Classifieds Overhaul

[Dave Turner]

There have been at least two other situations of IAP members prepaying for items to be delivered at a date sometime in the future and the person running the buy disappeared, for who knows what reason, without delivering the goods. Then people got upset and demanded IAP do something about this despite it being in the TOS that IAP has no control over transactions between individuals.

It's great that you want to protect the membership (and moderators) from situations such as these. But in doing so, you are disadvantaging the hundreds? of members who take advantage of the unique opportunities and price breaks these offers provide.

As an alternative approach, could you not require specific wording prominently displayed in any such offer alerting the prospective buyer of the risks involved - similar to the warning on cigarette packs. Let the informed consumer weight the risks and benefits. Any complaints that arise from such an offer gone sour should simply be answered with a polite referral to the TOS. Of course any offending vendor would be expelled from membership. Thanks for listening.

Dave

 

[maxwell_smart007]

I just don't see the big controversy here. There is absolutely nothing to prevent one of two things happening:

1. group buys
2. pre-sales on websites.

Pre-sales of goods that are not in stock, ordered, or in the case of Chinese kits - not yet made - have an inherent risk. When one is risking one's own money, you can charge a premium for taking the risk.

When you're risking others' money, then that's a different fish altogether. That being said, if the membership wants to continue to risk purchasing items not yet made or delivered, with no insurance, then that's fine - but why not move the perceived liability to anothers' website?

Pre-sales are advertised on others' websites all the time. All that one would have to do is say 'Check out my website for a pre-sale of A', and there you go...

There is no "Smitty Rule"...there is a rule to encourage risky transactions to occur off of the IAP's domain. Like it or not, if the transaction occurs at the IAP and the organizer drops dead, or the factory steals the money, or far more likely - the package gets lost in the mail, people are going to complain to the IAP for restitution (which won't occur - the IAP does not 'insure' or condone any transactions) - which is a situation that doesn't need to happen.

Trustworthy individuals have reneged in the past - many of you haven't been here long enough to remember, but long-standing members have vanished with large sums of member's money overnight...nice people, just ran into money troubles or major life events and couldn't deliver.

Very few individuals have an extra ten grand or so in liquid cash lying around to pay for a lost shipment.

 

[maxwell_smart007]

Any complaints that arise from such an offer gone sour should simply be answered with a polite referral to the TOS. Of course any offending vendor would be expelled from membership. Thanks for listening.

Dave

Dave, before becoming a moderator, I had no idea about the complaints, screaming, and shouting that occurs when a simple post is moved from the improper forum to the correct one - there's a boiling pot below the calm surface sometimes!

With this in mind, I'm imagining how well a 'polite referral to the TOS' would go if a person lost a few hundred dollars on a transaction that occurred on the IAP.

 

[Dave Turner]

So what I'm hearing is that the avoidance of pre-sales within the forums is primarily to prevent the moderators from having to deal with the fallout should anything go wrong. This seems logical. The moderators are providing a valuable service for free. It makes sense to keep them happy.

I know I'm not moderator material. I'd just refer them to the TOS. If they persisted in harassing me, they'd be banned from the system. In all fairness, I'd give them one warning before banning them for violating the TOS.

Dave

 

[Gin N' Tonic]

Jeff,

Thank you.

You just said what I was hoping that Curtis would say. Unfortunately what was said did not appear to be what he intended to convey. As I said, Curtis is a friend and since he is "one of the faces of the forum" I hold him to a higher standard. I would never want him to say or do anything unintentionally that would hurt his reputation of the reputation of the forum. I believed that I saw an inaccurate statement and set out to clarify it. As I see it the issue has now been adequately explained and any inaccuracies have been corrected.

As we both know, I've been involved off and on in the forum as a moderator and as the Library manager and I know only too well what a thankless job it is. (one of many reasons why I don't want to get involved)

As to me, I'm feeling a little better and hope to visit more frequently.

Hi Scott,

I think what Curtis intended to convey (and he's correct) is that the mods and managers do not have any financial interest or see any financial gain from IAP any more than any other member.

Yes, Curtis gets traffic from his sig. So can any other member.

Nice to see you visiting. Hope all is well with you!

You're kidding right?

As I read your post I see that you have a signature line that links to your web site. Again, In my opinion the fact that you have a link in your signature line I feel that you are advertising with each and every post. I guess that since all of the financial transactions took place off site you try to make me believe your statement but I would counter by saying that if you did not have a link in your signature line I suspect you would have a LOT LESS traffic on your site and less traffic usually translated to less sales, therefore you would see less financial gain.

Sorry Curtis, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

I'm not saying that you should not link to your site in the signature line because any member has that right and it would be ridiculous to deny mods or managers the same rights as all other members but as "head moderator" I cannot put you on my ignore list and therefore I cannot "turn you off". I realize that I have the ability to turn off all signatures buy why should I have to? Given these facts, In my opinion, you cannot make me believe that you do not get any perks or benefit financially in any way especially since you just posted, and I quote

" I won't pretend that I don't need IAP, that is not the case. I get a lot of traffic from IAP on my website even though I don't advertise here very often. "

Therefore, We'll just have to agree to disagree and chalk it up to looking at it from different points of view.

And I still disagree with you! Let me clarify. The MODS and MANAGERS have no financial benefit from IAP due to their positions within IAP. Some Mods and Managers, as members, sell stuff on IAP. I think I have ran one ad in the last year and it did not even have prices in it. It was to introduce a new product and direct folks to my website where all the financial transaction took place. I won't pretend that I don't need IAP, that is not the case. I get a lot of traffic from IAP on my website even though I don't advertise here very often.

However, as the head moderator here, I do not benefit in any way financially from IAP. I don't get paid, I don't get perks, I don't get special Christmas Cards from the boss, (actually I don't even get any Christmas Cards form the boss!), I don't get free tickets to any of the raffles or drawings, I will not even get discounts on the advertising once the new rules go into effect. I will have to pay full price just like anyone else.

I'm not trying to nitpic - this just struck my sometimes odd sense of humor, and I thought it good to point something out.

As soon as Rick buys a thread, Jeff could not make this comment without violating his own rules, becasue they have a business relationship - services were provided for a fee. Comlimenting any vendor helps that vendor success, which drives more classified thread sales.

I just thought everyone should be aware that the entire IAP team has sacraficed their ability to comment on vendor products in order to make rules they believe will make a better IAP.

Not only do the give a lot, they give up a lot - Kudos to the team!

Except that Jeff is the boss and can do whatever the heck he wants and the mods and managers do not have any financial interest or see any financial gain from IAP. Actually, as mods, all we really get are flames and griping for simple things such as moving a thread from one forum to another!

Curtis,

You are my friend, and I consider you to be a good friend but I must respectfully disagree with you here.

In my opinion, most of the mods or managers DO have financial interest in the IAP because they are also vendors who make a considerable amount of money from selling to the members of this site.

 

[robutacion]

Well, I've been here reading this since post #1 non stop, for hours on end, its now 2:00am, and I reached post #285 at the point of this reply.

What I can say at the moment is that, I have not yet read Jeff's new thread with all the recent rules and, after reading all this, I nearly know all the new rules by heart...!

I'm absolutely exhausted at the moment (from reading all this...!) to make a direct observation of the new rules impact on my few sales but, I can say that, I have paid my way on every sales I made through IAP, I've made it very clear on all my adds.

Is it going to cost me less...??? it seems so, I was happy to pay my % on every sale, as my advertising policy, and while I knew that those like me, paying a % on sales wouldn't have any special treatment when the expected new rules would hit, the recent changes did not surprised or shocked me in any way shape or form.

I will see, how well I do, with the implementation of the new classified rules...???

PS: I have only one word (sort of...!) for you Jeff, "you damn if you do, you damn if you not...!"

Cheers
George

 

[Gin N' Tonic]

Let me make one brief comment about the financial questions. Nobody "makes anything". Money received is either expended on legitimate needs to run the site and support the IAP, or it's in the bank. As the donation page says, "We're an all-volunteer operation. Nobody gets any salary or payment of any kind for their labor in connection with developing or supporting the site. Donated funds are used primarily to pay hosting and bandwidth costs, purchase site-support software and hardware, and obtain professional services."

I think this post bears repeating..........

If all of our volunteers were paid minimum wage for the time they have and had put into this forum I would suspect that membership would cost more than $100.00 per year.

 

[Smitty37]

Not true

I just don't see the big controversy here. There is absolutely nothing to prevent one of two things happening:

1. group buys
2. pre-sales on websites.

Pre-sales of goods that are not in stock, ordered, or in the case of Chinese kits - not yet made - have an inherent risk. When one is risking one's own money, you can charge a premium for taking the risk.

When you're risking others' money, then that's a different fish altogether. That being said, if the membership wants to continue to risk purchasing items not yet made or delivered, with no insurance, then that's fine - but why not move the perceived liability to anothers' website?

Pre-sales are advertised on others' websites all the time. All that one would have to do is say 'Check out my website for a pre-sale of A', and there you go...

There is no "Smitty Rule"...there is a rule to encourage risky transactions to occur off of the IAP's domain. Like it or not, if the transaction occurs at the IAP and the organizer drops dead, or the factory steals the money, or far more likely - the package gets lost in the mail, people are going to complain to the IAP for restitution (which won't occur - the IAP does not 'insure' or condone any transactions) - which is a situation that doesn't need to happen.

Trustworthy individuals have reneged in the past - many of you haven't been here long enough to remember, but long-standing members have vanished with large sums of member's money overnight...nice people, just ran into money troubles or major life events and couldn't deliver.

Very few individuals have an extra ten grand or so in liquid cash lying around to pay for a lost shipment.

Group buys are not a possibility for purchasing Dayacom products directly from them under the rules Andrew and only to a limited degree for Rizheng (Rizheng does have some items in stock - Dayacom does not seem to).

 

[Texatdurango]

............That being said - I am still not asking for any change in the new rule. After discussion the administration decided that they do not want me doing what I've been doing. I can't say I especially like a rule being made that only affects mebut then I can't say I'd especially like having an exception made that would only affect me either.

The Rule is OK - the sun will still come up in the morning and go down in the evening and the world will keep turning. Honest.

Personally I am going to forget this and get on with the rest of my life which is short enough already.

Smitty, it's obvious that you're upset over the rules and you just continue hammering at the same little details over and over and over again from every angle possible. You keep agreeing (see above) yet keep arguing the same argument! I think we're down to splitting hairs on a knats legs now!

It's hard enough trying to read the discussions about the rules without sifting through the 8,326 pages of LONG posts with 15 paragraph quotes every other post rehashing the same ole thing.

Do what you said in your post above....... get away from your computer, go relax and play around in the shop or if you're still upset, find a neighborhood dog to yell at, rehashing this stuff isn't worth it! I think the rules are here to stay!

 

[Padre]

"Where does it go?" and other such questions are absolutely valid....if I decide to donate money, I would like to know that what I donate is actually going to go towards what am being told it is for rather than going into someone's pocket. And just to clarify, I am in no way shape or form accusing anyone of taking the money that is donated and keeping it.

This is a change in the way we do business on this forum. I'm trying to form my opinion on it and I know there are many people wondering the same thing, even if they haven't voiced it yet.

From your other post: " I admit that I have never donated anything to help pay for the costs" I find it somewhat quizzical why you are asking these questions then.

I also think, as no one connected to the 'management' of IAP, that the questions are way out of line.


Jeff: an idea: why not put little 'badges' on the people who have donated like other sites do?

 

[Smitty37]

Hey Don't blame me

............That being said - I am still not asking for any change in the new rule. After discussion the administration decided that they do not want me doing what I've been doing. I can't say I especially like a rule being made that only affects mebut then I can't say I'd especially like having an exception made that would only affect me either.

The Rule is OK - the sun will still come up in the morning and go down in the evening and the world will keep turning. Honest.

Personally I am going to forget this and get on with the rest of my life which is short enough already.

Smitty, it's obvious that you're upset over the rules and you just continue hammering at the same little details over and over and over again from every angle possible. You keep agreeing (see above) yet keep arguing the same argument! I think we're down to splitting hairs on a knats legs now!

It's hard enough trying to read the discussions about the rules without sifting through the 8,326 pages of LONG posts with 15 paragraph quotes every other post rehashing the same ole thing.

Do what you said in your post above....... get away from your computer, go relax and play around in the shop or if you're still upset, find a neighborhood dog to yell at, rehashing this stuff isn't worth it! I think the rules are here to stay!

I agree there are a lot of references to my posts but I have made 6 posts in this thread on the subject of the "Smitty rule" #1 asked a question, #2 replied to the Jeff's answer, #3 responded to another post #4 defended Mesquiteman's handling of another thread and there were 140 posts between number 4 and 5.

None of my posts were long and none of them contained any indication that I am upset in any way shape or manner.

There were other posts I made regarding other rules supporting some of the changes and pointing out what I see as problems with others.

Since you don't know me, have never seen or spoken to me, have never exchanged emails with me or in any other way had a direct communication with me.... I might ask on what you base your rather inane conclusion that I'm "obviously" upset? I am not.

 

[Smitty37]

Steals and Deals

Occasionally I wind up with a few odds and ends, mostly kits, that I no longer want - normally they are not kits that I stock but others I buy to look at and evaluate. In the past I have offered these at very low prices - usually not much more than shipping costs, to members in the trades and give aways. Am I correct in assuming I will now have to put these in the classified?

 

[jeff]

Occasionally I wind up with a few odds and ends, mostly kits, that I no longer want - normally they are not kits that I stock but others I buy to look at and evaluate. In the past I have offered these at very low prices - usually not much more than shipping costs, to members in the trades and give aways. Am I correct in assuming I will now have to put these in the classified?

Yes, you would need to use the classifieds. We did not build a 'I'm selling below cost' provision into the rules because there's no way to verify it.

You could certainly tack them on with another ad you're running, or perhaps save them up so you have a reasonable quantity and minimize the impact of the cost.

Hope that helps.

 

[Smitty37]

Thanks

Occasionally I wind up with a few odds and ends, mostly kits, that I no longer want - normally they are not kits that I stock but others I buy to look at and evaluate. In the past I have offered these at very low prices - usually not much more than shipping costs, to members in the trades and give aways. Am I correct in assuming I will now have to put these in the classified?

Yes, you would need to use the classifieds. We did not build a 'I'm selling below cost' provision into the rules because there's no way to verify it.

You could certainly tack them on with another ad you're running, or perhaps save them up so you have a reasonable quantity and minimize the impact of the cost.

Hope that helps.

It's not a problem for me, just making sure.

 

[MesquiteMan]

Or just use the steals and deals forum if it is not something that you normally sell and are just trying to get rid of it.

 

[Smitty37]

Clarification

One of the rules in the general selling hss this wording ..."If you see something in an ad which is misleading, deceptive, or unsafe, click the yellow triangle and alert a moderator". I fully understand "misleading and deceptive" but I'd like clarification as to what kind of things might fall under "unsafe".

Thanks

 

[DurocShark]

One of the rules in the general selling hss this wording ..."If you see something in an ad which is misleading, deceptive, or unsafe, click the yellow triangle and alert a moderator". I fully understand "misleading and deceptive" but I'd like clarification as to what kind of things might fall under "unsafe".

Thanks

Wearing nitrile gloves while using Jasco Premium Paint and Epoxy Remover?

 

[Smitty37]

How does one "sell" that.

One of the rules in the general selling hss this wording ..."If you see something in an ad which is misleading, deceptive, or unsafe, click the yellow triangle and alert a moderator". I fully understand "misleading and deceptive" but I'd like clarification as to what kind of things might fall under "unsafe".

Thanks

Wearing nitrile gloves while using Jasco Premium Paint and Epoxy Remover?

Unsafe? I'll take your word for that. But, I'm not too clear on just how I would be selling it?

 

[maxwell_smart007]

For example, Smitty - If the ad says 'all my harbor freight pressure pot conversions are designed to go to 5 million Kpa pressure ratings while filled with shrapnel' - when it's very obvious that this is unsafe, please inform a mod...

 

[Smitty37]

Hmmmm

So you do have a sense of humor after all.

I was thinking more on the more mundane line of perhaps it might be referring to offering toxic materials under a brand name where it wasn't obvious they were toxic unless you read the warnings on the container.

 

[DurocShark]

One of the rules in the general selling hss this wording ..."If you see something in an ad which is misleading, deceptive, or unsafe, click the yellow triangle and alert a moderator". I fully understand "misleading and deceptive" but I'd like clarification as to what kind of things might fall under "unsafe".

Thanks

Wearing nitrile gloves while using Jasco Premium Paint and Epoxy Remover?

Unsafe? I'll take your word for that. But, I'm not too clear on just how I would be selling it?

Maybe selling the gloves and saying they're fine for that nasty stuff? :wink:

 

[jeff]

So you do have a sense of humor after all.

I was thinking more on the more mundane line of perhaps it might be referring to offering toxic materials under a brand name where it wasn't obvious they were toxic unless you read the warnings on the container.

Smitty, I don't have a full list of things I'd consider unsafe. You give a good example. If someone reports they think you're selling something unsafe, I'll surely contact you and we'll talk about it. If you're worried about some dire consequence if you step outside the line, don't. We'll work it out. That goes for all the rules you've been asking about. We'll get used to things as we go along. The mods are not sitting around waiting to drop the hammer on people.

So, relax. We're not trying to sneak up behind anyone and bonk them on the head. :biggrin:

 

[MesquiteMan]

Oh but Jeff, that is what most people think of the mods! They think we are cruising the forum just looking for something to delete just for the thrill of power. Believe me, I have had people accuse me of this in nastygrams!

 

[EBorraga]

Everyone from Texas is on a power trip Curtis:biggrin:. In all seriousness I think i've lost the last few brain cells i have reading this whole thread. And I definetly wouldn't want to be in the management teams shoes. I had a hard enough time with the casing contest.

 

[Smitty37]

Not concerned

So you do have a sense of humor after all.

I was thinking more on the more mundane line of perhaps it might be referring to offering toxic materials under a brand name where it wasn't obvious they were toxic unless you read the warnings on the container.

Smitty, I don't have a full list of things I'd consider unsafe. You give a good example. If someone reports they think you're selling something unsafe, I'll surely contact you and we'll talk about it. If you're worried about some dire consequence if you step outside the line, don't. We'll work it out. That goes for all the rules you've been asking about. We'll get used to things as we go along. The mods are not sitting around waiting to drop the hammer on people.

So, relax. We're not trying to sneak up behind anyone and bonk them on the head. :biggrin:

Oh I am not concerned. My personal use would be more like this -- I might sell my mini lathe and any rotating power tool is inherently unsafe to an uninformed user (even an informed user who gets careless) and I have three well scarred fingers on my left hand that will never fully recover from combat with my table saw blade -- the blade won.:tongue:
just want to make sure that's not what we're talking about.

 

[Smitty37]

:biggrin:

Oh but Jeff, that is what most people think of the mods! They think we are cruising the forum just looking for something to delete just for the thrill of power. Believe me, I have had people accuse me of this in nastygrams!

Mmmmmm ammunition for our next "discussion".....

 

[MesquiteMan]

Smitty, the basis for that rule is the no-polluting section. What we are saying is that if you see something that is unsafe and have a real issue with it, rather than posting in the thread that it is unsafe, use the yellow triangle and report it or send the original poster a PM. That is all that rule is for.

 

[Texatdurango]

Oh but Jeff, that is what most people think of the mods! They think we are cruising the forum just looking for something to delete just for the thrill of power. Believe me, I have had people accuse me of this in nastygrams!

Well, maybe not ALL of you! :biggrin:

 

[alphageek]

Oh but Jeff, that is what most people think of the mods! They think we are cruising the forum just looking for something to delete just for the thrill of power. Believe me, I have had people accuse me of this in nastygrams!

Well, maybe not ALL of you! :biggrin:

Yep... Just 2 of the 3 mods are like this... Just guess who the bad ones are. :ghost:

 

[tbroye]

I have had posts deleted by 3 mods so it is equal won't say who they are as I don't want them to get a big EGO.:biggrin:

 

[Smitty37]

Well Well

Yea me too....I'd never tell which three either.:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[Timebandit]

Yea me too....I'd never tell which three either.:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Me three!!!!............but I will tell........it was Mesquiteman, Mesquiteman AND Mesquiteman............there out to get me I tell you :biggrin:

 

[Smitty37]

BTW

Yea me too....I'd never tell which three either.:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Me three!!!!............but I will tell........it was Mesquiteman, Mesquiteman AND Mesquiteman............there out to get me to tell you :biggrin:

A few posts back you said you never bought anything from me....well you did, you just haven't paid me yet.:biggrin::biggrin: OK so technically it was a trade....

 

[MesquiteMan]

Yea me too....I'd never tell which three either.:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

Me three!!!!............but I will tell........it was Mesquiteman, Mesquiteman AND Mesquiteman............there out to get me to tell you :biggrin:

I forgot about yours. I guess I can add another mark on my gunstock!

 

[robutacion]

OK guys and gals, it seems that the "hot blooded" reactions to the new classifieds rules by some of you, are dissipating as expected, there are many upset people out there that are reacting upon their own interpretation of what the new rules are but, let me give you a free piece of advice, spend the time reading this threat from the very first post, even before you have read Jeff's new classified rules, located under "rules" (I put this here as I, and many others had a hard time in finding its location, initially...!), seat back, digest, and have a coup of coffee, then read the new rules, you will be glad that you took the time...!

I have certainly did that and when I decided to read Jeff's new rules threads, the whole thing made a lot more sense...!

I find myself in a predicament, not in relation to the "pay if you want to sell...!" or "advertising costs money ...!" but in relation to what is considered "advertising"...!

There as been a few examples discussed in this thread, which I have some issues but, in my particular situation, where I participate directly and indirectly with so many facets of the pen making world. As an IAP member, I post in all sorts of subjects, I offer suggestions on pen making procedures and wood turning in general BUT, my strongest contribution and ability is in providing people with information about wood as a natural product.

That, takes me to the next step which is, making those woods available to anyone that wants them, regardless of location so, in between my experience as a wood worker and my passion for woods, I find myself talking about them "extensively", at the first opportunity.

Do I only talk about the woods that I sell...??? absolutely not, and in most cases, the last thing on my mind is the commercial/business side of things, where I openly speak about the product and its applications and not how much of it I have and how I can sell it to you.

In "some people" opinion/views, If I'm talking about it is because I want you to buy it, I'm not going to waste my time trying to convince them that they couldn't not be further from the truth, however, I'm not going to accept that as the reality.

With the new Classifieds rules, the confusing and some times personal interpretation of what one can consider as "advertisement", and the attempt by Jeff to "control" some of the "wild birds around" (and please, don't make to explain what I mean, here...!), something that even I could see, as "sneaky", I'm a little concern on how, I'm going to be interpreted as...!!!

Stop talking about what I know best, is not an option, ain't going to happen, unless I'm banned (that has happened before...!), my tendency to evidentiate what I do and say with pictures, has got me in hot water many times before, while some members, wouldn't have it in any other way so, my concerns are not of a serious nature but are of interest to me so, I would like hear Jeff's and others with a hand on the pie, opinions...! What do guys like me should do...???

Actually, the first thing that I wanted to write at the beginning of this post was a question, which I don't recall to have read the answer anywhere yet (I may be wrong...!), the question is this, when are these new rules going to the activated...???

I apologize by focusing my post on my situation as a member and a vendor, there has been other very personal examples explained and discussed here so I hope that I'm not out of place...!

Cheers
George

 

[Geppetto]

Partially blind from reading this thread

It is my understanding that the reasons for the changes in the Classified / Marketplace rules are as follows:

1. Limit the thread clutter on the main page.
2. Reduce the number of vendors who use the resources of this site to sell their wares but don't otherwise contribute.
3. Generate some revenue for IAP projects and resources.

Possible Solutions / Suggestions

1. Is there a way to set up the Regular Classifieds so that changes or updates to Regular Ads don't get bumped to the Main Page? This way the vendor could respond to the buyer without cluttering the main page.
2. & 3. Could you see your way clear to reducing the rate in exchange for Library or Wiki contributions or something similar? This would give the smaller vendors an option to reduce their cost and the non-contributing vendors would still have to pay$ their way. Further, it would generate content for IAP.

P.S. Thanks to Owner, Mods and Admins for your time and effort.

 

[tbroye]

George

I read some where here that the beginning of the new rules and forums is October 1, 2011. It is at the end of the first paragraph of this tread.

 

[witz1976]

George,

I do not seem to see an issue with you giving advice as long as you you don't say that you sell the product or make mention as to where you can buy it. I honestly don't think Jeff is trying to control anyone, rather than he is trying to redirect what IAP was for originally, which is to share knowledge on turning pens not creating a forum where it is all about selling.

I honestly never seen you giving advice in hopes you would make a sale. But, I have been proven wrong many times....

 

[jeff]

It is my understanding that the reasons for the changes in the Classified / Marketplace rules are as follows:

1. Limit the thread clutter on the main page.
2. Reduce the number of vendors who use the resources of this site to sell their wares but don't otherwise contribute.
3. Generate some revenue for IAP projects and resources.

Possible Solutions / Suggestions

1. Is there a way to set up the Regular Classifieds so that changes or updates to Regular Ads don't get bumped to the Main Page? This way the vendor could respond to the buyer without cluttering the main page.
2. & 3. Could you see your way clear to reducing the rate in exchange for Library or Wiki contributions or something similar? This would give the smaller vendors an option to reduce their cost and the non-contributing vendors would still have to pay$ their way. Further, it would generate content for IAP.

P.S. Thanks to Owner, Mods and Admins for your time and effort.

The classifieds are not now in the main page new posts feed.

One of the things we would like to do if we had the money is compensate authors.

I'd like to see some calculations that show how, if the classifieds are used efficiently and intelligently, that the charges are hard on anyone. When we set the cost, we used historical data from the classifieds to determine what sort of burden this would be.

 

[dhallnc]

Would it be acceptable to posy an inquiry such as:

"Where can I find product x? Please send PM."

I know this would open the door for anyone including vendors to contact me via PM, which would be my intent.