balances savings with flexibility
- Monthly: Good for smaller Blocs or those with storage space
- Weekly: Best for large Blocs wanting maximum savings
Consistency is key - regular orders build volume and increase your buying power.
Step 5: Create Order Guidelines
Set clear rules for:
- Order deadlines and submission process
- Payment methods and due dates
- Delivery location and pickup times
- How to handle substitutions or out-of-stock items
- Cost splitting for bulk items
Step 6: Register Your Bloc on Cartnicity
Sign up your Bloc on the Cartnicity platform to:
- Access wholesale pricing
- Track orders and savings
- Connect with suppliers
- Manage member accounts
Step 7: Place Your First Order
Start small with your first order:
- Collect orders from all members
- Submit the combined order through Cartnicity
- Confirm delivery date and location
- Distribute items to members
- Collect payments and split costs
Step 8: Build Momentum
After your first successful order:
- Celebrate your savings together
- Share success stories with your community
- Invite more members to join
- Refine your process based on what worked
- Plan your next order
Tips for Success
- Start small: Don't try to organize everything perfectly from day one
- Be flexible: Adjust your process as you learn what works
- Communicate clearly: Regular updates prevent confusion
- Build trust: Transparency about costs and processes builds confidence
- Have fun: Blocs are about community as much as savings
Ready to Start?
Starting a Bloc is easier than you think. Your community already has everything it needs - you just need to organize it. Join Cartnicity today and start saving together.