Buying Group or Information Source?

[wavelandscott]

This may create some controversy here and I am not trying to besmirch anyone with my thoughts.

I was away for a week and I've been trying to catch back up in the many threads that were started while I was traveling...

I may be in the minority here but, I was a bit dissappointed to see the "commercial" turn that the site seems to be shifting to...

While an occasional mention of an approximate price is one thing or a recommendation to ask a particular vendor for a price but, I am personally not in favor of this forum becoming "The" price discovery location...I get bombarded with enough advertising and promotional material on a daily basis anyway.

Buying groups can and do have their place...I think that it is great that we can all come together to share advice and helpful hints and I am hopeful that this function can continue...

[janoskiss]

Yes, it's a tough one, but I think it's been handled well so far. Dealers do not post deals on the forums directly, but contact members privately, and it's up to the members to pass that info on if they wish. I know there is nothing to stop dealers signing on and promoting themselves, but that was always the case.

We all want scopes and we all want to get the most for our $$$, so it was inevitable that prices and dealers will be discussed sooner or later. With the Australian amateur astronomy community being much smaller than those in the US or EU, it's unlikely to support separate discussion forums and "buying groups". (To my knowledge there are no such groups. :confuse2: )

Perhaps it's worth mentioning that until Iceman has set up these forums, the only other place for Aussie astro discussion was the Astronomy online (AO) forums which has been set up by the AO shop (http://www.astronomyonline.com.au).

[Starkler]

This was the subject of moderator discussion yesterday.

I dont beleive dealers will be permitted to use this forum as a free sales channel or to promote themselves commercially.

As for postings about specials etc, I beleive Mike wants all such info to go through him first. Im sure he will clarify later.

[ballaratdragons]

How dare people put advertisements in private forums. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

OOPS! That was me.

Yeah, I contacted Mike and said I was getting uncomfortable about it.

I apologise if some were annoyed by this. I got carried away in the rush to let you know of some irresistable bargains.

Mike, Geoff and Rumply the Rioter (sorry Paul) will sort it out so we can find bargains without sounding like a TV commercial.

Cheers.

[iceman]

Thanks for voicing your concerns Scott, and you weren't the only one with those concerns (I was too!), which is why the moderation team have been discussing the issue over the last few days.

You can be sure that we'll come up with a better solution to both give IceInSpace members the best prices available, and keep the site independance so that everyone is free to discuss what they want.

[wavelandscott]

Thanks and Ice and Moderators!

It sounds like you are way ahead of me...

[ving]

...but dont be discouraged from sharing reviews on great products and where you got them from.... hang on theres that thin line :)

keep up the good work mods :)
we have faith in your abilities :)

[jackenau]

Personally, I think this is a pretty reasonably, well administered forum and while posts may tend to deviate one way or the other from time to time, (I suppose that depends on which way you look at it), generally are brought back under control, either once a pattern starts to develop, or are brought up in a forum as Scott has.

We all want to here about specials when they arise, but there are extremes or overkill.

I personally use this forum, and others, to guide me towards purchasing of suitable equipment, based on my financial means and observing requirements, and try not to form a steroistic opinion about the various suppliers/dealers. I check information supplied and the dealers websites for comparison.

Power to the forum, and moderators keep up the good work.

Ken M

[rumples riot]

I am of the same opinion, not keen to see the site become an advertising site for vendors. Don't mind the occasional I got a deal from blah blah and got it for $xxx. However, not keen to see where do you get it sort of advertising.

And yes we have been discussing this very topic. No doubt Mike will let you all know in due course how and what will be allowed.

[iceman]

For now, the general rule is, feel free to discuss where you got your gear from, how much you paid for it, how much you saw it for at X shop vs Y shop etc.

As jackenau said, people use the forums to decide what to buy next, and the specific information about who bought it from where for how much, is valuable information and needs to be allowed to be posted.

However what's not allowed anymore, is direct or indirect (through another forum member) advertising by vendors on the forums. In the future, if or when specials are to be advertised by vendors, it'll be done via myself as a sponsor arrangement with the vendor.

[Robby]

Hi Mike,
That's a good policy. I'll have to be careful talking about my Star-mate as it gets closer to production.
I'm sure you'll let me know if I cross any lines. We can discuss sponsorship thing if you like... So far I have not sold anything, and am unlikely to in the next couple of months as I iron the bugs out. Still looking for NZ/Aus Beta testers though as I have mentioned. I assume that this is ok?
Cheers

[iceman]

Yeh that's fine Robby, no lines crossed. :D Feel free to use the forums to ask for beta-testers.

[janoskiss]

When you do, please make sure to clearly state when a recommendation has been paid for by a dealer or manufacturer.

[ving]

but you know what? it happens at alot of forums...

over at the AO forum it used to be bintel bintel bintel.... (while I was pushing andrews).

[iceman]

Yep it would be clearly identified as a sponsor initiated message.

[beren]

Alrighty sorry for the scope talk , no more :ashamed: ill see you all over in the Space/astronomy threads discussing variable/double stars, gobular clusters,galaxies ,messier lists,NGC objexcts etc.....catch yer there :)

[iceman]

Scope talk is great! Don't stop scope talk.

[ving]

scopes are us! we have to talk bout them too! :)

just as per guidelines... no adverts

[Starkler]

I would love to see more of that.

[iceman]

Me too!

[ballaratdragons]

Chit-chat about what we got cheap and where is o.k. but I don't think any sponsored, endorsed, recommended or paid adverts should be in threads at all. They should be a seperate section on the home page or by a link on the Menu Bar. Give the retailers their own place.

All in favour? Wow! all of you, O.K. it's settled then.

Good on you Mike, well done. :thumbsup: