 vendor listing, should we have one? |
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| Dave_Darling |
 Feb 20 2003, 11:49 AM
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#21
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914 Idiot  Group: Members Posts: 14,991 Joined: 9-January 03 From: Silicon Valley / Kailua-Kona Member No.: 121 Region Association: Northern California 
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QUOTE(Brad Roberts @ Feb 19 2003, 08:43 PM) I want users to type in there zip code to find local shops and parts places. Somewhere along the line we will have a "what shops are good in your area" search. The ratings thing is good. My plan is to have shops pay to be in the top 5 listings for there particular area I think that's a bad idea for the club website. When you start taking money from vendors for preferential treatment, you are no longer "vendor-neutral". For SSI, cool, whatever--it's a vendor site and is not expected to be neutral. But I don't think it's such a hot idea for the club website. The area-specific thing won't work so well for mail-order businesses either. --DD |
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| Bleyseng |
Feb 20 2003, 12:30 PM
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#22
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Aircooled Baby! Group: Members Posts: 13,035 Joined: 27-December 02 From: Seattle, Washington (for now) Member No.: 24 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
The zip code thing would really hurt the NW guys as there are very few parts places that carry anything 914 let alone order parts. Prices are sky high too.
Geoff |
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| echocanyons |
Feb 20 2003, 12:44 PM
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#23
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Advanced Member Group: Benefactors Posts: 2,094 Joined: 24-December 02 From: Bay Area, CA Member No.: 7 Region Association: Central California 
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If I typed my zip there would be a big fat goose egg as well
and I dont mind paying shipping (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (do I have a choice?) I'm not diggin the promoted type vendor thing either. I am still in favor of member donations to keep the site flyin. |
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| jonwatts |
Feb 20 2003, 12:48 PM
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#24
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no rules, just wrong Group: Benefactors Posts: 2,321 Joined: 13-January 03 From: San Jose, CA Member No.: 141 |
I bet what Brad was saying was that if you put in your zip code you would be able to sort the list of vendors by distance to you. Not to exclude any vendors but just to find the ones closer by.
I look first at vendors west of the Rockies because shipping should be quicker and cheaper. I also like vendors outside CA if I get to avoid sales tax. |
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| Brad Roberts |
Feb 20 2003, 12:50 PM
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#25
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914 Freak! Group: Members Posts: 19,148 Joined: 23-December 02 Member No.: 8 Region Association: None |
As soon as we list vendors.. we are no longer vendor neutral. I dont feel like listing people for free and promoting other places to buy parts. No matter who they are. I would rather answer the questions as they come in. 90% of the people on this board already have a vendor they deal with.
More idea's are welcome. B |
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| Alfred |
Feb 20 2003, 01:34 PM
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#26
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Unregistered |
QUOTE(Dave_Darling @ Feb 20 2003, 09:49 AM) QUOTE(Brad Roberts @ Feb 19 2003, 08:43 PM) I want users to type in there zip code to find local shops and parts places. Somewhere along the line we will have a "what shops are good in your area" search. The ratings thing is good. My plan is to have shops pay to be in the top 5 listings for there particular area I think that's a bad idea for the club website. When you start taking money from vendors for preferential treatment, you are no longer "vendor-neutral". For SSI, cool, whatever--it's a vendor site and is not expected to be neutral. But I don't think it's such a hot idea for the club website. The area-specific thing won't work so well for mail-order businesses either. --DD I would like to see a vendor rating system identical to the rating system that ebay uses. That would simplify things greatly, IMO. Alfred |
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| J P Stein |
Feb 20 2003, 01:58 PM
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#27
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Irrelevant old fart Group: Members Posts: 8,797 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Vancouver, WA Member No.: 45 Region Association: None |
A "product review" section, properly set up, could be a big help to us all.
Granted, it could take some time to built a data base and any article should be reviewed by "technical chairman" for content before being included it the section. It would have to include "must fill" boxes to aid search and maybe a star rating for vendor and product. It could include tools, shop and martial aids...... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) The writer would have to be willing to answer Qs (off line, if necessary, to keep legal man at bay) not covered in the blurb. This could help avoid the endless repetition of the same Qs that are present on other BBSs and maintain the vendor neutral status of the BBS. I'm no puter wonk, but given proper direction, I would help as much as I can with this. As for helping out with the expenses to keep this thing going, where do I send a check, cash or MO? |
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| airsix |
Feb 20 2003, 02:04 PM
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#28
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I have bees in my epiglotis Group: Members Posts: 2,196 Joined: 7-February 03 From: Kennewick Man (E. WA State) Member No.: 266 |
QUOTE(Brad Roberts @ Feb 20 2003, 10:50 AM) As soon as we list vendors.. we are no longer vendor neutral. I dont feel like listing people for free and promoting other places to buy parts. No matter who they are. I would rather answer the questions as they come in. 90% of the people on this board already have a vendor they deal with. More idea's are welcome. B I think Brad is right. |
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| Jeroen |
Feb 20 2003, 02:16 PM
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#29
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 7,887 Joined: 24-December 02 From: The Netherlands Member No.: 3 Region Association: Europe |
I think instead of going thru all the effort of setting up a d-base for this, we'd be much more helped with a good tech-articles section
I agree with Brad that it's stoopid to do all the sweaty stuff "promoting" vendors for free In the tech-articles you can refer to the vendors you got your parts from etc. and/or who were helpfull Answering the same old tech questions gets tiresome time after time after... (yawn) If some one ask, we can refer them to an article Answering questions on who's got what (at a good price) is pretty easy on the bbs It's won't take you typing half a page of instructions on where to get new brake pads for a good price (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) cheers, Jeroen |
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| Bleyseng |
Feb 20 2003, 02:20 PM
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#30
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Aircooled Baby! Group: Members Posts: 13,035 Joined: 27-December 02 From: Seattle, Washington (for now) Member No.: 24 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
That's why I like the idea of a "separate" area for vendor listings besides the classifieds. I like the idea of having the classifieds, BBS and a vendor area. This "vendor listings" area should cost $ which would help to pay for the BBS and Classifieds (its advertising). I like the idea of a feedback rating on the vendors. I really want to keep the classifieds free of vendor listings, specials. If a business wants to post ads fine do it for a small fee in the vendor area. There are soo many mail order guys out there that could benefit from a rating system too. If a vendor posts here they should be prepared to take the heat/praise from their ratings. I don't think that the 914club is endorsing anyone if they post in that area. Maybe that would be true if it was in the BBS.
Jereon, I agree that the tech section for articles is really important. All newbies love that plus us oldtimers get sick of typing the same instructions over and over again. Brad, Is Brad Anders willing to post his FI stuff here?That would be a great start. (God, I know his site adress by heart from refering people to it) Geoff |
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| Jeroen |
Feb 20 2003, 03:05 PM
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#31
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 7,887 Joined: 24-December 02 From: The Netherlands Member No.: 3 Region Association: Europe |
If we had vendors pay for a listing (aka advertising) our "independence" would be lost
Advertisers don't like it if you start pointing people in an other direction A rating system on a paid vendor listing won't work either... a vendor that gets little or bad ratings will very easily loose interest for a paid listing... There was a recent thread on "where to get fiberglass something..." It went very smooth and fast and I think about every vendor that is selling the part wanted in this discussion, was mentioned, including pro's and con's of their quality, pricing and service I think that is a better resource for people to decide where to buy their stuff than just browsing a listing of vendors Just my thoughts... cheers, Jeroen |
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| Alfred |
Feb 20 2003, 03:19 PM
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#32
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Unregistered |
QUOTE(Bleyseng @ Feb 20 2003, 12:20 PM) Brad, Is Brad Anders willing to post his FI stuff here?That would be a great start. (God, I know his site adress by heart from refering people to it) Geoff Yup, Brad Anders' site is the best and it's clear that a lot of effort went in to making it. Thanks Brad! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) Alfred |
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| Brad Roberts |
Feb 20 2003, 09:51 PM
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#33
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914 Freak! Group: Members Posts: 19,148 Joined: 23-December 02 Member No.: 8 Region Association: None |
Brad Anders gave me/us permission to use all of his content.
This is a very tough subject. One that needs more thought. B |
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| boxstr |
Feb 20 2003, 10:01 PM
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#34
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MEMBER:PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION Group: Members Posts: 7,522 Joined: 25-December 02 From: OREGON Member No.: 12 Region Association: Pacific Northwest |
Go over to the other some of the other sites and see what they are doing, you should be able to tell if it working for them or not. Check out the Boxster sites,Babblers,PPBB,Boxa.net,986forum, etc. or check with the web master or moderator and ask them. Just a thought.
Craig in DAMP CAMP 914 |
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