Using the forum solely to sell equipment or services

Please post any ideas and suggestions you may have which will help improve this forum.

Should people who don't otherwise contribute to the forum be allowed to use it to sell

No
4
9%
Yes, instruments only not services
9
20%
Yes, instruments and services
14
32%
Yes, instruments and services but only after having a mininum post count
14
32%
Yes, but those without a minimum post count should pay to advertise here
3
7%
 
Total votes: 44

Davinci
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Re: Using the forum solely to sell equipment or services

Post by Davinci »

FYI
I posted the original sale. I didn't know what a hot topic this is. My Client did go out of business and was trying to unload some debt. I said I would post it for them. I found it amazing how many companies asked if we wanted to buy their equipment at the end of the year. Probably the tip of the ice berg for the AEC industry.

Are we also voting if people are asking for equipment, not to post?

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Re: Using the forum solely to sell equipment or services

Post by stutosney »

I have no issues with people selling, but as mentioned earlier, why do they need to appear on the main page? Selling on here is quit niche I would imagine and it isn't something you are going to do on a whim, you don't just randomly buy a car if it pops up on Facebook. If someone is in the market to purchase a scanner, they will seek out the 'Items for Sale' section.

Services are different, where do you draw the line at offering services and showing off work? I posted a picture recently of a castle I had scanned, not because I wanted to garner interest in my services, but because it was quite unique and I thought others with similar interests would appreciate it, but who is to say that isn't advertising my services?
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Re: Using the forum solely to sell equipment or services

Post by VXGrid »

jedfrechette wrote: Tue Feb 02, 2021 5:49 pm [...]

The only posts that annoy me are the ones where some vendor rep comes in to a thread and replies with "Hey our amazing widget does exactly what you need, PM me for details." Fortunately those types of posts are fairly uncommon, and I just use them as a way to filter out spammy vendors who I'm not interested in purchasing from.

[...]
Just curious for your opinion on the edge cases, or if you dislike the "PM me" rather then giving an answer for everybody else interested as well?

Cases:
  1. Thread opener asks for a solution with the on hand task, without specifying the software packages he uses / owns.
  2. Thread opener asks in a subforum how to solve the on hand task with that particular software package.
In my opinion 1. is fine because then the querist can pick the best software for his need.
2. is indeed not helpful, I guess it would be alright to name software solutions which are free to use for the querist.
But what are your thoghts?
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Re: Using the forum solely to sell equipment or services

Post by jedfrechette »

VXGrid wrote: Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:51 am Just curious for your opinion on the edge cases, or if you dislike the "PM me" rather then giving an answer for everybody else interested as well?
The posts that I don't like are the ones where the rep is just trying to get a sales lead and doesn't contribute any actual information to the conversation. If they engage in the conversation and take the time to explain how their widget solves a particular problem that's the kind of vendor post I appreciate. If they just drop in to say "We have a bullet point that covers that, let's schedule a demo." I don't find that very useful, and borderline spammy.

Fortunately, there aren't many posts like that and in practice I'm not sure how you make that type of behavior against the rules without risking to much collateral damage.
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Re: Using the forum solely to sell equipment or services

Post by smacl »

TommyMaddox wrote: Tue Feb 02, 2021 5:30 pmEDIT: 100% believe all For Sale posts need to have a price in the post, same rule in many other forums I've been in, and it's very beneficial.
Also serial number and some proof of ownership. Hasn't been happening as much in the scanning industry as the opportunities are fewer but the amount of theft going in the survey side of things at the moment is huge. Details of last calibration and photos should probably be mandatory as well.
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Re: Using the forum solely to sell equipment or services

Post by smacl »

stutosney wrote: Tue Feb 02, 2021 9:08 pmServices are different, where do you draw the line at offering services and showing off work? I posted a picture recently of a castle I had scanned, not because I wanted to garner interest in my services, but because it was quite unique and I thought others with similar interests would appreciate it, but who is to say that isn't advertising my services?
Certainly on the software and instrumentation side, given it is a marketting opportunity, we sponsor the site and get our own subforum. It would probably make sense to have a section for service providers to do likewise. Very worthwhile for a small layout in my opinion and also shows commitment to growing the site and community.
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Re: Using the forum solely to sell equipment or services

Post by TommyMaddox »

smacl wrote: Thu Feb 04, 2021 9:40 am
TommyMaddox wrote: Tue Feb 02, 2021 5:30 pmEDIT: 100% believe all For Sale posts need to have a price in the post, same rule in many other forums I've been in, and it's very beneficial.
Also serial number and some proof of ownership. Hasn't been happening as much in the scanning industry as the opportunities are fewer but the amount of theft going in the survey side of things at the moment is huge. Details of last calibration and photos should probably be mandatory as well.
The videos I've seen of absolutely brazen daylight theft of survey gear in Europe is insane. You'd never see someone trying to wrestle a total-station from a surveyor off the street and throw it into a van in NA, there's a pretty decent chance the would-be thieves would find themselves staring down a .45 instead.

Have definitely seen and heard of and experienced break-in/smash and grab thefts of gear from vehicles though.
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Re: Using the forum solely to sell equipment or services

Post by smacl »

I got word from Jason this morning that 'For sale' threads will no longer appear in recent topics thread so this should no longer be an issue.
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