How many times...........

[jwilde]

It's a slap to the merchants and hurts the host's pocketbook, but it's basic economics here. So long as the merchants keep buying, no one is going to make a change. Stop buying as Wild West did and things may change.
Ikarasu said it... $1500 is nothing for a lifetime. "Pay the man his money."

That said, I'm certainly no lifer here... I give what little I have as I have received. I'm not going to sweat the small stuff for the handful of times it happens. I feel like the merchants should have started this thread if they were concerned about it.

 

[Gino]

We were a Merchant Member for many years and basically quit for the same reason. We received a lotta business through this place and Fred kept a tight ship when it came to this, so as to protect us, but that all changed. I still see it as rude and disrespectful. Rules are in place for a reason, so what's so hard to know where you are advertising or not ??

For those who think its nothing, if ya gave two hoots about it, you'd actually see how much it takes place.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

It does not bother me to see someone "hawking their wares" its the internet.

I could see this if there was no cost to being a MM on here. Once there is a cost associated with having this ability, that is something else entirely. I think those, like myself, that have paid and supported this site for such an ability feel the sting more then those that haven't..

Now some people don't like rules/regs period on a forum such as this for either selling or "stroking" their own ego under the very flimsy guise of "touch love" (not talking about anyone specifically in this thread, just a general comment). Don't like that, go somewhere else, where it's more of a free for all. Those sites tend not to last as long in any meaningful way. Just the way it is on the internet.

I do have to wonder though, how many that don't like this, have also reported this to the admins? While the admins can't monitor it all, there is an incentive for them to be quite vigilant as it can mean a loss of revenue. However, not reporting it directly is enabling the behavior to continue and it's hard to justify displeasure in what's going on and not reporting it directly when seen. Again, not talking about anyone specifically in the thread so far, just a general observation.

It's a slap to the merchants and hurts the host's pocketbook, but it's basic economics here. So long as the merchants keep buying, no one is going to make a change.

The thing that hurts this thought is that there are some merchants that are MMs, but don't have an active participation (if any at all) here. Casey (Signburst), Eric (Vector Doctor) who were very active MMs (at least as long as I was a MM, if not longer, I think we did let it lapse around the same time as well), I don't see them much, if at all anymore on here. There are only 4 out of 13 MMs that have been here more then a year or two.

 

[Johnny Best]

This site give free access to members websites by the little box to the far right "visit site". If you post enough and help people in certain fields you are in business for they will go to the site, bookmark it, and that brings the customers in. Why spend the money for a MM account when that is available.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

This site give free access to members websites by the little box to the far right "visit site". If you post enough and help people in certain fields you are in business for they will go to the site, bookmark it, and that brings the customers in. Why spend the money for a MM account when that is available.

That would depend on that those users regularly checking out your site in such a round about fashion. Not always going to keep you on the forefront of your potential customers minds. Do you have any bookmarked sites that you may not visit quite frequently?

It's about keeping your name fresh in their mind.

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

Capitalism, baby. Isn't that what we're all about? Free markets and what not? It's all fun and games until "somebody" gets their feelings hurt.

I've never been a merchant member, never made any money off of this site, and don't intend to. If anybody has questions about something we specialize in, I'll give them any information they ask for, including pricing, but that's going to be handled in a PM. I don't want our business out there (which is why this account is completely disassociated from the business), and I don't want to step on anybody's toes, but I'm not going to withhold information from someone with legitimate questions.

We're never going to sell one off signs based on contact with anybody on this site. That's not what we do and the people we sell to aren't ever going to be on this site. I'm sure it might affect some people on this site, but it's no skin off my teeth.

 

[Nickprints]

Not that i support peddling goods on here but as a direct and current observation: Gino would be the world worst next door neighbor!

 

[brycesteiner]

The other day someone said their banner tape wasn't holding. I said I had the same problem at one time and then said I used ORAFOL ORABOND 1397PP Double Sided tape and had no more problems. Was that inappropriate and hawking for a company?

 

[Johnny Best]

I have seen Chinese companies "hawking their wares" on here and last time I checked that is not capitalism they practice over there, it is the internet business to get more people to buy your product. New form of government, Internetlism, with Bezos as Chairman of the ruling party.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Capitalism, baby. Isn't that what we're all about? Free markets and what not? It's all fun and games until "somebody" gets their feelings hurt.

Well, we do have what's called "market failures" that do tend to happen in a free market. That's why we don't tend to have a true free market.

Having said that, within the microcosm that is this site, not exactly a free market. This site versus other sites in the same vein, that's different. Within this site itself, not so much.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I have seen Chinese companies "hawking their wares" on here and last time I checked that is not capitalism they practice over there, it is the internet business to get more people to buy your product. New form of government, Internetlism, with Bezos as Chairman of the ruling party.

They are more of a hybrid approach. In some ways, even more so then us, but not in other ways.

 

[Gino]

The other day someone said their banner tape wasn't holding. I said I had the same problem at one time and then said I used ORAFOL ORABOND 1397PP Double Sided tape and had no more problems. Was that inappropriate and hawking for a company?

No, not at all. You were helping someone. You weren't peddling your own stuff, looking for a sale. This site is about signs, sign information, help and technical support, to some extent. It's the people coming on trying to get someone to buy something from them and they are not a Merchant Member. If you worked for the company selling that particular tape, it could be considered shilling having put it the way you did, but you were not trying to sell YOUR product.

 

[Gino]

Not that i support peddling goods on here but as a direct and current observation: Gino would be the world worst next door neighbor!

You'd want me next door if someone was trying to break into your house.

In my neighborhood, what's mine is yours and we all help each other on so many levels, it ain't even funny. Many members here, have been to my house, know my neighbors and know what kinda neighborhood it is. It's a tight community and we all work together.

 

[Gino]

Capitalism, baby. Isn't that what we're all about? Free markets and what not? It's all fun and games until "somebody" gets their feelings hurt.

I've never been a merchant member, never made any money off of this site, and don't intend to. If anybody has questions about something we specialize in, I'll give them any information they ask for, including pricing, but that's going to be handled in a PM. I don't want our business out there (which is why this account is completely disassociated from the business), and I don't want to step on anybody's toes, but I'm not going to withhold information from someone with legitimate questions.

We're never going to sell one off signs based on contact with anybody on this site. That's not what we do and the people we sell to aren't ever going to be on this site. I'm sure it might affect some people on this site, but it's no skin off my teeth.

So, you would duck under the radar and conduct business in a manner not appreciated by the owner or admins. Figures.

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

So, you would duck under the radar and conduct business in a manner not appreciated by the owner or admins. Figures.

That's not conducting business, Gino. That's giving them information. We don't do really do one off stuff here. If a customer wants to buy a dozen ADA signs, I can tell them what they should expect to pay. We're not going to chase after a couple hundred bucks here and there. We do complete sign packages for facilities, interior and exterior. It's literally not worth our time to make a handful of signs for Joe Schmo.

Nice try, though.

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

Well, we do have what's called "market failures" that do tend to happen in a free market. That's why we don't tend to have a true free market.

Having said that, within the microcosm that is this site, not exactly a free market. This site versus other sites in the same vein, that's different. Within this site itself, not so much.

We don't operate in a free market though. Our version of capitalism is heavily regulated. China is closer to a free market than we are.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

We don't operate in a free market though. Our version of capitalism is heavily regulated. China is closer to a free market than we are.

And we are that way in part due to market failures. Sometimes it's more politics, but market failures play a part.

As to China, that was a part of the hybrid approach that I was talking about. In some ways they are more then us, in some industries the "state" is the big boy on campus and dictates things. It's a balancing act with them and making sure the right people stay in power.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

 

[Nickprints]

You'd want me next door if someone was trying to break into your house.

In my neighborhood, what's mine is yours and we all help each other on so many levels, it ain't even funny. Many members here, have been to my house, know my neighbors and know what kinda neighborhood it is. It's a tight community and we all work together.

True statement sir, Well played

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

My neighborhood is a bunch of Yoga mom's posting on Nextdoor sharing Ring doorbell videos of lost pets and people knocking on doors late at night. There are a pack of coyotes running around picking people off so I pack when I go on my evening walks.