The forum is silent

[Pomse2001]

Hi guys I think the forum is very silent at the moment, what can we do to get some more noise around here ?

Any idea of what is going on

 

[Snaketibe]

I'm afraid the rather inexplicable rise of Facebook is largely responsible. Personally, I've never seen the appeal of it and regard forums like this as superior in every conceivable way, but Zuckerberg has suckered most of the world into using 'his' creation, so here's where we find ourselves.

If people want this forum to continue to exist - as I do - then they have to use it!

Jeremy

 

[sith-smith]

I much prefer the forum over facebook. I find the facebook groups are better for instant gratification, but I think a website forum is better because you can easily find older threads if needed and there is far more conversation on here.

 

[lejackal]

I far prefer the forum format BUT as soon as the sales went the masses went. I'm certain a large number still use this place as a resource but they are not here to interact, they're here for information.

Start talking about football, the premier league thread is normally active with one or the other of us crying about our teams latest calamity

 

[_Lee_]

Agreed. Never used Facebook and never will. I think it has really affected the market in many ways, and Ebay is dying a slow death - but that's their own doing.







Facebook is a completely different animal though. From what I hear it is full of bullies and Billy Big bollocks showing off with their big wallets.



I truly believe we will never see the hobby rise as high as it did over the past 10 years. More people are cutting their losses now and the true meaning of collecting is long gone.



Very sad- I miss the old days.

 

[Cazza]

Much prefer it on here to FB, for all the reasons you've all mentioned above. It's a shame that people move to FB, because it's quieter on here these days- if all those people stayed and contributed on here still, it would still be thriving. Carl's right about the sales- think it's a massive factor.

 

[db94]

Yep, you cannot beat this forum for knowledge and information and it's got a completely different vibe from the fb groups. Just the other day I decided to really reduce the time I spend online on my mob - social media is just so ****** toxic.

I'd check my mob first thing in the morning and as soon as I woke up, scrolling through nonsense like a zombie right up to the point of falling asleep and wonder why I was getting pissed off at little things - non stop negativity and I was hooked on it. Watching a video about a woman holding a parking space by standing in it, some Karen kicking off in a shop, a few road rage clips.

Then there's this place - just feels so much better, familiar, positive, proper community feeling. So now I get off my arse, walk through to the spare room and go onto the forum on my PC so it's an actual thing not just a a random mob scroll. Feels more like a hobby, like it use to be on here - wow when you think back to how busy this forum was 5 years ago.

Fingers crossed more and more people will circle back here and generate more activity.

 

[Cazza]

In a nutshell, Colin! I've recently deactivated my FB, because of the aimless scrolling, FOMO and utter ******** from so many people- even my friends! Awful that so many people spend their days like that. Who says Happy Birthday to their son/daughter/other half on Facebook, when they live in the same house? The whole thing is ridiculous!

 

[Snaketibe]

In a nutshell, Colin! I've recently deactivated my FB, because of the aimless scrolling, FOMO and utter ******** from so many people- even my friends! Awful that so many people spend their days like that. Who says Happy Birthday to their son/daughter/other half on Facebook, when they live in the same house? The whole thing is ridiculous!

As someone who's never used Facebook, you really don't make me feel like I'm missing out!

 

[Pomse2001]

As someone who's never used FaceBook, you really don't make me feel like I'm missing out!

The same here sounds like I should be happy that I am not on facebook

 

[Pomse2001]

Yep, you cannot beat this forum for knowledge and information and it's got a completely different vibe from the fb groups. Just the other day I decided to really reduce the time I spend online on my mob - social media is just so ****in toxic.

I'd check my mob first thing in the morning and as soon as I woke up, scrolling through nonsense like a zombie right up to the point of falling asleep and wonder why I was getting pissed off at little things - non stop negativity and I was hooked on it. Watching a video about a woman holding a parking space by standing in it, some Karen kicking off in a shop, a few road rage clips.

Then there's this place - just feels so much better, familiar, positive, proper community feeling. So now I get off my arse, walk through to the spare room and go onto the forum on my PC so it's an actual thing not just a a random mob scroll. Feels more like a hobby, like it use to be on here - wow when you think back to how busy this forum was 5 years ago.

Fingers crossed more and more people will circle back here and generate more activity.

Yes the forum was much more busy 5 years ago. In 2012 when I joined new items came for sale every day on the forum and many items sold fast. Just looking at jedi_masters new sales thread on the forum with yoda figures. I am surprised all is not sold yet But great to see one is allready sold

 

[welshwookie]

Much prefer it on here to FB, for all the reasons you've all mentioned above. It's a shame that people move to FB, because it's quieter on here these days- if all those people stayed and contributed on here still, it would still be thriving. Carl's right about the sales- think it's a massive factor.

I would agree with you both. The amount of sales that goes through fb is probably more than ebay, and I must admit one group does have a lot of nice items which are snapped up no sooner than been listed, although it's a sales page more than a group. Swfuk was the first source found when I started collecting again, and I always check in on it.

 

[lejackal]

The big FB groups (echo & Jabbas primarily) have a lot of sales, but quite a lot of really good stuff goes through the dealer ran groups, all built off the back of sales on here and the aforementioned facebook groups. And once the dealers have their own private groups to sell from with thousands of members actively fighting for items the price goes up, and up, and up. Rinse and repeat

 

[theforceuk]

Nothing left to say really! This place will be back one day. I still check daily for new posts. What goes around comes around.

 

[TX-20]

Hello there. I'm new. I just stumbled across the forum and its great saw this post on the side and thought i'd make an account and say hello! Found some info I was searching for that I couldn't find anywhere else on the internet... sadly I think much of the old internet is lost or deleted and anything left needs archival. And yeah I agree with you all on FB even though I admit it's useful sometimes but I only use it for the Star Wars hobby strictly. Theres still a place in the world for internet forums like this one!

 

[Palifan]

Well at least some of us are still going on here and agree with all of the above points, such a great place to hangout on here and you can actually find an old topic, unlike FB that buries every posting after an hour.

Ian

 

[Pomse2001]

The big FB groups (echo & Jabbas primarily) have a lot of sales, but quite a lot of really good stuff goes through the dealer ran groups, all built off the back of sales on here and the aforementioned facebook groups. And once the dealers have their own private groups to sell from with thousands of members actively fighting for items the price goes up, and up, and up. Rinse and repeat

It sounds very bad, I miss more and more the good old days where you could get most things for less than $30 it has becoming a money machine, I really like it more when it was worth not very much. Ok I know my collection would also me worth less, but I do not collect because of the value.

 

[Pomse2001]

Nothing left to say really! This place will be back one day. I still check daily for new posts. What goes around comes around.

I really hope it will be back

 

[Pomse2001]

Hello there. I'm new. I just stumbled across the forum and its great saw this post on the side and thought i'd make an account and say hello! Found some info I was searching for that I couldn't find anywhere else on the internet... sadly I think much of the old internet is lost or deleted and anything left needs archival. And yeah I agree with you all on FB even though I admit it's useful sometimes but I only use it for the Star Wars hobby strictly. Theres still a place in the world for internet forums like this one!

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the support. Hope to see you more here on the forum

 

[sith-smith]

While FB has its uses - and admittedly it is a lot easier/quicker to buy/sell on there - it lacks the depth and quality of discussion that we have had on this site. I wonder though if that's what people/new collectors want?

 

[lejackal]

While FB has its uses - and admittedly it is a lot easier/quicker to buy/sell on there - it lacks the depth and quality of discussion that we have had on this site. I wonder though if that's what people/new collectors want?

I think most of the detailed discourse that would have happened on forums now happens in group chats on messenger, WhatsApp etc

 

[theforceuk]

Yeah I think you hit the nail on the head @sith-smith . Not saying it's a bad thing, but the last 20 years has seen a huge shift in how everyone wants everything now and right now! Whether it's information, objects of desire or the latest Netflix show. I guess the internet has made that possible.

 

[edd_jedi]

The information will hopefully always be here, and that will draw in new people who find it in search engines. Facebook has been the hot ticket for the last decade or so, but something else will come along eventually, in fact the younger generation already snub it because they think it's for "old people to share photos of their meals"

The fact is the only online platforms suitable for knowledge sharing and archiving are websites, Facebook is no good for it and newer fads like Tik Tok even less so, for that reason even if the discussion dies down, the information will be here as long as the site owner keeps it going.

 

[edd_jedi]

And another question - who is still collecting? I bought a loose figure last week, which was the first vintage item I've bought for months. I just don't buy much any more, because prices are sky high and I already have most things I want. Maybe it's the same for others.

 

[Jez]

I must admit my outlook on the forum has changed for the better over the last month, bare with me…

I joined this forum in 2011 and it quickly became the hub for all of my collecting wants: purchases, knowledge, socials, competitions etc. The TVR Podcast originated as the SWFUK Podcast until Episode 11. I even held an annual prize draw and Stu had his figure of the year poll.

I've made life long friends thanks to this forum and i literally bought the T-Shirt (s).

I loved the thrill of getting a email notification every time itfciain posted a sales thread, what would he have? What would he have as I quickly logged on.

Yes, i drifted away from here to Facebook as everything (efficiency wise) just seemed easier and for a while i felt that the forum was often just the same questions asked over and over again.

I'm not a big poster on Facebook. I agree with some of the comments above. It's too much. The most recent ridiculous thing (IMO) was a 2023 trend of posting a valentines message to your partner, I mean seriously.
The sales posts are crazy with high turnover, high prices and high expectations of prices. Plus, people are 'claiming' items so quickly, in some cases they haven't read the full description or looked at the photos before claiming.

There are too many groups. Having said that we have. Generation Skywalker Group for people to have a nice space to share things apart from sales posts, we don't have a sales area. We mainly use it for updates/news/Celebration stuff

Back to the forum: up until 2022 Stu ran the SWFUK forum figure of the year poll, however he/we looked at the forum this year and as this thread says, it was silent, so we decided to host the poll on our Facebook group and also on Instagram. That's where a lot of ex forum folk have gone. Stu thought that uploading photos to here was harder than it actually is, so didn't initially include SWFUK.
The upset/disappointment from Pomse/Snaketibe etc was clear for me to see, so I continued the poll on here. It was super easy for me to upload everything and keep the flame burning. I'm glad that Snaketibe got involved and in some cases was the deciding vote. Apart from one occasion he was the only one voting but I'd have loved to have more.

Were we right to move it to a larger demographic? I think so. In its hey day the SWFUK poll had 45-50 participants (according to information given to me). We've averaged 80 votes each round this year. However it's made me think.

It felt nice coming back here. It felt conflict and competition free. It was not only nostalgic but slightly more comforting than Facebook.

My promises to you:
1) I'm going to put a post on our Facebook Group this weekend reminding people about this place and asking them to drop by and say hi. I think a lot of people were put off with the sale of the forum and the OTT adverts, not realising that when logged in they disappear. There are many positives to this place, it's less noisy which is actually really nice.
2) From this point on any/all Mini Rig/Figure of the Year polls will definitely include SWFUK from the getgo.
3) I'm going to start hanging around here more. I hope that's not a negative

 

[Blackbeard]

Straight up, we need to expand our covering of the Starwars universe.

I know a lot won't care for that, but theme parks, cosplay, movies, books, and even...video games.
I love collecting, but to stay relevant we need to welcome all walks..and we might be surprised who comes over to the collecting side of things.

Look for more on this soon!

 

[Pomse2001]

While FB has its uses - and admittedly it is a lot easier/quicker to buy/sell on there - it lacks the depth and quality of discussion that we have had on this site. I wonder though if that's what people/new collectors want?

I really hope the sales come bacl to the forum every day as before. Do I understand sometimes people want a quicker sale. But then again if there is a lot for sale on the forum. Then more will also come back to the forum to buy, I think

 

[Pomse2001]

I think most of the detailed discourse that would have happened on forums now happens in group chats on messenger, WhatsApp etc

ok so it is not only facebook, I have never been on messenger or whatsapp

 

[Pomse2001]

And another question - who is still collecting? I bought a loose figure last week, which was the first vintage item I've bought for months. I just don't buy much any more, because prices are sky high and I already have most things I want. Maybe it's the same for others.

I do not buy much so I also do not collec much because of sky high prices. But I guess more must collect today since the prices are skyhigh or is it dealers that push the price up ?

 

[Pomse2001]

I must admit my outlook on the forum has changed for the better over the last month, bare with me…

I joined this forum in 2011 and it quickly became the hub for all of my collecting wants: purchases, knowledge, socials, competitions etc. The TVR Podcast originated as the SWFUK Podcast until Episode 11. I even held an annual prize draw and Stu had his figure of the year poll.

I've made life long friends thanks to this forum and i literally bought the T-Shirt (s).

I loved the thrill of getting a email notification every time itfciain posted a sales thread, what would he have? What would he have as I quickly logged on.

Yes, i drifted away from here to Facebook as everything (efficiency wise) just seemed easier and for a while i felt that the forum was often just the same questions asked over and over again.

I'm not a big poster on Facebook. I agree with some of the comments above. It's too much. The most recent ridiculous thing (IMO) was a 2023 trend of posting a valentines message to your partner, I mean seriously.
The sales posts are crazy with high turnover, high prices and high expectations of prices. Plus, people are 'claiming' items so quickly, in some cases they haven't read the full description or looked at the photos before claiming.

There are too many groups. Having said that we have. Generation Skywalker Group for people to have a nice space to share things apart from sales posts, we don't have a sales area. We mainly use it for updates/news/Celebration stuff

Back to the forum: up until 2022 Stu ran the SWFUK forum figure of the year poll, however he/we looked at the forum this year and as this thread says, it was silent, so we decided to host the poll on our Facebook group and also on Instagram. That's where a lot of ex forum folk have gone. Stu thought that uploading photos to here was harder than it actually is, so didn't initially include SWFUK.
The upset/disappointment from Pomse/Snaketibe etc was clear for me to see, so I continued the poll on here. It was super easy for me to upload everything and keep the flame burning. I'm glad that Snaketibe got involved and in some cases was the deciding vote. Apart from one occasion he was the only one voting but I'd have loved to have more.

Were we right to move it to a larger demographic? I think so. In its hey day the SWFUK poll had 45-50 participants (according to information given to me). We've averaged 80 votes each round this year. However it's made me think.

It felt nice coming back here. It felt conflict and competition free. It was not only nostalgic but slightly more comforting than Facebook.

My promises to you:
1) I'm going to put a post on our Facebook Group this weekend reminding people about this place and asking them to drop by and say hi. I think a lot of people were put off with the sale of the forum and the OTT adverts, not realising that when logged in they disappear. There are many positives to this place, it's less noisy which is actually really nice.
2) From this point on any/all Mini Rig/Figure of the Year polls will definitely include SWFUK from the getgo.
3) I'm going to start hanging around here more. I hope that's not a negative

Great post mate and great to see you are still on the forum