Posted by Joe Lauher on July 05, 2001 at 08:01:39:
This forum has developed into a very useful place for
collectors to exchange ideas and to share information.
I am very pleased how cooperative everyone has been and
hope to see the forum continue as a successful endeavor
for years to come.
The cooperation that exists here at the forum is in
stark contrast to the competition the exists when it
comes to Ebay. When a choice item comes up on Ebay
all of us are likely to see it, many of us would like
bid on it, some of us do. The last ten seconds of any
auction can get pretty exciting.
So how do we get around this complicated problem of
trying to have a free exchange here at the forum
while at the same time we are all competing for that
choice one of a kind item on Ebay?
I think we have to be very careful not to ruin the
friendships that have developed in our small community.
So. Here are my ideas.
1. It is acceptable for the seller of an item on Ebay
or any other venue to post a note on the forum if he or
she is selling a unusual vintage item likely to be of interest
to the group.
2. It is not acceptable for a seller to post a note
about modern items, fakes, common older items, any
fetish material or anything unrelated to the interests
of the group. In the past when notes about such items
have been posted I have used my administrative rights
and have deleted the posting from the forum
3. If someone sees an unusual item on ebay it is ok to post
a note about it along with a question about its identity. Others
should feel free to answer the question, but if you plan to bid
yourself you should feel no obligation to share your knowledge
while the auction is still underway. Any attempt to
manipulate the price using the forum is unacceptable. We should
minimize our comments about value until the auction is
finished. When in doubt don't post at all until the auction ends.
4. Once an auction is over, feel free to post any sort of question
about an item. Some truly one of a kind items appear from time
to time and we may never seem them again. A little discussion
is indeed warranted and quite appropriate for the forum.
5. If you are the successful buyer of an unusual item we would
all appreciate any additional information that you can give us once
you have actually received the item. Perhaps the item has
a trademark or some unusual feature that wasn't mentioned by the seller.
If you would like to post some better pictures that would be great.
6. If you are an unsuccessful bidder and happen to have additional
information that would be of use to the new owner of the item
then it would be polite for you send the information to the new
owner via email and if appropriate to share the information with
everyone else using the forum. This way we can all increase our knowledge.
7. The most important thing to remember is that this is a simply hobby for
most all of us and that the more we share, the more enjoyment we
can all receive.
Please let me have your thoughts and ideas.
Thanks
Joe