[roentarre]

Adam is definitely needing more donations to make the site feasible and well maintained.

The marketplace needs its own criteria to avoid single digit poster ruining the reputation of the forum.

[Peter Zack]

Just so some of you know, here's another place where your $10 is going.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/latest-board-news/60661-attachment-space-...tml#post601278

More space for everyone to post pictures etc.

[photolady95]

I like the idea of limited access in the Market. This way I know the sellers/buyers are on the up and up. Thanks Adam.

The more I use this forum, the more I like it here.

I agree that a small donation (which I have made already a while ago), is a very reasonable contribution for admins running the forum. However, I don't see how it would really increase the safety of buying in the marketplace. Limiting selling to users who are long time active members might have a small effect. For con-artists the $10 donation is a miniscule cost when they're likely trying to rip off hundreds or dollars.

[chalion]

Making a $10 (or more) donation via paypal one of the requirement options to be able to post a sale in the Marketplace to me is a good idea. I've used paypal for over a decade and never had any cause for complaint. I've not had the occasion to sell here (yet) but heartily agree with the requirements if I ever do so.

[X Man]

...

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.

Couple things here that I've said before. This is as evidenced by the goings on in the Marketplace a subjectively enforced policy. I'm not asking for clarification, as I've already done that and wasn't satisfied with the answers I recieved.

One can either be above-board and honest that they may have purchased something to re-sell and now have to pay $100 a yr for that honesty... Or, one can lay low and be sneaky, shady, and smarmy... Being careful not to post too often, or hope they're on the magical whitelist and in that case, no problem.

I'm not shady or smarmy and I'm just not a whitelist kinda guy, more like I usually end up on a blacklist somewhere. At any rate, a $100 seems frankly, ludicrous when a seller would almost certainly have an ebay! account in the first place, and be paying ebay! acct. fees, first and foremost. Fine, seems the message here is that... and I'll paraphrase... We don't want these types of sellers and sales here... Again, fine if it were a policy that was enforced evenly and equally. Whatever.

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

I'd bet that's the future of this Marketplace too. It'll end up being a select group of old guard that buys and sells here, for dare I say... Profit.

Accumulated contributions (posts or money) are an indication of integrity.

Steve

I wouldn't be so sure about that. It may just be that they have an over abundance of cash or time or both. I get what you're saying though.

In summary it's the $100 a yr and the "Commercial Sales" policy that I don't get and the only thing new is the $100 bucks part. Honestly, selling a handful of whatever doesn't necessarily rise to the level of a "Commercial Sales" any more than buying 1 thing and selling it for twice as much as one paid for it. As you've all guessed, theres no way I'm spending a $100 to sell a handful of anything here simply because they are "obviously" a commercial "lot" . The Marketplace here doesn't even come close to the level of service and support for sales that ebay! does, duh. And, I understand ebay!'s rules and policies.

One of the coolest things about ebay! is the fact that a "little guy" can look, act, and perform just like a "big guy". That's actually my favorite thing about ebay!

Whatever, the policy doesn't matter much to me. I'm just betting it's potential as a serious revenue stream is very limited, for everybody involved on all sides.

Regards,
Mike

[pop4]

X Man, where are you getting the $100 figure from? It's $10...

[Minawee]

So who's going to be the first to ask X Man where he's getting the "$100" from?

Wait...I guess that would be me.

Anyhow, I'm a long-time lurker and infrequent poster. I'm not going to say whether or not I'm for or against this new $10 donation/FEE, but what I will say is that it REALLY irks me when people don't "call a spade a spade".

I'm willing to bet this $10 was not conceived purely in the spirit in which it is being portrayed (ie. Marketplace "filter" of sorts), but that it is simply a means to generate funds. It seems most of the posters in this thread already sense this as half the posts seem to imply Adam's time investment in this forum as justification for this donation/FEE. I will go on record in saying I see NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS...

However, what I DO have a problem with is the guise in which it is being pitched to us. Do I think these new requirements will have some of the stated influences on the Marketplace? Sure...but it's so easily circumventable and non-punishing that in the end, it won't make much of a difference...

At the end of the proverbial day, my point is to just call it like it is. Time/effort/energy/investments...yes, all VERY valid reasons to expect some form of restitution from the community you've created, sustained, and nurtured. If it was simply announced that a $10 FEE is required for access to the Marketplace because of the time/effort/energy/investments made in assuring it's smooth and safe operation, then I would whole-heartedly forward the funds (even though I have never personally sold anything through the Marketplace). I am also equally certain you would've met ZERO resistance or negativity from genuine "Pentaxian" forum members, regardless of post numbers...

I just need to conclude by saying I mean no disrespect to Adam or any of the other Moderators of this forum. I'm just not a fan of fluff masquerading as a truth/fact, and after many years in the Sales profession, I'm pretty confident I can spot a spin-doctor's pitch when I see one

-Paul

[X Man]

No, it's a $100 for "resellers" and "commercial sales" that are "for profit". What listings garner such designations will be determined in a seemingly random fashion.

Regards,
Mike

X Man, where are you getting the $100 figure from? It's $10...

[clawhammer]

I support Adam in this move. As a system admin, I have an inkling of how much time and energy it takes to keep a site live 24/7 and I think $10 is a totally reasonable "entry fee." Most forums are littered with ads, and the lack of them here helps keep it clean an uncluttered and really a good place to visit. if that costs a $10 donation, than so be it.

[Adam]

So who's going to be the first to ask X Man where he's getting the "$100" from?

Wait...I guess that would be me.

Anyhow, I'm a long-time lurker and infrequent poster. I'm not going to say whether or not I'm for or against this new $10 donation/FEE, but what I will say is that it REALLY irks me when people don't "call a spade a spade".

I'm willing to bet this $10 was not conceived purely in the spirit in which it is being portrayed (ie. Marketplace "filter" of sorts), but that it is simply a means to generate funds. It seems most of the posters in this thread already sense this as half the posts seem to imply Adam's time investment in this forum as justification for this donation/FEE. I will go on record in saying I see NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS...

However, what I DO have a problem with is the guise in which it is being pitched to us. Do I think these new requirements will have some of the stated influences on the Marketplace? Sure...but it's so easily circumventable and non-punishing that in the end, it won't make much of a difference...

At the end of the proverbial day, my point is to just call it like it is. Time/effort/energy/investments...yes, all VERY valid reasons to expect some form of restitution from the community you've created, sustained, and nurtured. If it was simply announced that a $10 FEE is required for access to the Marketplace because of the time/effort/energy/investments made in assuring it's smooth and safe operation, then I would whole-heartedly forward the funds (even though I have never personally sold anything through the Marketplace). I am also equally certain you would've met ZERO resistance or negativity from genuine "Pentaxian" forum members, regardless of post numbers...

I just need to conclude by saying I mean no disrespect to Adam or any of the other Moderators of this forum. I'm just not a fan of fluff masquerading as a truth/fact, and after many years in the Sales profession, I'm pretty confident I can spot a spin-doctor's pitch when I see one

-Paul

Couple things here that I've said before. This is as evidenced by the goings on in the Marketplace a subjectively enforced policy. I'm not asking for clarification, as I've already done that and wasn't satisfied with the answers I recieved.

One can either be above-board and honest that they may have purchased something to re-sell and now have to pay $100 a yr for that honesty... Or, one can lay low and be sneaky, shady, and smarmy... Being careful not to post too often, or hope they're on the magical whitelist and in that case, no problem.

I'm not shady or smarmy and I'm just not a whitelist kinda guy, more like I usually end up on a blacklist somewhere. At any rate, a $100 seems frankly, ludicrous when a seller would almost certainly have an ebay! account in the first place, and be paying ebay! acct. fees, first and foremost. Fine, seems the message here is that... and I'll paraphrase... We don't want these types of sellers and sales here... Again, fine if it were a policy that was enforced evenly and equally. Whatever.


I'd bet that's the future of this Marketplace too. It'll end up being a select group of old guard that buys and sells here, for dare I say... Profit.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. It may just be that they have an over abundance of cash or time or both. I get what you're saying though.

In summary it's the $100 a yr and the "Commercial Sales" policy that I don't get and the only thing new is the $100 bucks part. Honestly, selling a handful of whatever doesn't necessarily rise to the level of a "Commercial Sales" any more than buying 1 thing and selling it for twice as much as one paid for it. As you've all guessed, theres no way I'm spending a $100 to sell a handful of anything here simply because they are "obviously" a commercial "lot" . The Marketplace here doesn't even come close to the level of service and support for sales that ebay! does, duh. And, I understand ebay!'s rules and policies.

One of the coolest things about ebay! is the fact that a "little guy" can look, act, and perform just like a "big guy". That's actually my favorite thing about ebay!

Whatever, the policy doesn't matter much to me. I'm just betting it's potential as a serious revenue stream is very limited, for everybody involved on all sides.

Regards,
Mike

Reseller/for-profit threads were never allowed in the Marketplace in the past, (although too many expcetions were made*). Our philosophy has been that since the Marketplace was a free resource, we didn't want it to be used for profiteering, especially by users not giving anything back to the site in return. Although the Marketplace isn't 100% free to use any more, there are still no, and will never be any final value fees or extra usage fees. On top of that, you now have the option to explicitly profit from the Marketplace, but at a price. There's a clear difference between using it for that purpose, and using it to dump old/used photo gear, etc. And by using the Marketplace over eBay, you're benefitting the greater Pentax community. I think the amount of attention the Marketplace has gotten since I started it in 2006 simply speaks for itself. If you don't want to pay the minimum of $10 to use the Marketplace, you're in no way obliged to, though I think I'm definitely not asking for much. Likewise, if you don't think the $100 investment in reselling here is worth it, and would rather use eBay, then by all means, please do.

*The subjectivity in moderating the Marketplace following these new policies will be greatly reduced.

[Bramela]

Adam has 100% got my vote for the changes. I have bought and sold several items through the Marketplace and it beats the h..l out of Ebay.

Incidently I put forward a suggestion along these lines quite some time ago.

[roentarre]

So who's going to be the first to ask X Man where he's getting the "$100" from?

Wait...I guess that would be me.

Anyhow, I'm a long-time lurker and infrequent poster. I'm not going to say whether or not I'm for or against this new $10 donation/FEE, but what I will say is that it REALLY irks me when people don't "call a spade a spade".

I'm willing to bet this $10 was not conceived purely in the spirit in which it is being portrayed (ie. Marketplace "filter" of sorts), but that it is simply a means to generate funds. It seems most of the posters in this thread already sense this as half the posts seem to imply Adam's time investment in this forum as justification for this donation/FEE. I will go on record in saying I see NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS...

However, what I DO have a problem with is the guise in which it is being pitched to us. Do I think these new requirements will have some of the stated influences on the Marketplace? Sure...but it's so easily circumventable and non-punishing that in the end, it won't make much of a difference...

At the end of the proverbial day, my point is to just call it like it is. Time/effort/energy/investments...yes, all VERY valid reasons to expect some form of restitution from the community you've created, sustained, and nurtured. If it was simply announced that a $10 FEE is required for access to the Marketplace because of the time/effort/energy/investments made in assuring it's smooth and safe operation, then I would whole-heartedly forward the funds (even though I have never personally sold anything through the Marketplace). I am also equally certain you would've met ZERO resistance or negativity from genuine "Pentaxian" forum members, regardless of post numbers...

I just need to conclude by saying I mean no disrespect to Adam or any of the other Moderators of this forum. I'm just not a fan of fluff masquerading as a truth/fact, and after many years in the Sales profession, I'm pretty confident I can spot a spin-doctor's pitch when I see one

-Paul

To be honest, the donation is hardly enough to cover the cost of maintaining the site. Not to mention the time Adam has spent on this forum without any payment and advertising. A programmer would be paid about 80-100 US dollars per hour work to maintain, redesign or revise the site here. My first job pay rate is about 220 US dollars per hour. Adam is doing his time without payment.

The post count number indicates how much a member cares to be involved in here. This does contribute to a potential barrier to spammers to bypass this hurdle without being detected by mod team or reporting members in the forum.

No spin doctor stuff going on here. Everyone can see that the donation is a way to put things into perspective for Adam's effort. Or a membership fee if you want to call it that way. I do urge you not to re-state the obvious and try to be the wiser one.

[krypticide]

I probably don't fall into the category of eligible sellers now, but I can understand the move though I don't like it as much as the old system.

[KrisK10D]

Thanks for looking after our best interests Adam. You're one of the most responsible site operators I've come across on the intrawebs