Classified Ad Policy Clarification

[McRabbet]

After discussion by the website staff, we have made a modification to the Classified Ad Policy to clarify what can be sold, given away or sought using our Classified Ads. Of greatest importance, we have made it clear that commercial ads cannot be placed nor can services be offered. Many of our members cut lumber and supply fellow members with quality hardwoods, but they cannot use the ads for that purpose unless it is a one-time sale. Commercial products can be advertised with a paid sidebar advertisement that helps support the cost of the website and gives a vendor the opportunity to get a link to his business. Members may continue to announce lumber runs through the Wood forum. We have also changed the minimum posting requirement for placing a Classified Ad -- registered users must have at least five posts before they may place an ad.

We encourage members to use the Classified Ads to sell woodworking items when they upgrade their shop or no longer have a need for it. And through our sidebar ads, Business members all have a fair means to present their products to benefit to our members.

We welcome any comments.

 

[WoodWrangler]

:thumbs_up

 

[sawduster]

+1

 

[ScottM]

Great to get this nailed down.

 

[JimmyC]

It's about time, we are finall y moving forward ! Thank you !:icon_thum

 

[Bigdog72]

It's about time, we are finall y moving forward ! Thank you !:icon_thum

+1 :banana: :beardedbanana: :banana: :beachbanana: :banana: epper: :banana:

 

[Nice Figures]

As one of the business owners that supply specialty woods (and I support the idea of buying a sidebar add) I'm having a hard time understanding why "lumber runs" are supported with free postings but business owners have to purchase adds. We're already at a disadvantage by having to compete with people that don't have legitimate businesses with the overhead of a storefront, reporting sales taxes, insurance, advertising....we are being asked to stand by while members advise others to check e-bay and order woods from out of state via the internet then people wonder why our small stores close. Please level this playing field on this site and treat lumber runs the same as legitimate businesses.

Thank You,
Paula Labelle

 

[ScottM]

As one of the business owners that supply specialty woods (and I support the idea of buying a sidebar add) I'm having a hard time understanding why "lumber runs" are supported with free postings but business owners have to purchase adds. We're already at a disadvantage by having to compete with people that don't have legitimate businesses with the overhead of a storefront, reporting sales taxes, insurance, advertising....we are being asked to stand by while members advise others to check e-bay and order woods from out of state via the internet then people wonder why our small stores close. Please level this playing field on this site and treat lumber runs the same as legitimate businesses.

Thank You,
Paula Labelle

Paula, the intent of the change is to level the playing field. I do hear your concerns. We will get this worked out.

 

[CaptnA]

I'm glad to see this. Business is business. This site operates and sells business advertising. It is there if and when we want to see it.

Participating members who periodically offer things to each other at the remarkable deals we've seen out of kindness and fellowship can hardly be compared to someone running a business, lumber runs included, imo. I'd love to see any business match the deals the members on here routinely offer each other.

I keep moderating myself so I'll leave it at that. Can't overwork our mods:rotflm:

 

[wayne]

The people offering lumber runs on a regular basis are running a business in my opinion and should be treated the same as any other business for what its worth.This is more of the depends on who it is mentality.


Wayne

 

[Mark Stewart]

Most of the lumber runs are not org. by the same person altho the same people may take part so there is inface a difference in my opinion. I do not take part mainly because of my location. I hear the complaints and I do understand but you must see the difference detween a lumber run and a lumber business.

Thanks Mark

 

[TracyP]

Members may continue to announce lumber runs through the Wood forum.

All members have this option.

 

[wayne]

All members may have this option but you know as well as anyone else that the people doing this on a regular basis have sawmills and are in business to make money off of these mills whether its full time or part time its still a business.

wayne

 

[Threejs]

5 is a low post count, for posting on the classified section. What is the intention of this rule?

I like the other changes, but I don't know if I would buy anything from someone with that low of a post count. Course, I guess that makes my buying choices self regulating (which I like better)

What is the intention of this rule?

 

[froglips]

Please note, that the Classified Ad Policy pertains specifically to Classified Ads.

A Lumber Run posted as a Classified Ad would be subject to the Classified Ad Policy and most likely be removed and directed to the Wood Forum.

Jim

 

[TracyP]

5 is a low post count, for posting on the classified section. What is the intention of this rule?

I like the other changes, but I don't know if I would buy anything from someone with that low of a post count. Course, I guess that makes my buying choices self regulating (which I like better)

What is the intention of this rule?

The intention is that someone needs to have a little interaction before selling their products. Our hopes are that the people that do not have any intention of being a part of this community will not join just to post their for sale items and never be any other thing to the community.

 

[wayne]

Please note, that the Classified Ad Policy pertains specifically to Classified Ads.

A Lumber Run posted as a Classified Ad would be subject to the Classified Ad Policy and most likely be removed and directed to the Wood Forum.

Jim

The only thing you accomplish when you do this is work around the problem,You're still showing partiallity to certain businesses.It just happens to be the ones feeding your habit.

Wayne

 

[Bigdog72]

I have been to several lumber runs and none of them were "for profit". Mostly priced to cover expenses. One of our members enjoys cutting timber and another has a commercial kiln. They team up and we benefit. Neither of them is in it for commercial success. I will gladly go to a run sponsored by a business from this site if there are bargains to be had.

 

[scsmith42]

Because of my involvement in the lumber runs, I abstained from voting on the policy (as well as most of the related discussion at the BOD meeting.) However I would like to take a minute to share some of the thoughts that were discussed at the meeting, so that we can all be on the same page and understand the logic that the BOD followed on this topic. I don't think that there was any favoritism shown at the BOD meeting - the discussion was very candid and the overall concern was to do what was in the best interests of our membership.

What makes the lumber runs different than our North Carolina Woodworker Business Partners is that the LR's are only offered to members of the NCWoodworker.net (and at a discounted price); they are not open to non North Carolina Woodworker members; in essence they are a planned social event for our organization. The original LR's were held at the Harbor Freight parking lot, thus combining a tool shopping opportunity with the Lumber Run. We changed the pickup point to my farm in order to minimize the amount of material handling, as well as provide folks the opportunity to see the kiln and sawmill, etc. We've also had the pickup at one of the annual North Carolina Woodworker picnics. Keep in mind that there are only a couple of LR's per year.

Because of the restriction that LR's are only offered to North Carolina Woodworker members, and the fact that they are a recognized North Carolina Woodworker event (and thus of benefit to all members), the BOD felt that it was appropriate for them to be outside of the business advertising requirement.

Should any of our commercial advertisers choose to have a special North Carolina Woodworker event, that is only open to North Carolina Woodworker members and with items offered at a special discount, I feel that it would be entirely appropriate for notices of that event to be allowed on the board (and not required to be a paid advertisement). This is my opinion only - to my knowledge it is not something that the BOD has discussed. It would certainly fall within the same logic that was used to determine how to handle the LR's. I think that the event hosted for North Carolina Woodworker by the Woodworkng Source earlier this year fell under this same logic.

When I launch my new businesses (www.quartersawnoak.com), a commercial ad will be taken out, as that is appropriate.

Scott

 

[Threejs]

The intention is that someone needs to have a little interaction before selling their products. Our hopes are that the people that do not have any intention of being a part of this community will not join just to post their for sale items and never be any other thing to the community.

I would think the post count would be higher then. 5 is a one night stand (or less) on most sites. 100 would show their intention. (for that matter 50 would too)

No disrepect intended. Just my 2 cents.