Att mod: Re Vendor Account

[demonx]

To whichever mod closed my thread and suggested I apply for a Vendor account, I would like some information please.

But first: I have been a member of this forum for nine years. Longer than anyone I can see that posts in this area. The average vendor only being a member here for one or two years.

I have NOT sold a single guitar via this forum in those nine years. I post here because I like this community and even though I do make a portion of my income from building, guitars are also my hobby. Since I spend all my spare time building rather than buying guitars, my builds are the only NGD's I can contribute here as a poster. I only do so in the dealer section as I've had my threads closed in the luthiery section. I have played by the rules the entire time.

I have searched the rules as well as using the search function to find out what the rules are in regards to the vendor accounts. I cannot find ANY info other than a request for money. Maybe you can fill me in on the criteria that determines if an account needs be a vendor account, as I said, I have not even sold a single guitar here, so I have no intention of spending US$60.00 for the privilege to post some pics every now any then. I'll leave that kind of spending to the guys that do actually do business here.

To the small minority who do actually follow my posts here, my apologies as I will not be posting if I'm forced to pay to post as I am not making a cent from this forum, so I will not pay to be a vendor. You'll have to watch my builds on facebook.

Cheers guys.

Allan.

 

[HighGain510]

Not a mod but pretty sure the general rule is that if you own a business (guitars, effects, straps, whatever...) and you're posting your wares regardless of whether or not you have "intent to sell", it's still advertising your product. As such, they keep that type of "spam" out of the other sections and this section is free to post any of your items that would spur business coming your way as long as you have paid Alex for the right to advertise on his site. His site, his rules. You've been here for a while so I'd imagine if you were visiting frequently you would have seen how bad the spamming and shilling had gotten over the last few years, hence the change to the vendor accounts deal.

You may view it as posting your NGD's, but if you're the one building them and your guitars are something you sell, you ARE in fact advertising your stuff. Alex has monetized his fee for advertising here in the form of a one-time fee for a vendor account. If you want to advertise, it's the whopping $60 fee. I've seen other guys literally sign up for brand new accounts and pay for a vendor subscription immediately. If you don't plan to sell on here, you shouldn't worry about it and just stick to posting your stuff on your FB page. FWIW, in all the time you've been posting I can't recall your threads so if you were looking for "views", it wasn't working for you in the Luthiery section.

 

[technomancer]

Moved to the correct section of the site.

HighGain pretty much nailed it. You're a commercial vendor advertising your work to the user base of the site (roughly 1500-2000 register members visit daily). Alex has decided that if people would like to do that using the site resources and bandwidth they need to register for a Vendor account and continue to follow the existing rules regarding keeping promotion to the Dealers section.

It is perfectly acceptable if you don't want to do so, just don't post to promote your work on the site, your call.