Controversial I Know-Can't We Get Rid Of The "For Sale" Board.

difficult one, really

I do tend to see it as keeping it in the community.

and have got some decent stuff off here.

I think its a system that can police iteself. I would never buy from someone without doing a name search. I also kind of want a RL name and RL address by email, in case of difficulties (seeing as how I'm handing over RL money!) and would not normally buy without them, tbh.

Restricting goods sold to parenting items seems like a good idea. I am buying something for the first time at the moment, but must admit I did a search on messages about the poster first just to reasure myself.

Mostly I just ignore the sales board, after all, if you don't like the sound of some posts you don't have to open them.

You pay ebay through paypal.
They must have an account. They invoice you after you have sold items.
I know paypal just take their cut as soon as the money goes into your paypal account.

Blimey SKYLER

That is dreadful perhaps you should name and shame her

I think we should have a feedback thingy it may shame people to behave better

That poster is back by the way. She knows who she is . I had a different name then though.

I think you take your chances on the board.
I arranged a sale then exchange with a v regular poster who then didn't appear to send my stuff. She then disappeared from MN and didn't reply to any of my emails. I felt . I think I was over £10 out of pocket.
Ebay is safer for a buyer but I like the idea of supporting other Mums on here so I have listed some nappies again and asked for Paypal this time.
I do think it should stay though but perhaps be monitored better????

wonders if mumsnet could do a deal with ebay to have a shop type thing for mumsnet members where items can be listed and sold and take some revenue?

How do you pay EBAY on ebay?

Why can't the same happen on here?

Could it have a feedback scheme?

And a % go to MN headquarters or charity?

I get annoyed with people who use MN like a FREE ebay

And then con the MNetters

I feel completely different when it is regular MNetters selling stuff cos they are PART OF THE COMMUNITY iyswim

IMHO anyway

If its a conceren, then maybe the board should just be restricted to selling things to do with parenting like baby stuff i.e prams,cots,tots and things to do with older children like clothes,books and toys and maternity clothes then maybe it will deter people from using it as a free board for selling things like say a mobile phone,house things etc

I have used the for sale board to try and sell my pushchair, not because its free but because it does'nt take as long to write a thread as it does to list on e-bay. I do sell on e-bay but i like to offer it on here first. I have bought a few things off mumsnetters (regular posters) and all has been fine. I dont like it when people have bought things to buy on here at a higher price its like ripping your mates off.

I dont think they should go, maybe it would be a good idea to have a small fee which could go to charity and then you would'nt get people who can't be bothered to pay e-bay.

There's no way for MN towers to know that someone has been deregistered from ebay!

I guess MN towers gets money from the sale boards in the same way they do from other boards: from the adverts.

It's really worrying that sellers who have been deregistered from Ebay can come on here to sell. That represents a big risk for mumsnet buyers. At the very least, is is possible for mumsnet towers impose a ban on sellers who are de-registered from ebay?

I have wondered how much traffic the for sale boards have, compared to the rest of Talk. Does anyone know? Does mumsnet benefit in any way from the buy and sell boards?

Imposing a limit to how much each person can sell on the boards might work. ie a seller can only post 6 for sale threads a year. That would enable ordinay people who are having a clear out to continue using the boards, but would weed out professional sellers, trying to avoid ebay fees and regulations.

I did read the cot thread just now - yuk!

Maybe we could change "without buying/selling" to WITH buying/seller so people actually had to click on the tab?

oh I see some people like them!

think if it ever came to a vote, I would vote to get rid of them

or do what they do on other sites and have a separate noticeboard for buying/selling

why can't we get rid of them full stop?

How about having a rule that unless you have been registered for 3 months and are a fairly regular poster that you can't use the for sale board.

Sorry, Fimbo, was abrupt.

I agree, to a point. I think that if you charge to post For Sale threads, it will deter regulars, but leave the way free for sellers who actually make a fair profit selling stuff to pay and then have the boards to themselves.

I think the answer is probably getting the addresses of these people from MN and sending the heavies round.

Message withdrawn

I just hate it when you get a person using the boards as a free sales device who keeps bumping the thread up.

I've bought a few things and sold a few things mainly so that the kids clothes get used again and not put in a dump somewhere, i like the idea of material things being reused and also helping some mn's out, i agree though that some people overuse the boards just for buying and selling but to be honest it doesn't really bother me as things are be reused and people are getting a second hand bargain that maybe couldn't be justified when buying brand new

Well, they choose here because it is free, and of course if you've been deregistered from eBay then it would be easier to exploit boards like this....

I don't think the For Sale board should go, for the reasons Miaou says, but I do think it's a shame that people have been scammed so much recently.

They sell here rather than ebay because MN doesn't charge, Wannabe.

I don't have a problem with the For Sale boards, when they're used as they should be used - to sell your own stuff when it doesn't fit or isn't needed anymore. It's the posters with multiple items, all brand-new, that get me - and those who can order things in for you in any size and style you want. There are so many sellers now who aren't selling their own unwanted stuff, they don't even try to hide the fact that they are professional sellers. They're only here because, unlike ebay, there's no charge for selling.