[TOY]

You know, it's fun just to read the thinking processes and planning that goes into something like this. I can foresee something like the following working and other than the virtual "catalog," a simple spreadsheet should do the trick.

Suppose you ran a catalog based on the seasons? Assume that each season has 3 months... Summer: June, July, August ; Fall: September, October, November ; Winter: December, January, February ; and Spring: March, April, May. I would suggest planning and setting up and the actual beginning of the virtual shopping starting in June.

If, between now and May 31, each person participating vitually donated 2 items classified as summer by sending a picture with description/size, etc. to the organizer then the shopping could commence by June 1. The organizers could then "draw names" or use a random computer selection to determine the shopping order. As the item is selected, post either the number, code, or nickname of the shopper with the item. I would limit the shopping to one item so that the last person in the lottery pick would still have a selection. (Since it is virtual, no one is having to store the leftover stuff at the end of a quarter.)

During that June-August time period, shoppers would also be sending 2 items for the fall selection. At the end of August, the items left would become the clearance rack and be pushed to the bottom of the catalog while the new season's selections become the items of choice on September 1 with a new list of shoppers unless the first rotation has not been completed. However, beginning with the second shopping tour, the shopper would have the option of choosing 1 of the new fall listings or 2 of the clearance (last quarter's) items.

In this theory, no one would ever be left with a small inventory to shop from and although in a year you would be contributing 8 items, you would be receiving 4 items chosen from a rather large selection. As the Yorkies outgrew items, they could be recycled through this system and yet no one has the physical problem of storing or shipping large amounts of items.

The contributor of the item would pay the shipping of the item(s) to the shopper. While it would eliminate the ability to "try" the item, there is still the option of putting it back in stock another time.

This would require the organizer to keep a record of those participating, the two items donated by that person, a lottery of shoppers, and a catalog of a virtual store. If arranged by seasons with the next season superceding the last, the items not chosen would still be in view albeit in the clearance (out-of-season) rack.

Assuming there would be more American shoppers than international, the seasons would follow American seasons in their classification. This would only be totally out-of-sync for one rotation for some of our international friends since they could shop from the out-of-season racks if they wish.

All of this is just my take on what suggestions you all have been giving. This would allow those who wished to donate toys, etc. their Yorkie did not like/use but would not mean that someone opposed to such would have to choose them. To also help the fairness of the selections, one could put more inexpensive items into a "lot" and make the entire lot one selection.

Just my two cents...