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Classifieds - I need your input

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Basil

Basil

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I have tried two different stand-alone classified systems. One is the current system that I came back to after trying a different piece of software. The truth is, the classifieds are not getting used as much as I had hoped and part of the problem may be that they are a little too complicated to use and also that are on a separate section of the forum.

I am thus thinking about doing away with the formal classifieds section and instead replacing it with one (or several) forums for classifieds. I could either have a single Classifieds forum, or conversely, I could have a Trading Post or Classifieds "sub-forum" under each Marque forum. The only problem I have is, I have no automatic way of collecting any revenue for ads if I use a regular forum, so it would have to be based on a "donate" method and be on the honor system. I'm thinking of basing the recommended donation on a percentage of the sell price.

I'm posting a couple of polls and would appreciate your taking the poll and also posting your comments.
 
My opinion: Do it as a subforum under each marque for lazy people like me that rarely venture out of the forum of my marque of interest.
 
I have to say that paying on the sale of an item is the way to go; i tried to sell my oil cooler hose kit for 3 months and still it sits in my work shop with no buyers; and i have other items i could list but only if i could pay with a percent of the finale price like ebay.
 
One of the other (not automotive) forums I participate in has the following:

"Have something for sale? Post it here! (Don't take advantage of it, please, or I'll want a %age!) "

What this does is allow the occasional sale of an extra part, but those with a garage full of stuff to part with end up paying a percentage.
Not sure how to implement it, but one of those things I am sure you'll figger out!

Something like individual listings under $100 for free, and a scale above?
 
Another MG site..just has one forum for classifieds. I think when it's broken up by marque..there aren't enough ads to keep anyone interested.
It a momentum thing, I'm sure. I like Trevors idea..at least a quick-link sticky at the top of each marque forum indicating the # of new items in the 'Trader' forum..might generate more interest and hits(?)
Funny - this seems to be the most active British Car Forum, but the classifieds are the least active!
 
I know the forum of which you speak, but I rarely go to that classified because you have to wade through tons of posts and often people do not put in the title the type of car to which the item pertains.
 
Trevor Jessie said:
I know the forum of which you speak, but I rarely go to that classified because you have to wade through tons of posts and often people do not put in the title the type of car to which the item pertains.
Click to expand...

That's a good point! If we do implement this (and I'm not decided yet) I think it is important that we have some rules that all must agree to, and putting specifics in the titles would be a must:

Good: Triumph Spitfire (78) Intake manifold for sale

Bad: Engine parts for sale.
 
I didn't even realize it existed. How about a better/bigger location on the real estate? (And not to be critical but IMHO there way (too) many links visible - could you collapse some of them?)

At least until it generates some interest I'd make it a obvious link to from the specific marque forum. Maybe once there you get more options. i.e. the TVR forum would take you to a TVR filtered section which would have obvious links to other types (MG, Triumph, etc.)

eBay type filtering - maybe with a list of 15 car "areas" - would also be useful if doable (engines, transmission, interior parts).

The rub is to getting people using it. Grady
 
A forum system works well in my opinion. I think it makes the most sense to split it into two major categories though, "Cars for sale" and "Parts for sale"

I don't have a good suggestion about the revenue part. One forum I belong to only allows people with paid memberships to start threads in the for sale area, and they generate site revenue from the paid memberships from those who want to sell. Dealers or wholesalers have to have yet a different membership (aka the dont abuse it comment from above)
 
KEEP IT SIMPLE MAKE IT FUN!

Marque specific makes ton's of sense to me. A % of the selling price also makes sense to me. If that is too complicated charge a flat rate. Our Triumph forum membership is a very large specific market place. I don't know about the other Marques, don't go there.
Needs to be easy to get to. Rules make sense also.

Just a few thoughts. Drive on Basil, drive on!

Tinkerman
 
Basil,
I would suggest you make the classified section the home page with prominent links to the other sections and simply charge a small fee per ad. I know sales isn't why you do this but maybe this will generate more search engine hits. I found your site while I was searching for a car.
 
Ok, with due consideration of the comments to date, and considering the general trend of the poll so far, here is what I'm thinking:

1. Making the Classifieds a Single forum (for now) with links to it in all the Marque forums (and other forums). Some have proposed individual sub-forums in each marque forum. This is something I think might work someday when we have enough traffic in all the forums. However, at present the truth is only a few of the marque forums have decent traffic, so while it might work in some forums, I don't think it would work well across the board. So for now at least, I think I'll try a single forum for all the ads.

2. Rules. What I'm thinking is to have rules that are simple, but will insist that the titles of ads be descriptive and start with the Marque, like this:
<span style="font-weight: bold">Triumph Spitfire 1978 For Sale</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold">Austin Healey BJ8 Distributor For Sale</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold">Jaguar ETYpe Series I Wheel Spinner Wanted</span>

This way, if you are only interested in Jaguar stuff, you can use the search feature and search just the titles in the Classifieds forum for the key work "Jaguar." This forum will be moderated so that we will ensure the titles/subjects of posts meet these criteria.

The idea is, the title starts with the marque, then includes enough information to identify the model (if applicable), year (if applicable) and ends with either "for sale," "for trade," or "wanted," etc. (You could say "for sale or trade" also).

3. Cost. I think it only fair to have a price structure that is voluntary but suggests prices as a percentage of the item(s) sold. The percentage suggested would depend on the level of membership. So, for example:

<span style="font-weight: bold">Non-subscribing member:</span> 7% of sale (not to exceed $200, so if you sell a car for $40,000, you don't end up paying $2800 (7%). Now I would recommend we not worry about anything for which the suggested percentage is less than $5. But you if you sell several small, low cost items and collectively they add up to a larger sum, then you could make a donation for all of the items. So, for example, if you see lots of small items, you could donate $7 every time you rack up $100 in sales.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Bronze Members:</span> Same as above, but 5%
(Example, sell item for $200, donate $10)

<span style="font-weight: bold">Silver Members:</span> Same as above, but 3%
(Example, sell item for $200, donate $6)

<span style="font-weight: bold">Gold Members:</span> Same as above, but 1%
(Example, sell item for $200, donate nothing because it's less than $5, but sell single or multiple items for $500, donate $5)

<span style="font-weight: bold">Platinum Members:</span> Platinum members would not be expected to donate anything for ads. This should serve as a good incentive for people to become Platinum members, especially if you plan to see a lot of items.

The whole thing will be on the honor system. Well, this is kind of what I'm thinking.
 
:thumbsup:
 
Me too, sounds like a plan to me. Fair, balanced, encourages folks to be involved.

:thumbsup:
 
Sounds good to me as I plan to clean out my basement over the winter....
 
I'm lazy to any wouldn't ever go in the gallery if it was for the pics scrolling on the right side of the page. If you had the classified set up like that, I think it would draw more people in. I know it would me.
 
I like it! Sounds good Basil. Very clear and precise. PJ
 
Basil, I don't know if something like this exists - a "boilerplate" listing menu with pull downs for year, make, model, category - part, car, other, etc., location, price, etc. and a description window for the seller to describe the item for sale. This way all the "titles" would be generated from the template and be consistant. Also make it easier for sellers to create an ad. My 2 cents... :smile:
 
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