What do you think about buying, selling and trading within our hobby?

[revhtree]

Hello it's me again!

Back at you with another question to get your mind working and data flowing! This is something that is near and dear to my heart and that is commerce within our industry. Plain and simple, we want it to be better. We want to hold bad people accountable and to reward those that are good. We want people to be able to shop with confidence and have a variety of options when buying, selling and trading.

So that being said my question to you is this.

Is buying, selling and trading within our hobby where it needs to be or can we do better as a whole?

 

[Highgrade]

As for buying, selling and trading I'm sure there is always room for improvement. I've had great experiences with R2R members and any transactions that have taken place. Given there always could be a bad apple that ruins things occasionally for some and end up leaving people with doubt of doing business with them again. Just like the vendor feed back it would be nice to see some "transaction only" feedback on members who buy, sell or trade. It might give some buyers, sellers and traders a piece of mind.

 

[Rispa]

Hello it's me again!

Back at you with another question to get your mind working and data flowing! This is something that is near and dear to my heart and that is commerce within our industry. Plain and simple, we want it to be better. We want to hold bad people accountable and to reward those that are good. We want people to be able to shop with confidence and have a variety of options when buying, selling and trading.

So that being said my question to you is this.

Is buying, selling and trading within our hobby where it needs to be or can we do better as a whole?

I think it's where it needs to be. There are plenty of precautions the buyer and seller can take. If you choose to be properly cautions it's near impossible to get scammed or if you do you should be able to get your money back or in the case of the seller protect your money. Though for sellers they tend to be taking on more risk than the buyer, the internet has definitely given sellers a lot more exposure

Now the next step is in addition to pictures and video to offer VR looks at the products and stores

 

[AlexStinson]

The biggest issue in this Hobby for buying/selling/trading is the shipping aspect. Most of the negative feedback seems to be directly related.

 

[mckinney0171]

that's a strange poll. i can't imagine going an entire year in this hobby without purchasing anything. am i missing something?

 

[siggy]

I will buy? salt and other expendables, I did trade some corals to pet shop for a verios2 pump I don't need, and my wife wants me to sell everything. Now I will say this hobby is the epitome of market supply & demand.
for comparison is a variable frequency drive for $99 that does 10 times and handels 10x more and yet a little plastic motor and control is over $350 and still I bought ONE! lol

Suggestion? Break up the pole into a vote on each Buy, Sell & Trade

 

[jda]

The only thing that I would like to see improved is the negative comments that are necessary when something gets messed up. People do not want to post anything negative but it keeps the next guy from knowing. If these types of comments accompanied the positive, then the market could truly settle everything.

People also get trashed when they post something that is seen as negative even if it is clarification or fact. This has to stop too... letting somebody know that what they are selling as $50 per polyp zoas are not actually those, but different ones, is not negative and is actually helpful. Shipping delays are facts. Bags that split open leaving a coral in now water are facts. Horrible communication is kinda a fact... well, not really, but still can be helpful. Refusing to honor a warranty is a fact.

 

[Macdaddynick1]

that's a strange poll. i can't imagine going an entire year in this hobby without purchasing anything. am i missing something?

Lol more like an entire week for me .

 

[mfinn]

So that being said my question to you is this.

Is buying, selling and trading within our hobby where it needs to be or can we do better as a whole?

There use to be a very good tool, but it has been gone for a while.
This was the feedback score under the users name along with joined date, messages, likes, etc. Right there in plain sight.
This allows people to see up front how that person is when dealing with money, corals, and equipment between members.

It's still available, but you have to dig to find it, and honestly I doubt most can find it.

 

[OriginalUserName]

4 "no" votes.

Man. If I could be that optimistic...

 

[revhtree]

Thanks for the input so far!

 

[themcfreak]

There use to be a very good tool, but it has been gone for a while.
This was the feedback score under the users name along with joined date, messages, likes, etc. Right there in plain sight.
This allows people to see up front how that person is when dealing with money, corals, and equipment between members.

It's still available, but you have to dig to find it, and honestly I doubt most can find it.

You have 19 positive, no neutral or negative! (I found it)

 

[gjefcoat]

I love to buy, sell and trade. We are lucky in my area of North Georgia to have many very good LFS's.

 

[turfster26]

The biggest issue in this Hobby for buying/selling/trading is the shipping aspect. Most of the negative feedback seems to be directly related.

Amen to this....I've purchased many things used here on R2R over the past 4-months getting my SPS tank back up and running. And BY FAR the single biggest challenge I have experience is very very poor shipping. To one point where I bought a kalk reactor and literally nothing protecting it in regard to packing paper, styrofoam peanuts, etc, etc. And a Mag pump literally wrapped in a dish towel. Needless to say both got damaged and both I received refunds. BUT the pint being, I had really good deals on both items and lost out due to damage regardless of winning the PP or UPS/USPS battle.

IMHO there should be some type of shipping protocol....hard to police I know but worth a shot.

 

[vetteguy53081]

We as hobbyist are always looking to upgrade or keep up with the newest in technology and will therefore sell to move forward.

 

[BantyRooster97]

I buy & sell constantly, mostly to either add to my tank, upgrade my tank or just to keep stuff as back ups (I have too much of this). The couple of times I have been scammed or had something damaged in shipping paypal or Amex has taken care of it for me. So there are ways to protect yourself. 1 thing I try to do is buy from people who have been on the forum for a while. Most reefers try to help each other out. Been on R2R for a month... not getting my money!

 

[mfinn]

Amen to this....I've purchased many things used here on R2R over the past 4-months getting my SPS tank back up and running. And BY FAR the single biggest challenge I have experience is very very poor shipping. To one point where I bought a kalk reactor and literally nothing protecting it in regard to packing paper, styrofoam peanuts, etc, etc. And a Mag pump literally wrapped in a dish towel. Needless to say both got damaged and both I received refunds. BUT the pint being, I had really good deals on both items and lost out due to damage regardless of winning the PP or UPS/USPS battle.

IMHO there should be some type of shipping protocol....hard to police I know but worth a shot.

I got some corals shipped in a plain cardboard box with a few styrofoam peanuts.
Didn't work out too well.

 

[Mark Gray]

Hello it's me again!

Back at you with another question to get your mind working and data flowing! This is something that is near and dear to my heart and that is commerce within our industry. Plain and simple, we want it to be better. We want to hold bad people accountable and to reward those that are good. We want people to be able to shop with confidence and have a variety of options when buying, selling and trading.

So that being said my question to you is this.

Is buying, selling and trading within our hobby where it needs to be or can we do better as a whole?

I have had really good luck with buying so far, I wish I knew some people close to me I could trade with. I think everyone can do better always

 

[cracker]

I'm all for trading, buying & "gifting" stuff ! I just wish my circle/network was bigger. I don't have any fancy corals to trade but lots of equipment type stuff. I think inside trading is good !
I don't know about buying corals & such ,never have yet.

 

[Alfrareef]

I’m only for trading or giving to new reefers.
As per the LFS I’ve always gave away fish and corals. I’m a firm believer that side selling it’s like a cancer for the reefing community.
It’s only my opinion...