Only subscribers should post the for-sale/wanted ads..?

Pardon me if this idea has been discussed/hacked before.

 

I have always wondered just how many people who sell pay any

percentage back to Photo.net.

While it is an excellent place to learn, why should photo.net

facilitate any commercial activity without a small cut? Some people

post here just to put a link to ebay...

 

Make it a subscribers priviledge to put For-Sale and Wanted Ads. That way,

scammers are marginalized as well. And there is a confirmed address to

back up the seller -- I am assuming that as most of us will pay with

paypal or a check. I am aware it won't deter the most seasoned con-man

however. We won't be seeing for-sale ads from a member who joins only

2 hours ago, just to sell. But photo.net could also do a paypal

verified sign against a seller's id.

 

Drastic step, this suggestion? I would say not. Most of us might have

downloaded very good software free, only to find the new versions or

updates come with a price.

 

The basic question is: is photo.net valuable to their patrons for the

knowledge base or for the Business side of things. This proposal does

not affect the knowledge base side, as anybody can participate. As

far as the business side (i.e sale etc) is concerned, it could be free

only

if free-ads were bringing a significant value/revenue to photo.net.

Thanks.

The downside is that the variety and number of items for sale would drastically drop if only subscribers were allowed to participate. This would hurt everyone, subscribers included. It would make transactions more secure, but at what cost. Currently if security is a concern, you can chose only to deal with established photo.net users and subscribers if you want to.

 

Maybe ads from anyone who hasn't been a registered photo.net user for at least a month could be flagged in some way as well as indicating which items were being sold by subscribers with the usual subscriber icon.

 

Links to Ebay are prohibited. If they are reported, they will be removed. Actually, maybe we should have a filter activated that will not allow text strings such as Ebay, ebay, E*bay, e*bay etc. to be included in a posting in the classifieds.

Bob, no, security is not my main concern. But just an observation that perhaps the subscription base should be way up and pay for the expense of photo.net. And with a concern that it should not affect the participation of any body to discuss photography, and learn and share photos.

 

The question being, do people donate any money when they sell anything with Photo.net's help?

I don't know if anyone ever makes a donation when they sell through photo.net, but I suspect it rarely, if ever, happens.

I agree with Lakhinder. Since most of the posts outside of the classifieds are just EBAY adverts anyway. They should have to pay for the bandwith and advertising so I don't have to see as much of it all around my screen. and yes it may have a temp adverse efeect of sale items but in the long run it will be safer and increse paid members of the boards. Some seem to be making out pretty good with saling on Pnet.

 

My .02 cents take it or leave it I don't care.

 

,Grinder

People don't make contributions when they sell things in the classifieds. In fact, at one time we used to have a "volume advertiser" status, and people who posted more than the occasional ad were expected to apply for that status. First, people didn't apply and continued posting a lot of ads. "What? I'm no dealer! I'm just buying and selling cameras as a hobby!" Second, some people thought it was to their advantage to be counted as volume advertisers, so they did apply. There was a charge when people sold things through the ads, and when ads were deleted, we would send them a bill. People didn't pay. "Oh, no, I didn't sell that." Even though they were posting tons of ads in the Classifieds, somehow it turned out that they were never selling anything. A few of them were honest and did pay, but most didn't. We gave up and just eliminated the volume advertiser status.

 

I don't actually know how much the Classifieds contribute to the site: whether people value it highly and it results in people becoming frequent visitors to the site, including the forums and other sections, and eventually subscribing.

 

On the other hand, it is one more thing that has to be policed for abuse. There are definitely people scamming through our Classifieds and I know of people who have been defrauded both as buyers and sellers.

 

Although it might make them less useful and less visited, it might make sense to restrict the Classifieds to subscribers. At least it would reduce the abuse, and if the result was that the Classifieds section died -- well I'm not sure that would be so bad.

I think I've visited the classifieds two or three times in six years. Since I generally don't

know who is behind sales (unless I know the person or the person's reputation), I don't

feel comfortable buying from them. eBay makes a lot more sense because of the ability

to choose highly-rated sellers, or at least have more information to take a chance on a

low-volume seller.

 

One possible change to the system, especially for subscribers, might be an additional

icon next to their name that appears whenever they have an item for sale. If used only

with subscribers it would be an incentive to join, and would make it easier for liked or

respected members to sell goods, and let people know they've got goods for sale.

Over the years I've been here, I've bought 2 cameras and a lens and sold a rolling backpack. I check fairly regularly and feel safe buying from people I know here or whose record shows they've been here awhile.

Ebay has problems, too. One of my colleagues who is a very active ebay seller advised me when I had a seller back out of a sale to not post unfavorably about it because it would lead to a retaliatory rating. That certainly altered my opinion about the use of feedback. In addition, about half the sellers didn't leave feedback for me even though I paid them by Paypal within minutes of the auction closing.

 

I would hate to lose the classifieds here but I do think membership might be a good plan.

Conni