Facebook sales pros and cons?

[Robstyley]

I had a listen to the discussion about Facebook on one of the podcasts the other day and found it really interesting. It was good to hear from people with experience of both the forums and Facebook and hear their views. It made me realise they prob do both have their place and Facebook is more geared towards quick sales and chat. So after saying I wasn't going to mix Facebook and Star Wars I've caved in and joined Echo Base and The ROTJ vintage collecting group. At the end of the day if there's a higher volume of sales and I can source ROTJ Mocs I'm after it's got to be worth a look. Will be interesting to see how it works and sussing out what you can say and what you get told off for :? :lol:

 

[Bonsai_Tree_Ent]

I called out what I felt was an outrageous flip on Echo Base. The item had been sitting as a BIN unsold on Ebay for a week or so, this guy bought it and then listed it on Echo Base at over double what he'd paid for it. So I brought attention to it, and I did so in what I felt was a respectful and grown up way - to generate positive debate rather than just sling mud.

I got quite a few likes and some interesting comments were made, and then the thread disappeared. A mod had deleted it, presumably because they didn't want the drama.

It left a bad taste in my mouth as you would expect a groups mods to want to do something positive - however small - to help safeguard members from the most outrageous flippers.

 

[Richard_H]

Although I agree with a lot of the comments here, I'd prefer this didn't derail in to a seller bashing thread please guys. I love the fact this forum is full of passionate and modest collectors, but there have always been people in the hobby only in it for the money and as Ross says moaning about it on a forum isn't going to help. Rather than name them here, speak to them on Facebook if you think what you have to say holds weight.

It's a good suggestion, Edd. I would, however, bet my left nut (which is smaller than my right one) that no one has the nuts (left or right) to actually do that.

That was exactly my point last week. Go and tell the guys to their face they're bellends, it's pointless being a keyboard warrior on a forum that they don't access. I've consistently seen comments on here, FB and in PMs saying X is a tosser, I'm going to..... insert appropriate words here. Do it or shut the **** up. Don't whine and bitch about it, you're scoring no points by doing so and impressing nobody.

 

[Robstyley]

Someone was going on about being fed up with the groups filling up their news feed and getting loads of email notifications?! I've just turned them off so you get no emails and no SW group posts in your news feed. If you want to see what your normal friends are doing you click on your news feed and if you want to see what the group's doing you click on the group page.. easy peasy.

 

[tiefighterboy]

Problem is when you speak up in some of these groups...the admins kick you out or the whiners report you.

 

[Richard_H]

Yeah that's the truth. I do have to say so that some of the names mentioned above I find are great guys to deal with. I haven't bought from any of them but would do if they had a piece I wanted at a price I'm willing to pay. I haven't been on the FB groups for a while and removed myself from a few due to ......... hmmm.........well.................

 

[Ian_C]

Thanks Ross. I feel your pain. I've been a mod, an admin, and once even an owner of a discussion board, and the level of thanklessness goes up for each level of control you have. You really have to have nerves of steel to deal with the trolls and negative people, and have to put friendships aside at times in order to be fair to the membership in general. That causes issues too on a personal level if you have a friend that just doesn't understand.

Todd has a good point too. Speaking up for the better good will sometimes put you at odds with an admin that has no guts. That's made worse when the little cliques get together and try to run you out for defending the hobby.

If there weren't so many damn groups already, I'd make a new general vintage SW group where habitual flipping, consistent overpricing, repros, U-grades, etc., are all banned. Instead of no tolerance, I'd make it "low" tolerance, where I'd give someone a chance to explain themself. Yes, I know it would create calls from some on favoritism, and would drive a lot of people away, but really, I want to be a part of a group of COLLECTORS. People who genuinely care about the hobby, and who put the hobby above their own personal wants (within reason).

Heh, I think I just described this forum. 8) Anyone want to make a SWFUK-like group on FB, self-policed against the morons of the hobby?

Ian

 

[spoons]

Brilliant!
I know a forum where they sensor my language while they would allow posting repro stuff ...

That made me laugh - a very quiet forum judging by a lot of names now posting here

As to sellers on FB - I thought sales seem a bit quieter recently. I do feel for the newbies overpaying but it's the old adage that something is only worth what someone is prepared to pay. If they can't be arsed checking recent sales my sympathy is limited.

Sad thing is that I keep overpaying on FB but whenever I try to sell something there is absolutely no interest :x

 

[itfciain]

As to sellers on FB - I thought sales seem a bit quieter recently.

I think that is has been a lot quieter sales wise on FB the last couple of months - at the turn of the year and in the run up to Celebration it was crazy but now I see a lot of the same overpriced crap or these ridiculous 'Flash Sales' but there is very little in the way of quality

As for community spirit, Ian is right, this forum is the best place for that - the FB groups can't compete because they are either over admined or full of wankers (sometimes both!!)

 

[Ross_Barr]

If there weren't so many damn groups already, I'd make a new general vintage SW group where habitual flipping, consistent overpricing, repros, U-grades, etc., are all banned. Instead of no tolerance, I'd make it "low" tolerance, where I'd give someone a chance to explain themself. Yes, I know it would create calls from some on favoritism, and would drive a lot of people away, but really, I want to be a part of a group of COLLECTORS. People who genuinely care about the hobby, and who put the hobby above their own personal wants (within reason).

I like to think the groups I admin - 12 back, ESB, ROTJ - stand for most of the very things that you mentioned, Ian. The habitual flipping and consistent overpricing ones though are a little tough for me. Those are both pretty subjective; what one person may think is "consistent overpricing" may be only occasional overpricing, or slight overpricing, etc. But we all know who these people are, and I for one certainly wouldn't stop anyone from here coming on and expressing their disdain in my groups to the people that are doing these things. As long as the approach is respectful, I actually think some self moderation is a very good idea. It works here on this forum, so I don't know why it can't work elsewhere.