What about a Buy or Swap section?????

[Ibflattop]

Ok Guys, What do you think about having a Buy or trade section to the Forum?
A place where a person could list what he has for sale or trade? It would be like going to a Model Railroad Flea market that would be open all the time.
Kevin

[mcouvillion]

Sounds like a great idea. How would it be set up?

Mark C.

[knewsom]

I am working on an idea similar to this right now. In another two weeks or so, it will probably be ready for testing. My idea is for more than just trains, but I was hoping to roll out a version just for Model Railroads. Would you be interested in helping me test the site when it is done?

The way I am thinking it would work is similar to the auction sites where you can browse and search for items that members have to trade and/or for items that are wanted. To list an item you will have to register (for free), then select a category and listing type, enter the title, description, picture (1 initially), and what you would like in return.

Anyone could browse but in order to contact a member that has listed an item you must also become a member. Initially listing items will be free (at least while in testing).

Let me know if you think this is a good idea and would be interested in testing.

Thanks,
Kevin

[NZRMac]

Might not be so good for me Kevin. The freight costs are pretty big!!

Ken.

P.s see you soon!!

[Anonymous]

Some other forums(not Atlas) have a segregated classified section.

[Anonymous]

We already have one, its called eBay.

Bob Boudreau

[Eriediamond]

[#ditto] to Bobs reply. This is a forum, not a fleamarket. Just an opnion, Ken

[knewsom]

Right now there is no alternative to the auction sites. If you have something you don't want or need anymore, you can sell it. But then you have to pay a portion of that sale to the site. So what if you don't want cash, you just want to trade for something of similar value.

Sure there are classified listing adds and newsgroups, but they are not combined into one easily searchable website.

Thanks,
Kevin

PS. Ken, I will be there in less than a month now. we are very excited.

[Anonymous]

Although there are a lot of members in this forum, the amount of active participants is really pretty small. Most participants of the forum, know there is a lot of model railroad stuff for sale on ebay. Given the above, If I have something to list for sale, where would be the best place to list it?

[Eriediamond]

After some thought on this, I still believe in my original reply, but I would be for a seperate classified section or listing in the forum index, that one could go to to check out whats for sale or swap. To add it to this forum though, I'm against it. Ken

[Anonymous]

eBay does cost to list and sell. But it also has some sort of buyer protection with feedback and other security measures. Anyone can post on this forum without any such security, and there's no protection whatsoever if the scam artists decided to offer items for sale. They can change their ID at will and there is nothing that Kalmbach can or would be expected to do if someone gets ripped off.

That's why the world's greatest flea market eBay is still the best and most safest place to dispose of unwanted things. Use other methods at your own risk.

Bob Boudreau

[jsoderq]

Other forums have tried this for trains and other items and guess what - no traffic. You get only a few people. Why , because everyone is over at Ebay where the number of buyers/sellers is in the tens of thousands and all the little things like buyer protection, paypal etc.

[dragenrider]

I've seen a number of RR auction sites come and go. I would like to see one succeed. Ebay is great, but it takes a lot of time to filter through the junk to the real deals and true model stuff.

I think a side forum for items for sale (not auction) would be great here. List what you have and accept any questions. I think it could work. It would also be a plus for MR by drawing more fans to the web site.

[TurboOne]

I like the idea in a seperate section. I think we could have a non auction for sale section. Also by being in a seperate section, those that don't want to read it can stay in the general section. Good idea Kevin, but what have the powers to be said ?

Tim

[orsonroy]

No thanks. If you allow ANY selling on a single page of this forum, it'll inevitably spill out to all the others. It'll go from one of the best model railroad forums nline to yet another carppy swapmeet site.

We've got Ebay and a few others (with horrible traffic). Why would we need any more?

[Anonymous]

[#ditto] Besides, Ebay's rates are very low. Most low-dollar items cost a buck or less to sell. Considering the cost and time involved for Ebay to work, I think they are very reasonable. Plus, buyers don't pay any fees at all!!

[knewsom]

The idea that I have is for trading. I know there are many things that I have that I would prefer to trade instead of sell. Auction sites are great for selling and buying and there is not much room to compete. But auction sites do not allow for trading at all, it is strictly a buy/sell transaction since that is how they make their money.

There are no sites that are easy to use for just trading (no ca***ransactions). A good example would be parts for a locomotive. I am sure many people have parts off of old locomotives that someone may need. And maybe you need parts for a different locomotive. There is no place that I have found that would allow this type of transaction other than a newsgroup,. and then you are not sure who is going to find your post. The beauty of the auction sites is that people are regularly looking for stuff out there (I know since I do everyday), because it is easy to use and to locate the things for which you are looking . But at the same time it can be expensive. If you have a brass locomotive that you want to sell, it is going to cost at least 5% of the winning bid. That can run $25 or more. Then if you want to take the money from the purchase and buy a different locomotive through an auction, it is going to cost the seller of that item additionally. If you and the other person have what each other person wants, it would be much more cost effective to trade items. People do this all of the time with other people that they know, but that is a limited trading market.

I agree with Bob Boudreau that the protections that auction sites have are a necessity in any type of on-line forum for trading as well. Since you don't know who you are dealing with personally, there needs to be some way to research their past history, etc. There will be a way to rank your trading partner so that others will know how honest a member is.

The site that I am working on is not a part of the forum, but will be a separate website altogether. Initially I wanted to pilot the site with other MRR people, since this is my hobby as well. I am about 60% done with the development of the site, and maybe no one will be interested in using it, but I think it could be useful to some.

When the site is ready to be used I will post the URL in the forum if anyone is interested.

Kevin N.

[Anonymous]

Seems to me that a fellow tried a separate auction site a while ago, think it was called "Choo Choo Auctions" or something along that line. He would post notices semi regularly on the rec.models.railroad newsgroup, but I don't think many took him up on his offer. I seem to recall someone noting there were only a few things up for auction. I even looked at Yahoo Auctions, only found a few items there.

So for me it's eBay.

Now if someone is looking for a particular part for an engine or the like, I don't mind such inquiries. Some years ago a friend was looking for a white metal frame for an Atlas diesel, the part was no longer available from them. I posted a request on RMR and a fellow generously offered to send me one for nothing! I would do the same if I could.

Bob Boudreau

[Anonymous]

There are a number of similiar sections in numerous other forums. I have posted on most of them looking for what I thought was a fairly common item. Guess what, in over 3 months, not one response. I can find the item regularly at Ebay, but no one seemed interested to respond on the buy/sell/trade sections.

So Ebay it is. Which, as most have stated does offer a little buyer protection and you can at least check the history of the seller.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by knewsom

Right now there is no alternative to the auction sites.

Actually, some of the other model RR forums have "for sale" sections which seem to work ok. A smaller mambership keeps the volume down and most of the hucksters out. Commercial offerings from big manufacturers are barred, though some allow members that are also small manufacturers to advertise new products in designated areas.

Those forums are not offered by a company that has to keep in mind the paying advertisers that support it's existance, though. Understandably, it may not be in this forum's interests to offer a "swap-meet.".

Wayne

[SpaceMouse]

We have one on our cowboy site for guns that works quite well. In fact, I was surprised that there was not one here. Here is a link to see how it operates:

http://www.frontierspot.org/viewforum.php?f=8&sid=33a4abeeb18f263ad356a08ad8c19fd9

This particular one allows small merchants but others do not.

As far as how it would effect advertisers. A classified section brings people to the site. More views=more $$$.

[SpaceMouse]

PS There is an advantage to a classified section on a site like this. In a small model train community, you have to be fair and honest or you'll never sell again.

On eBay it's a matter of buy beware and suckers have little recourse.

[cheese3]

Keep this forum just for advice, questions, etc. and leave trading or selling to ebay and flea markets

[twhite]

Well, all I can say about it is that when I first started posting on the forum, I didn't know the rules, so I inquired as to the availability of an Akane Missabe road 2-8-8-4's. I was informed that the subject was taboo on the forum, and after apologizing, what happens? I get an e-mail from PeachCreek Shops that they had one for sale! So my goof turned out to be a sort of gold-mine, anyway, and I got my second Yellowstone!
Tom [}:)][}:)][}:)]

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cheese3

Keep this forum just for advice, questions, etc. and leave trading or selling to ebay and flea markets

NO one is proposing using this forum to sell stuff.

[Anonymous]

It's a cool idea, but it seems a bit unsafe to me. I even shy away from ebay sometimes, just because of the lack of.........well, being there. I really like to look at what I'm buying in person.

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 4884bigboy

It's a cool idea, but it seems a bit unsafe to me. I even shy away from ebay sometimes, just because of the lack of.........well, being there. I really like to look at what I'm buying in person.

It is actually a lot safer than EBay. Here's why. First of all you can ask questions of the seller and you know you will get answers that make sense--because the sellers are people who know trains. As sellers you know what the trains are worth and you can post a good price. If the price is too high you haggle.

And like a I said, this is a small community. If you sell a piece of junk to Jetrock or rrinker, etc, everyone will hear about it and you are done dealing either buying or selling. Like I said before this system is working on our cowboy board and we are buying and selling guns.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: NO one is proposing using this forum to sell stuff.

See the first message in this thread:

" Posted: 18 Feb 2005, 22:16:02
Ok Guys, What do you think about having a Buy or trade section to the Forum?
A place where a person could list what he has for sale or trade? It would be like going to a Model Railroad Flea market that would be open all the time.
Kevin"

That sure seems like someone is indeed proposing it, doesn't it?

Bob Boudreau

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FundyNorthern

QUOTE: NO one is proposing using this forum to sell stuff.

See the first message in this thread:

" Posted: 18 Feb 2005, 22:16:02
Ok Guys, What do you think about having a Buy or trade section to the Forum?
A place where a person could list what he has for sale or trade? It would be like going to a Model Railroad Flea market that would be open all the time.
Kevin"

That sure seems like someone is indeed proposing it, doesn't it?



Bob Boudreau

I claim error by semantics. A "separate sections" would have to be a different forum, just like "Layouts" and "General" are separate forums. It wouldn't make sense to have discussions and classifieds together.

[sebamat]

I would say it will be difficult because:
- if there is a few items, no one will go there regularly --> no sales
-if there are really a lot of stuff... how would you be able to go trough all the items and find exacly those xx boxcar with the yxz special marking you are looking for? Until you build up a system that works, you will have to invest so much time that you will end up starting to charg people for doing businnes on it, and more or less you duplicate ebay.

Ebay just started a section where you can put your desired products and see if someone will offer you one.

And about reliability of sellers on ebay... normally you can easily see from the text and what for other stuff he is selling to know if he understand someting of trains or not.

sebastiano (a routined user of ebay)