Buyer/Seller forum feedback please

[mojoreef]

Hello to all you happy buyers and sellers!!

We are trying to make some improvements/enhancements to several areas in and on the board. One of these areas is going to be the two "For Sale Forums". Now I know this has always been a fun streamline forum but I think we can make it even better.

Currently from a mods point of view its alot of work and the complaints and similar are more than it is worth and has made us implement all sorts of rules and regulations. On the other side of the story for most members that use this forum the rules and guidelines are a PITA. SOOooooo I want to see if an idea I have sounds good to you or not.

If we were to get an standalone software (still under the RF site, just not as a forum) that is specifically designed for buyers and sellers, that allows for multiple pictures, comments, feedback and so on (pretty slick actually) and we were to loosen the rules/guides (as in the post limits, membership duration, We would still have to moderate for nasty stuff). Would it be worth it to you to pay a small fee per transaction (like you sell something you donate a couple bucks to offset the cost of it?) or perhaps to pay a small fee per month to use it ($10.00 or similar) and make it kind of a exclusive type of thing??

Anyway just throwing it against the wall to see if it is something you folks might like?? or are interested in?? Let me know.


Mojo

 

[Jesse_emel]

It would be cool if you offered this to people who choose to take part in some sort or premium membership and save part of the membership fee for the monitoring and maintenance of the new for sale section. That way you don't have to have any minimum posts/days on the board. Anyone who pays for a premium membership is automatically in.

 

[DonW]

And we should do something about double posting in multipal areas. Copy of my post in the sellers forum.

Mike,

Personally I find the restriction complaints unfounded. RF has always been free and as the population grows new rules have to be made, this is just plain common sense.

I do like the idea of a separate classifieds section if it (the software) ran like a classified paper sort of thing. I do believe it should be free to the general RF member. I think it should be a program or script that will keep the classifieds organized by type of equipment or livestock.

That being said I think there should be a way for RF to benefit. Meaning commercial advertising or selling. Even sponsors would have to pay for additional commercial posting if they choose to use it as a selling media. I for one would pay to sell my wares. What the fee should be I dont really know but it does needs to be affordable maybe a few bucks per listing.

If this could be kept as a classified type thing all the questions and inquiries would then need to go through email of RF PM. This would make it less of a forum and just a classifieds feature. No real moderation will be needed other than getting those that are posting commercial items to pay up or deleting off topic ads.

Don

 

[Faciosity]

I have definately used the for sale forums my fair share of times, but most of the time I'm lucky if I make $10 in a week, or mostly end up trading everything. I know certain people out there with an amazing reputation, and incredible camera and photography skills can make a quick killing off some extra frags, but that's probably not gonna be the case with newer members or those with a low budget. So basically I'm saying it would be tough for most of us to part with a couple dollars when the $10 we are making is something we really need. I would vote for a lower yearly cost rather than each transaction or monthly. Would sound even better to me if it were just included in premium membership.

 

[Faciosity]

And who out there hasn't tried to sell something, and ended up trading it? Can't really pay a fee in that situation.

 

[Krish]

I have definately used the for sale forums my fair share of times, but most of the time I'm lucky if I make $10 in a week, or mostly end up trading everything. I know certain people out there with an amazing reputation, and incredible camera and photography skills can make a quick killing off some extra frags, but that's probably not gonna be the case with newer members or those with a low budget. So basically I'm saying it would be tough for most of us to part with a couple dollars when the $10 we are making is something we really need. I would vote for a lower yearly cost rather than each transaction or monthly. Would sound even better to me if it were just included in premium membership.

So are you saying a premium membership deal would be a more attractive offer to you as a member who doesn't make a whole lot in the for sale sections because you would then be getting a bit more for your money than just access to the classified's section, but other incentives too (ie bigger pm box, RF email address, classified forum access etc for one set fee)? Just trying to get the ideas out here clearly so we can understand everyones point of view

 

[mojoreef]

Hiya Donny!!

The software I am looking at is just like a classified and can be seperated into various catagories. Also we can make the deals done by PM. Thier is a seller feedback and that would need some moderation.
I would invite current sponcers to join in if that was their desire, but thier banners will be running on all pages their also.

As per fee's RF is not really looking for an avenue to make some money, all we are talking about is to cover the costs of the thing (software cost/licences/server addition).

So the question is, we can get this software to help you sell your wears easier but we will need a little help covering the costs. If its worth it to ya then its a yea if not then we wont bother.

Mike

 

[Faciosity]

So are you saying a premium membership deal would be a more attractive offer to you as a member who doesn't make a whole lot in the for sale sections because you would then be getting a bit more for your money than just access to the classified's section, but other incentives too (ie bigger pm box, RF email address, classified forum access etc for one set fee)? Just trying to get the ideas out here clearly so we can understand everyones point of view

That is exactly what I'm saying. And also to contribute to an awesome community at the same time!
It's like getting extra bonuses for contributing and being a member, rather than a paid service which seems so much more unfriendly to me!:lol:

 

[Krish]

That is exactly what I'm saying. And also to contribute to an awesome community at the same time!
It's like getting extra bonuses for contributing and being a member, rather than a paid service which seems so much more unfriendly to me!:lol:

Makes total sense. Thanks for clarifying!

 

[DonW]

Hiya Donny!!

So the question is, we can get this software to help you sell your wears easier but we will need a little help covering the costs. If its worth it to ya then its a yea if not then we wont bother.

Mike

You bet. I for one have a storage facility full of what would be considered commercial posting merchandise. But when its gone its gone so it wouldn't really make sense to become a sponsor. In a few more months I'll have more and will need to get rid of it. In my case I'd pay listing fees just like I would the News Tribune but with the benefit of sole market based viewers.

That being said it would benefit even sponsors. Driving folks to their web sites and giving the options of selling excess or sale inventory without having to disrupt their own websites.

I know you guys dont care about profit so I trust the fact that the proceeds would benefit everyone.

Don

 

[Faciosity]

I am greatful for the things I've learned and the people I've met. I would pay for a premium membership to help keep the community alive even if the for sale forum was done away with all together. But improving it as an added feature would be sweeeet!

 

[jrgilles]

I actually like the post/time limits in place.

I like that non contributing members can't utilize this. Its not craigslist. If it gets too easy for people who don't contribute to use this, it will lose some of its appeal I think. People will be using it trying to make cash and not contribute. As it is now, it seems not so much a tool for making money, but a way for equipment to change hands and move around as people upgrade, change their setups, etc. It currently has more of a community feel than a capitalist feel to it, at least ot me anyway.

Most of what I have posted there has been stuff I've wanted to give away free, or at a very low cost (10-20% of store retail). How do you deal with free stuff in a pay to post system? What about people who are just wanting to trade frags? Also in pay to post, you are going to see the $5 and $10 frags start going up.

Anyway, a slick viewer does sound kind of awesome, but I'd hate to see posts with free stuff or WTT posts go away. I like the atmosphere of a swap meet a lot more than something streamlined for people to reap profits.

Maybe you could get around that with a percentage cost kind of payment? Such as:

$10 and under, no charge
$10-$100: 1$ charge
100-200:3$ charge

or something like that?

So in short, I think a nice engine could be very awesome, depending on the cost. BUT, it would be great if it could be put in place without turing the buy/sell forums into some sort of craigslist. AND, I think it should be a privilage available to participating members (such as 50 posts/1-3 months) and not available to someone who just signs up to sell stuff. That policy occasionally pisses people off, but I think it is a wonderful policy and there are a lot more silently happy people because of it. If they see someone looking for a specific thing that they have and they can't hit the sale forums, they can always PM them...

 

[Faciosity]

I also agree that any benefits should remain for participating members. If it were up to me I would make it more strict, like at least 10 posts per month. Anybody can get to 50 and then just sit back buying and selling.

That could cause further issues if a valuable member wasn't available for a month, but in that case could PM a moderator uppon return to reinstate privilages.

Just my point of view on how important being an active member is to the community.

 

[returnofsid]

So, it's sounding like there might be some issues, with a specific fee per post, when it comes to trading and free items. I've heard a few mention the option of making this a Premium Member benefit, which would be one of the many benefits to be instituted, if and when Premium Memberships are offered again.

What are thoughts on that? This would replace our current Classified Forums, not be In Addition to.

Maybe even something like a "Try before you buy" option, where this new software could be introduced, for a specific amount of time, available to all members who've met minimum criteria. After that specific amount of time, this new option would be available to Premium Members only.

Just an option, based on what some members have commented.

Please keep the ideas and suggestions coming!

 

[Faciosity]

"Try before you buy" would be a great way to start any new significant change in that direction I think. Covering the issues of trading and giving things away for free will be hard to negotiate, unless it is simply a benefit to paid premium membership. Anybody willing to support the community with a yearly membership should be able to at least trade or give/recieve freebies with no additional charge.

 

[DonW]

So, it's sounding like there might be some issues, with a specific fee per post, when it comes to trading and free items. I've heard a few mention the option of making this a Premium Member benefit, which would be one of the many benefits to be instituted, if and when Premium Memberships are offered again.

What are thoughts on that? This would replace our current Classified Forums, not be In Addition to.

Maybe even something like a "Try before you buy" option, where this new software could be introduced, for a specific amount of time, available to all members who've met minimum criteria. After that specific amount of time, this new option would be available to Premium Members only.

Just an option, based on what some members have commented.

Please keep the ideas and suggestions coming!

I'm not to fond of the premium member thing but only because the past program didnt have any real benefit. Things like more photo space really are not a big deal. I think Ive uploaded more photos than most and have been a member longer than most, recently just ran out of space.

Charging the general RF public isn't really something I'd even consider. The rules as they stand are pretty good and the few that have complained well they need to keep a more open mind.

This forum has been here for quite some time and has never cost anyone a dime. This is a big plus for many and shows me for one that its owners are not in it for the almighty dollar. On the other hand they should not be paying out of their own pockets to provide us with a place to hang out. The fees to be a sponsor are absurdly low for advertising of this nature, so I cant honestly believe that all the cost involved are covered by sponsors. A free classifieds for general members with a paid section for commercial would benefit everyone involved. But the posting rules need to remain, we do need rules or it WILL be abused.

Don

 

[Faciosity]

I also just realized that it may prevent those honorable moments where people give good stuff to newbies for free. I've been on both the recieving, and the giving end of these deals, and would hate to see them go away. That's the biggest way people "pay it forward".

 

[rainydave]

I didn't join RF to buy and sell. I joined it as a way to seek advice/experience on how to keep a reef tank.

Have I bought/sold/traded/given things away/picked up free items using the RF classified? Yes.
Will I do more of that in the future? Yes.
Would I pay to be able to access the classified sections? Doubtful.

Personally, I think the current system is fine. I like the rules keeping for accessing those sections. It keeps the "join just to sell" people out.

 

[iroll253]

I would just keep it the way it is also, and would change it to 90 days. I like the layout here, its comfortable like any good forum.

 

[Faciosity]

I didn't join RF to buy and sell. I joined it as a way to seek advice/experience on how to keep a reef tank.

Have I bought/sold/traded/given things away/picked up free items using the RF classified? Yes.
Will I do more of that in the future? Yes.
Would I pay to be able to access the classified sections? Doubtful.

Personally, I think the current system is fine. I like the rules keeping for accessing those sections. It keeps the "join just to sell" people out.

Very well put.