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Newbie not wanting to make mistakes!!


BlackpoolBassist
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Hi, can anyone tell me if the site rules forbid me from informing other users of the stuff I have for sale on ebay?

I have just had a post removed for linking to my items on ebay and I'm unsure of just how this is a problem. Why can I not let people know of items that I have for sale there?

Thanks

Edited by BlackpoolBassist
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You have to establish a presence here before you start selling stuff, a certain level of posts and suchlike. Otherwise it would be an ebayers dream for a while until we all got totally shizzed off with the ebay links. Ya get meh?
edit: 2 z's in shizzed innit!

Edited by lettsguitars
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MB1. B)
Every advert on this site has to have a price unless it is a trade then you must state your trade.
Stating your item is on Ebay is not acceptable, unless you add a Definate price youd be willing to sell on Basschat for.
This is not an auction site.

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Thanks guys for the feedback.

If I could respectfully pose my opinions for debate and enquire further as to the basschat policy for advertising used equipment....

Is there any particular reason why it is prohibited to use wording in an advert such as 'offers in the region of' or just to invite sensible offers? In all my many years of trading second hand equipment by various mediums (newspaper, Loot, private ads) I have never come across such a stringent rule as being forced to list a 'solid' price for an item and banning offers. Inviting offers for kit or saying 'in the region of' is standard practice in adverts for used equipment the world over. What is the rationale for not allowing it on here?

There seems to be an inference that inviting offers rather than advertising it for a definite price of £x is somehow trying to mislead, dupe or con buyers. In fact, I would say that the current policy on here could have the adverse effect and a seller who is unsure of the true value of an item could end up being forced to advertise an item at a price way below its actual value due to being forced to list a concrete price. It does seem a bit odd that two adults are not allowed to engage in traditional second hand trading practices on this forum in my opinion.

I am not being facetious here and this is all said with the greatest of respect. I do hope that this post is not subjected to any censure as I feel that forums benefit from open discussion, even if there are some critical points being made and I am more than welcome to receive frank discussion and answers in response to my points.

Many Thanks

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Like has been explained, this isn't an auction site, we've been down that route before.

If you want to put a link on here, put a price on what you'd like for the item and negotiate from there. You can alternatively query how much someone thinks your item is worth if you're not sure but that would be on one of the other forums NOT the for sale ones. You can also do an advanced search in Ebay and look for completed items to give you an idea of how much things sell for second hand. Bear in mind that items tend to be a bit cheaper on this site than on Ebay.

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Of course that's not to say that you can't advertise an item for a particular asking price, and then have a prospective buyer haggle your price down in a private conversation :)

Anyways man welcome to the forum, hope you enjoy your time here!

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Thanks for your replies fellas. At the risk of being a right royal pain in the arse, my query still hasn't been directly answered. I am just curious and would like to know if there is a rational and logical reason for not being able to advertise an item using the words 'offers in the region of' or 'open to offers' like you can in every single other classified section of any other forum, newspaper and website that I have ever used. Gumtree, Loot, Local newspaper etc. It seems like it is a random rule that has been imposed on Basschat that you can only state a fixed price rather than give a ballpark figure, as I genuinely cannot think of a single reason as to why it should not be allowed. Why the fierce opposition against it being an 'auction' if that's how you define it? Is there anything wrong selling like that? Why does it not work on here? What is inherently different about selling on basschat than selling anywhere else?

Please feel free to shout at me 'BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS SO SHUT UP' ha ha. But a rational and direct response, and explanation if there is one to be found, to my questions would be nice. As I say, I will abide by any rules without objection, this is merely a debate out of curiosity. Come on guys, I'm a newbie throwing down a challenge for ya....you can't let me win this easily! :)

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Because I think you've hit the nail on the head "that's how it is" .. The folk who set basschat up had very clear ideas on how they wanted the site to run and it's "culture".. Given that the end result is a superb community I'm perfectly happy that it stays that way... And it's not quite as rigid as you think - once you've had a firm price stated, then after a while it's perfectly acceptable to suggest that you're open to offers... If all of this sounds soft, warm and undefined then my standard answer to these sort of things is "ask for your money back" :D

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The reason - as far as I remember - is that some people were actually holding auctions on the site, i.e. inviting people to bid for items with a 'closing date'. As this isn't an auction site and the process isn't very open and transparent, it was felt it was an unfair way of conducting business.

The Ebay links forum is specifically for the discussion of auctions rather than the promotion of your own one, although people do occasionally use it for that purpose. There does seem to have been an increase in the number of people using it this way recently however, and the subject was broached in the Site Issues forum. You may have been a victim of that.

As has been suggested, there's nothing to stop you posting in the For Sale forums with a higher price than you expect, or pointing out that it is also available on Ebay. There are currently no minimum posts required or length of time you must be a member be for you can post.

BC is first and foremost a community - the Marketplace section is an added (and very welcome) bonus,

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Thanks guys that does give me a clearer insight into the culture and ettiqute expected on here. I think I was confused because of the contrast between the formal way that my posts were instantly censored with the informal culture of 'getting to be an established user' that was mentioned.

Thanks again for your responses and I will happily accept that you have a tried and tested way of doing things on here and respect it. Cheers guys.

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Also with regard to users inadvertently selling stuff for below the typical market rate: Quite often users ask for valuations in the other gear-specific subforums and they can usually judge a good selling price from the responses they receive in those threads.

Also searching for similar items which have sold in the past can help, but some sellers are in the habit of removing the price from their thread when an item is sold. I wish they wouldn't tbh.

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[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1337763950' post='1664960']
I wish they wouldn't tbh.
[/quote]

I am just as guilty as any others is doing this, but only because I sold a very large amount of stuff and keeping the prices cluttered things up. It is frustrating though not knowing how much something else has sold for previously though - I see on TB it's become part of their classifieds etiquette now.

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I don't think anybody is against "OITRO" as a rule - what is against the rules is leaving the price open and inviting offers or bids..Stick around you'll find that most people here are friendly and a good bunch...as people have said, this is a community not just somewhere to knock out your gear (though you can do this)..If that's what you want to do use the sites you quoted..

You shouldn't take offence to people being protective of this site..that's what it's like here..

BTW welcome to the site..

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