is there a for sale thread anymore???????

[JimCaravello]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

I personally have sold thousands of dollars of merchandise through the For Section over the last two years and I know many others have sold quite a bit too. Folks - we have been doing this for "Free"! Where else on this planet do you have this type of capability with a targeted audience? You can probably count those venues on one hand and not get past the first couple of fingers.

I completely understand what Chris is saying in his previous post and I personally think a more sophisticated and enhanced venue on this site to post items for sale will be of great benefit to all who participate. I also think that pulling the For Sale section down as to not compete with the upcoming auction makes complete sense and is beneficial to both consignors and potential buyers.

Chris is ceating a top notch auction platform with the upcoming auction as well as a new For Sale section in the near future and I believe we should all embrace this and be patient and see how it all unfolds...

GUU has provided the hobby with a much needed resource that has a complimentary membership for Free which is unbelievable and an annual fee membership which is ridiculously low for the benefits you get. It amazes me that people will spend thousands of dollars on bats and then argue over $19.95 to have online access to bat charts and the other features associated with a membership to GUU? I can't tell you how many times a bat pops up during the day and I am at work and I have to access a record from my computer and can make a valued decision immediately......That's worth a lot more than $19.95.......

Lastly - let me say THANK YOU Chris Cavalier and GUU for allowing me to sell items for Free on this site for the past two years - I can't wait to bid on a few items in the upcoming auction - Jim

[CollectGU]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

I personally have sold thousands of dollars of merchandise through the For Section over the last two years and I know many others have sold quite a bit too. Folks - we have been doing this for "Free"! Where else on this planet do you have this type of capability with a targeted audience? You can probably count those venues on one hand and not get past the first couple of fingers.

Jim,

You act as if this isn't the norm on forums. The baseball card forum, hockey game worn forum, and the baseball glove forum I believe are all free to trade and sell items to their respective targeted audiences.

I agree with you that this forum being a good value just for the bat records alone.

Regards,
Dave

[yankees159]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

Personally, I would think a “thank you” would be in order from those who have already sold their merchandise here for free for years without having to pay to do it.

This website has changed the way auction houses do business and has saved many of us thousands of dollars by exposing the fraud that has run rampid in this industry.

I am going to assume that like most websites it was designed to generate revenue and have a positive cash flow. Why is this so hard to understand? Would any of the critics of this policy work for free?


Good Luck Chris, I think what you are doing is awesome. You can't please everybody, especially those who embrace a well fare state.


Todd

[bat_master]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

Personally, I would think a “thank you” would be in order from those who have already sold their merchandise here for free for years without having to pay to do it.

This website has changed the way auction houses do business and has saved many of us thousands of dollars by exposing the fraud that has run rampid in this industry.

I am going to assume that like most websites it was designed to generate revenue and have a positive cash flow. Why is this so hard to understand? Would any of the critics of this policy work for free?


Good Luck Chris, I think what you are doing is awesome. You can't please everybody, especially those who embrace a well fare state.


Todd

Todd,

At the bottom of the main page of the forum you will see the following in bold print: "This forum was originally created by Eric Stangel as a way to bring game used collectors together and help hobbyists educate each other."

As for the comment about the critics of this policy working for free I feel that for every auction item that was pulled because of comments that were made here the members that brought it to the surface were working for free....for whatever auction house was offering the item.

[yankees159]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

Hi Tim:

Your refered to this quote"

"At the bottom of the main page of the forum you will see the following in bold print: "This forum was originally created by Eric Stangel as a way to bring game used collectors together and help hobbyists educate each other."


Isn't this Forum bringing collectors together and educating them? It has helped me out. Do you come to this site to learn more about the industry and the fradulent items that exsist? Or is promotion of your website and selling the items ,the primary reason why you come to this website? If you don't enjoy the educational value of this website, why don't you stop visiting it?

Looks like your free ride is over and you might be upset by it. Just my opinion.

[mwbosoxfan]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

Chris,

For what it's worth, I thank you and applaud your efforts in providing the services you do through this web site. I don't post a great deal, but I read every single day. Obviously, I can't begin to explain the amount of knowledge I've gained through this site, as well as the opportunity to meet and develop some pretty good relationships with fellow members. It has enhanced my collecting experience to a degree that again would be hard to express. I, too, miss reading the daily postings of items "for sale", but find it a mere sacrifice if that's what it takes to develop a better auction platform and provide funding to keep the site going. Something tells me that you're not getting rich doing this. With all of the fraud that has been exposed, including some of the forgery operations under federal investigation and featured in the news, I would think we would welcome an auction platform in this community. I would bet anything listed in the GUU auction that has any suspicion of not being authentic and to the letter of its description would be questioned beyond belief. That's pretty reassuring in my book. Thanks and keep up the good work.

John

[bat_master]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

Hi Tim:

Your refered to this quote"

"At the bottom of the main page of the forum you will see the following in bold print: "This forum was originally created by Eric Stangel as a way to bring game used collectors together and help hobbyists educate each other."

Isn't this Forum bringing collectors together and educating them? It has helped me out. Do you come to this site to learn more about the industry and the fradulent items that exsist? Or is promotion of your website and selling the items ,the primary reason why you come to this website? If you don't enjoy the educational value of this website, why don't you stop visiting it?

Looks like your free ride is over and you might be upset by it. Just my opinion.

Your opinion is appreciated and this website is absolutely bringing collectors together.

However you seem to feel pretty strongly that this website was created to make money and you see no problem with that.

But which is it? Are they bringing collectors together or are they in it to make money? I'm not sure they can do both without having at least some of the group upset.

Obviously I'm not the only one concerned, so perhaps you should be asking some of the other members if they are worried about the "free ride being over".

Maybe I'm simply concerned about losing the for sale section as I find that the most useful information on the entire forum. This is both for buying and selling as well as getting a good feel for what members look for based on the responses from the items that others have listed for sale.

I've yet to use an auction house becuase I feel better about providing personalized service to people. Because of this I guess I don't feel like I'm losing the "for sale" section and gaining an auction. I just feel like I'm losing the sale section.

[Yankwood]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

I enjoy this site as to me it is a hobby. In the process it has also brought a few bucks my way. I have spent WAAAAAY more than I have taken in. Therefore I may be looking at this far differently than some or maybe most of you. I pursue this hobby resigned to the fact that it is a money losing propostion. This doesn't bother me. It also doesn't bother me that this site may make money. Who cares? If I can enjoy myself reading, learning and collecting and someone is profiting., great. I'm having fun because that's what it's about for me. I guess we all look at this differently. If discontinuing the "for sale" thread for a while is what you see fit, I'll survive. I'll relax and bide my time until it's back.

[JimCaravello]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

Tim - I for one, am really disappointed in your recent posts in this thread.

I have been in this hobby for over 20 years and Chris Cavalier has given more to the hobby than any one individual person has EVER given to this hobby that I know of. Your comments about the site going the wrong way in the last six months are actually mind boggling to me.

I am not a paid employee of GUU and have never received a dime from this website - but yet, when you have e-mailed me about a question - I have always answered - for free and timely I might add. I answer every question - from every member and from people I don't even know or will ever probably meet. Why? Because I love the hobby and I want to help people as much as I can so they don't make mistakes in collecting game used material.

Just a few year ago this site didn't exist. Since then, Chris has provided a website that is mainly free - that has advanced the hobby in so many ways, it would take pages of written words to acknowledge everything that he has done for the hobby with this one website.

For over two years, people have been able to sell for Free on this website - with Chris not asking for a dime. I participate in other Forums ( guitar forums ) where if you sell something, the owners of the site ask for a contribution and I would say about 90% of the people who sell on that site actually give a portion of their sale proceeds to the site, to help maintain it. Chris hasn't asked for anything - from anyone who has used this site. You have the free will to join, or not join - or participate, or not participate.

All of a sudden, the For Sale section is removed from this site and you and other members start throwing stones??

All I have to say is that I am astonished that people who have benefited greatly from this site - who have sold on this site for no cost - are the first to throw stones, when you don't even know what the new For Sale section will look like and can't even comprehend the amount of money and time that Chris Cavalier has spent in the past - and will be spending in the future to enhance that aspect of this website. You sit on the sidelines and reap in the benefits of this site - without fully comprehending the operational time and money that has gone into this site without asking anything from you.

I have said enough - I think you get my point - Jim Caravello

[Vintagedeputy]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

Tim - I for one, am really disappointed in your recent posts in this thread.

I have been in this hobby for over 20 years and Chris Cavalier has given more to the hobby than any one individual person has EVER given to this hobby that I know of. Your comments about the site going the wrong way in the last six months are actually mind boggling to me.

I am not a paid employee of GUU and have never received a dime from this website - but yet, when you have e-mailed me about a question - I have always answered - for free and timely I might add. I answer every question - from every member and from people I don't even know or will ever probably meet. Why? Because I love the hobby and I want to help people as much as I can so they don't make mistakes in collecting game used material.

Just a few year ago this site didn't exist. Since then, Chris has provided a website that is mainly free - that has advanced the hobby in so many ways, it would take pages of written words to acknowledge everything that he has done for the hobby with this one website.

For over two years, people have been able to sell for Free on this website - with Chris not asking for a dime. I participate in other Forums ( guitar forums ) where if you sell something, the owners of the site ask for a contribution and I would say about 90% of the people who sell on that site actually give a portion of their sale proceeds to the site, to help maintain it. Chris hasn't asked for anything - from anyone who has used this site. You have the free will to join, or not join - or participate, or not participate.

All of a sudden, the For Sale section is removed from this site and you and other members start throwing stones??

All I have to say is that I am astonished that people who have benefited greatly from this site - who have sold on this site for no cost - are the first to throw stones, when you don't even know what the new For Sale section will look like and can't even comprehend the amount of money and time that Chris Cavalier has spent in the past - and will be spending in the future to enhance that aspect of this website. You sit on the sidelines and reap in the benefits of this site - without fully comprehending the operational time and money that has gone into this site without asking anything from you.

I have said enough - I think you get my point - Jim Caravello

Very well said Jim

[bat_master]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

Jim C,

Out of all of the people in the hobby that I have gotten to know through sharing emails about bats, you are easily one of the 5 people that I respect the most.

Yes, you have responded very promptly to any emails that I've sent. I have always thanked you profusely and believe I have made it clear that if I can be of any assistance to you to just let me know.

I'm not saying that there has been no benefit to being a member of this site and I'm not saying that I haven't ever learned anything.

However...

If I'm a member of this site and read 5 threads a day about photomatching, another 3 threads about a Robinson Cano glove, and 4 more about Lou Lampson & American Memorabilia I personally don't benefit from any of that as a paying customer.

There used to be a ton of great discussions. I've simply noticed that the overall content of the posts have become (IN MY OPINION) less informative. Again, this is my opinion.

Maybe I feel this way because I choose only to post about topics that I either a) Have a strong opinion about; or b) Feel very knowledgeable about. There are several members that will post on absolutely every topic whether they have anything to add to it or not.

Maybe the problem is that I shouldn't be a paying customer. I should just go with the regular free access. I'd do that if the "My Account" portion wasn't a blank white page.

If any member here has followed any of my posts over the last two years I would think that they would notice that I don't post just for the sake of posting. In every post I type I try to make sure that there is a point to it and that hopefully someone gets something out of it.

In closing, I'd like to say that I absolutely respect Jim Caravello as a great guy in the hobby who has done a lot for this site and a lot for me personally. Jim's blogs in the experts corner are second to none and that is probably because I benefitted from that knowledge personally.

However, I suddenly feel like a lot of the people that left: "I had an opinion. I shared it. I was attacked for it."


Very respectfully,
Tim Byington

[CollectGU]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

Jim,

You act as though the owner(s) of this site are doing us all a favor out of the goodness of their heart. Come on now. This site is twofold - to help collectors AND to use it as a launching pad for an auction company that will eventually make the owner(s) (if all goes right) a decent amount of money. There is nothing wrong with that, but that is certainly the reality here. I'm curious. Have you consigned any items into the auction?

Regards,
Dave

[Spiezio23]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

To me, it was the way the whole thing was done. I also realize that I have not paid for a membership here so I really have no leg to stand on as it's a free site/service for me. To remove the For sale section and say it was for the upcoming autcion.. I really don't care for. I'm a bargain collector, the most I've ever paid for any single item I believe is a mere $1000. That is chump change to many of you who I know spend thousands upon thousands for one item. Auction houses and online auctions such as these do not provide the little guys with items of interest. I think there is maybe 1 or 2 items I had even the slightest interest in from the upcoming auction but aside from that, it's of no value to me that I can see right now.

I mean will there ever be an auction aside from eBay where I can find bats under $75. How many online auctions will even bother putting up a pair of $30 pants.. not many, so in the end closing the for sale section to the little buyers like me hurts.

Tell me you're closing the For Sale section so you can implement a new system and test it out.. I have no issues with. It makes sense to me, you want to make the system better all of its users.

Again.. I know I'm not the majority of users on this site and even if I had consigned some stuff for the upcoming auction, (yes even bargain buying I have some nice consignment worthy items) closing it for mostly that reason alone, I wouldn't agree with. It's not even a guaranteed extra profit for those consigners, it's just a slight possibility that it could be.


Just my .01

-Jeremy Morgan

[yankees159]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

"Maybe I feel this way because I choose only to post about topics that I either a) Have a strong opinion about; or b) Feel very knowledgeable about. There are several members that will post on absolutely every topic whether they have anything to add to it or not.

Maybe the problem is that I shouldn't be a paying customer. I should just go with the regular free access. I'd do that if the "My Account" portion wasn't a blank white page."


Tim I don't mean to attack you, for that is something I don't want to do this hobby is suppose to be fun.

Can you direct me to examples of contributions to this site that you have made that did not solicit product that you sold? I guess why I'm questioning you is that I think some people on this site really don't get it. Do you think Chris Cavalier put hundreds of thousands of dollars of his own money into this website just so you could sell your products for free?

Tell you what if you are worried about the $75.00 you paid, I'd be happy to send you $75.00. Just let me know. I guess I'm frustrated with people that are critics of this website when it has uncovered the fraud that occurs every day. From what I see you seem to be an honest memorabilia dealer, that's why I don't understand why you can't support this website.

Best regards,

Todd

[JimCaravello]

Re: is there a for sale thread anymore???????

Tim / Dave - you guys amaze me.......you think that GUU is a 501(c)(3) corporation that has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to date so that you can all benefit for free?? GUU is a business - and if you continue down the path of your current thinking, it won't be around in a couple of years.......then - you can deal with all the bad material in the hobby alone - not have questions answered - not participate in auctions, such as the upcoming GUU auction, where all the material will be rock solid - not pose questions about the auction material - not be able to sell your material to a targeted audience in the future For Sale section of this site which is being revamped - where people will flock to because the model that Chris has created is unlike any in the hobby...............Seriously - I don't mean to be critical here, but wake up and smell the coffee.........

Tim - you say people are criticizing you, but your first thread in this post was nothing but criticism of this site! You have gained so much knowledge on this site and sold for free and Chris pulls the For Sale Section to enhance it and the first thing you do is criticize it??? How many times have you contacted me on a bat in an obscure section on ebay that I have helped you buy - not competed against you in that auction - and then you win that bat an re-sell it for a profit?? How many items have you sold through the For Sale section for FREE!! Your first year subscription in GUU cost you $10 after you back out the book - and you sit there and throw stones that the site is going downhill!!! I am truly amazed at this...........All I am saying is - before you pass judgement, wait and see what will happen in the near future - my Mother always said that patience is a virtue......don't criticize the future when you haven't even seen what the future will hold........

Dave - to your question - it has no relevance to the removal of the For Sale section - yes, I consigned to the pilot auction and to the upcoming auction. I also won an item in the first auction ( Mattingly bat ) and I paid a pretty darn good price for it - I will also bid in the upcoming auction on a few items that I have interest in - and will probably pay top dollar for a few things I really want.........what does that have to do with the topic at hand??

I am sorry guys - you are going down the wrong path quickly - as I said earlier, you all have the free will to participate in this site - join it if you like and if are willing to pay the money - join as a paying member - but don't criticize Chris or this site because they made a change.

Jim