Wanted/For Sale Section to Change in New Year

[vinniebabarooch]

I don't think we are looking at the big picture....
Cues and pool in general are in a dismal downward spiral. While I understand that there has to be rules here and they can't always please everyone, I think this will hurt the cue market overall. Basically in a nut shell, you won't see as many cues for sale. Which in the long run will put some new cue makers out of business.
All of this = less interest in pool and cues.
IMO<----- -1

 

[1outofthe$$$$]

Honestly all this place needs is simple Rules of Engagement, aka basic rules for listing.

- NO non-pool items, ever
- NO threads like "Hot Deal of Day"
- In other words, Thread Title must include actual item name
- NO linking to other sites
- NO listings where item is not available here (sry Kev)
- NO superfluous posts (i.e. "PMs responded to" yeah, right)
- One daily bump/post/update by OP
- NO third party listings ("I'm selling for a friend")
- NO threads like "Contact info for Eddie Wheat"
- Tournament listings - mandatory City, State & Date in the Title!! (ONLY forum in the world that it's not a requirement!)
etc., etc.

I belong to many other Forums for a variety if interests, and they all deploy and enforce very similar rules for new Threads, esp in the FS section.

</rant>

-von

I completely agree with this

 

[huntersn9525]

simple

It is simple, this is the beginning of the end for the best billiards marketplace on the web. This move is simply being made to make money for those who run the site. The cue makers and re sellers on here will be forced to pay for advertising in order to sell their products here which will generate money for the site. This advertising money will drive prices of equipment up in the long run. I hate the idea and hope everyone takes the time to think this over and sees what it really is.

 

[JCIN]

Several ideas from other forums come to mind:

~Dealers/Sellers can purchase a sub-forum for their wares. This is value added as there is not all the clutter of a general FS forum.

~A percentage of a given sale goes to the forum, say 5-10 percent. This is very reasonable but hard to enforce.

~Some form of sliding scale ad rate based on number of items for sale in a given time period.

Lots of things can be done and as someone who sells products here I have no problem at all with finding a way to generate some income for the site with them.

End of the day it is a free market. If enough people don't like the new rules someone will come up with a better mousetrap or they will be adjusted. Jerry and Mike are smart guys and I'm pretty sure they will take in the feedback generated here as they proceed. Nothing wrong with the new plan but the devil is in the details. I have faith they will do a good job and be as fair as possible.

 

[JCIN]

It is simple, this is the beginning of the end for the best billiards marketplace on the web. This move is simply being made to make money for those who run the site. The cue makers and re sellers on here will be forced to pay for advertising in order to sell their products here which will generate money for the site. This advertising money will drive prices of equipment up in the long run. I hate the idea and hope everyone takes the time to think this over and sees what it really is.

So its ok for people selling on AZ to make money but it's not ok for the people who own, and maintain the site to make any money?

 

[lorider]

Oh there is a lot of good thoughts for changes out here in the AZ Community. I've seen a lot of members come up with some great ideas and exchange some real good thoughts about changes, both in this thread and in the previous "change is coming" thread.

What I haven't seen is the mods valuing these suggestions, discussing them or in any way acknowledging them. I just don't think this forum is about our opinion, for them. Maybe that ends up working to their advantage, maybe it doesn't.

This particular change makes zero difference to me. The only new cues I ever sell are Ginas, and I think its going to be awhile before we see any new product of of Ernie for me to sell. However, speaking as a guy that used to feel part of something, someone who cared about how this place operated and how we acted, seeing these changes and how they have been implemented has left me feeling quite disenfranchised. Oh well.

Clearly there's the way we wish it was, and the way it is. Life is like that.

Barton must be busy beating his slave labor children. I'm sure he'll have a take on this change that will at least be an interesting read.

Thanks

Kevin

i quote " this particular change makes no difference to me. " REALLY ?

if so why have you made several posts *****in and moaning about it ?

you have made several sarcastic remarks in your posts but the last sentence above was uncalled for and has no place in this thread.

i enjoy being able to see the different products that have been displayed on here for sale by some of the small time makers and a few big ones also. i think it hurts the little guys the most.

i hope jerry comes up a a viable solution th help the little guys like bhq, cyrex, alton, jim baxter, prulhiere etc, etc. i love seeing their work .

as i understand it jerry wants to return this format to what it was designed for instead of the flea market it is today.

i think an old addage applies to this thread ." be careful of what you wish for." a while back there was a thread implying that AZ should intervene some how when several people were ripped off by some unscrupolous dealers. i think this change will prevent some of that.

 

[Worminator]

~Dealers/Sellers can purchase a sub-forum for their wares. This is value added as there is not all the clutter of a general FS forum.

I would have no problem with this. Maybe an annual fee as I don't believe a percentage could be enforced as you stated.

I tried the banner ads and they did not work for me (did anyone notice there are no banners ads up right now... I didn't think so, and that's my point).

A dealer section seems to be a logical move. The only issue with that is what is the criteria for being classified as a dealer? That, I believe, would be answered by the new Wanted/For Sale section... no more than 2-3 items posted at the same time or off to the Dealer Section you go.

 

[shamadam]

If you took the cue in a trade it is not a new cue is it?

I don't know. There is still a sticker on it, and not a ding or speck of
chalk anywhere. I was told it was never used. If you buy a car, and
have it delivered on a flat back, and put it in your garage without ever
starting it up, is it still new 10 years later? I'm not sure what the
guidelines are. Your garage or the showroom. Does the location of
the car decide if its new or not?

 

[huntersn9525]

So its ok for people selling on AZ to make money but it's not ok for the people who own, and maintain the site to make any money?

I didn't say that, just don't think they should make it from the cue makers and others on here that help make the site what it is. This is just an opinion and I know it is not the popular one but I think the changes are a mistake. I believe that the site will be adversely affected by this change. It is simply just greed, the people who run and maintain the site have advertising money already coming in, if you don't believe it, look at the top of your screen. The bottom line is, and this is just an example I made up, someone like Pruelhier(sp?)cues, he has cues listed here custom order for 170, There is no way on Earth I could have found that much cue for that amount of money ANYWHERE else. I would never have known that company ever existed if it were not for this site, now say they stop advertising on AZ, where is the next guy gonna find out about his products. No matter how you look at this, it is going to hurt the billiards market and community.

 

[Wedge]

AZ Billiards has been sold

The new owners are BAD Billiards (Barton-AceDonkeyAce-DaveSutton). Starts January 1, 2012...stay tune!!!

 

[fourkingscues]

I agree with
vinniebabarooch and cueAddicts,,,are sport is down enough ,,,why do this and bring it down more ,Just delete the thread after 14 days anything in the waned for sale,,,what so hard about that???,,if you really want to sell your item or let people know again you can repost about item after waiting another 14 days,,

BR
Ken

 

[UGOTDA7]

I don't think any changes should be made. The more items the merrier. I like seeing all sorts of different stuff here....and I doubt I'm alone. For example - I bought a new Magic Rack set after seeing it here and I didn't even know it existed. Will that opportunity for both buyer and seller be removed? Why? What good does it serve? Sure, this place has some minor inconveniences but it is still good the way it is and in my opinion should not be changed.

 

[classiccues]

Well maybe they want you to read about Earls antics, or some kooky aiming system, or how Charlie Williams is on the US Mosconi team... because when you look at the amount of people that are on, members and guests, and compare them to those in this section it is anywhere between 40-55%, This forum section generates a ton of interest.
I would much rather see what kind of cue is for sale then read about bigtruck not wanting someone viewing his stream, or how someone is no longer offering free water...
It's always been my belief that its their ball and their court so I am down with whatever they choose.

JV

 

[rich337]

sometime change is a bad thing:scratchhead:

 

[BHQ]

I don't think any changes should be made. The more items the merrier. I like seeing all sorts of different stuff here....and I doubt I'm alone. For example - I bought a new Magic Rack set after seeing it here and I didn't even know it existed. Will that opportunity for both buyer and seller be removed? Why? What good does it serve? Sure, this place has some minor inconveniences but it is still good the way it is and in my opinion should not be changed.

if im reading it correctly,
it's ONLY NEW CUES by anyone other than the advertisers
you can buy/sell magic racks, lathes, cuemaking materials, used cues, cars, jewlery, reptile cages, chalk, pictures, videos, anything your heart desires,except NEW CUES
it's got nothing to do with taking up space, bumps

am i wrong? if i am, i'd like to hear from the powers that be

 

[LGSM3]

gonna go out on a limb and say that without the support of the larger advertising sponsors, this place will quickly become a sh.. hole... So maybe its in everyones best interest to consider the moderators dilemma. I doubt its as much about profit as it is survival.

This is the ultimate in industry specific traffic to a product, thats atleast worth a fee of some sort in my eyes. You can pay mega money for a badass website, but its worthless if you cant get people to it. This site is free and blows the existence of any website out of the water!

 

[UGOTDA7]

if im reading it correctly,
it's ONLY NEW CUES by anyone other than the advertisers
you can buy/sell magic racks, lathes, cuemaking materials, used cues, cars, jewlery, reptile cages, chalk, pictures, videos, anything your heart desires,except NEW CUES
it's got nothing to do with taking up space, bumps

am i wrong? if i am, i'd like to hear from the powers that be

Here's the first post, the bold is what I see as the crucial point:

AZBilliards is going to be making changes to the Wanted/For Sale forum section. This section was intended to be a place for individuals to sell their personal items. When an individual got a new cue they could sell their old one on our forums. It was intended to be a service for our readers.

But it has become a section that continually bites us and the advertisers who support the very existence of AZB.

So we are going to take it back to what it was always supposed to be. ONLY individuals with used merchandise for sale will be able to post there in the New Year. No new merchandise will be able to be sold there and certainly no mass marketing will be allowed to continue.

All businesses who are currently working off of that forum should make appropriate plans. Any who are interested in continuing their presence on AZB should contact our advertising department via email: jerry@azbilliards.com

 

[BHQ]

Here's the first post, the bold is what I see as the crucial point:

AZBilliards is going to be making changes to the Wanted/For Sale forum section. This section was intended to be a place for individuals to sell their personal items. When an individual got a new cue they could sell their old one on our forums. It was intended to be a service for our readers.

But it has become a section that continually bites us and the advertisers who support the very existence of AZB.

So we are going to take it back to what it was always supposed to be. ONLY individuals with used merchandise for sale will be able to post there in the New Year. No new merchandise will be able to be sold there and certainly no mass marketing will be allowed to continue.

All businesses who are currently working off of that forum should make appropriate plans. Any who are interested in continuing their presence on AZB should contact our advertising department via email: jerry@azbilliards.com

i guess that means NEW ANYTHING
thanks U

 

[plshrk22]

I am not even sure I understand quite what is going on, but I will follow whatever rules change. I used to sell on a website, and Ebay. Through this forum, I have spread my business, and been able to grow in a way I never saw coming. I have met a lot of good people here and actually made some good friends that I stay in contact with outside of AZ. I have only been here for a year or so, so I am not sure of all of the details about this, but when I signed up, I thought the selling area was pretty open and it was a place for people to buy and sell billiards items. Whatever the changes, I will try to go with the flow and if the flow is cut off, I will survive. So anyway, It has been a pleasure doing business here, and I hope it continues.........

In a nut shell if you are NOT a retailer that is paying for advertising on the site which a small guy cannot ever afford you are NOT allowed to offer new products for sale.

 

[BHQ]

In a nut shell if you are NOT a retailer that is paying for advertising on the site which a small guy cannot ever afford you are NOT allowed to offer new products for sale.

would that be the same advertisers that are here because it's the best pool forum i know of, so far,
which is full of cue junkies, cue freaks, potential customers for them?
those retailers?
seems like someone is shooting themselves in the foot to me when those cuenutz look elsewhere for thier toys
but, more power to them
proof that money talks