MarketPlace Discussion Topics

[AUbicycles]

Hello, I have two topics for discussion in the marketplace - so this is the best place:

1. Professional Private Sellers in this section
There are some here - I have had email or PM contact with some and I generally accept their responses. For some I can see that they are genuine however for other they constantly get reported and are participating in a way that is probably outside of the rules in terms of the volume of gear they are selling here which is beyond normal and that it is likely a money-spinner. Some people do clear-outs and there is no issue with that, rather I want to discuss sellers who sell regularly here (and often are known elsewhere as active sellers such as on ebay).

- This marketplace sections intends to be non-commercial for a number of reasons and rather a place for members
- Do these Professional Private Sellers add value - so you feel can be welcome

I would love get feedback and opinions on this topic because it is a section for the members.


2. Splitting the Marketplace
A regular request - for example a seperate WTS/Sales section and WTB or WTT (Buy / Trade) section. The reluctance is to avoid unnecessarily increasing the number of sub-forums if there is not a strong need, but am testing the waters again on this topic to see how important it is at the moment.

[scotto]

Hello, I have two topics for discussion in the marketplace - so this is the best place:

1. Professional Private Sellers in this section
There are some here - I have had email or PM contact with some and I generally accept their responses. For some I can see that they are genuine however for other they constantly get reported and are participating in a way that is probably outside of the rules in terms of the volume of gear they are selling here which is beyond normal and that it is likely a money-spinner. Some people do clear-outs and there is no issue with that, rather I want to discuss sellers who sell regularly here (and often are known elsewhere as active sellers such as on ebay).

- This marketplace sections intends to be non-commercial for a number of reasons and rather a place for members
- Do these Professional Private Sellers add value - so you feel can be welcome

I would love get feedback and opinions on this topic because it is a section for the members.

not sure about this. i can envisage it becoming something like bike exchange - full of stock images of goods and descriptions cut and pasted from manufactures. this would make the site less usable.

2. Splitting the Marketplace
A regular request - for example a seperate WTS/Sales section and WTB or WTT (Buy / Trade) section. The reluctance is to avoid unnecessarily increasing the number of sub-forums if there is not a strong need, but am testing the waters again on this topic to see how important it is at the moment.

i have always thought this would be a good idea, and increasing the number of sub forums is a lame reason not to do so.

[doomith]

+1 on splitting the marketplace.
If a member wants to sell something they can search the WTB sub forum for anyone after that particular item - might result in a quicker sale for them too!

[WestcoastPete]

I think there is an advantage to having the WTB/WTS tags in the same sub-forum, being that people not necessarily trying to sell something coming across an ad for something they have, and then deciding to sell it. I know this helped me get some vintage cranks; I'm pretty sure the guys who saw the ad would've been far less likely to have been browsing a WTB sub forum.

This doesn't necessarily mean that splitting them is a bad idea, I just think that this is an advantage. I know I sometimes get excited when I spot an ad for something that sounds awesome, only to then notice it's a WTB, but really, it snot that big of a deal.

[Dan]

Split the WTS WTB and spare us the commercial sales - or give it a dedicated location.

[MichaelB]

..... spare us the commercial sales - or give it a dedicated location.

+1 to that. That way, we have a choice whether we wish to go there, and it's a new potential revenue stream.


wrt splitting WTB/WTS, my 5c worth is to keep them together. Works well as it is imho

[im_no_pro]

+1 to dedicated commercial, keep private on one board.

[RonK]

I don't have any isue with commercial sales, it would be better to keep them all in one place and at least we all know that we are not dealing with another member with whom there is an implicitly greater level of trust.

No strong feeling about the WTB/WTS forum.

But what I would not like to see is for the unread filter to be cluttered with commercial and member trading posts. The useability of the forum is more important. We need a view or filter that removes all trading posts.

[WestcoastPete]

1. Professional Private Sellers in this section
There are some here - I have had email or PM contact with some and I generally accept their responses. For some I can see that they are genuine however for other they constantly get reported and are participating in a way that is probably outside of the rules in terms of the volume of gear they are selling here which is beyond normal and that it is likely a money-spinner. Some people do clear-outs and there is no issue with that, rather I want to discuss sellers who sell regularly here (and often are known elsewhere as active sellers such as on ebay).

- This marketplace sections intends to be non-commercial for a number of reasons and rather a place for members
- Do these Professional Private Sellers add value - so you feel can be welcome

I would love get feedback and opinions on this topic because it is a section for the members.

Let me clarify what I think is meant by this; you are referring to people who buy bicycles and bicycle parts and on-sell on the forum at a profit, as a way of making an income, rather than the average member who has something no longer required that they are selling. Is this correct?

I can imagine it could be quite difficult to differentiate between these users. And really, what does it matter? If someone is advertising a used part on the forum, along with a bunch of other used parts, and said part is a reasonable price and what I'm after, then I'd happily buy it. Good on them for getting it at an even cheaper price, if they were able to. And thanks to them for having the part for sale and helping me in my search for it.

Businesses on the other hand who are selling new parts should be excluded, as they already are.

Do you think people buy parts on the forum with the view to selling them on for a profit, either back on the forum or elsewhere? That would be against the spirit of things I reckon.

[Xplora]

While I don't have any issue with people making profit from sales, I do feel that it would be better to have more tags to clarify the "high volume" sellers or commercial sellers. Where there is some confusion, it would be good to know that they are a commercial seller... I've got a particular name in mind that I'm honestly worried they are rebirthing stolen goods, and I don't see much activity from them outside the marketplace.

[jasonc]

I actually think it's handy having the WTB/WTS in a single forum. I check the marketplace forum regularly. I may have a part someone wants, but without checking a WTB forum I'd never know it's wanted.

In regards to "volume sellers" - there are a few on here I've seen, but nothing that would evolve the site into bikeexchange.

[m@]

We need a view or filter that removes all trading posts.

Not a bad idea; as a workaround you can remove them manually from the 'view unread posts' view by going to the sub forum then hitting the 'mark topics read' link.

[wurtulla wabbit]

Split them, I don't want to browse wtb ads when I am looking to buy and vice versa.
Defo split them.

As for the other thing, I'd make it a non reply status and interested parties can PM the seller or give the professional service people their own area and charge a fee for it.

[Nobody]

We need a view or filter that removes all trading posts.

Not a bad idea; as a workaround you can remove them manually from the 'view unread posts' view by going to the sub forum then hitting the 'mark topics read' link.

I'd also like to see the search for new posts omit this section as they just clog the search and I have no real interest in trading here. There is eBay etc for that IMO.

[scotto]

Split them, I don't want to browse wtb ads when I am looking to buy and vice versa.
Defo split them..

yep. its ads like this which point to the need for a WTB section. WTB bar tape for heavens sake, nothing fancy, just bar tape..
http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=62971

[Dan]

Split them, I don't want to browse wtb ads when I am looking to buy and vice versa.
Defo split them..

yep. its ads like this which point to the need for a WTB section. WTB bar tape for heavens sake, nothing fancy, just bar tape..
http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=62971

+1000

[AUbicycles]

I am following this thread and thank you for feedback.

On the types of sellers - it is the high volume sellers that sell an unusually high number of items that is highly unusual for a private person.

[sunho]

hmm, for myself, high volume in a one go yes, and for me it would be a garage clear out, because I'm sure others can use the stuff I got lying around.
Are the types you are referring to or are you referring to other sales etc?

[hannos]

Split teh Marketplace into 2 sub-categories as you suggested, one for buying, one for selling / trading.
Keep commercial sellers out. We all know where to go if we want to buy from a retailer...

[Xplora]

Split teh Marketplace into 2 sub-categories as you suggested, one for buying, one for selling / trading.
Keep commercial sellers out. We all know where to go if we want to buy from a retailer...

Nah I think it is fine... but make them pay. No free advertising... it IS a lot easier to deal with selling here and you build a good rep over a lot of different customers.

[hannos]

Split teh Marketplace into 2 sub-categories as you suggested, one for buying, one for selling / trading.
Keep commercial sellers out. We all know where to go if we want to buy from a retailer...

Nah I think it is fine... but make them pay. No free advertising... it IS a lot easier to deal with selling here and you build a good rep over a lot of different customers.

I'm not saying Retailers need to get off the forum, I just believe the marketplace should be for the non-commercial types. I also don't have a problem with <insert store> informing the forum they'll have the new <insert product> that everyone has been eagerly waiting for in stock on <insert date>

The online stores are there, we know where to find them. This site is not an online store, it's a meeting place of similar (usually :p) minded people.

[AUbicycles]

For a split marketplace - I am considering if we would have a new forum sub-section, it could be something like this.

BNA MarketPlace (forum group)
- Member to Member Sales (private)
- Want to buy
- Commercial Offers


Naming is not final, just working titles, and happy for suggestions.
An ongoing consideration is keeping the number of forums in check so that it doesn't explode, though if growth demands growth, then growth it will be.

-----

On the big volume sellers - clearouts are fine from private sellers. It was that some sellers were pinpointed as only being active in this section have having a constant number of new unused items for sale that it is highly unusual.

[MarkG]

How about a "non bicycle" f/s thread for things like Ipods, mobile phones etc?

[HLC]

Want To Sell Section
Want To Buy Section
Sponsor Deals / Commercial Seller Section.


Split the Market Place into these 3 sections and you will be onto a winner.

Regarding some users who sell lots of gear, maybe they have large disposable incomes and prefer to buy first rather than try first. And as long as their goods are at reasonable prices, who cares.

[AUbicycles]

Thanks for the feedback - the changes are now in place - here is the announcement for the Australian Cycling Forums MarketPlace changes