> > > I would love to see a specialized vintage bazaar where you can find what > you > want at a reasonable price from trusted sources but the reality is that > will > never happen in e-commerce. For better and worse eBay has spoiled us and > created certain expectation. The only way we could ever have a decent > vintage exchange would be to have a swap meet which is of course its own > logical nightmare (not to mention the massive over head costs). > > >
I would probably be interested. since I am going on 70 I have come to realize that I need to part with some of my collection. However in the above paragraph I think there is a great suggestion. Host a virtual swap meet. Interested people could have a table to fill. Set a time limit, like a week for the sale. I think a weekend is too short for virtual people. Let the vendors do the pricing and selling. Collect a fee for the table to cover the overhead. Social media could spread the URL of the sale. People could check in at their leisure. Like any other swap meet we would soon know who sells high, who sells bargains (and you have to get there earlier in the week), who is not reliable, etc.. Some sort of moderated feedback system would be a good idea. I think a time limit like a swap meet a good idea. It allows for transactions to be completed and not overwhelm the seller. Everyone will have to calculate their own shipping, just like we do now. Shipping weight with the description would be handy. And the vendor should set clear shipping rules for his table This method would keep the host out of the transaction and eliminate the need for a shopping cart. The Host could hold one every 3 months to cover expenses. We would soon know if it is a viable idea. And this route shouldn't cost as much. Vendors could sell one collectable to those of us that used to provide parts and would have multiple tables full. I think there should be a limit to how much fits on a table (or in a table space) just for control of bandwidth and give a way for the host to cover expenses. Just brainstorming here... I used to love selling at Ham and Computer swap meets. The internet allows for virtual communities. Why can't it allow for a virtual swap meet. Paxton -- Paxton Hoag Astoria, OR USA
