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Original poster

For Sale Board.

70 replies

jayzmummy · 29/08/2005 12:59

There has been quite a bit of discussion recently about the For Sale board being abused by posters who only visit MN to sell their "unwanted" goods.
Many of the frequent users of MN feel that the For Sale board is being used as a cheaper alternative to ebay.

Would it be at all possible to restrict posting on the For Sale board to only memebers of MN who have paid their subs??

This would mean that those wanting to use the For sale board have subscribed to do so....MN would reap the benefits and regular users wouldnt feel that they are being duped into purchasing from those out to make a fast buck.

OP posts:
nailpolish · 29/08/2005 14:10

expat - sorry to hear that, you being so skint at the mo

Janh · 29/08/2005 14:10

I don't think the subs requirement would work anyway, nutty

Not sure what would, in fact; I mean certain names stand out after a while, but there's nothing to stop them changing names as and when, is there?

I agree with Miaou about people taking FFP things and probably selling them later - the sort of people who will take free SIM cards and try to sell them for a fiver (to what they seem to think are complete mugs ) wouldn't have an ethical problem with that. I suppose if the name isn't one you know you could do a search to see if they've ever contributed on Talk, and if not then just ignore them - cuts out the embarrassment factor (we are so polite here, sometimes, aren't we!)

nutcracker · 29/08/2005 14:12

I agree something probably need to be done although I know I only buy of mners I know post on the whole board and not just on For Sale.

Nemo1977 · 29/08/2005 14:12

i think thats a good itdea jan because as others have said if not a genuine mner they should be paying fees of some sort.

nailpolish · 29/08/2005 14:13

can i ask - if someone is selling something on the for sale boards, and someone on mn gets a bargain, whats the big deal? if it benefits both parties then does it matter whether they are a regular poster or not?

am i missing something

expatinscotland · 29/08/2005 14:13

Thanks, NP. It's a normal state for me. No longer bothers me.

I thought for sale stuff wouldn't come up in active convos anymore - or wasn't that the plan sometime back?

nailpolish · 29/08/2005 14:15

expat - ignore me if im being nosy, but do you use the cash converters on the bridges? its crossed my mind a few times to go, but ive never been sure...

expatinscotland · 29/08/2005 14:21

Nah, the one near the top of Leith Walk is better. Had some electronic stuff I never used - well, a Palm Pilot.

Did sell off two graphing calculators w/manuals on Ebay and they did REALLY well.

Also sold a laptop on craiglist and it did better than expected as well. Hadn't used the thing in 3 years.

nailpolish · 29/08/2005 14:23

thanks expat. dh is thinking of taking his ps1 and 2

nailpolish · 29/08/2005 14:23

and xbox

didnt sell on ebay, even with games

aquamanda · 29/08/2005 14:24

nailpolish, i think the problem is that if people are advertising a disproportionate amount on for sale without "putting anything in"to the rest of the site and at the same time pushing regular mns down the topic, then it's not really working as intended when it was set up...

perhaps it should be reserved for those who have registered on mn for 90 days already

or perhaps it should be run like the Business board where you only get one thread for your money for 90 days ie one poster=one thread=90 days nothing to stop you putting new stuff on it

expatinscotland · 29/08/2005 14:24

They give a more competitive price than the ones in the Bridges, IMO. I just sold the Palm b/c my ex gave it to me and I NEVER used it. But I know a fella who sold his old, bulkier PS2 and some games and got a good deal from that Cash Converters. I think it's Pilrig Street is the junction. Although not sure b/c I just know it by sight.

nailpolish · 29/08/2005 14:27

thanks expat, i know where you are - pilrig st

aquamanda - i see what you mean. then i agree the for sale board should maybe not come up in active convos either then

you go there if you are looking for something, maybe?

or like the small businesses

munz · 29/08/2005 14:27

incidently my DH used to be the buyer at cash converters in BFD, and he was told to only pay out a max of half the max amount they could get for it at a resell value - not sure if that's a standard pratice or not?

expatinscotland · 29/08/2005 14:30

Yeah, there's a church on the corner.

We are way down in the Links area, but that's our closets Cash Converters.

I think it depends on how much they want the item.

I priced it on Ebay first to see how much it was fetching and went from there.

Janh · 29/08/2005 14:31

There used to be an off-Talk classified page here and it was hardly used; then we had Swap Shop, which was for FFP things but didn't get used much, and For Sale and Wanted came in after that.

Used ethically most of us have no problem with any of them, and there is always the "without buying/selling" option at the top if you don't want to look, but certain sellers are abusing the board.

nailpolish · 29/08/2005 14:32

half of its worth is better than nothing. there were so many on ebay, and i think that was the problem, no-one bought them in the end

nailpolish · 29/08/2005 14:32

jan, whats ffp?

LIZS · 29/08/2005 14:33

Personally I don't agree with those who do only use MN for the Sale boards, but I just avoid them unless looking for something in particular and then I would only consider a known MNetter. Think whatever "qualification" system would be open to abuse. If you did subs they could pay a minimal amount (and as some have pointed out it would hinder those most in need), if no. posts you'd get lots of spurious comments, if length of membership then they'd just wait it out.

However I do have a suspicion that in one or two instances things have been solicited for free or p and p, only to be resold quickly, which I don't think is the purpose of these boards.(There was thread a little while back about it) Very difficult to police though and even some of the things being offered for sale on MN could have been similary acquired from another forum without us knowing.

Janh · 29/08/2005 14:33

free for postage, sorry, np!

munz · 29/08/2005 14:33

true enough nutty.

nailpolish · 29/08/2005 14:35

oh right! thanks jan (i guessed but couldnt quite work it out )

MNHQ
JJmumsnet · 29/08/2005 15:51

This is something we've talked about before and are still feeling our way around. We'll discuss it again thoroughly at our next monthly meeting.

Thanks for all the suggestions and please keep them coming! They really help in deciding what to do.

nutcracker · 29/08/2005 15:51

Can you wait until i've sold all my stuff please

RTKangaMummy · 29/08/2005 15:53

thsanks JJ

IMHO nutty you come into different catergory

It is these people who use MN like EBAY

Please can someone tell me what a EBAY shop is please?????