Trading on this site???

Hey RonW, Your signature is from "Operation Mind Crime" right? One of my favorite albums of all time. Too cool!

StevenQ, what is that quote from, I've read it before, and always thought it was funny, but I can't remember what it was from. I'd forgotten all about it until I read that just now. I got an excellent laugh, my girlfriend just asked me what was so funny.

Madda, I first saw the phrase offered on a by a company that made stickers with similar sayings. I've since seen the same phrase elsewhere. Personally I think its hilarious, but my wife just can't grasp it! I think its a female thing.

I'm mixed on this topic, but the bottom line is I would like a forum set up for trading. We all have those kits we bought when we got a little excited about a particular subject, then lost interest in it. On the flipside, FSM has a commitment to paying advertisers and if they lost them, whoa and behold there would be no FSM, and of course, no forum. Still, the advertisers offer a vastly wider surplus of modeling peraphernalia and thus shouldn't be affected by some small amount of trading of mostly OOP products amongst our members. I don't see so any scalping going on with our so called collectors either.

"It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it."-R.E.Lee

There is no doubt that a trade forum would help this community and make it a better, stronger place . It's just a matter of putting paid advertisers before forum members. If we all paid for the right to participate on the forum, we would have a voice in this matter. I personally try to only buy kits and supplies from companies that support our hobby. If free trade is trampled by a business, then they have lost my dollars. It has pained me greatly to have passed on sales and products offered by FSM advertisers, but until they stop tampering with the free exchange between private individuals, it will have to be that way. Besides this forum is a rarity in not allowing private trade, so just look else where for your trading needs. After all the web is big place and our hobby seems to have taken to it like a fish to water. I don't want to end by sounding like I don't like FSM, as I love it but I respectfully disagree on this one and only point.

In addition to my model building, my other hobby is collecting WWII bolt action rifles, most of the sites I visit pertaining to these arms have a "trader" board, they also have a trader feedback board to let others know when a great deal is made, and that a particular "trader" is either up front and honest, or a scam artist.
Most of these trader boards work pretty well, and I rarely see problems. just my .02 cents

I suggested a trading forum shortly after FSM.s forum was set up. The subject has been brought up at least four times and the answer from the top is no, not at this time. The reason given was that it conflicts with the paid for classified section. I do some trading at http://www.scalehobby.com/forum/index.php Not only is it a great forum that is growing rapidly, the owner allows trading. Did I mention that Scalehobby is an online full service hobby shop (and Steve still allows private trade). I hope to see you there!

Yes it would be a good idea. my earlier thoughts were based on what my mom-in-law has gone through with a trading group called RE. It would be great to have a forum on this site to barter, trade or sell to other hobbyist. who else would understand what we are looking for while searching for some obscure kit from time gone by. again it seems like it is up to FSM to either add this feature or not to.

I have seen other sites that have trading posts and I have had no problems there.
In fact, I think if a person were not to pull through with a trade promissed then it would be certain website suicide(as far as trading is concerned).

Still it would be nice to see a trading post or clearing house here on this site.

StevenQ, what is that quote from, I've read it before, and always thought it was funny, but I can't remember what it was from. I'd forgotten all about it until I read that just now. I got an excellent laugh, my girlfriend just asked me what was so funny.

madda

At the Starship Modeler site the Trading Post seems to work very well. I've managed to thin out my collection by selling quite a few models and have just as many satisfied "customers". Most of the prices are kept lower than E-bay and provide modelers with a source for those rare or OOP kits. I've picked up a few great deals myself. Just a suggestion.

I would like to add my 2 cents. I have seen on the forum where people have been looking for a certain kit and could not find it, so if I knew I had the kit being looked for I have offered it for sale or trade, this has happened 2 times now and with both deals I made no profit off of these deals. I am not in it for making money, it might sound a little simplistic , but I feel that gouging other modelers is wrong, we all pay enough for the kits we want, and if a certain kit or kits we have are of no interist to us any more why not trade or sell them? again I have not done this for profit, just enough to cover what I paid for the kit and postage and handling along with insuring the package. A trade forum would be great,but like anything else all it takes is a few people to not come through on thier end to screw things up. It would be nice to be able to trade off what is excess in you collection for something you are looking for though. How about it FSM, what's your opinion on this?

So what were the issues that caused debate?

I have seen the trades that you have pointed out and that has lead me to wonder if trading here is tabo.
I myself would like to see a trade only forum here.
No monitary exchanges(keeps the dealer and collecter traffic down).

james,

If you look closely enough, there are a few trades going on in the forum. Alot of it happens outside, where the fine details are worked out, so it's not quite as visible. There have been quite heated discussions about this very topic in the past.

demono69