"Advertising" of Comic Shops, Sales, Good Deals...

galactus · 03-20-2010, 09:10 PM

This is a topic the moderators and I have been discussing a bit lately. As many members already know, the original intent of this site was to be a place for collectors to discuss their hobby. Hopefully, a few producers and sculptors would chime in from time to time, but it was basically a place for the collectors to chat.

The site was created and is still financed solely by Danny (Drod) who happens to own a company called Comic Statues. He never truly intended to use the forum as a basis for openly pushing his statue business, hence the simple banner at the top and that's it. Similarly, the original intent was to not allow for the advertising or soliciting of other statue retailers either. This was for two main reasons:

1) They're not paying for the site, and they're not paying for advertising, so why should they make money off of it? Danny made the site for collectors, not for businesses to use it to make money. I know some people think it's silly or stupid, but it's not. Let them spend their own time and money to produce a site to advertise on.

2) Danny didn't want the forum to become a garage sale. While BST threads are fun, if EVERY shop on the planet suddenly were to start posting stuff for sale all over the place, the forum would become a mess. This is also the reason we limit the BST threads to Adamantium members. If you're helping to pay for the sites existence, you get the advantage of being able to post BST threads.

Fast forward to today. The statue market is arguably soft at the moment and lots of shops are having sales trying to move out both old and new merchandise. The forum has become a great community over the years and everyone tries to help out others whenever they can, which SHOULD include posting deals being offered from stores.

So, this is my question for everyone:

Do you think we should modify our policies about allowing stores to advertise sales on here? Should the stores have to pay for that right? I mean, I don't see Midtown Comics paying a yearly fee for the right to post about sales on here, but I don't want those sales to come and go without our members being able to tell others about it. Similarly, I don't want every little shop in the world suddenly pushing their product on here, cluttering up the New Posts page, using the forum to generate revenue, and the forum gets nothing out of it (except perhaps for angry threads about how a purchase went bad and it's the forums fault for allowing the store to advertise on here to begin with).

Please keep in mind that this has nothing to do with individual members being able to post BST threads, that will continue to be a perk of being an Adamantium Member.

So, what are your thoughts?

Rocket · 03-20-2010, 09:17 PM

Very interesting mate....

My personal opinion on the topic is that I don't think you should allow stores to openly shill their product, creating thread after thread with every new sale, or arrival of a new piece.

Maybe you could dedicate\allow one thread per online store where they can make updates, or advertise sales and the like? This would eliminate the overflow of threads....

I also think they should certainly, at the VERY LEAST, be an Adamantium member to be able to start such a thread. They want to profit from the site you guys have built, they need to give a little back.

And you are dead right about the potential for bad transactions making people blame you guys.....

joefixit2 · 03-20-2010, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocket

Maybe you could dedicate\allow one thread per online store where they can make updates, or advertise sales and the like? This would eliminate the overflow of threads....

I also think they should certainly, at the VERY LEAST, be an Adamantium member to be able to start such a thread. They want to profit from the site you guys have built, they need to give a little back.

+1

And I think for the most part, most people would not blame you or the staff for any bad deals.

mwf6171 · 03-20-2010, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocket

Very interesting mate....

My personal opinion on the topic is that I don't think you should allow stores to openly shill their product, creating thread after thread with every new sale, or arrival of a new piece.

Maybe you could dedicate\allow one thread per online store where they can make updates, or advertise sales and the like? This would eliminate the overflow of threads....

I also think they should certainly, at the VERY LEAST, be an Adamantium member to be able to start such a thread. They want to profit from the site you guys have built, they need to give a little back.

And you are dead right about the potential for bad transactions making people blame you guys.....

+1 By jove, I think he has got it!

ratchet · 03-20-2010, 11:13 PM

Rocket sounds like he has his head on straight about this...

patrickwm68 · 03-20-2010, 11:15 PM

I always like to know when there's a good sale going on so I'm all for allowing sales to be posted. Maybe limit them to one sticky thread in the general statue section or have a section where members can post sales and deals they've found.

patrickwm68 · 03-20-2010, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocket

Very interesting mate....

My personal opinion on the topic is that I don't think you should allow stores to openly shill their product, creating thread after thread with every new sale, or arrival of a new piece.

Maybe you could dedicate\allow one thread per online store where they can make updates, or advertise sales and the like? This would eliminate the overflow of threads....

I also think they should certainly, at the VERY LEAST, be an Adamantium member to be able to start such a thread. They want to profit from the site you guys have built, they need to give a little back.

And you are dead right about the potential for bad transactions making people blame you guys.....

The only thing is there's sooooooo many online stores how could you have a spot here for all of them?

For example, one time I found Star Wars mini helmets on sale at Bass Pro Shops.

Rocket · 03-20-2010, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickwm68

The only thing is there's sooooooo many online stores how could you have a spot here for all of them?

True Pat, but how many realistically will want to set up shop here?

patrickwm68 · 03-20-2010, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocket

True Pat, but how many realistically will want to set up shop here?

True but I'd be afraid they'd spam the crap out the site with every single sale and special they have going on. Midtown for example has sales going on all the time for just about everything.

I'm wondering if it would be better to just have us members post our finds in one spot.

Mr. Kennedy · 03-20-2010, 11:31 PM

i agree with Rodney with what he had mention. i think each store should a yearly fee in order to post their sales or sale dates with the list of items n prices.
As far as so many online stores, maybe we can limit to the shops that are out there by word of mouth or other members dealing with them before in the past for a long period of time.