how are things selling in the classifieds?

enochRoot

enochRoot

a chymist of some repute
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Oct 30, 2005
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maybe this has been asked before, but i have not seen it. i was curious what kind of luck people are having w/ the "new" classified section? do items sell pretty quickly like before, or are less people checking them out? i have some gear that needs to go to finance a new purchase, and before i pony up the listing fees (which still kinda irk me), i'd like to at least get an idea of the success rate others are having.

any feedback would be appreciated. thanks!
 
If you look in the classifieds sections you can gather a rough idea of how it is beginning to work.

By reviewing each category you will see red "Sold!" labels. You can also see the post date. When the items sold isn't as clear but you can devine that from the comments sometimes.
 
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thanks guys. i have been trying to monitor it, but i'm not sure if some people sell the stuff, and don't mark it sold. or if they delete the ad once it sells, etc, etc. before it was just very easy w/ all the banter to see what was selling, and how quickly. you could also get a good feel if the price was right, or too high...and adjust accordingly. i guess i'll take some photos and give it a go and see what happens!

as for the cost...you can tell by my lack of stars...i'm not a premium member, so i would be paying per ad.
 
put them all in one ad.

i did that and i don't have to pay.

i think a few ads have been removed after the item sold and i don't think everyone has marked it sold after the sale.
 
I don't know, but it seems kinda slow moving in the new classifieds. The "supersized" pictures doesn't really help it either, I think. For now I liked the old ones better. But I suppose every change has to have some time to mature and find its own flow... :)
 
back alley said:
put them all in one ad.

i did that and i don't have to pay.
Click to expand...

i had thought of that, but since some things are *entirely* different than others...it doesn't give the best exposure to things.
 
Jerevan said:
I don't know, but it seems kinda slow moving in the new classifieds. The "supersized" pictures doesn't really help it either, I think. For now I liked the old ones better.
Click to expand...

i'm the same way...hence posting the question :) i don't want to waste the time or money if things have cooled off, or the new classifieds aren't as useful. i'd rather just put it on ebay at that point :rolleyes:
 
I guess it depends on the popularity of what you are selling. Or searching. My wtb ad for a Contax-II/III proved successful, and I managed to do a trade with my fed-2. However, I think my 300/4 Sonnar will end up on eBay tonight. :)
 
After some growing pains, and fear of change, I happen to like the new format. I do find, though, that in some cases there's less "back-and-forth" discussion within the Comments section than in the old classifieds, where each "ad" was actually an individual thread. I find that I'm doing most of my business (more buying than selling, so far) by PM.

One thing I'm not sure about (and I've heard some frustration with) is the supported ability to "Buy It Now", to borrow a phrase. I'm sure it's controllable by the seller, but I like to enter into a discussion before purchasing. It's something I even try to do on the 'bay, so perhaps it's just me.

Try it - I think you'll like it.


Cheers,
--joe.
 
I've found the new "Classifieds" work well...after a slow start, there's lots of good stuff to look at and buy...and I sold a Tewe finder.
 
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well...seems like i chose the wrong time to want to try out the new classifieds. they just got spammed like crazy. my gear would be lost in the fray. i hate selling on ebay anymore, but this recent development might force me to. sorry to be such a whiner...
 
enochRoot said:
well...seems like i chose the wrong time to want to try out the new classifieds. they just got spammed like crazy. my gear would be lost in the fray. i hate selling on ebay anymore, but this recent development might force me to. sorry to be such a whiner...
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I don't know, the number of items for sale in the classifieds here is still miniscule by comparison to ebay. My guess is if you have good stuff to sell and offer it at a reasonable price, then the benefit of buying from a fellow RFF member would motivate me to purchase from you here rather than on ebay. And, in fact, I've done that by having purchased from someone here via the new classifieds (I believe it was one of the very early transactions consummated via the new classifieds). Of course you're free to sell on ebay, and can still pursue that route if your item doesn't sell here (albeit with a small cost if you're not a RFF contributor), but otherwise you have little to lose by trying. I, too, have some misgivings with the new classifieds versus the old thread-based approach, but not so much that I would avoid the new classifieds. Just my $.02 worth.

-Randy
 
did i mention that 'i am done'?

so i have no personal interest in what you may have to offer;) but i am still very curious for some strange reason...:)

i just can't help myself

day 2 - passed!!

joe
 
vrgard said:
I don't know, the number of items for sale in the classifieds here is still miniscule by comparison to ebay. My guess is if you have good stuff to sell and offer it at a reasonable price, then the benefit of buying from a fellow RFF member would motivate me to purchase from you here rather than on ebay. And, in fact, I've done that by having purchased from someone here via the new classifieds (I believe it was one of the very early transactions consummated via the new classifieds). Of course you're free to sell on ebay, and can still pursue that route if your item doesn't sell here (albeit with a small cost if you're not a RFF contributor), but otherwise you have little to lose by trying. I, too, have some misgivings with the new classifieds versus the old thread-based approach, but not so much that I would avoid the new classifieds. Just my $.02 worth.

-Randy
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that is true randy. in the past i think i have passed along some VERY good deals to RFF members. i have not made a dime, and often lose money to "keep it in the family". now, however...having to pay for that "priviledge" just kinda ticks me off in a philosophical way. i could have made a LOT more money selling things on ebay, but i really appreciate the community here, and liked that whole notion of gear karma. $2 is a minor fee, but it's the principle. and i choose not to be an "sponsor" or whatever the new membership is called. again...nothing to do w/ the cost, it is the principle that makes me not want to "upgrade". i guess i'll give them a try here first. i just hope i get the same interest i used to in the "old" classifieds.


back alley said:
did i mention that 'i am done'?

so i have no personal interest in what you may have to offer;) but i am still very curious for some strange reason...:)

i just can't help myself

day 2 - passed!!

joe
Click to expand...

hehehehe...oh joe. i'm not trying to tempt you at all! then again...i guess i have become a regular pusher-man to you :p you'll see the goodies soon enough. i just need to motivate myself to take the photos. it is one type of photography i don't enjoy (taking crappy digi pics of things to sell). and as always i'm only selling since i did a bad, bad thing!
 
Hey, enochroot, I cannot disagree with your philosophical argument. Two bucks may not be much, but I can see your point. I am not personally familiar with all the background on the development/ownership of this site so I should be careful what I say so as not to criticize where none is due nor give credit where none is due. That being said, the way I have been viewing things is that I have benefitted greatly by this site. Paying back that benefit comes in many forms ranging from passing along good deals and info to other members (as you have done), to getting good deals and info from other members, to paying the sponsorship fee to those who have spent time starting and/or maintaining this site. I'm not trying to sound like a shill or salesperson for those people, but I do appreciate all that I've gotten via this site and, as a result, am willing to pony up the relatively meager sponsor dollars. I don't know, perhaps you can view paying that fee as more warranted for all these and other reasons and then when you want to sell stuff you don't have to think about additional charges/fees to do so? Just a thought since, as I said, I cannot disagree with your point about karma, etc. Again, just so I'm clear, I'm not trying to argue with you and, instead, just sharing my perspective on the classified section, what has worked for me, and why I was willing to pay the sponsor fee. Peace enochroot.

-Randy
 
Some people think "it's working well". They tend to be the ones who didn't use the original system. The original system was a hallmark of this site, and nobody wondered how to make it work, and it was a collective feature.

This "new" system has room for improvement, and lots of people have left over it.

Back to my corner.
 
The "original system" had a lot of a neighborhood feeling. Many offers were a forum member would generously pass on their former favorites to other forum members at a reasonable cost. Many of the FS threads were quite informative and pricing was regulated to a large degree by the group. It was more egalitarian in many ways.

The "new system" has a class system where paid subscribers - like mysel -f have free access priveledges and it definitely has rubbed some long time forum participants the wrong way.

Now with the addition of professional sellers adding to the mix. It has lost that community commons atmosphere.

Just another 2 cents worth.
 
and some of the seller/members that left were the ones with the better 'deals' selling to us at a lesser price for just those reasons listed above.

some may remember my ranting at the suggestion of a paid classified and my feelings have not changed substantially.
however, my philosophy has always been to make the best of a bad situation and the truth is i like this place and choose to stay.
and not because i'm a moderator.
i was a member before i was a mod.
i miss the guys who left or just drop by occasionally and support their choices just as they have not given me flack for staying.
things change...

joe
 
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