For Sale

[wazabiker]

Is there a place on this message to place wanted and for sale posts for tools and machinery? If not, why not? Newbies and oldies constantly look for great deals on used or nearly new equipment. By the way, I am making a day trip to Highland Hardware in Atlanta, Ga. Anyone been there? I'm looking forward to browsing and possibly buying some goodies.

Rob Banks

[boogatoo]

I agree, It would be great if there was a permanent CLASSIFIED thread where we could buy and sell used tools etc. on this forum.

[Old Mooner]

I think a category called "For Sale or Trade" or, perhaps, "Trading Post", would be interesting, but I gotta tell you I don't think Fox Chapel (or anyone responsible) is going to go for it. Buying and selling over the net, sight unseen, is shakey at best and a nightmare at worst. Who is going to guarantee the honesty of either the buyer or seller? I can forsee the potential for some bad feelings. Now, before some thin-skinned individual jumps right in the middle of me for accusing them of potential crookery and/or dishonesty, let me tell you that people will be people, even in a great group such as this, and there is a potential for disruption/hard feelings. Another thing that can occur is that commercial concerns will hear of the forum and see it as a possible profit-making endeavor. Don't tell me they can't become members either, because they can. Are any of us sure the others in this forum are who they say they are? I might be a "little old lady in tennis shoes".
I still like the idea if it could be made to work.
Moon

[CanadianScroller]

All good points Mooner.

I agree that a trading post is a good idea, but I am also leery.

It is easy to ruffle feathers online. One of the reasons emoticons evolved was to show sarcasm etc.

Maybe a classified thread could contain private email links and a disclaimer.

[arbarnhart]

I don't know how the admins feel, but it is nice to know when someone that you have some experience with is selling something you might want. Online "experiences" can give you some insight after a while. I wouldn't object to someone who has been a member for a while making "real" posts indicated they were selling personally owned woodworking equipment. But it is hard to open it up to that and not get every importer from ebay.

[BobD]

I've been mulling this idea for a while, and really came to the same conclusion that OM did. We can have a standard disclaimer that resolves Fox Chapel of all the responsibility, but how do I keep out commercial advertisers?

I'm still mulling it over, I've got a few ideas, but I want to be sure before I start the section.

Bob Duncan
Scroll Saw Workshop

[jttheclockman]

Here is my opinion and have seen this on other sites. Things for sale have to be woodworking related, being tools, wood, materials, and such. No skis, clothing,dishware and such, no web sites, no services and such. This can be set up on a trial basis and if it gets out of hand Bob just pull the plug. If something is questionable delete it with the understanding a email was sent to the seller stating the reason. I know you will get into questions when it comes to selling books or magazines or even plans. You can omit them too if you want. This basically is a scroll sawing site and the members here should realize that. This is not ebay, turners site, carvers site, sewing site and such so it should not be too hard to control. Just my opinion mind you. You go to most of these sites that have this feature and it hardly gets used.

[BobD]

Sorry, but things like this are not that easy.

A decision like this requires careful planning--the reputation of not only the message board but also Scroll Saw Workshop and Fox Chapel Publishing is tied up in this.

It's my responsibility to think this through the whole way--and that is a fact, not an opinion!

Bob

[Woodbutcher68]

What's the difference between somebody posting that they have an item for sale and somebody showing their website where they are selling their work?
An ad or thread stating "I have a scrollsaw for sale. If interested, e-mail or PM me" would get dialog started between the two parties. I could click on the links in a few people's posts here and buy from them. If I have a problem there is it SSW's problem? I had some problems with an order from someone here, but SSW and nobody here ever knew about it.(And I ain't tellin' since it was resolved between us!) I would hope that all those who post here are adult enough to settle the problem between themselves without posting it here unless absolutely necessary, and then only as a warning to others.
But I have been wrong before.

[arbarnhart]

The more I think about it, this may be just a tempest in a teapot. I frequent a much higher volume general woodworking forum that has a classifieds section and there is occasionally junk in it that the admin deletes, but I doubt it is even one junk post a week. There is someone posting about wood for sale on this board now.