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Can dealers advertise in online Flea Market?
- Thread starter bigdelta
- Start date
knary
looking for a coal mine
It is common for a seller that is listing a bike for consignment sale at a dealer to put their bike up for sale in an on-line classifieds such as our flea market. This appears to be such an ad and is not, obviously, the same as the dealer putting items up for sale.
The flea market rules are pretty simple...
<p><ol type="i"><li>Ads for items listed for auction (e.g. ebay) will not be accepted. </li>
<li>No commercial use allowed.</li>
<li>Ads entered in ALL CAPS will be rejected.</li>
<li>If your ad is in the wrong category, an administrator may move it to another category without notice.</li>
<li>Profanity is not tolerated and offending ads will be deleted.</li>
<li>We retain the right to delete or otherwise edit any ad.</li></ol>
The flea market rules are pretty simple...
<p><ol type="i"><li>Ads for items listed for auction (e.g. ebay) will not be accepted. </li>
<li>No commercial use allowed.</li>
<li>Ads entered in ALL CAPS will be rejected.</li>
<li>If your ad is in the wrong category, an administrator may move it to another category without notice.</li>
<li>Profanity is not tolerated and offending ads will be deleted.</li>
<li>We retain the right to delete or otherwise edit any ad.</li></ol>
bigdelta
New member
Since my question has been answered
why can't I delete my 1st post,thereby ending this thread?Has that privilege been taken away from me?The seller didn't include his phone ctcs in the ad
copy originally,hence my question.It originally appeared the ad was posted by a dealer.It was added later.I don't appreciate your use of the word "obviously' in your reply.It wasn't obvious to me as it appeared to be posted by a dealer.
knary said:
why can't I delete my 1st post,thereby ending this thread?Has that privilege been taken away from me?The seller didn't include his phone ctcs in the ad
copy originally,hence my question.It originally appeared the ad was posted by a dealer.It was added later.I don't appreciate your use of the word "obviously' in your reply.It wasn't obvious to me as it appeared to be posted by a dealer.
knary
looking for a coal mine
bigdelta said:
While a 'regular' member can delete a post, only site administrators have the ability to delete a complete thread. When a thread is deleted, all of the other posts in that thread essentially disappear.
If the ad isn't posted by the dealer themselves, it follows that it is obvious that it isn't a dealer posted ad. That is what I meant. I am sorry for any confusion.
D
dlearl476
Guest
knary said:
So Scott, re: ii. I'm the US importer of CR&S motorcycles. Along with that, I'm carrying a line of premium cycle products. Tools, chemicals, clothing. Is there an avenue for me to reach the online MOA's? Just like an ad in ON, I'd gladly pay for the privilege. I think a "Vendor's Forum" would be excellent.
It's hard to sit on my hands when someone posts: "My X is stuck and I can't get it loose, what do I do" or "I lost my Z doing maintenance, the dealer wants $49.50" or "My Y is turning a funny shade of yellow, what's up" knowing you have just the thing they're after. It's a bit frustrating. And not in the rules of the forum to jump in and post "BUY THIS".
It's also hard when I post pics of the bike and folks have questions. Where do the "answers" stop and the "sales pitch" begin? It's a hard row to hoe.
It would be nice to have an avenue.
bigdelta
New member
I recommended in my 1st post that MOA adopt
a policy similar to what PCA did earlier and make a special section in the Flea Market for vendors,for a price.That would benefit the seller(vendor) and the club also.I recommend you call the Mothership in Mo. and ask if that's a possibility.I will graciously accept a 1 year membership as a consulting fee from MOA!
dlearl476 said:
a policy similar to what PCA did earlier and make a special section in the Flea Market for vendors,for a price.That would benefit the seller(vendor) and the club also.I recommend you call the Mothership in Mo. and ask if that's a possibility.I will graciously accept a 1 year membership as a consulting fee from MOA!
gregfeeler
Dances With Sheep
bigdelta said:
To give you a quick answer, it is official BMW MOA policy to *not* sell advertising on our web site, which includes the forum and the on-line Flea Market. These are member benefits, just like the Owners News, and are supported by 'MOA funds. Bottom line for right now is that any abuse of our non-commercial Flea Market policy will be stopped when we find out about it.
Sometime in the future, we may have a policy to allow commercial advertising on-line, at which point your suggestion is a good approach. Personally, I think the comprehensive listing of BMW specific advertisers in the Owners News is one of it's benefits, so I expect the time will come when some version of that may be available on-line.
mika
Still Wondering
Aren't we a long way there already with the ON advertisers links page under the ON tab at the front page? I have not compared it to the advetisers index in the hard copy ON to see if it is as complete. I use this often. I am not certain people are always aware of it as an online resource.
gregfeeler
Dances With Sheep
M1ka said:
The ON advertiser links are a long-standing tradition, but have never been considered "advertising" in it's own right. If an advertiser signs a (I believe) year contact for the ON then they get a link off the web page. I agree with you, it's a resource I use often when an ON isn't handy (like at work) - at great damage to my wallet!
gregfeeler
Dances With Sheep
M1ka said:I should have known. I am such a maroon
Greg, I never considered it advertising just one great online resource feed my dreams and drain my wallet.
Exactly. Since it seems like there's been a streak of splitting hairs here recently, I just wanted to make the distinction.
bigdelta
New member
Please feel free to respond w/o reading the 1st post!
Anybody?
Greg,excellent explanation but totally irrelevant to the topic.I clearly stated "ON" in my post but you felt it necessary to post several lines off topic.If I had done something similar,I would have been chastised as usual.So much for making suggestions to help the club.It's so frustrating to post here.I'm just mystified...by your response.
I did take the time to call hqtrs and spoke to 2 folks there-1 helpful,(Mandy Langston)the other,(in advertising,he just flew in for the Open House)not so.He wanted to locate a copy of Panorama,the PCA publication,and asked where he could find one.I suggested calling PCA or usually dealerships have some in their lounge.I nicely suggested even if he couldn't locate a copy,maybe the club could begin accepting ads in a separate section just for businesses in Flea Market.Only worded ads,no pics,like the members.The response I received,or the tone,was less than encouraging.I didn't expect a policy change over the phone,but.maybe I expect too much after 55 years. Que sera sera....adios muchachos!
Anybody?
Greg,excellent explanation but totally irrelevant to the topic.I clearly stated "ON" in my post but you felt it necessary to post several lines off topic.If I had done something similar,I would have been chastised as usual.So much for making suggestions to help the club.It's so frustrating to post here.I'm just mystified...by your response.
I did take the time to call hqtrs and spoke to 2 folks there-1 helpful,(Mandy Langston)the other,(in advertising,he just flew in for the Open House)not so.He wanted to locate a copy of Panorama,the PCA publication,and asked where he could find one.I suggested calling PCA or usually dealerships have some in their lounge.I nicely suggested even if he couldn't locate a copy,maybe the club could begin accepting ads in a separate section just for businesses in Flea Market.Only worded ads,no pics,like the members.The response I received,or the tone,was less than encouraging.I didn't expect a policy change over the phone,but.maybe I expect too much after 55 years. Que sera sera....adios muchachos!
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crazydrummerdude
advrider.com
Bigdelta, talk about splitting hairs..
As Greg said, not having advertising on certain sections of the website and the ON is a member benefit. If dealer ads start appearing there, I think the members of the MOA would deserve a refund of part of their dues (fair, but not really enforceable). We're paying to have information/make friends, basically; not to see ads.
Having dealers ads in the classifieds of the ON (or the Flea Market) would clutter it up too much, in my opinion. Also, having a dealer-specific section would be useless. To post an individual ad in the classifieds, there is a buffer-zone of time between the submission, and the printing. I think this would only create a lot of already-sold bike listings for the dealers. Also, I think if a dealer would want to pay to put something in the ON, it would be much more useful to post an ad for their business as a whole, not a classified for one bike of their constantly changing stock of bikes.
More of my unwanted 2 cents; If I saw an ad I thought/knew was a dealer ad, I'd ignore it. To me, a broke 20-year old, dealing with dealers almost always means getting ripped off to some extent. Dealing with individuals more often means getting what you pay for and maybe making a friend. Of course, there exceptions to every rule.
I also don't necessarily think it would benefit anyone. The MOA could make money on selling space, which they already do in non-classified ways, but I bet that most people (myself included) don't want to see more ads. If people are complaining now about articles, I have a feeling they would complain at least as much about ads.
Then again, what do I know?
As Greg said, not having advertising on certain sections of the website and the ON is a member benefit. If dealer ads start appearing there, I think the members of the MOA would deserve a refund of part of their dues (fair, but not really enforceable). We're paying to have information/make friends, basically; not to see ads.
Having dealers ads in the classifieds of the ON (or the Flea Market) would clutter it up too much, in my opinion. Also, having a dealer-specific section would be useless. To post an individual ad in the classifieds, there is a buffer-zone of time between the submission, and the printing. I think this would only create a lot of already-sold bike listings for the dealers. Also, I think if a dealer would want to pay to put something in the ON, it would be much more useful to post an ad for their business as a whole, not a classified for one bike of their constantly changing stock of bikes.
More of my unwanted 2 cents; If I saw an ad I thought/knew was a dealer ad, I'd ignore it. To me, a broke 20-year old, dealing with dealers almost always means getting ripped off to some extent. Dealing with individuals more often means getting what you pay for and maybe making a friend. Of course, there exceptions to every rule.
I also don't necessarily think it would benefit anyone. The MOA could make money on selling space, which they already do in non-classified ways, but I bet that most people (myself included) don't want to see more ads. If people are complaining now about articles, I have a feeling they would complain at least as much about ads.
Then again, what do I know?
bigdelta
New member
Let me address each of your points.Talk about negative and not willing to change.Who would it hurt(nobody)to add a section after Things To Tradecrazydrummerdude said:Bigdelta, talk about splitting hairs..
As Greg said, not having advertising on certain sections of the website and the ON is a member benefit. If dealer ads start appearing there, I think the members of the MOA would deserve a refund of part of their dues (fair, but not really enforceable). We're paying to have information/make friends, basically; not to see ads.
Having dealers ads in the classifieds of the ON (or the Flea Market) would clutter it up too much, in my opinion. Also, having a dealer-specific section would be useless. To post an individual ad in the classifieds, there is a buffer-zone of time between the submission, and the printing. I think this would only create a lot of already-sold bike listings for the dealers. Also, I think if a dealer would want to pay to put something in the ON, it would be much more useful to post an ad for their business as a whole, not a classified for one bike of their constantly changing stock of bikes.
More of my unwanted 2 cents; If I saw an ad I thought/knew was a dealer ad, I'd ignore it. To me, a broke 20-year old, dealing with dealers almost always means getting ripped off to some extent. Dealing with individuals more often means getting what you pay for and maybe making a friend. Of course, there exceptions to every rule.
I also don't necessarily think it would benefit anyone. The MOA could make money on selling space, which they already do in non-classified ways, but I bet that most people (myself included) don't want to see more ads. If people are complaining now about articles, I have a feeling they would complain at least as much about ads.
Then again, what do I know?
for a dealer or business to have a word only ad?
1-Make friends through ON?Possibly,but a stretch.
2-Not to use ads-So I guess your 1 of a handful that doesn't use the Flea Market.Many go there 1st.
3-No clutter-just add a section at the end for them,possibly a half page at most-no clutter.
4-You'd ignore a dealer/business ad-I suppose you've never purchased a BMW related item from a business/dealer-only individuals,correct?
5-It would benefit the club financially and any member who purchased an item from their ad,who otherwise may not be able to find that part/bike.
6-Again,a half page of word-only ads would not clutter our magazine at all.
It seemed to work for the Porsche Club of America for their magazine.I'm not sure if it is still a part of their classified ads but it was years ago and those included some high-end items.
Then again,that's what I know.
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crazydrummerdude
advrider.com
Whatever.
To adress #2 & #4, you know what happens when you assume.. I go to the Flea Market first, and I have patronized dealers. The few times I've been to a dealer, though, they've treated me like s___. Maybe it's because I'm obviously not able to afford a brand new shiny bike.
I just think it makes more sense for a dealer to advertise for their business as a whole in an ad with pictures on the same pages as the articles, rather than a word-only ad at the end of the ON.
Then again, what do either of us know?
To adress #2 & #4, you know what happens when you assume.. I go to the Flea Market first, and I have patronized dealers. The few times I've been to a dealer, though, they've treated me like s___. Maybe it's because I'm obviously not able to afford a brand new shiny bike.
I just think it makes more sense for a dealer to advertise for their business as a whole in an ad with pictures on the same pages as the articles, rather than a word-only ad at the end of the ON.
Then again, what do either of us know?
