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Post by GUEST on Oct 26, 2011 12:39:20 GMT
In our forum rules section we’ve always had a policy of: Use of the SBG Name: The SBG name cannot be used to promote a product or service without prior written approval from SBG. Despite the best of intentions, there were issues in the past with manufacturers and hobbyists making swords for the SBG community and then failing to come up with the goods. As this damages the sites reputation and puts our community at risk of financial loss, each and every request to market a product exclusively for the SBG community must be formally approved by SBG Management.However, we need to take this one step further.. So to protect the SBG community from mishaps with group buys that have occurred in the past (notably Brian Drier and Hyoujinsama, two very infamous cases that either did or nearly did result in the loss of significant monies from our own members) we ask that from now on ALL offerings made either exclusively for our community with or WITHOUT the SBG name here to be officially vetted and approved by admin. The spirit of this forum rule is to try and minimize the chances of an order where the community pays up front for swords that are NOT available immediately ex-stock such as group buys, special production runs, etc and the whole thing turning into a mess and forumites end up getting burned or losing money. So BEFORE you run a promotion like this, please do the courteous thing and contact me directly first.. :geek: Thanks and any discussions on this topic are of course more than welcome.  - Paul |
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Sean (Shadowhowler)
VIP Reviewer
Retired Moderator
No matter where you go, there you are.
Posts: 8,787
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on Oct 26, 2011 12:42:10 GMT
A sad but needed stipulation I think...
I love this community, and the friends I have made in it, and would like to see it, and SBG's good name protected.
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Marc Kaden Ridgeway
Member
Retired Global Moderator
Awful lot of leaving and joining going on here for me .... And gosh I can't recall doing a bit of i
Posts: 8,778
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Post by Marc Kaden Ridgeway on Oct 26, 2011 12:50:09 GMT
Yes unfortunately there are far too many instances to point at of group buys of to-be-manufactured-swords going bad. I can think of a half dozen without trying... not all at SBG , but still.
In the past we've had a vendor here basically set him self up in the business , creating his "own line" of swords using pre-pay buyers money. This isn't the way to do business IMHO ... customers are not venture capitalists.
This rule is a necessary evil.
Paul, I notice you didn't sticky this... I'm going to at least for now .I think it needs to stay up top for a few days. You can unstick it if I'm being too presumptious
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Post by Ronin Katana on Oct 26, 2011 15:30:20 GMT
Paul, I agree with you 100%. SBG must make hard choices to protect the site's reputation.
Again, I agree. Every sword company that has tried this has gone under. If a company can not afford to take 100% of the financial risks involved then they should not be engaging in this type of business. SBG is place for sword buyers to discuss swords, and for manufacturers and vendors to discuss their products. It should not be used by individuals with little to no experience, and little to no money, to raise capital. There are no short cuts in business.
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Post by William Swiger on Oct 26, 2011 16:04:34 GMT
Agree this is needed to protect our members. Good call on the policy.
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Post by Dave(utilityslave) on Oct 26, 2011 16:18:50 GMT
I don't see this as a bad thing in any way........a responsible step taken to protect all of us.......common sense!
Thank you Paul!
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SanMarc
Senior Forumite
Posts: 3,193
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Post by SanMarc on Oct 26, 2011 17:52:55 GMT
Now My self being a small Hobby Vendor/Manufacture, I only use the SBG name when I give out advice off site like on FB or else where, but I do not use the SBG name like said above, I am conscious of my rep here and else where.
Like has been said before, Paul has a great site.... Keep it going!!!!
.......SanMarc.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2011 18:07:29 GMT
Not sure whether this would apply to myself or not. But how does one get "officially vetted and approved by admin." ? To explain (without PM'ing), I was planning on (Had mentioned in reply etc.)sending an actual finished new knife design (Handmade/ not "production") to Mr. Marc Kaden Ridgeway to be donated towards a charity he'd mentioned, then sold as an auction, or raffle perhaps once in his hand. As for the same knife design being reproduced, each would be sold after produced and pictured individually. (With the actual pictured piece going to whichever buyer wanted that particular one of course). Would that be allowed in "classified" or not? Fine IF not, but Would I still be allowed to link to current E-bay for example, or perhaps own site? The idea of exclusive sale for "SBG members only" seems nice though. Likewise only offered for sale individually completed pieces ... Also how does one become a "Manufacturer Vendor" title? Thanks very much for reading, and any member knowledgeable on this feel free to answer. |
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ecovolo
Senior Forumite
Retired Moderator
Posts: 2,072
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Post by ecovolo on Oct 26, 2011 18:50:02 GMT
That's cool, SanMarc-- you're playing by the rules. The main thing is to avoid a Kokoro Ichi situation where a vendor/forge says, "Hey, I have an idea! I'm going to produce a weapon/buy a bunch of customized weapons for SBG only, and we'll call it, "The SBG Weapon". Everyone buys in, and things seem to go well for the first month . . . and then suddenly the vendor/forge disappears, with SBG members' money. Not cool.
Likewise, a customizer says, "I have a special SBG rate/deal/whatever for SBG members only!" People send the customizer their swords and/or furniture/koshirae . . . and then the customizer disappears *with members' weapons, items, and money*.
As stated before, after seeing stuff like this happen with the K.I. and with SBG member Hyoujinsama, it was time to put measures in place. Sad, but necessary. Hopefully this will prevent another K.I. or Hyoujinsama event from happening.
--Edward
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Post by SteelPhoenix on Nov 1, 2011 19:19:18 GMT
I also find this to be a perfectly reasonable step to protect both the reputation of SBG and the members here. It's only natural that rules change with set precedents like those.
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Post by chrisperoni on Nov 1, 2011 22:54:34 GMT
No one has answered yet so I'll try but understand I am only a regular member here giving my best guess.
All I read here is you are going to make a knife then sell it. That would be fine. People make and sell stuff all the time. Getting people to give you money before you sell it so you could make it 'special for SBG' would be wrong. Linking to auctions is not allowed as per standard SBG classifieds rule. You can list her and have a separate ebay auction going, just update here as sold when it gets sold.
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Things have changed!