Jeff posts: A Couple of Ideas - - - Date: 6/16/04 19:00 GMT

In Response To: Re: Time to Launch a "Marketplace" ? ? ? (David Jones)

A couple of quick reactions, in the middle of a busy day at the office:

• Chuck and I have discussed a marketplace that would have a wide open format: want to buy; want to sell; want to trade; want to auction. basically, any approach that the participants want to take, within some broad limits of fairness, avoiding clutter, etc.
• in terms of dealers, I am not really worried about them snatching up pieces offered through the marketplace. typically, dealers like to buy low and sell high (to earn a profit), so they will not usually pay as much a collector / end-user / enthusiast.
• if someone wants to sell to a "friend" / OTD regular, they could post as "will consider offers above $XXX.00" . . . then they choose the buyer . . . right??

I know that Chuck has given this a lot of thought, and he even has a page ready to launch, so maybe we will test these waters soon.

Nonsense! Actually I've given this very little thought at all...

In fact, before 2pm this afternoon there were no rules whatsoever in the forum I had cobbled together. In fact I used MWR (not TZ) for some ideas as to some basic rules for the forum. There are several I'd like to remain above all others:

• Commerical Dealers (and professional buyers and sellers) are limited to 3 posts per day.
  • This is to give the "non-professional" enthusiasts/hobbiests an equal footing.
• No Fakes or Replica watches.
  • We are not interested in promoting copyright violations
• No Misrepresentation
  • Full Disclosure is not only expected it's good business.
• Please clearly start off all posts (in the Subject) of the nature of the post: FS, FSOT, WTB, WTT, WTBOT, RFI, EAL (eBay Auction Listing) etc.
  • Let's not make a mess of the joint.

I'm open about other ideas for rules/guidelines with the privision that I'd like to have as few rules as necessary (as one of the Chronocentric/OTD moderators will likely be tasked with policing them and the forum).

As for the concern about Dealers (Watchseller is the one currently being bantied about, but I don't want to single out that fellow) snaping up watches for resale at profit. I, like Jeff believe there is an easy way to express this... How about this:

FSOT: Steve McQueen Monaco, all original, excellent shape on strap:

Steve McQueen Monaco, all original, excellent shape on strap. Condition (as described and pictured), pricing and terms:

Price $ x,xxx.xx or best offer, prefer selling to OTD/Chronocentric regular but all offers considered.

that states a price, expresses a preference to sell to a regular, but if no one steps to the fore, than the seller is free to sell to whomever s/he chooses.

I think that's fair.

Thanks for all the ideas.

Ditto here!

Jeff

-- Chuck