Changes to Marketplace Access - Page 2

**Damn Brit** · 05-17-2009, 02:32 AM

Originally Posted by Jebus

Just add advertising then.

It's easy for those that are bothered by it to download AdBlock Plus plugin for Firefox and Voila, they are gone. That way you make money from those who don't care about the adds and those that do care just block them anyway.

It's not that simple, advertisers make demands to go along with their money. I'm sure the forum would become a lot more sanitary in that case. Look at DPReview for example.

Jebus · 05-17-2009, 02:33 AM

Originally Posted by Damn Brit

It's not that simple, advertisers make demands to go along with their money. I'm sure the forum would become a lot more sanitary in that case. Look at DPReview for example.

Advertisers making demands....that doesn't sound good.

jct us101 · 05-17-2009, 02:57 AM

Guess I'll still have to make 300 more posts before I can sell anything else.

I agree with the fact that something needed to change, given that there are no ads here and it makes the place much more inviting, but I don't think that this was the right thing to change.

Nikoncafe uses the same system, and nobody ever buys or sells anything there.

netuser · 05-17-2009, 03:41 AM

I don't like this but as already stated ... will have to donate or participate more and make the 300+ I'm missing to be a "pentaxian" ...

Either way, I must trust it's the best for the forum since I really like it.

**roentarre** · 05-17-2009, 06:44 AM

Glad that this is finally coming to fruition. Most Olympus forums charge a premium for members to sell lenses in their own forums. So 10 dollar is really a bargain.

*Squier* · 05-17-2009, 07:22 AM

Personally, i think on forums the world over, whether they be for Vacuum Cleaners, Wildlife , blah blah, you will never ever please everyone. What someone loves, someone else hates.

Its the same off the internet.

For me, at some point i will send in my $10, and whether this works to keep the vultures off this place or not, who knows. But for a forums to run as efficiently as this one ( in my short time here, its something i've already noticed ) then someone somewhere is taking great care of this machine, and somewhere there is a cost to someone.

Disregard the side issues of why the $10 donation - just see it as an incredibly cheap way of getting vast amounts of information for free, if you're relatively new, from the amazingly knowledgable people here. Even the immortals here maybe even learning new stuff. And NO ads ! There's always someone who can offer someone else some snippet of info, and pass on what they know. Thats priceless.

At less than $1 per month, its a steal

*Ex Finn.* · 05-17-2009, 07:33 AM

Would love to donate. But no way in hell will i set up an pay-pal account so, that takes care of that.

.
Thank god B&H takes credit cards.

Cheers. Mike.

edit; OK, fine, i am dumb/ lazy. Made a statement before checking out the facts.

**Peter Zack** · 05-17-2009, 08:19 AM

I'm sure Adam still takes cheques. That how I initially set up on the site.

IMO this is more than fair. Adam fronts all the costs of keeping this site going and it only effects one section of the forum. When you consider the world wide access this allows to buyers and sellers without the endless costs of Ebay. It's fair I believe. Plus buyers don't have any costs to get some great deals.

I like the fact that Adam will now have the paypal address of any potential scammers. He can now report any issues to them and help to shut them down. If I was going to scam someone I wouldn't be to happy providing that info first and exposing myself to getting caught. Most scammers want EFT instead of Paypal since it's so much harder to trace.

I also like the fact that guys like Frank can now post some of those great deals he comes across, like the batteries he's got for sale.

*Ex Finn.* · 05-17-2009, 09:01 AM

I figured it out, did not know that i could use cc via pay-pal without setting up an account.
Yeah, old dog learned a new trick

.

Cheers. Mike.

**wlank** · 05-17-2009, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Ex Finn.

I figured it out, did not know that i could use cc via pay-pal without setting up an account.
Yeah, old dog learned a new trick .

Cheers. Mike.

I have PayPal, but I don't like to use it. Adam has always beem willing to accept a check from me. I bet he would do the same for you if you asked nicely.

*Ex Finn.* · 05-17-2009, 11:54 AM

Appreciate it, already taken care of.

Cheers. Mike.

**roentarre** · 05-17-2009, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by Peter Zack

I also like the fact that guys like Frank can now post some of those great deals he comes across, like the batteries he's got for sale.

Adam is being very considerate for reliable members

**Adam** · 05-17-2009, 03:54 PM

I'll go ahead and make a collective response here, in an effort to address everyone's concerns and thoughts.

First of all, I made a typo in the first post that has now been corrected.

-Donated at least $10 to PentaxForums.com
-Made at least 1,000 forum posts ("Pentaxian")
OR
-Made at least 200 forum posts and been a forum member for 2 years ("Pentaxian")

Should have read:

-Donated at least $10 to PentaxForums.com
OR
-Made at least 1,000 forum posts ("Pentaxian")
OR
-Made at least 200 forum posts and been a forum member for 2 years ("Pentaxian").

Since the launch of the site, everything here has been completely free for our members. To date I've put hundreds, if not thousands of hours of my own time into the site to create a genuinely useful resource to the greater Pentax community. Hundreds of thousands of people have read the site and found it useful, and I won't begin to list the sums of money that have been processed through use of the marketplace. Sadly, there were people who (1) abused the section to profit off of re-sales of new items, or items in large quantities and (2) sold dozens of items without looking back to consider giving something in return to the site.

Requiring all sellers to be site supporters at least gives us some means of identifying them, since they must have a PayPal account, and thus, a known location or address.

Requiring a donation for use of the Marketplace is only fair. I know that this change is among the first that I've made of this nature, yet I hope everyone understands. I will continue putting great effort into this site, as I feel great obligation to do so. Among the next things planned for the site is the Camera Review/Info database, which Ole and I have been working hard on for the past month.

prinze18 · 05-17-2009, 05:39 PM

As a recent buyer, I was pleasantly surprise that there was a feedback system in place. This allowed me to have make a purchase rather confidently.

As for having the seller, donate $10.00 to list an item for sale, I believe that the pro outweighs the cons.

Forums of all types and interest is mainly maintained by die-hard fanatics who pour their heart and soul. This form of forums exist for the fact that we congregate on common interest and share our opinions(good or bad). There are places/sites for profiteering but sites like PentaxForums, should not be the place for capitalism.

The donation is a great idea to generate funds to maintain the site.

Just wanted to put my 2 cents on this changes to the Market Place.

*daacon* · 05-17-2009, 06:59 PM

I've bought and sold half my gear here on this forum. In each transaction I have saved more than a $10.00 donation. It's more than fair in my books - then again I meet all three criteria so you may say it's easy for me to say and you would be right , regradless I believe overall it's a fair policy.