# Possible marketplace forum **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 1, 2010, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-marketplace-forum/530825 "2010-03-01T04:39:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-marketplace-forum/530825/81 "2010-03-03T19:56:58Z")
Another vote in favor, from both perspectives: as a seller (I have a long-established Web business), and as an interested buyer (of products and services). Though I haven’t posted much, I read here every day, and I’ve been here over 10 years. I feel like I’m part of a community, one I chose to join. As such, I’d like to do business with those in this group, moreso than with the general public (and at least as much as a buyer as a seller). I hesitate to throw in the “family” analogy, but I think you get the idea. ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-marketplace-forum/530825/82 "2010-03-03T20:36:52Z")
> [@Ed\_Zotti](#): > > For the past few months we’ve been kicking around the idea of a Marketplace forum, and have decided to put the matter before the house for comments and suggestions. > > We’d probably try this on a trial basis for six months and see how it worked out. > > Thoughts? Go for it, Ed! _ **- Og** _ ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-marketplace-forum/530825/83 "2010-03-03T21:11:44Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > What do you mean by “registered business”? A legal corporation? And why _wouldn’t_ you allow someone who knits custom sweaters advertise their service? (Personally, I received a _very_ nice pair of a warm fuzzy socks from a Doper last year, don’t knock our craftspeople) It’s precisely _because_ I’ve made and sold craft items myself that I ask. I can’t sell them on eBay any longer without registering as a business seller - I’m not sure if this is because eBay is just busybodying, or purposely trying to squeeze out the small-time sellers (as many have alleged), or because they are under some legal obligation to ensure that people operating as a craft business, however small, are selling in a different mode to joe public selling junk from the attic. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-marketplace-forum/530825/84 "2010-03-03T23:57:45Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > > [@Broomstick](#): > > > > I think you are underestimating the “power of sigs”. Currently, that is my main form of advertising and while it’s not perfect it certainly is having a positive effect. > > Are you talking about some other forums where you can have big sigs and use them every post? Because you are clearly not talking about your sig here. Correct. Sorry, thought that would be an obvious conclusion. I post in other forums where they allow my sig to link to my website. As I have just started this up as a (hopefully) money-making enterprise I started with just that, anticipating moving into other forms of advertising later, as I put up further offerings, but I’ve actually found more traffic than I anticipated using just my sign and my web address. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-marketplace-forum/530825/85 "2010-03-04T00:34:24Z")
Yes that was the obvious conclusion. However, since there are a number restrictions here on the use of signatures and even this new change would only allow you to link to another post, not your website, I don’t think I underestimated the power of sigs in the context of the current discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-marketplace-forum/530825/86 "2010-03-04T02:57:23Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Your learned friend Oakminster didn’t say any of that though. He mostly raised a bunch of ,imho, bogeymen. I mean really, a lawsuit over a $15 subscription? I can understand not liking what it would do to the character of the board but I’m betting most of the problems would be a little board drama, if any. Well, Boeing Boeing did a review of [MagicJack in 2008](http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/04/14/magicjacks-eula-says.html) (they said it was a good product) but that it contains spyware so avoid it. MagicJack then sued. [Boeing Boeing eventually prevailed](http://www.boingboing.net/2010/02/23/magicjack-dials-wron.html), proving MagicJack was attempting a SLAPP suit. Boeing Boeing had their legal expenses paid prevailing in their countersuit, to the tune of $50,000. I originally posted comments in [Sapo’s thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=554072)and while the slant of that thread is different, I do think the Pandora’s Box opinion still holds here. If TPTB can take the wisdom of other sites and folks her into serious consideration, OK then give it a shot. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-marketplace-forum/530825/87 "2010-03-04T04:46:40Z")
**Duckster** , I still don’t think it’s a valid concern, and not just because it’s not my money. First of all, since posters are currently allowed to post consumer reviews in IMHO, we have that same frivolous lawsuit risk already. Secondly, the number of consumer review sites out there is so massive, I think it’s a safe bet we’ll see a lot more legal precedent set before someone decides to sue the SDMB for hosting **BigBoy7456** ’s negative review. And thirdly, anyone who takes such a minuscule risk of a libel suit as an excuse for inaction should seriously not be in the newspaper business. I’m curious what wisdom from other sites you are referring to. I think you should spell it out if you want it considered by the PTB here. ---
**Author:** ![Lestrade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Lestrade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lestrade)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-marketplace-forum/530825/88 "2010-03-04T13:30:26Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Well, Boeing Boeing Is that a hilarious typo for boing boing or a reference I don’t understand? ---
**Author:** ![nicole1912](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@nicole1912](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicole1912)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-marketplace-forum/530825/89 "2010-03-04T13:45:18Z")
I might be missing something, but as far as the SDMB’s liability and things go, presumably they could just do what Etsy or Craigslist or anywhere else involved in online commerce does to disclaim responsibility for vetting listings. (Not that I know what this is, but I know they do it - I buy and sell on Etsy, and they’re very clear that they are only a venue and if you have a problem with a transaction, it’s for the buyer and seller to sort out between themselves. I assume that’s the line the SDMB would take, too.) As for the registered business aspect of things, and the distinction between “real” businesses, crafters selling their wares and people selling odds and ends that they don’t want anymore, in the UK at least, I think all of these would need to register with HMRC. There’s no “hobbyist” status as far as HMRC is concerned, like I understand there is in the US - if you’re selling something, you need to register with them as self-employed (unless you’re a big business, obviously), even if you eventually make a loss. (Though I think you might get a pass if it’s just a one-off sale… That might be behind eBay’s decision to categorise shops in odd ways.) But again, some sort of disclaimer along the lines of other online commerce venues that says “Make sure you’re legal” would probably solve the problem from the SDMBs point of view. One thing I did wonder - how much does the SD newspaper charge for its ads? Because if it’s more than 15 USD a year, you might end up upsetting the people who paid for an ad in the print copy when they could have advertised here for cheaper. Then again, they might not care. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-marketplace-forum/530825/90 "2010-03-07T00:17:20Z")
> [@nicole1912](#): > > I might be missing something, but as far as the SDMB’s liability and things go, presumably they could just do what Etsy or Craigslist or anywhere else involved in online commerce does to disclaim responsibility for vetting listings. (Not that I know what this is, but I know they do it - I buy and sell on Etsy, and they’re very clear that they are only a venue and if you have a problem with a transaction, it’s for the buyer and seller to sort out between themselves. I assume that’s the line the SDMB would take, too.) Yes (with the greatest of respect) you are missing something - the rest of the Straight Dope Message Board. If two long-standing members have a dispute over something that happens in the marketplace (or worse, one of them scams the other), it’s going to spill all over the other forums. Etsy and Craigslist are primarily trading venues with communities tacked on. The SDMB is primarily a community with (as proposed) a trading venue tacked on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-marketplace-forum/530825.md?page=4)