Re-structuring Customs sales

[Darklord Dave]

Before doing anything I thought I'd run this by people here.

I'm thinking of adapting a similar method of selling customs like they do on therpf.com for all sales.

So new customs would be posted here with pictures, methods etc. However if an artist wanted to sell that custom they'd need to start a thread in Commerce to track lists, update customers, etc. We'd create a separate sub-heading in Sales just for Customs.

In a separate but related matter:
I'm also inclined to start a registry of all custom artists selling things here. So before anyone could solicit a sale for a large custom project they'd have to register with the forum - supply real name, address, phone, email, etc. This would be kept private unless a problem developed with the artist not delivering in a timely matter and then only contact would be from me.

Thoughts or comments on these two proposals? I'm especially interested in hearing from the artists and their agents.

 

[pixletwin]

I don't like the idea that, in the event a problem arose, the board would have to go through Dave and Dave alone. I see a host of potential problems arising from that.

 

[krec9]

I love the new idea alot of people are getting burnt would be great to have timely ETA on a sculpt as well .

 

[galactiboy]

I don't like the idea that, in the event a problem arose, the board would have to go through Dave and Dave alone. I see a host of potential problems arising from that.

Don't know if it means only Dave can handle it... but there would be at least one person who had good reliable contact information and being the admin of the board he's got a bit more sway than regular customers.

I think others would stlll have the regular avenues to attempt to resolve the issues as there isn't anyway to regulate against that. What I do like about it is at least before any of these projects with $1,000s tied into them start there could be some level of a vetting occur.

I don't know about all the duplicate threads though as the first part of the proposal. Dave and I disagree on this, but I'd prefer to see one single thread for each artist and group in the general commerce section and then whatever projects can have their own thread in the customs sales section.

 

[pixletwin]

I love the new idea alot of people are getting burnt would be great to have timely ETA on a sculpt as well .

You love the idea that people are getting burnt? What?

 

[Levit05]

I like the control aspect of contact information but what is to stop anything bad from happening?...at this point...you would be the only person who could contact the artist...what happens when he stops responding to you too??....i still think one of the best ways is to have a service in which they hold the money (middle person)...once the project is complete, the money would be cleared to transfer over to the artist...

now i know the argument is going to be about the artist incurring all the costs upfront...but that is the normal cycle everywhere else...it also reinforces the etiquette of getting items done in a very timely matter

 

[thenammagazine]

I don't know about all the duplicate threads though as the first part of the proposal. Dave and I disagree on this, but I'd prefer to see one single thread for each artist and group in the general commerce section and then whatever projects can have their own thread in the customs sales section.

Put a Table of Contents with (page/post #'s) in the first post and the crybabies won't have to whine about having to go completely through a thread to see a specific project. Do the same with the customs threads and you kill two birds with one stone. It'd clean up the custom section and stop the fanboys bumping all 10 project threads from a single artist to the front page for no other reason than to bump down other artists.

 

[olbertfrog]

Sounds good !

 

[axecutioner18]

Put a Table of Contents with (page/post #'s) in the first post and the crybabies won't have to whine about having to go completely through a thread to see a specific project. Do the same with the customs threads and you kill two birds with one stone. It'd clean up the custom section and stop the fanboys bumping all 10 project threads from a single artist to the front page for no other reason than to bump down other artists.

With all my experience of handling custom threads and updating them I can assure you there are a handful of people who actually read the first post of a thread before asking questions.

 

[Levit05]

shut up Ax...LOL

 

[axecutioner18]

sorry Levit just jokies!

 

[galactiboy]

If that became the norm I think more people would learn to check the first post for updates or a table of contents. It's a bit more work on the part of the artist... but it would declutter the customs section pretty significantly.

 

[Levit05]

i can't believe i'm about to say this but i agree with Nam....i use to have it on my own custom thread over at the fwoosh and should know better about decluttering and reading the first post but when i got over here it was a different story...LOL....either way....one thread for each customizer/artist would be cool...doesn't solve the part about them taking half or all of the oney before the product is even started on....i know that there are services that will hold money...the controls that they have in place are pretty cool as it won't release the money until the service provided has been proved to be done....and the people that put the money into the fund cannot take it out....works both ways

 

[robbiethepainter]

I don't like the idea of multiple threads but I may not completely understand it either. Duh... I don't read good.

In regards to Dave having a "Master List" with info for each person Im ok with it. Doesn't bother me none as long as its not made public. Even though a lot of people have mine because its always on the packages I send out.

 

[MANDO]

I don't know about all the duplicate threads though as the first part of the proposal. Dave and I disagree on this, but I'd prefer to see one single thread for each artist and group in the general commerce section and then whatever projects can have their own thread in the customs sales section.

I like this idea as well. It would go a long way to de-clutter the custom section. We don't need a new thread everytime somebody has a new idea for a project. Especially since we can edit our own thread titles.

 

[Mr. EcKo]

In regards to Dave having a "Master List" with info for each person Im ok with it. Doesn't bother me none as long as its not made public. Even though a lot of people have mine because its always on the packages I send out.

 

[TheFiend]

Put a Table of Contents with (page/post #'s) in the first post and the crybabies won't have to whine about having to go completely through a thread to see a specific project. Do the same with the customs threads and you kill two birds with one stone. It'd clean up the custom section and stop the fanboys bumping all 10 project threads from a single artist to the front page for no other reason than to bump down other artists.

Word.

I'm all for this idea. Let the Iminimes and Rain Mans of the world have their own section.

I only go to the customs section to see stuff like Skiman, galactiboy and joebizz type stuff anyway.

Sent from my LG-E739 using Tapatalk 2

 

[IDMCustoms]

I have no problems with Dave keeping a database since anyone who's bought from me already has that info anyways, plus I can be reached pretty easily through my blog, Facebook, Deviantart pages, etc. so it's a no-brainer.

I think the problem with combining threads is that there will only be a handful of artists that will get most if not all the attention and anyone new won't get much publicity or interest. Someone like Elvis who is very active and does insanely cool work, for example, get a lot of comments and responses so we'd have to weave through pages of comments to see photos, find order and availability info, etc.

I also have no problems posting who ordered what, post tracking when an order is shipped, but I think any payments should be kept private and archived once a project is finished, completed and shipped - in case anyone wants to lay claim with licensing or to even avoid jealousy among one artist to another for example.

We could keep the Interest section the way it is, but link any threads from that to the artist's main/home page. The interest section is useful because many projects might not ever come to fruition. But if I want to know what a certain artist is doing, I would go to one place only and find out what he has in the works, what is ready, and what is not rather than looking at the interest section and hope that one day it might come or not.


One thought I've had since I started keeping track of many of my works is that the first page is probably the best source to go to. How about if we create a thread for the artist, but only keep the first page as the starting point. The front page would sort of be the go to page for that artist.

For example, the first page would have info on which projects are ready to ship, which projects are being worked on, info about the artist, which projects they've completed in the past, etc. This page would show how much "rep" they have so to speak because other collectors can post, ask questions, and write anything they want on the thread. It's sort of like a mini blog. I know we have that now, but I think people are used to just adding new pictures/projects as new posts, then just updating the thread title only. If we make Page 1 of each artist a central home page, then keep updating the thread title and keep that page updated constantly, I think that will clear up a lot of things.

For example, the home page would be:

[Intro about the artist, experience, likes, etc.]

[any links such as Facebook, Photo Gallery, etc]

[Projects that are ready for order and available - must include pricing, shipping, estimated ship date, who ordered, who's paid, and tracking info/shipped]

[Projects that are being worked on - links to WIP sub-threads included here]

[Projects that have finished, shipped, and done - can link to old threads, photos, pages that show progress, etc. linked here]

And that's all I could think of for now. But anyone who sells is required to do so and keep up their "home" page.

I've bought some custom items without any word from anyone for months and it bothers me at times and it's hard digging and finding threads just to get info. If we have one centralized area, I think that's the best way to approach it.

Sorry for the long-winded post, but I would just like to share my experience when doing my own customs, buying and sharing them here for what it's worth.

 

[Punishment1218]

I like Johns approach. Give the artist a main section with like a glossary of projects so it would be easier to maneuver through. That would make it almost categorized and simpler for the buyer/person to look through, plus not clutter up the board and eliminate multiple threads. I'm all for giving up to Dave the info he needs, no problem there. And if Dave handles the info personally, Im good. But are the Mods gonna be handling this personal info as well? I think the more people with their hands in the cookie jar will create problems. It's Daves board, so really I'm good with what ever you want to do.

 

[Darklord Dave]

I like the control aspect of contact information but what is to stop anything bad from happening?...at this point...you would be the only person who could contact the artist...what happens when he stops responding to you too??....i still think one of the best ways is to have a service in which they hold the money (middle person)...once the project is complete, the money would be cleared to transfer over to the artist...

now i know the argument is going to be about the artist incurring all the costs upfront...but that is the normal cycle everywhere else...it also reinforces the etiquette of getting items done in a very timely matter

Sorry, perhaps I wasn't clear. Everything would be handled the same way as it is now, but everyone attempting to sell customs would have to register with the forum FIRST. Kind of like we have for just selling random stuff, but with more detail. Hopefully it would give a greater air of accountability to finishing the project.

Also I really hate the idea of single thread per artist - I think it just makes it harder for people to see cool stuff.