Selling on the Forum - Poll

[smhardesty]

I say 'NO' to selling here! This is a forum for builders. As others have said, there are lots of model selling groups on Facebook and you can easily join in. 

You're assuming everybody does Facebook. I don't, and won't use it,,,,,EVER. I value my privacy and the security of my computers much more than learning who had what for supper. Facebook, in my opinion, is a social DISEASE, not social website. I, for one, will NEVER purchase a product off a Facebook page. If it ever comes to the point that is the only revenue for me to buy a product, ANY product, I'll do without.

Didn't really mean to go on that rant, but Facebook, Tweeter, and all the other social disease applications and websites are real sore spots for me. I see idiots posting photos from the dentist' office, the doctor's office, and even the emergency room and I think,,, SERIOUSLY?

 

As for selling on this forum, I don't see why not. If Gregg and you other long timers think that a fee of some sorts be charged I see that as a reasonable request to vendors. I also don't see any problem with charging anyone that wants to enter the "selling zone" a small fee for a password. I can choose whether or not I wish to pay the fee to see what's being offered for sale. Works for me.

Edited November 2, 2017 by smhardesty

[crazyjim]

Has Gregg been asked if HIS forum can be used for selling?

[afx]

I have no authority to make changes, merely asking the question and taking the pulse of the members.

[Johnt671]

I think it would be great just for parts. I'm slowly building a spare parts supply, but sometimes I need a part to replace a missing or lost part but I find it difficult to have the time to make a list of what I have to offer as trade.  I'd be happy to pay something for what I need plus postage for some ones part that I need. I'm not as sure about selling kits, but if something was rare enough it would be okay.

[gtx6970]

It can already be done behind the scenes.  via PM

Members are already able to  make posts about an ebay seller   , a member and/or vendor they've been burned by no matter if  it was a trade or purchase . Irregardless if it was done here or elsewhere .

Vendors and / or private parties are allowed to make posts / announcements of  a product they make sell

There are members here with links in there  signature taking them to a site to purchase .

 

So what the  the difference of publicly stating  ______   is for sale . And put a price on it.

[Ace-Garageguy]

It can already be done behind the scenes.  via PM

Members are already able to  make posts about an ebay seller   , a member and/or vendor they've been burned by no matter if  it was a trade or purchase . Irregardless if it was done here or elsewhere .

Vendors and / or private parties are allowed to make posts / announcements of  a product they make sell

There are members here with links in there  signature taking them to a site to purchase .

 

So what the  the difference of publicly stating  ______   is for sale . And put a price on it.

This man has some very valid points.

[bobthehobbyguy]

Has Gregg been asked if HIS forum can be used for selling?

This is the most relevent point this is Greg's site. We can discuss this all we want but it is Greg's decision.

[highway]

I say 'NO' to selling here! This is a forum for builders. As others have said, there are lots of model selling groups on Facebook and you can easily join in. 

I agree, and most of the selling and auction groups I belong to there also have a "Good and Bad Traders and Sellers" list as well, and ones that can't be trusted are barred from the groups. 

You're assuming everybody does Facebook. I don't, and won't use it,,,,,EVER. I value my privacy and the security of my computers much more than learning who had what for supper. Facebook, in my opinion, is a social DISEASE, not social website. I, for one, will NEVER purchase a product off a Facebook page. If it ever comes to the point that is the only revenue for me to buy a product, ANY product, I'll do without.

Didn't really mean to go on that rant, but Facebook, Tweeter, and all the other social disease applications and websites are real sore spots for me. I see idiots posting photos from the dentist' office, the doctor's office, and even the emergency room and I think,,, SERIOUSLY?

 

As for selling on this forum, I don't see why not. If Gregg and you other long timers think that a fee of some sorts be charged I see that as a reasonable request to vendors. I also don't see any problem with charging anyone that wants to enter the "selling zone" a small fee for a password. I can choose whether or not I wish to pay the fee to see what's being offered for sale. Works for me.

That's your opinion, but if you don't use those, how do you know so much about what people post on there????

As for buying on pages I belong to on Facebook anyway, they are all closely monitored by the admins that run them and I know one of the main admins to the live auction group I buy the most off of personally. If someone does slip through the cracks and rips off a member of the group, they are promptly shown the door from every group the admin runs and put on the bad traders list. 

Also, as for selling on here, there would be no real way to police the sales just as there isn't for trading, and I've seen too many horror stories of members being taken just in trades, and just saying PayPal could be a solution isn't a solution because not everyone uses or has PayPal. 

[dodgefever]

Forum logic: "I don't want to engage in buying or selling on here, therefore nobody else should be allowed to do so".

Of course it's up to the forum owners/admin, but given trading is allowed already, and aftermarket suppliers are self-promoting willy nilly in forum threads, a formal buy/sell/trade subforum would be helpful.  All the naysayers would be free to ignore it, so should one be created, its existence needn't trouble them.

[Tom Geiger]

I hafta agree with Bob as many so call modelers are focused on buying  and selling kits. If we were to have sales allowed on this forum it will cause problems down the road as I can see it now.

I agree too.  This forum is about builders and serious building.  As Bob said there is a faction of profiteers in this hobby and we don't need that on this board.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I've always wondered...if the site has to use ads to help support it financially (which I block), why aren't they specifically targeted to modelers (which I wouldn't block)? I understand it's harder to develop a targeted advertising market setup on a website, but I wouldn't mind seeing new-release info and product listings HERE directly from the manufacturers (instead of through the back-channels that disseminate the same info anyway).

[martinfan5]

There are countless places on the web to buy/sell models. Why clutter up this site? I'm an admin on my club's Facebook page and we do not allow buy/sell/trades; too much drama, too much babysitting, too much clutter would be the result if we allowed it...and there are countless buy/sell/trade pages littering Facebook already. Our hobby sadly seems to be way too focused on buying/collecting/selling/trading vs. actually building.

I am using this as my reply as well, I am sure Bob wont mind

[iBorg]

I would like to keep the site as is. Seems we have ample opportunity to trade and while that is a leap of faith, even those of us that have been burned still seem to enjoy it. If we allow selling we'll have members that join just to sell. Selling does occur on this site through PMs. Keeping it private seems to be a good solution.

 

[vamach1]

I voted yes but the site as it is could not handle transactions like Ebay can (bids, buy it now, etc).  I think for those folks that have good "feedback" meaning the are regular posters (and not trawlers) and are not in an area that has a local club would probably like to buy other members excess kits.  One main reason I'd like to sell here is to not have to pay the Paypal and Ebay fees and I'd know the model would be going to a builder and not speculator.   Until then I'll see or donate kits at the local monthly MAMA meetings.

[XJ6]

Don't sound like a good idea to me.

 

[smhardesty]

Forum logic: "I don't want to engage in buying or selling on here, therefore nobody else should be allowed to do so".

Of course it's up to the forum owners/admin, but given trading is allowed already, and aftermarket suppliers are self-promoting willy nilly in forum threads, a formal buy/sell/trade subforum would be helpful.  All the naysayers would be free to ignore it, so should one be created, its existence needn't trouble them.

x2. Not sure I could have said that any better.

[smhardesty]

That's your opinion, but if you don't use those, how do you know so much about what people post on there????

Also, as for selling on here, there would be no real way to police the sales just as there isn't for trading, and I've seen too many horror stories of members being taken just in trades, and just saying PayPal could be a solution isn't a solution because not everyone uses or has PayPal. 

To answer your question as to how I know what's on Facebook, I have friends and family that have a smart phone surgically attached to the end of one arm and Facebook is usually running live on it. They just love to share all that totally useless BS with me when we're together. 

As to having someone, or some means, to police all the sales transactions, I'd just as soon not have anybody looking over my shoulder. I'm a big boy now and wear my big boy pants pretty much every day. Have I been burnt on eBay? Yep, just happened a couple weeks ago. Did I lose any sleep over it? Nope, not one wink lost. Just because a vendor, or another fellow builder, lists items for sale on any particular website doesn't mean I would attempt to hold the website responsible. If I do get ripped off I have the option and capability off posting that info on the forum to let fellow builders know about it. It's no one elses place to be a "big brother" to me, not here, not elsewhere on the 'Net, and not out in the real world. That's part of our problem today. Too many people want somebody else to be responsible if they are offended, harmed, or wronged in some way. Geeezz, it's just a listing of people and places with products for sale. It's not murder for hire.

Sorry. I got long winded again.

Edited November 3, 2017 by smhardesty

[afx]

Look at my posts on the forum and there is no doubt I'm a builder not a kit collector looking to make a profit.  However we all have kits in our collection for whatever reason we would like to pass on.  Would rather to sell to a forum member than some faceless person on ebay.

As for trades I've completed many successfully here on the forum but sometimes get the responses; I am interested in such and such kit but don’t have anything you’re looking for. If you could include an asking price along with your trade requests more people would be able to participate. 

And no I am not suggesting we turn the forum into an auction site and have us bidding against each other.  If you have something to sell you post it along with the asking price, if someone wants to make the purchase they contact you through PM just like trades.

As for profiteering how can that happen when the seller determines the price? 

[Greg Wann]

While I have not read all the posts in this topic, Here is a idea.  All the fees that Fleebay and Paypal suck out of my profits, I would far rather be able to use those funds to support this forum and Gregg and the magazine that Gregg struggles to create and get to us.  Would it not be like paying for a magazine ad?  Certainly if we care enough about the hobby in general, this forum and the magazine, would it not be worth the effort?  I believe it would be.  There are members here showing items available or soon to be available and people make comments like, "When that is ready I'll take two" OR "I would buy one if you made that"  With that said, we are pretty much already selling here.  Why even bother voting no?  I voted yes.

Thank You,

Greg

Edited November 3, 2017 by Greg Wann

[Gregg]

I have locked this thread, for now

Yes, eModelCars was a nice try, never did pan out

Wasn't really a waste of money, more like time and resources

I know there is a classified plug for this software, maybe once we get the site/software/server updated, can look into that, and make it a pay side

But for now, it's a no.

If you want to send me your kits, that would be great

Or better yet, send money!!!!

:-)

Getting there, but for now, every day now is bookkeeping/accounting/filing/updating/cross-checking/mailing/data/and of course, farting....