OblongShrimp Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 So there has been some talk recently of trying to upgrade our marketplace. There are a couple of options I have seen and wanted everyones take on them. Classifieds - This is a popular mod that could be added to the forum. The mod is cheap at $35 and should be quick and easy to install and get working. Please look at the link and review the features. The downside of this mod is it is just classifieds and currently does not support auctions. ezClassifieds - This allows for auctions and has some other cool features but it does not integrate directly with the forum so it would have to be housed on a different domain I think since this site is hosted by IPBoard instead of a license I purchased. Additionally since isn't within the forum it wouldn't have the same look and feel as our forum has. This one is also more expensive at $75. GeoCore - Auctions - This one is mainly geared towards setting up an entire website devoted to auctions (like aquabid). It is much more expensive at $279 and would take a ton of work to get set up and looking good. Additionally it isn't a part of our forum so it has those same flaws that ezClassifieds has. I think at this point our best bet would be Classifieds. It was designed for use with IPBoard and so it would fit in perfectly. It is also the cheapest and would have the easiest install (and my time is probably to limited to take the lead on either of the other two option). The draw back is it doesn't have auctions but I honestly don't know how often people bid on things anyways, most people like to be able to buy something right away. The benefit of classifieds over our current system is you would be able to list your items individually and by category so they wouldn't get lost in a jumble of other items you were selling. We could then have categories for different item types (food, shrimp, snails, plants, ect.) If we went with Classifieds we can also get the Trader Feedback addon as well that is $25. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 I think you hit the nail on the head with something cheap to start with and upgrade if proven. Classifieds seems to be the best option at this point IMO. I love the idea of feedback, I must admit. Anyone else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OblongShrimp Posted April 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 Actually I may end up going with Sales Portal Pro as it looks like it is set up better. Eventually if this place was to grow significantly it looks like we could do all the payments through the website instead of having to send pm's back and forth requesting payment. Additionally this is a new program with a very active developer who has been doing a lot of improvements in the last couple of months. It looks like he may add an auction feature as well so we could get everything we wanted. It also has a built in feedback so for $5 less than buying the two separate addons we could just do this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 Ooooooooooohhhhh I likie. I like that I can keep straight what I've purchased from whom by having a purchased tab like Ebay has. AND I like the feedback is built in. Regarding payments- could it still be via paypal through this software? I really like this option thus far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OblongShrimp Posted April 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 It looks like you can have it through paypal if you want, basically the buyer and seller get ahold of each other and figure it out. There is also an option if I get the IP.Nexus package that seems to allow people to pay directly here and then the sellers money would go to an account that they can then pull into paypal....I think, I am still not sure exactly how that works. I know it would be nice to not have to send pm's back and forth asking for someone's paypal address. Getting IP.Nexus and this package would allow, at some future point, to charge a commission completed sales which would be cool at some point to help pay for the forum expenses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00camaro16 Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 Actually I may end up going with Sales Portal Pro as it looks like it is set up better. Eventually if this place was to grow significantly it looks like we could do all the payments through the website instead of having to send pm's back and forth requesting payment. Additionally this is a new program with a very active developer who has been doing a lot of improvements in the last couple of months. It looks like he may add an auction feature as well so we could get everything we wanted. It also has a built in feedback so for $5 less than buying the two separate addons we could just do this one. I like this idea best. For auctions, while I do use the buy it now feature more, I like the idea of getting a good deal from someone. I feel like sometimes forums end up matching costs exactly from independent sellers. While I would rather support a fellow forum member, that sediment only goes so far. I like you getting input from members the most. Chris Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subtletanks91 Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 I like this idea best. For auctions, while I do use the buy it now feature more, I like the idea of getting a good deal from someone. I feel like sometimes forums end up matching costs exactly from independent sellers. While I would rather support a fellow forum member, that sediment only goes so far. I like you getting input from members the most. Chris Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk I do agree there. There is a lot of matching sales prices from other members. If someone sees you selling something the same and they lower there price to best out competition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted April 30, 2014 Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 ",,,this package would allow, at some future point, to charge a commission completed sales which would be cool at some point to help pay for the forum expenses." As costs add up, I can totally see the need or that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 I agree, even with the commission. As long as it is reasonable that is. I know Aquabid requests 3% of any sale over $30, but even a small fixed % would be ok with me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctaylor3737 Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Looks good, would be nice to see the marketplace organized. Just don't limit the number of posts a Month lol. Spammers shouldn't be allowed but limiting the posts unless you pay is not fun. I know it's not much money but to some people it is. Don't mind paying a little of a sale but, if you don't sell anything which happens it's not worth it to me. -Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subtletanks91 Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 I'm perfectly fine with making a small donation to the forum. But instead of monthly why not bi yearly. Give everyone a chance to sell and build the forum up little by little as well as money for upgrades to the forum and supporting oblong in making this place better for everyone. So take that 3% and make it to a solid figure like 25$ twice a year??? But I do like the fact of being able to keep track of what you buy from who in a feedback section. Instead of how tpt has it so the link is in the feedback make it so the specific item is in feedback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 $50 a year would turn off quite a few ppl I think, especially if you are like me and might make 3-4 selling posts per year (currently) lol. But the monthly limit would only be helpful if ppl were posting daily or something like that, it makes it so mods don't have to watch for spamming as much. But even if there was a limit, I think 1 post per week is reasonable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4n Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 The sale portal pro sounds interesting. Hanzorz at Verizon.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Honestly, I don't think we are nearly large enough to have any membership fees... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 I agree. To me, I like the aquabid method... if you want to pay great, if not its not a big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 When I get a little more comfortable financially I plan to make a donation auction to the site... but need to at least grow some plants out first to be able to do so lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OblongShrimp Posted May 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 When we do need to start bringing in some money I think having a small fee on sales would be my preferred way. That way people aren't paying until they actually sell something instead of paying to list items. There is probably some subscription type thing as well we could look at but taking a small portion of sales seems more equitable to me. Currently the forum is very cheap to run so until it grows several times this size it likely won't be necessary to monetize it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Cool. So when is the Auction thang going to be available? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OblongShrimp Posted May 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Not sure, I will try and do it sometime in the next week or so. It may not be till next weekend though. My wife is out of town next week from Tuesday thru Sunday so I should have some extra time to get it set up then. I will contact the developer and see when he thinks he could add an auction function to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triton Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Sounds awesome. Looking forward to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 +1 This is exciting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subtletanks91 Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 I excite haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4n Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Sounds all good to me! Hanzorz at Verizon.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soothing Shrimp Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Is it built yet? Can I bid on a pinto for $1 yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OblongShrimp Posted May 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 you would need someone to even have a pinto to put up for sale h4n 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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