This forum

I really think that AZ Billiards should set it up where we are charged to list items, I myself have listed plenty of stuff, even if it is say 50 cents to list something it would certainly add up to quite an amount for AZ Billiards. I also think you could have a yearly sales membership for $20 or something where you get 100 listings or something for the year. It is not a ton of money for individual members to pay but add it all up and it would certainly help the site out. :smile:
 
I really think that AZ Billiards should set it up where we are charged to list items, I myself have listed plenty of stuff, even if it is say 50 cents to list something it would certainly add up to quite an amount for AZ Billiards. I also think you could have a yearly sales membership for $20 or something where you get 100 listings or something for the year. It is not a ton of money for individual members to pay but add it all up and it would certainly help the site out. :smile:

I agree that 50 cents or $20 a year is not a ton of money, but if they start charging to post a for sale thread, that would be the end of the for sale forum as we know it. I wouldnt mind, but you know how people are when it comes to money. Ive seen a guy play for $500 a set, lose 1500 like it was cool, then complain about a bag of chips costing 75 cents. People will just deal in private, or not deal here at all, which will hurt the site far more than it will help. Im not being rude here, just stating my opinion. For what its worth, I plan on getting a club membership in a few weeks:smile:. I think its all been taken care of pretty well so far, so I vote to just leave it be. Or we can use the saying "If it aint broke, fix it till it is!", lol.


Joe
 
...They don't have to set rules and clear guidelines.

I beg to differ with you. I have been a member of forums where P.M.S. seems to rule the masters at unpredictable moments. I don't even remember what forums those were, because everyone was always frustrated and agitated, so I haven't been back.

One thing I can say about AZBilliards is that Mike has always tried to be fair about his rules and isn't too P.M.S.-y, so you have a clue what might or might not be okay around here.

Same way for my grandkids. The rules are different here than at home, but they know what the rules are and that they don't change according to someone's mood, so it only takes a few minutes for them to adapt and be at home in our house.

Since the rules don't change on whims around here too often, the membership grows and thrives.
 
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So, establish sales/return policies and implement a policy for sellers allowed, whether by ad hoc ruling or strict standards.

Next time you go to a pool hall and buy a cue off someone, be sure to have the owner of the pool hall make rules governing your transaction, in case you decide you don't like what you get. That way, it's all his fault if things go wrong. He can fix it for you, because you shouldn't have to be responsible for your own actions and decisions, right? WRONG!!

That is EXACTLY what you are asking AZBilliards to do. They are only a place to gather and interact as a community. They are not here to make sure you don't make a lousy decision in a sale/buy. They gave us this nice forum to do all our buying and selling in. The least we can do is be grown up enough to handle our own transactions.

That's one of the first things that started losing eBay's customers for them. A sale should be between a seller and a buyer. The forum or sidewalk or parking lot or pool hall they choose to make their exchange in should have no control whatsoever in the matters of that sale. When eBay decided to become the rulemaker about what you can or can't do in a sale, people started leaving. The more restrictions, the less members.

I would hate to see AZBilliards start squeezing people so tightly they leave for other forums. If you make enough bad decisions that you need to have someone govern your actions, either grow up, or go pay a professional to make the transactions for you. Or, go be happy at eBay. Sounds like you could probably use their assistance.

Not trying to sound mean, necessarily. Just trying to show you how much extra you are asking from others and how you seem to be trying to find someone to throw blame onto, if things don't go like you want them to go. That's really not cool.
 
...And the idea of someone else in the pool world running it doesn't sound much better to me.

Mike

We would not want someone else to run it, Mike. Nobody else could make this place run like you and Wilson. We love this forum and the "family" atmosphere. We have built some very good friendships on here and everyone we know hears about "the forum" we love so much. Thank you for all your efforts and your dedication to this great community you built. It is a wonderful place to spend a little time, every now and again.
 
I'm sorry but I had to chuckle...obviously you are unaware that AZ is becoming nothing more than a conduit for Ebay advertisers: http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=169038

That particular line was meant to offer him someone to handle his transactions, since he is afraid he might make a bad transaction and need someone else to be responsible for him and act on his behalf. eBay does that... I'm sure it's added into the fees they charge.

I don't get frustrated enough to smart off in this forum very often, but that's exactly what that line was all about.

Oh yeah... People have been selling things on eBay and listing them here for a few years, now. It's not anything new. But, I'm with Mike and Wilson on this one. If that's all they are about, hang 'em out to dry!
 
My turn

I have a few things to say, now that I managed to muddle my way through this thread.

When we first put our website online, we were selling via eBay. We occasionally posted threads in the forum to annouce those sales, when we had something we thought someone here might like.

Over the years, we have sold very few cues to AZBers. Most of our buyers don't have time for the internet, because they play pool in all their spare time. When you mention the forum to them, they have no clue. After a year or two, we had established ourselves enough to quit selling on eBay and do all our sales through our website. To this day, very few of our customers are AZBers (although some of our buyers who had not known about this forum in the past are now members). Because of this, we seldom ever list a cue for sale, anymore. Once in a while, someone will ask for pics or info on some of our cues, which we will gladly share. Usually, we just post a little info about what's going on with Crown Cues in our signatures and if anyone is interested, they can click on the links there and we'll be glad to fix them up with a new cue.

And a note that is very important for me to share with you. I am sure many of you have noticed that I am not a club member. There is a very good reason for that. Gene is the cuemaker, so we felt he should join the club, even though I am the more active one on the forum. So, even though I am not a member, one of us IS a member and we try to keep his membership current.

Also, we support this forum in many other ways. Live streaming of pool events practically began with members of this forum. We sponsor the free streamers in many ways, including financially. We sponsor some of the players in the events. We sponsor some of the events listed in the forum. We support events and encourage others from the forum to attend them. At the 2009 Super Billiards Expo, we had a DAILY sign-in sheet (at our booth) for forum members to sign in on days they attended and leave a note of what they were wearing, so others could find them.

By supporting all these things, we encourage community activity that generally builds more strength in friendships and ultimately, more support for AZBilliards. Sometimes, we get sidetracked with orders (:eek:) or unexpected things on the homefront, such as medical issues and tornadoes and blizzards that we cannot ignore and must take time out to deal with. But, we always return.

So, before so many of you condemn everyone who doesn't have a yellow banner, please realize that there are MANY other ways to support this great community than just paying for that yellow banner. (I prefer 8 ball, anyway. :wink:) I think even Mike and Wilson will back me up on this one. But, don't forget that one of us DOES have that yellow banner, so even though it doesn't show up on me, it's paid for.

This forum is a big part of our lives. When I was recuperating from heart attacks and cancer and having severe depression and anxiety attacks, I often spent most of my time at AZBilliards, looking for something to help me laugh and lighten up, so I could live just a little longer and a little better. As long as this place continues to be the great place that Mike has made it, we will be active here and do our best to contribute in whatever ways we can.
 
.
And a note that is very important for me to share with you. I am sure many of you have noticed that I am not a club member. There is a very good reason for that. Gene is the cuemaker, so we felt he should join the club, even though I am the more active one on the forum. So, even though I am not a member, one of us IS a member and we try to keep his membership current.

Also, we support this forum in many other ways. Live streaming of pool events practically began with members of this forum. We sponsor the free streamers in many ways, including financially. We sponsor some of the players in the events. We sponsor some of the events listed in the forum. We support events and encourage others from the forum to attend them. At the 2009 Super Billiards Expo, we had a DAILY sign-in sheet (at our booth) for forum members to sign in on days they attended and leave a note of what they were wearing, so others could find them.

By supporting all these things, we encourage community activity that generally builds more strength in friendships and ultimately, more support for AZBilliards. Sometimes, we get sidetracked with orders (:eek:) or unexpected things on the homefront, such as medical issues and tornadoes and blizzards that we cannot ignore and must take time out to deal with. But, we always return.

So, before so many of you condemn everyone who doesn't have a yellow banner, please realize that there are MANY other ways to support this great community than just paying for that yellow banner. (I prefer 8 ball, anyway. :wink:) I think even Mike and Wilson will back me up on this one. But, don't forget that one of us DOES have that yellow banner, so even though it doesn't show up on me, it's paid for.

I agree with you. We all know you do your part.

As I mention in a previous post I do believe that there are certain members that should be given Honorary Club Membership Status and sport the Club Banner.
Those would of course include AZB staff. It would set a good example.
Also our respected members in Heaven, Their posts remain even though they are gone.
Those who might contribute in other ways though advertising or contribution, should also be considered.
I now also must add imediate Family of other Club Members.

I have had 3 members contact me already to let me know that these recent discussions have brought them to the decision to join.

I hope for increased membership to continue and Honorary memberships to be implemented.
Wishing all of AZB a Happy Healthy and prosperous New Year. Be Safe:cool:
 
Here are the rules for selling on another forum that I am a member.

Welcome to the PentaxForums.com Marketplace! In this unique forum, you can buy and sell new and used Pentax gear! The main index of the Marketplace contains a list of items (cameras, lenses, photoghraphic accessories, etc.) for sale, while our sub-forum contains threads through which fellow forum members are looking for gear. If you're intersted in any particular item, start by sending the seller/buyer a Private Message. You're also welcome to list your own equipment for sale anytime, but your account must meet at least one of the following conditions in order to do so:

-Donated any amount ($10 - $250) to PentaxForums.com in the past year
-Made 1,000 or more total forum posts
-Made 200 or more total forum posts, and been a member of the site for over 2 years

If you are a new member and currently do not have access to the Marketplace, the easiest way to gain access is to make an $10 or $20 donation via the User CP. There are no item listing fees or final value fees whatsoever.

Instructions and Rules for Marketplace Users:

Always make sure that each seller is trustworthy before making a purchase. If a transaction goes smoothly, please leave feedback through our feedback system. Although the moderators and I do our best to remove any suspicious threads on sight, access to the Marketplace is restricted, and the number of malicious sales out site's history has been negligible, we ask that you always double-check a sellers' integrity yourself.

Please apply the "For Sale" thread prefix for items being sold and the "Wanted" prefix for items being looked for. Additionally, please do not use any acronyms or phrases, such as "FS" or "WTB," to begin your thread titles, since prefixes are automatically added. Before creating a new thread to list an item for sale, make sure it is not being already sought for in the Wanted Items section. If it is, contact the user(s) interested in the item via PM.

There are two editors which you can use to list items. The item listing form, which features organized pre-configured fields, can and should be used when listing individual items. The classic editor may be used when selling multiple items simultaneously; buttons at the top of the marketplace allow you to choose which form to use. For more information, please read this announcement: http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/l...-launched.html. If for any reason you do not wish to use the form, feel free to use the classic editor for sigle-item sales as well.

Once an item is sold (or acquired), please click the "Mark Thread as Sold" (or "Mark item as Acquired") link in the "Thread Tools" drop-down. The thread will be automatically closed, marked as sold, and moved to the "Sold Items" forum! Should any conflicts come up after a thread has been closed, we ask that you use the private messaging system to communicate before contacting a moderator or leaving negative feedback. If you made a listing and decided not to follow through with the sale, please withdraw it using the appropriate option from the "Thread Tools" dropdown, rather than marking it as "Sold" or "Acquired".

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the marketplace!

Disclaimer: Purchases are made at your own risk and are in no way financially processed by PentaxForums.com. Site owners, moderators, and administrators are not responsible for any losses resulting from the use of this section.

Item Condition Key

Originally Posted by Item Condition Key

Mint: Item has no marks, scratches, or signs of use whatsoever. Packaged in original box with all manuals and accessories. 99.99% of original condition.

Like New: Item is lightly used, but shows no marks or scratches. Extremely minimal signs of use may be visible. Packaged in original box with all manuals and accessories. 98% of original condition.

Excellent: Item is moderately used, but shows no scratches or dents. Small marks and minimal signs of use may be visible. Collectors would accept items in this condition. 95% of original condition.

Good: Item has seen substantial use, but shows no significant scratches or dents. Marks and signs of use may be visible as a result from wear-and-tear. 90% of original condition.

Fair: Item has seen substantial use and may have some scratches, but no significant dents. Marks and signs of use will be more abundant than typically. 80% of original condition.

Poor: Item has seen great use and may have scratches, dents, and signs of use that are clearly visible. 70% of original condition.

Damaged: Item has seen extreme use, or has been handled poorly. Significant scratches, dents, dings, and signs of use are clearly visible OR the item is NOT in full working condition. 60% or less of original condition. Bargain price. Any lens with scratches on its front element, fungus, or fog will automatically fall in this category.

All conditions, save "Damaged," are assumed to retain the item's full working condition. If a lens is being sold, its glass is assumed to be in mint condition unless it is described as "Poor" or "Damaged". Please note the fine distinction between 'Mint' and 'Like New' condition for used items when posting.

This key applies to lenses, cameras, accessories, and photo bags alike.

Marketplace Regulations

* You may only use the Marketplace to sell your own new or used photo equipment, or purchase equipment being sold by others (this includes photo-related software and accessories in addition to cameras and lenses)*
* You must explicitly list items in your thread titles, and describe them in detail. For instance, you cannot merely write, "Selling a bunch of Pentax gear, please contact me."
* Products or services offered by third parties may not be advertised in the marketplace, even if they are universally beneficial to forum members (such useful services should be mentioned within a thread in the appropriate discussion forum, i.e. "General Talk")
* You may post images of your item(s) in your Marketplace threads (recommended, although not required)
* If a thread is closed, the item listed is no longer available (or no longer being looked for)
* An asking price or price range must be posted (you may ask for a best offer in addition to your stated price, however)
* False promotional information within item listings is not tolerated and will be removed upon discovery
* Commercial products sold on behalf of a store or website may not be listed; the Marketplace is for personal use only*
* Electronic products available via electronic download only may not be sold through the marketplace; all software must include an original CD or DVD, etc., and must be shipped
* You may only place links to your own eBay auctions after the auctioned item has been listed in the Marketplace for at least one week
* You may not post links to others' eBay auctions
* Only photography-related equipment may be sold in this section
* Replies made in Marketplace threads may not influence sales except when the trustworthiness of the seller is in question
* False advertising or false promotion via replies is not permitted
* Public commenting on or comparison of asking prices is not allowed
* Only definitive "for sale" or "for trade" threads are allowed; no "feelers" or "would anyone be interested" threads
* Marketplace thread titles must directly reflect the item(s) being sold
* Item location must either be indicated through the seller's profile, or through the item listing
* Site administrators and moderators reserve the right to remove any thread or feedback entry without prior notice
* Please acquaint yourself with the excerpt from the official forum rules below for specifics on the Marketplace section
* You may bump your Marketplace threads after 12 hours if a price change has been made, or after 24 hours if not; do not bump more than three times a week
* We request that you leave item prices intact after marking threads as "Sold" (exceptions are at the seller's discretion)
* Threads are automatically archived if no replies or edits to it are made for 120 days
* We hope you find the Marketplace to be a valuable resource and enjoy using it

This section is offered free of charge and for personal use; however, members must either be a Pentaxian or Site Supporter in order to gain access to sell items (see details at the top of the page). The purpose of the Marketplace is for members to have a centralized location to sell used equipment they no longer need, and purchase equipment being offered. It's unique due to the broad range of Pentax items that are and have been listed, from old lenses and accessories, to modern cameras. Pentax collectors have found it to be an extremely useful resource; devoid of scamming attempts and spam, it's also a safe place to conduct business.

Each Marketplace for-sale thread can be posted for free by site supporters and long-time members, but the Marketplace is not intended for sellers to profit by reselling items, nor is it intended to facilitate sales of items unrelated to photography. *Commercial or retail sales, bulk sales, sales and transactions initiated purely for profit, or re-sales are thus only allowed upon purchase of special reseller access via the User CP. Unless you have purchased this access, this section is exclusively for personal use. Sales of multiple new or unopend items of the same type are only allowed with this special access. This special access costs $10 per month, and discounts for long-term access are available.

Daily, the moderators and administrators monitor the Marketplace to ensure threads are tidy and of the correct nature. We also make sure sales are legit, and take immediate action if there are any doubts in that respect. In our monitoring of the section, we additionally intend to ensure that no threads trespass the site rules, and that all items listed are indeed permitted. This is to make the section fair for every buyer and seller, and we kindly ask for and appreciate your cooperation with both our decisions, and the official Marketplace regulations. Disrespect toward moderators, their decisions, or abuse of the rules will not be tolerated, and appropriate action will be taken for any offense noted in the Marketplace.

Originally Posted by Official Forum Rules

Pentaxforums.com offers a marketplace section in which site supporters and long-time members are free to sell or trade their photography equipment to other members of the community, or to post threads looking for items. In order to keep item listings organized, members are asked to close their threads using the automatic thread-closure system whenever an item listing is sold, traded, cancelled, or no longer being looked for. Although linking to online auction sites is allowed, users may only promote their own auctions and such links may only be posted after an item has been listed for at least one week in the Marketplace. When posting marketplace threads, users can select thread prefixes to make their threads easier to search.

An asking price, or price range, is required for all items. False promotional information within item listings is not tolerated and will be removed upon discovery by the forum staff. Furthermore, we will remove listings and contact the respective seller if we note any suspicious material or activity. Commercial products or services cannot be advertised in the Marketplace; the section is for personal use only.

Public commenting on the price of any item is not allowed. Although the site staff will remove listings with suspicious pricing, we ask that members do not publicly intervene unless a scam is suspected and that all communication regarding pricing (and purchasing) is conducted via PM. Within each marketplace thread, users may ask questions about the item offered for sale, notify the seller of a PM or status change, or discuss technical details as well as shipping.

Upon a successful transaction, we ask that members exchange public feedback via our feedback system. Please remember that purchases of items listed in the Marketplace are made at your own risk and are in no way processed by PentaxForums.com. The site moderators, administrators, and owners are not responsible for any loss resulting from use of the Marketplace.

Abuse of this section to deliberately harm other members may result in legal action and/or a ban from the site. Additional rules listed inside thread within the Marketplace itself may apply.
 
I watch I learn i say nothing!

I feel Lucky to see some of the stuff I get to see here.

Thank Rvan!
 
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