Geat Activity In Auctions, Buy/Sell/Trade Forums

We've had great material and activity in the Auction Forums lately. It excites me to see people buying and selling on SCF.

As someone who spends a LOT of time reading the Auction and buy/sell/trade forums, I would offer these friendly suggestions to anyone doing business there:

* Auctions with a 5 to 7 day time frame seem to garner the most interest. Recently a few one-day or two-day auctions have had successful results.

* Auctions over a week seem to lose the interest of potential bidders; and/or people think, "I have plenty of time -- I'll bid later" but forget to return.

* Stating the end date as an actual DATE works better than saying "Next Monday" and forcing your bidders to look at a calendar.

* Likewise, if you set an ending TIME, base it on "SCF Time" or "Forum Time" which is always in the top-right of the webpage.


Happy Trading,
KirkS

Good advice there Kirk!

Being a lounge Lizard from the Antipodes,
I can only go on date, day and time of forum.
Your Tuesday is my Wednesday, so putting day and time helps
us a lot.

I am new to the Community and not allowed to trade yet, but when I do finish my probation I will be sure to refer again to your advice, thanks

Good advice Kirk.
I hope I am falling in line with all points !

I have to say [and I've said it here a million times before] that it's great to have auctions and sales on a forum like ours. Much more friendly and safe. I have had a couple of emails from buyers who told me they were very happy with the bargains they won.
I am happy to offer them.
In all auctions it's 'swings and roundabouts', but here at least you know who you are buying from and selling too and it is so relaxed that way.

Who needs ebay ?

Londonbus1

Sounds good Kirk ...SCF time it shall be..i am still a bit gun shy after recent activities with buyers on ebay..i will be back trying my luck here !!

Kirks
One thing you forgot. As it's free to sell and auction on SCF, at least big seller should make a donation once in a while. I have in mind 2 big sellers on SCF that don't participate, just do selling and auction and never contribute money to SCF.

Timbres667 : ... and the winners are ... don't be embarrass to identify them (nick), they are not embarrass...

Great advice Kirk

I haven't ventured into selling anything Yet but I am thinking of trying out a couple so that perhaps I can try getting some higher value stuff to fill in some hole.

Dianne

Koala
Another member I never noticed before. Welcome and now you can buy, sell and trade.
If you had follow selling and auctions on SCF for the past year you would know who i'm pointing no need to be more specific. Any way sooner or later as selling and auctioning are so popular I think SCF will charge fees for those activities.

I hope SCF NEVER goes to fees...whether you sell or not if you get enjoyment out of the forum and you can SPARE it ....send the SCF 5 bucks and be a SUPPORTER...if you belong to something..SUPPORT IT !

I agree with Phil entirely. And, it's good to be a supporter when you find a place like this forum with such amazing info. A valued portion of my stamp collecting life.

Hello timbres667,

It is good for SCF members to have the vindicator like you, I like your candid, and you are not alone, I am a vindicator too(though without the money donation signs).

Why I can say that, because I am sure if one place want to be the popular place, the small business is an important way. On SCF you can see the serious discussion, also you can see the lively marketplace, what the "community" should be. I as a vendor do my best to offer the goods, I can offer them on ebay, the ebay fees is fair for me, and the fees is contractual, I never complain anything about that, as ebay can bring more buyers and more profit via the huge members theoretically, on SCF my acutions are often start at $0.01, sometimes with free shipping, I can have a distribution channel and liven up the "For Sale Forum" simultaneously, this is a kind of contribution isn't it?

The money is not the only way to be contribution, but if SCF will charge fees for selling, I will pay, but that is not a contribution anymore to me.

Cheers,
ZhangCheng

Yes the old auctions have been interesting over the little while.
Congrats to Mr Bus way to go you should get the lifetime award.
Lots of good quality stuff has been listed.
Hats also off to Kirk boy is he fast at moving the tread to auction ended.
I do agree with some of the comments made but the auctions are really working well at the moment so why fix it if its not broken.
I don't mind spending $5 a month to be a supporter or give some of the sales to scf in a donation auction, But lets face it in all community's there are people struggling to make ends meet times are hard at the moment . So what makes this community any different I bet many a member here logs on to scf to get a way from the stress of finding a job or how to make $20 feed a family for a week, I would think many a member visits through a local library computer be cause they cant afford to make the Internet bills etc.
So by introducing fees and membership dues all you will do is drive people away that cant afford it.

I also see a lot of new members once they reach 50 listing items I was one myself, And with all the better items on offer the auctions should grow. It will always be a small group of buyers and sellers so lets keep is simple and free to use.

Also just want to say as a seller and buyer here I have only great things to say about all transaction. Never had to wait for a payment

Yes, I have to agree..some quality stuff being sold by folks we know, and I am sure trust.. Also lets not forget the great trades that are going back a forth with the members, and the occasional free giveaways

Great comments all.
Irishjack...glad my auctions found favour !

A win-win situation for all I reckon.

Just as a quick ad, this weekend some nice items being offered including a Penny Black, Some Great GB Deals, More Victorian entires and some very nice Australian KGV definitive varieties !

And more........

Sorry Kirk, got carried away !

Londonbus1

Can someone give me the rationale behind the 50 posts 14day rule for auctions. I completely understand the posting of items to sale/trade. But I am not sure why the wait time for those interested in bidding. I understand the more time the person is on the board the more invested in the "community" they become. But I may be interested in bidding on something but cant for some time. And I plan to be a contributing member when I can for the long haul. After two weeks if someone is not at 50 posts what is to prevent them from just posting useless posts one after another that day until they are at 50. That seems counterproductive.

At any rate just wondering why the rule for bidders. This will be post number 7, I'm counting.