The problem with this and what makes it different from a presale is that in a Presale, I buy it and it's mine. I may not get it until the spring, but it is a done deal. I also have to pay for it or at least a part of it up front which pretty much assures that the people in it stay in it. What is different here is that people can put an order in the store but since there is no commitment, they may later lose interest or simply get tired of waiting and move on to something else, especially if there is a long wait. Even in the coops, there is just about always at least one member that for some reason leaves the coop and there we are only talking about a few weeks.
The coops really are the best method but I believe that some changes are in order to make them more successful for everyone. The primary change would be to create and post a tentative coop schedule. With the increased number and added complexity of the devices in the Lynks system, people need to plan and research what they want to do and what equipment they need for their displays. Many also need to set up a budget and put money aside for these items. If you don't know what is coming or when, this is damn near impossible to do which tends to make people look elsewhere or just give up. A schedule would make things MUCH easier for everyone. Of course, people must understand that the schedule is not set in stone and is not a guarantee that any coop that does run will be successful.
Another thing that the coop managers need to understand is that with many of the items, the price is NOT the major point. Since RJ keeps the schematics and PCB layouts private, the only way to get any of these boards is through a coop or if someone has an extra to sell. This moves the price point on many items to a distant second. Sure, if the numbers on an LE coop drive the price up over $100, then people could always go for the commercial version with a warrantee for a few dollars more but if the numbers are low on a ETD coop, where are you going to get that, especially when it is getting close to one of the decorating seasons. Last year an ETD coop was canceled with the count up to 25. While it may be possible to find a few of them in the sale/trade area, some people wound up SOL that year. While price is important, it is not always the deciding factor and if a coop falls short, perhaps the existing members should be given the price at the current number unless it is too low to get the boards made and to make the decision if they are willing to pay that price. You may also want to include a board only option on all coops to increase numbers and if any of the boards have chips installed, then they will on the board only option as well.