Soon - All sales will have to be in Commerce

[Punishment1218]

It's great how everyones assuming things on here and Dave hasn't said anything yet. Who knows, the fees maybe $10 or $100 a year. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

 

[BadMoon]

You guys wondering about the value or principle of a nominal fee should consider that selling on this forum offers:

1) a means to circumvent ebay's fees - I'm out of the loop there, but it can be up around the 10% mark no?
2) access to a relatively known group of collectors in a context where reputation generally counts for something

Easily worth $25 imo. Like I said, compared to an equivalent ebay listing you'd save that or more in one transaction.

But you are forgetting that you can sell items way higher on ebay. As I believe Toe had mentioned. This site brings in the cheap skates that want everything at a discount. I can't tell you how many PM's I got with low ball offers. I went to ebay every time and made out way better than I ever would've here.

Personally I would rather just pay the Ebay fees.

 

[Bullet]

But you are forgetting that you can sell items way higher on ebay. As I believe Toe had mentioned. This site brings in the cheap skates that want everything at a discount. I can't tell you how many PM's I got with low ball offers. I went to ebay every time and made out way better than I ever would've here.

Personally I would rather just pay the Ebay fees.

I buy ALOT here but I only ever sell bits and pieces on the forum. Full figures I always sell on eBay as you say you get way more for them it's as simple as that.

 

[BadMoon]

I buy ALOT here but I only ever sell bits and pieces on the forum. Full figures I always sell on eBay as you say you get way more for them it's as simple as that.

Don't get me wrong. I've sold my fair share on here as well. But I priced the items to just get rid of them when I was moving. What I should have done is just packed it all up and pieced it out on Ebay. But I was impatient.

 

[Invictus Sol]

What? When did I miss this?

If you live in the States and order directly from Sideshow (and I think choose the packout option), they've been randomly including an HT Angelica on some orders they send out. Think it may be over now, though (or all out of stock).

 

[Ironman1188]

Where is this $25 figure coming from?

It comes from suggestions being asked for. However, with the announcement of a new forum forthcoming and a pay for PM, questions were inevitable. Those questions went unanswered and all that was left was speculation.
Many seem excited that they might pay for extra pm space. I belong to quite a few forums. I don't pay at any of them and have more pm space than here.
I also don't sell as much as many do. That said, I don't want to pay to sell the couple things I might throughout a year, I'm not interested in paying to buy and certainly don 't want a sellers new PM fee passed on to me.
I've been a member here since before the old forum suffered thru the EZ board crash. I like the folks here that I've met and would hate for a new style of forum to ruin that feeling of family.

 

[Darklord Dave]

Very nice. It may ruffle some at first because its different, but I think overall it will be a great improvement to the way things are done. Easier to see whats on sale too this way. Will you need to be a premium member to enter/interact on the sales forum or is this just if you want to be a seller?

ANYONE selling ANYTHING will need to be a Premium Member. The Sales section has always been a pain, now we'll have reason to keep it around.

The restriction on selling items applies to ALL items, or only the sale of custom items?

I'm assuming non-PMs will still be able to access the Commerce section?

Yes, everyone will be able to buy - but only Premium Members will be able to sell.

Will we get more PM space with membership?

Yes.

I have a feeling many folks will disappear, but it's Dave's board to do what he wants with it.

If it's people that are only here to sell - good riddance.

Also,I have a funny feeling that prices on stuff will go up, so offset fees....some of the custom stuff is ridiculous priced enough already. That's why I stopped buying a lot.

Uh, I think the cheapest custom figures are over $200 - and if you can't afford a minimal annual fee to remain on your primary means of accessing customers - I think your business model may be out of whack.

 

[Darklord Dave]

Hey Dave,
what about pending projects that are currently in production?
Are those still subject to fees and all? Some people have already paid the custom project I am working on, just wondering.

No new items will be allowed to be posted in here for sale. They will have to be solicited for sale in Commerce. In order to make that post in Commerce the creator will need to be a Premium Member.

I think having a Commerce section to administer will require more manpower and resources from Dave and thus the fees. If it will make purchases safer and less worrisome, then I'm all for it. Sellers might feel inclined to pass on the fees to customers but that's bidnezz.

I also like the idea of promoting the Affiliate Sales more. I've always meant to make my contribution through that channel but it's easy to forget and Search can be cumbersome.

There will a quick and easy way on the new forum to support affiliate sales. Of course now you can just use any SSC banner on the home page and then find the item on sideshowtoys.com that you want. we'll get credit for anything you buy as long as you click through the forum to get there. It doesn't have to be the specific product you click on.

But to be honest - affiliate sales haven't been doing what they used to - partly that's sideshow - the fees were cut, they took Star Wars 1/6 out of the equation. And costs mounted on this forum - if I told you all what I've spent on this redesign - no one would believe me. And there's increased hosting fees, software, etc.

There will be an announcement regarding the costs and benefits of Premium Membership just a little before we make the move. But I've looked at other forums - what they charge - what they offer - and tried to make it a MUCH better value.

 

[hydrobud]

When is the premium membership slated to take place ?

 

[spiderrogue]

hey DD..i know you are probably overwhelmed and all...but one more...

what about the trading/selling threads in the star wars and joe sections? how will that work? i get a lot of my parts from those two threads(both selling and trading...)....and was just wondering...
like..if you are a prem. member..how would that work...and if you aren't a PM...how would that work? wouldnt that be a loophole of sorts then?
im sure you have thought of this..but just in case..lol..
anywho..either way...i'm in...i need this place...not just for selling/trading..but for the act of being around people that collect the same thing that i do..lol...

 

[KitFisto]

Well, wont be selling anything here anymore. I'll just go to eBay. It's Daves board and he can do as he feels he needs to do, but I'm glad I already unloaded the stuff I didn't want a good while ago. No way I'd pay for membership on a forum to sell stuff that may not even sell. I'll list on eBay and only pay IF it sells.

 

[Darklord Dave]

This board has always been an "at your own risk" type of board. I never felt bad for mishaps because that's what you get if you choose to do business at your own risk. However, should Dave decide to charge for a "service" which I believe that's what he's doing that will change things entirely. Dave I think that's a big mistake. I would happily pay for a "premium" membership. You got it. I will support the boards. I really do think your strategy sucks though as intended. You are setting yourself up for more BS. If you are going to charge you need to provide a protected environment for people. If you aren't willing to do that you have no right to charge for that.

No, just as with ebay who takes 13% of every sale (including PP) it will still be "buyer beware." However if someone has had to pay a fee to sell things, there will be more accountability.

Im sure this site takes money to run, and more importantly...time. The fees are ok as long as they're not raping anyone (which I don't think they will). But, like it was asked earlier...what about the guys that are like Stiff Richards, who are a representative for someone who actually does the work, and everything goes through them? This has the makings of a really bad deal if this alone can't be controlled. If those customizers are required to handle their own business themselves, then that's gonna drive some customizers away up front. Thoughts?

Whoever is doing the soliciting has the ultimate responsibility for the product, not necessarily the artist.

I have a few more questions, and I hope they make sense...
A membership fee for ALL sellers AND people who want to access the commerce area to make purchases?
Now what about the people here now who have interest threads with deposits and pending shipments?
Or, people who are on interest lists for items?
How is this going to affect these type of purchases?
I'd personally hate to have to pay an additional fee to a sculptor for my item I've been waiting forever for because he now is passing the fee on to me the customer?

I don't mind helping out the board by paying a membership however I don't want to get reamed by fees because the seller/sculptor/artist/customizer doesn't want to pay them just like the whole "no paypal gift" policy but people still sell that way.

I'm not sure how this fee would get passed on to buyers. If you're a customizer making 10 $200 figures are you going to now charge $203.00 each because the evil forum that is your sole access to customers is charging a fee to sell? On the flip side - are you going to not get a figure you really want because it's now $203.00 instead of $200?

Why fix something that isn't broken?
I can see a lot of fellow board a leaving going else where paying for a membership.

So if you want to create interest on something would you have to pay ?

Yes. I really, really suggest everyone take a look at therpf.com's junkyard. An interest thread is a solicitation thread and will have to be in commerce and thus will require the poster to be a Premium Member.

not directly-----BUT THEY DO INDIRECTLY------TRUST ME ON THIS----------------

I trust that you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

Regarding the timing of product and slow customizers. People keep throwing money at them. I don't know how I can prevent that.

With the sales all in one place there will somewhere to go that you can see how a project is going. Some artists are great about updating - some not so much. But aside from saying that all items must be ready to ship before being solicited, I don't know that the forum can do much about that. Such a policy really would drive people away, even the best of them that are constantly on time and professional in their communication.

 

[Loki]

Man… I'd rather not have to pay premium membership just to sell something once in a blue moon. But I definitely don't want to set up a whole account on ebay to sell the same thing. This definitely seems to cater more to the avid sellers than anything else.

 

[spiderrogue]

oh oh..does it have to be a year thing or can you pay month by month? if you do a year thing...do you get a better deal?
just wondering..add that one in too..sigh..sorry....

 

[Darklord Dave]

This is all evolving, including the perks. But I'm looking at an annual fee of $30. Part of this will be access to a more ebay way of selling (which won't be required) that will give your item higher prominence.

 

[spiderrogue]

omg..30 bucks...?? wth are you thinking..that is way too much...you dirty rotten...errrr...ummm....opps...wrong person...lol..
dude..30 would be great and umm..yea..sign me up!! i love this board and don't want to leave it over something like this...lol...

 

[Darklord Dave]

oh oh..does it have to be a year thing or can you pay month by month? if you do a year thing...do you get a better deal?
just wondering..add that one in too..sigh..sorry....

I've looked at that - but then you get people that just join for the month to sell stuff and are never heard from again.

As I've always said - this forum ISN'T about selling stuff. But if that's what people want I've tried to give it to them.

And keep in mind the Premium Membership isn't JUST about selling.

 

[spiderrogue]

I've looked at that - but then you get people that just join for the month to sell stuff and are never heard from again.

As I've always said - this forum ISN'T about selling stuff. But if that's what people want I've tried to give it to them.

And keep in mind the Premium Membership isn't JUST about selling.

totally understand...the selling part is a bonus around here...and like i said..i love just being here most days...lol...not going anywhere anytime soon...

appreciate you getting back to us all and letting us know what's what...

and tbh..this is still a better option the evilbay..no matter what people say...lol

 

[robbiethepainter]

All this seems very reasonable to me. I know this site has been great for me selling but also exposing me to this great hobby that I really enjoy. Including cool people. For what some pay in buying figures and statues, $30 a year seems pretty small amount to keep in contact with this hobby.
I just hope the flow and format don't change too much. I'm OCD and a creature of habit. Major changes will make me rock and bang my head a lot till i get use to it.

 

[mr krapopple]

$30 For the year sounds like a reasonable amount to me