Vendor Designations and Area

[jage]

Part of the benefit of the new software is to allow identification of, and more options for vendors on the site.

The goal is to bring mutually beneficial options to the forum members, which includes financial support for the forum. Currently the forum is 100% user supported, and if vendors are included will remain 90% user supported.

For this reason I would like feedback from the users on the vendor designations and changes to the forum- this affects your experience here, and I hope beneficially.

Here are the current designations:

• Commercial Vendor - - this is someone who commercially provides goods or services for, or relating to our hobby and is here partially for the purpose of representing their product or company. This includes sales and resellers of products.[/*:m:3pekxyx2]
• Hobbyist Vendor - - this is someone who provides a product or service to the forum, and while (possibly) for commercial gain, not as their primary business or means of support. It is intended more to encourage owners to reproduce their own solutions for the benefit of fellow forum members.[/*:m:3pekxyx2]
• Subscriber - - This illustrious moniker belongs to those people who have contributed funds towards the hosting, maintenance, and improvement of the website. They are directly responsible for keeping the site free for everyone, and allowing me the opportunity to improve the site. See the Support link in the header for more information.[/*:m:3pekxyx2]
• Member - that's you, everybody who has registered is a member and the primary goal of the forum remains to provide mutual benefit to the members through sharing of information, ideas, and advice.[/*:m:3pekxyx2]

In addition, there is a new vendor section on the front page, which is where site-supporting specials will be run. Vendors currently will continue to be able to use the classifieds like any other member.

So please, provide your feedback and questions here on how vendors are being handled. If there is no opposition, the vendor designations and sections may continue to grow- with the end goal being to benefit the members of the forum.

[jlrray]

I think its a good idea, especially if the vendors provide valuable information on the product they sell. I'm thinking bulk posting lists of prices on the forum pages is in bad taste, but maybe we can provide an area for them to post their product catalogs and pricing. It would also be a good service to the members if the vendors could provide membership discounts or pricing like some have in the past. I think the site mutually benefits from members of all kinds, including vendors; however, I would hate to have the site filled with older posts on pricing which will influence the usefulness of the search feature. Just a few thoughts.

Joe

[jage]

Updated the vendor tags to be more distinct- also the tag colors will probably change moving forward, but essentially the styles will be the same.

[CJ]

You have omitted the illustrious moniker and description for 'Site Admin'.









I always want what I can't have.