From time to time I have promotional sales as well as the odd item not spoken for, which I believe some (and I could be wrong of course) viewers may be interested in, and I have no place to post these according to the user policy which prohibits comercial posts that promotes your business. Players can post, but Makers cannot. Would a place for Makers to post their sales etc. be of interest to the readers? Quite honestly I only mention this as I so frequently see threads from potential new players requesting information on various Makers, costs etc. for their research into purchasing a set with a common theme of keeping the costs down. I am sure that this kind of information would be of interest to these parties as it would help offset their initial startup costs. Just a thought.
The first place to post this kind of info would be on your own web page - Currently In Stock - or some such. In my experience, instrument makers are the last ones to keep their web pages up-to-date, so maybe using UilleannObsession isn’t such a bad idea. Also, when people are posting here to buy, they are looking for what other pipers think of pipes by maker x, not necessarily what maker x thinks of them himself.
I’m sure that if you were interested in paying for advertising space, you could work something out. Doesn’t google feed ads to this site for commercial users?
Doesn’t the commercial postings policy allow makers to post stuff about what they’re selling once a month? I don’t think any maker who contributes to this forum abuses this.
I for one think it would great to know that a maker has a few odd pieces which might be just what I’m looking for.
djm wrote:
Also, when people are posting here to buy, they are looking for what other pipers think of pipes by maker x, not necessarily what maker x thinks of them himself
I understand that, sure, but I am not talking about giving an opinion on a thread posted by someone looking for a set. The intent is to post a current sale or availability of a product that may be of interest to pipers looking to this forum as a resource for buying. Especially newbies where cost is such an issue.
PJ wrote:
Doesn’t the commercial postings policy allow makers to post stuff about what they’re selling once a month?
Hi Patrick. It says “You may post a message on the board that describes your business once a month”. I translate this to mean an introduction into various aspects of your business or something to the sort and not an ok to post sales or products. I could be wrong, and have been before but regardless this is still only once a month allowing for additional items/sales what have you to go unnoticed.
The nice part as well about having a page specific to sales, advertising etc. is that Makers like me won’t annoy those who aren’t interested because they don’t have to go there, it will keep the main forum more streamlined towards piping topics and it will be a great accessible resource (and easier to find) for those who are already in here to be aware of promotions and classifieds.
Since you post here on a regular basis and you have your website listed at the bottom of your messages… I think you should put the items on your webpage. There should be enough traffic where you won’t need any other means of advertising.
Tony wrote:
Since you post here on a regular basis and you have your website listed at the bottom of your messages… I think you should put the items on your webpage. There should be enough traffic where you won’t need any other means of advertising.
I do and once again, the main intent here isn’t to increase my sales but rather to increase the resource of this great sight.
Joseph wrote:
This is a matter that ought to be taken up with Rich, the owner of this message board, if it is something that you really are interested in.
True Joseph, but I would like to know what others think as I wouldn’t want to change anything without the support of the forum. If the majority is against it, then I shall not persue it further.
Personally, I would rather not see this forum turn into a market place (and lately there have been a couple of posts by new members doing just that… I’m thinking real hard about them… ) and I feel that adding a separate page would still do that.
I am not against makers selling their wares, but that is what their websites are for. This forum is for pipers to discuss… whatever. You haven’t seen, and won’t see K&Q, Wooff, Gallagher, Childress… etc… using this forum as an add page… and I feel that is the way it ought to be.
eBay is really the place to promote one’s work.
Making contact with your clientele via PM is another matter and fine by me.
edited to add: Sharing design ideas and similar topics are also OK by me.
Also, others (on the whistle and flute board) have stated their objections to having the company/business/website in the signature. I am more inclined to object than not, but at the same time it is possible to make it a www link right underneath, so generally I don’t see much of a difference. Although it is less obtrusive.
Having a link to your website as a part of your signature is OK with me… as long as it doesn’t expand into a product description blog with items listed for sale…etc…etc..
…so far the score is 2 for, 3 counting me… and 4 against… can we please not deviate into signatures and stay focussed on the thread which is a sales dedicated page?
The signature aspect is very much a part of this topic… in as much as you put a link to your website… a link to your business.
Also, taking a poll or vote may not affect the way Rich wants this board run… and I am of the impression he isn’t overly fond of adverts within the forum.
Perhaps another aspect to be remembered is that this is primarily a whistle forum, and UPs are barely tolerated. If there is a web site besides UilleannObsession that might host a UP Sales page, it might be the AnimaVitae UP site. You would have to contact the moderator there. It is, at least, a dedicated UP forum, and more likely to get an open ear.
I think a sales forum would inappropriate on a non-commercial board such as this.
Ebay is bad enough and I can forsee similar problems arising if Chiff became a place to do business.
However, I am not against instrument makers advertising they are such in their signatures.
As long as the product they are making is related to the community, and they are regular contributers, I think complaining about links in signatures is a bit mean spirited.
Instrument makers and instrument buyers have a mutual relationship. We cannot exist without each other.
Simply being a part of communities such as Chiff is one of the best ways to make themselves and their wares known.
because they don’t have to go there, it will keep the main forum more streamlined towards piping topics and it will be a great accessible resource (and easier to find) for those who are already in here to be aware of promotions and classifieds.