SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT THE "FOR SALE @ AUCTION" CONTROVERSY:
There has been a lot of discussion about Auction Postings recently - in
this and in several other newsgroups. For my part, I'd like to
cooperate with both "the spirit" and "the letter" of the unwritten and
written rules governing the various newsgroups.
Some readers may find it surprising that I've gotten many more requests
in favor of these postings than complaints about them. It turns out
that a lot of people (who don't spend their "online lives" "hanging
around" the auction sites) don't want to miss an opportunity to bid on
AN ITEM THAT THEY ARE INTERESTED IN.
Certain newsgroups do not accept "for sale" postings - like
"rec.photo.equipment.35mm" or "rec.scuba". Unlike many others, I now
feel strongly that the charters of newsgroups like these should be
respected: I will not post a "for sale" or "for sale @ auction" posting
on a discussion only newsgroup like those mentioned.
On the other hand, "rec.photo.marketplace" and "rec.scuba.equipment" ARE
INTENDED TO BE USED FOR BUYING AND SELLING. People go to these
newsgroups because they are interested in buying or selling or at the
least, investigating the current market for equipment. As many have
said, sale by Auction is just another form of selling and notices of
sale by Auction, IF THOSE NOTICES ARE CLEAR ABOUT THE VENUE AND TYPE OF
SALE, certainly belong on newsgroups like "rec.photo.marketplace".
Many people have complained about the deceptive nature of some of the
Auction Notices that are placed on the newsgroups. They say that there
is a form of "bait & switch" going on or that they are being "duped into
reading these postings" thinking that they are promoting simple
person-to-person ads. I for one sympathize with those people who say
that they must get to the very end of a posting only to find out that
the item(s) in question can only be purchased by going over to an
Auction Site and getting involved in that process.
Many people have suggested that "for sale @ auction notices" should be
required to contain a reference to the Auction right in the headline of
the posting. That way, those readers who are uninterested in going to
the Auction Sites, or have an aversion of some kind to the auction
process, can avoid the body of that particular posting.
Having given this issue some thought, I must say that I AGREE
WHOLEHEARTEDLY!
I've sold some photo equipment on a direct basis (person-to-person
through the newsgroups) and I've sold some equipment through the Auction
Sites. If an item of mine is up for auction, I WILL ALWAYS MENTION THE
AUCTION STATUS IN THE HEADLINE of my postings. Now, since I've been
doing this (and to my great surprise) I've still gotten a couple of
angry complaints. Why? Well, the individuals involved explained that
they had been "duped" into reading the rest of the posting because the
mention of "Auction" did not appear in the beginning of the headline -
apparently they could not, or would not read the entire headline before
jumping into the body of the posting. Frankly, I think these - dare I
say malcontents - are on shaky ground. Nevertheless, I am trying to
standardize on a shorthand method of explaining the type of sale that
will comfortably fit IN THE BEGINNING OF A POSTING Headline. For now,
I'm using "FS [@ Auction]: ?.?" Some have suggested using "FS / FA ?.."
or simply "FA ??." I think the first two might work, the second after
people get used to it, but the third would be a problem if people are
doing searches for availability of an item. Regardless, from now on I'm
going to try to include an Auction reference both in the beginning and
at the end of the Headline.
The OLYMPUS MAILING LIST and the mailing lists for the other brands
represent situations that are far less clear than a newsgroup like
"rec.photo.marketplace". On one hand, these forums are primarily
intended for product and methods discussion. On the other hand, most of
the members welcome the opportunity to make an occasional sale or
purchase of the equipment that interests them. I for one have learned
that long product descriptions and daily "for sale" postings are not
welcome. At the same time, I've learned that members DO WANT TO BE
INFORMED about the availability of items that might be of interest. The
consensus is clear: "Tell us what you have. Be brief. And, don't tell
us every day." THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I PLAN TO DO. I will consolidate
items to reduce the number of postings; I will save the long
descriptions for a different venue; and, I will not post the same
listings every day.
I'm an avid photographer myself. I'm also a full-time student. The
trading I do in photo equipment is a part-time venture. Sometimes it's
my personal equipment. Sometimes I'm brokering it. Regardless, the
venture has been very well received and it's been a lot of fun as well.
For both of these things, I'm thankful. I for one also welcome
suggestions and new ideas - especially if they are presented in a
constructive manner - and I look forward to hearing from any of you who
have opinions or comments.
Best Regards,
-Bob-
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