Traders in classifieds

[zjules]

Hey, anyone else irritated by the classifieds section being used by traders... especially furniture warehouses...? Are there any rules on this?

[ksl]

Hey, anyone else irritated by the classifieds section being used by traders... especially furniture warehouses...? Are there any rules on this?

Why should you be irritated? Just curious, becuase they are listed under the furniture category, and are quite useful to many expatriates, In fact I actually went to visit the place and it was quite an eye opener, that i blew a few thousand! I'm scratching my head here wondering what your beef is all about! Are you a competitor by any chance?

I can maybe agree, that they shouldn't be spamming, although the pictures are different, the text is basically the same, so yes maybe they should be restricted to one advert per week. Other than that, I think its a very useful service for expatriates, looking for furniture.

I also believe each advert is vetted before its placed on view, so the management must know, whats going on! Maybe he pays to advertise!

[one843]

I myself do not look at the classifieds anymore because of the traders.

There is nothing more anoying than 3 pages of ceramic bunnies. Or 4 pages of Teak coffe tables.

Classifieds should be for discounted used furniture only. New items should be advertised under retailers.

Classified should only be for the average joe.

New items should have to pay for advertisement. After all the prices for new items have the cost of advertisment rolled into the selling price.

These traders are just people who want free advertising.

That is my opinion.

[zjules]

one843, thats exactly my point. I look there for used furniture from individuals. If i wanted to see 10-20 pictures of what some furniture store has in the warehouse, then i would go there. Theres certainly no shortage of places here with overpriced teak furniture bought for pennies in myanmar etc.
Also, if i decide to leave SG at some point, i may want to sell on some of the items i have bought here. When theres several pages of ads from traders, anything i post will get lost down the pages after a day or 2...
Fair enough if some find it usefull, just wanted to get others opinion.
Maybe there should be only 1 ad per trader, seeing as though they are advertising the store and not actual items (note theres no prices etc).

cheers

[one843]

No I disagree with a one ad rule.
The rule should be simply. No retailers.
MAybe create a forumn for retailers to advertise for free.

I hope the owners of this web site are getting some free Teak furniture for all the free advertising these retailers are getting!

Unless these retailers are selling there goods for less than what they buy it for.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I'm also inclined to agree about retailers being confined to a separate classifieds listing There are retailers in there as well.

The flip side is the poor mods would have to work 10X as hard trying to keep the garbage out of the threads (it's damn difficult now as it is - without offending people that is). We have to tread a fine line but the free advertising at least gives us a lever/club depending how we use it!

And yes, you are right, the Admins do have to vet the ads prior to their being uploaded. I also tend to agree on the multiple posts thing but again, how to be fair to somebody who is having a spring housecleaning and post his sporting equipment in one thread and his furniture in another?

[ksl]

Maybe the mods can suggest a nominal fee, towards the running of the website, to be fair retailers, shouldn't take advantage of the free service this way, I mean there is some pretty heavy mark up on furniture made in Indonesia and China.

A nominal fee may go towards a christmas party for the moderators in Singapore or staff, that help out on the web. It would be nice to see some rules laid down for the future, and there no time like now! for an official advertising campaign! where's that wooden spoon gone!