Bartertown.com

:shock:
Should we allow eBay ads as long as they follow the following rules?

1. The bartertown ad contains a full description of items for sale.
2. The bartertown ad contains pictures.
3. There's a link to Bartertown from the eBay ad.

I think this could be beneficial for the user and for Bartertown both, what do you think?

My opinion is no. If I wanted to view ebay ads I would go to ebay. Sorry if this puts a damper on their advertising but they get enough on ebay.

Ugh no. The trading forums will be cluttered up with ebay ads. I agree if I wanted to see ebay ads I'll visit their websight.

I guess I was wrong... Linrandir isn't the only one who hates eBay, oh well.

There is a set of developer tools that eBay has, costs a bit o green but in the end, you can pull ads from eBay automagically. I was thinking on using this to grab pricing information ( how much does a land raider sell for, how much does a OOP Nurgle Palanaquin go for nowadays, etc. ). That's blue sky, cloud talk there, nothing in the short term.

Keep up with the responses, not EVERYONE hates eBay, do they?


-TrademasterAdam

I also say no way!!

I don't hate eBay and use it regularly, but I have search parameters set up over there for what I am looking for, so I don't need the ad posters help to find what I want.

I also don't want there to be any true links between B'Town and eBay cause I want my trade efforts here to mean something and not have to send my stuff at the same time or before some newbiew who "has 275 positive buys on eBay" which to me means he went to eBay to get his stuff instead of his local store and really tells me very little if he is a thief or not.

I also think eBay is a smidge higher on prices for things cause "its eBay" which again means very little here in Bartertown world.

Also, it is fun to tell so-and-so that if he or she really wants $70 for that landraider painted in the Black Templar scheme "Fine, have fun and you'll probably have more luck on eBay cause no real B'Town veteran is going to pay $15 over retail for something painted, especially in Black Templar colors that my dog could paint."

Thanks for asking before you made it available to us, that is what I really like about B'Town, it feels like my local store, but most of you are far, far away...

Ekister

"Whatever the weapon, there is a time and place that it is appropriate." -Miyamoto Musashi



I voted could care less either way. I see the advantages and disadvantages of both ways and don't think it'll have a huge bearing on the site as a whole if ebay is allowed.

I mean, we already allow ebay here, just in its own forum.

Ebay is a tool, just like bartertown; it serves certain purposes, just like bartertown. I'm not one to say "don't use ebay" because there is a time and place for it, just like bartertown.

Ebay has more guarantees sometimes.

I voted NO, but it is only conditional, based on the way your title and question were worded.
For example.

Posting an eBay ad with the normal posting sections

I do NOT want eBay ads in with the "normal" posts. I want them to have their own section, as they do, now. I look at the ads and, if I ever find something I need.... okay, we're tallking about GAMES here... anything I WANT, I will bid on it. I LIKE that they are here.

2. The bartertown ad contains pictures.
3. There's a link to Bartertown from the eBay ad.

Pictures on the BTown site would be annoying for the poster AND reader. I don't want to sift through pictures of 40 items to find the pic of the ONE that I'm interested in or to read text interspersed between. Plus, it takes to long to post individual pics here.

As far as links go... I'm not sure that eBay allows links to sites outside of ebay. I seem to recall a policy change reflecting that a while back. Not to mention the extra pain involved for the poster.

I think that posting ebay ads could be a priviledge allowed to ONLY paying members, when that is implemented. With the conditions that:

a) Each item up for sale is listed (as opposed to, "Here's a link to my auctions," where most end up being OOP My Pretty Pony items).

b) They stay in the Ebay ads section.

I couldn't make my vote into an "I don't care... because, I DO care. I want them here... I'm just against having them in with regular ads, even if they're required to have "Ebay" or something in the title (though that would be my desire if they ARE allowed in the regular areas).

Eric

Take a look at the ebay section and tell me if any of you honestly think ebay ads are going to flood the system.


There are all of what? 4 ads in the futuristic section?

they used to flood the system, before there was a seperate area, when the seperate area started up and they started getting expunged then you saw less ebay (extortion bay) spam.

granted i like to buy occasionally off ebay, but i will browse ebay or the related section. the only way i could see an add for ebay was if there was stuff available for trade as well, and there was a link with the post for additional items

Steve

I can deal with the ebay ads in the normal section AS LONG AS THE TITLE SAYS EBAY.

I am fine with all of your other requirements as long as the title thing is done.

Unfortunately, I think that this will end up being more work for the mods to enforce.

Mehhh, whatever.....

Mark

Keep the ebay ads in their own forum, please!

I would also prefer not to have links from ebay to here.

-Porkuslime

I had to vote no as well. I think that the section that has auction ads is enough. I feel that if it is allowed to be in the normal areas you will have many people posting auctions instead of trades. Now this is strictly my opinion but, I like the ability to trade for the stuff. I mean I go to Ebay and buy stuf but i come here for the option of trading. Really helps unload extras and get some mutually good deals going as well. Just my 2 cents
Gubnutz

If i wanted ebay, i would go to ebay. As far as i know, there nothing wrong with the search function there, so it's not like people won't find the auction without a link to it. For me, the major appeal of bartertown is that it's not ebay.