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Gear Swap practices


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Viewing 16 posts - 51 through 66 (of 66 total)
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  • #2066608
    Roger Caffin
    BPL Member

    @rcaffin

    Locale: Wollemi & Kosciusko NPs, Europe

    They can now.

    Cheers

    #2066850
    Eric Johnson
    BPL Member

    @unimog

    Locale: Utah

    It never ceases to amaze me when, in a free market system, one person decides to define what the proper price at which another person should sell some item. And then decide for yet another person what they should pay for another item! I read through the thread simply fascinated with the concept! It seems to me to be perfectly acceptable for the buyer to determine if the price is appropriate.

    Just speaking for myself, as a relative UL newbie, I feel much more comfortable participating in the gear swap my first year on here than in spewing wisdom that I don't yet have on the rest of the forums. Doesn't mean I don't ask questions in the forums, but I'm also intrigued by the judgement that I might be considered less of a community member by some due to this behavior.

    #2066853
    Max Dilthey
    Spectator

    @mdilthey

    Locale: MaxTheCyclist.com

    Guys, it's really annoying when something is posted and then you go back and redact all of your comments.

    Maybe next time, consider whether you stand by what you're saying in the first place instead of turning an entire thread of carefully written responses into a confusing waste.

    #2066855
    Mike Gervais
    BPL Member

    @mikeg

    when others wouldn't see the obvious and immutable wisdom in their opinions.

    #2066880
    Larry De La Briandais
    BPL Member

    @hitech

    Locale: SF Bay Area

    "Greed, it's what's great about America and the general Western mind set."

    "I have, for many years now, been frustrated at what is considered rampant greed in America…"

    "Gear swap is interesting…yes, it is a community and I've been helped MANY times by people here."

    While very few are willing to entertain the idea, capitalism, at least as practiced here in the USA is based mainly on greed. The general idea is to make as much money as possible. The idea of making a “fair” profit based on the time/effort involved is rare. It’s all about getting everything you can. Greed.

    I have also been helped by sellers on gear swap. Gear swap is going to help me afford to go light.

    I don’t mind anyone selling something on gear swap for more than I think it is worth. First, that is just my opinion, and second, it is the “American way”. However, I do think selling something that you got as a PFI is unethical. I won’t take any PIFs as I have nothing anyone on here would want as a PIF.

    #2066919
    Ron D
    BPL Member

    @dillonr

    Locale: Colorado

    Hi Justin – I certainly applaud when people have been generous to others in need. I just don't feel these type of instances are the same as expecting people to offer an item for less than their estimate of the value. If they do that's great but if not that's OK too. After thinking about it I suspect that our vision of community is simply different. Yours appears to be broader and more complex than mine, to me GS is simply commerce and subject to the same ethical considerations as any other transaction. I'll apologize for the hint of sarcasm in my previous post, but I think you are expecting too much from a broad internet community. Your expectations are more appropriate for a family or group of close friends.
    Ron

    #2066964
    Nick Gatel
    BPL Member

    @ngatel

    Locale: Southern California

    "It's a free market. BPL does not have any official position on this."

    More importantly, why are the SO MANY gear swap posts. I hate that they clog up the main page listing of recent threads. We need to put them somewhere else and bring back Chaff.

    #2066982
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Eric writes, "Doesn't mean I don't ask questions in the forums, but I'm also intrigued by the judgement that I might be considered less of a community member by some due to this behavior."

    I don't see anything wrong with the above at all, but when you have a 100 plus postings, ALL and solely in gear swap (i checked, just to make sure i wasn't assuming overmuch), buy, sell, i don't really view that as someone being part of the BPL community. I see it as someone just using it to make money. For them, it's just another ebay, another way to make money. I say, that's what ebay and the like is for. Go to ebay if you want to do that.

    Many people here apparently see that as fine, and generally i don't have a problem with it either, but i also don't agree when they buy something lower from someone here and turn around it sell it higher to someone else here. Just my take and opinion, as i would not do that to others generally and ***especially not here****. If i spent money or time fixing something on a piece of gear, then i would have no problem selling it for higher than i paid. Apparently i'm weird, a freak, different. I do feel i was being too preachy and pushy with it, which is why i erased my more long winded posts.

    #2066986
    Greg Mihalik
    Spectator

    @greg23

    Locale: Colorado

    "We need to put them somewhere else and bring back Chaff."

    I wouldn't mind a bit if Gear Swap didn't appear in "Recent Threads"

    Just like Chaff, I'd know where to find it if I needed it.

    #2066987
    BlackHatGuy
    Spectator

    @sleeping

    Locale: The Cascades

    "Just speaking for myself, as a relative UL newbie, I feel much more comfortable participating in the gear swap my first year on here than in spewing wisdom that I don't yet have on the rest of the forums."

    Fortunately (or unfortunately for forum members), I've never felt constrained in that way. I rarely have anything of much value to say, but I do so enjoy saying it anyway…..

    #2067000
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Good points Larry.

    "While very few are willing to entertain the idea, capitalism, at least as practiced here in the USA is based mainly on greed. The general idea is to make as much money as possible. The idea of making a “fair” profit based on the time/effort involved is rare. It’s all about getting everything you can. Greed."

    I've more than entertained that idea, and i've long disagreed with much and especially certain aspects this system and way of life. This thread is by far not the first time i've talked about the larger issue and problem of greed here, though i've tried to keep it in chaff (not always successfully, but i do try). If you read some of my political oriented chaff posts, i have talked about it before.

    Look around the this country, look around the world. Greed in the it's bigger and more intense forms is quite literally ruining and slowly but surely killing this very beautiful and valuable place called earth that we all live in, wiping out species, and hurting our health. Yes, that is more corporate and banking greed, than the greed of the average, common citizen, but i feel that anytime we as individuals sanction and support greed or over materialism either vocally or passively, we are part of the larger problem and help to perpetuate the cycle.

    The change starts with us individuals, and as more of us change within, it will ripple out and affect the whole more and more. I'm not sure we can change the greed of those corporate and banking entities since they have largely over taken many of our governments, but is it not worth a try at least?

    But i should try to refrain from making judgmental comments about people or behaviors here, as all it usually does is raise people's hackles and make them not listen to the deeper messages.

    In the specific situation previously, it was not about the money for me at all. I would have paid more than what the person asked, had i not known they bought it lower and after almost two years of time depreciation and possible wear depreciation try to sell it to me a bit higher than what they paid for it. Especially in light of them being an Ebay'er BPL member. Since i would not do that to others here, i disagreed with it on principle. In hindsight, i should have just kept it to myself though, or at the very least not have gotten reactive when people were just expressing their ideals, ethics, opinions.

    I don't have a lot of attachment to money, beyond the fact that i tend to have limited amounts of same, and have to balance real necessities with luxuries of gear, etc. I even plan on making and selling gear at some point in the near future. But, i want to keep prices as low as practically possible while still being able to pay some bills etc. I certainly have no expectations of making much profit, or becoming wealthy off it.

    #2067006
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Hi Ron,

    Thank you for the sincere, thoughtful and balanced reply this time around. You're correct on several points, i think.

    Yes, i'm probably expecting too much of an interment forum based community. If my next door neighbor randomly sold me some eggs at 2.00 dollars a carton, and i turned around and decided to go down the street a bit and sell it to my further away neighbor at 2.20 for that carton to make a little extra, wouldn't be very neighborly of me i don't think. Perhaps i view BPL too much in that light, and need to take off the rose colored glasses.

    Anyways, i should stick more to speaking about self and what self would or wouldn't do, rather than saying this is what others should or shouldn't do.

    I'm not a generally unreasonable, narrow minded, and overly stubborn type, i can see why i got some backlash for the latter. There are a few BPL members here who just really don't like me as a person, but most of you were just speaking from a reaction to the pressure of belief system conversion and me using some generalized judgement when other didn't agree.

    I get it, and will try to not do it in the future. I think i've said all there is to possibly say about any of this, so see y'all on other threads.

    #2067096
    Jennifer Mitol
    Spectator

    @jenmitol

    Locale: In my dreams....

    "Fortunately (or unfortunately for forum members), I've never felt constrained in that way. I rarely have anything of much value to say, but I do so enjoy saying it anyway….."

    And Doug, this is why you are one of my favorite BPLers and we should just go ahead and get married.

    #2067116
    Gary Dunckel
    BPL Member

    @zia-grill-guy

    Locale: Boulder

    Wow, Jennifer, you've finally seen the light about Little Dougie. But are you sure that your dogs will be compatible?

    #2067136
    BlackHatGuy
    Spectator

    @sleeping

    Locale: The Cascades

    "this is why you are one of my favorite BPLers and we should just go ahead and get married."

    Aw shucks, now I'm blushing….

    #2067139
    Mark Ries
    Spectator

    @mtmnmark

    Locale: IOWAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

    Wouldn't it be great if they had a outdoor bpl wedding we all could attend. I think I'm gonna cry, say yes Doug say yes

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