MODS: Proof of concept.... Do I have your blessing?

[Stobe]

After the recent resurgance to find a better way for vendors to update their goods in the B/S/T section (BTW, I like how it was resolved), I started brainstorming and came up with a possible supplimentation to the current solution.  As I stated before, I'd be happy to do whatever I could to make things easier for both vendors and "buyers".  This is what I came up with so far...  (very early in development, so excuse any messyness).

http://www.arcadevendors.com

Explaination of my thought process:
On the left side, you will notice links to BYOAC vendors.  I can make those links go to BYOAC threads, or actual websites.  Vendor's choice.

Also below that is handy links to Commercial vendors.  SAINT:  I'm even willing to use your aff code on the xarcade link for whatever that's worth.

The news topics will be separated by "topic", each vendor having a specific topic, making it easy to sort and see all recent posting by that vendor (without reading hundreds of "PM sent" messages).  Vendors will be able to post any news or sales, and it will appear on the home page as a news submission.  You can see some samples that I did.

I am willing to add as many vendors as are requested.  This will allow some more "part-time" vendors to have a more permanent home (ala ArcadeNerd, Santoro, etc).

Let me know what you think.  At the same time, I'm sorta looking for a "blessing" from Saint, since this would be a psudo-extension of his niche.

I think it would help the vendors get their news out, and at the same time help the buyers find the info without looking through 22 pages of a thread.

-Stobe

[saint]

Must put brain power on this one to respond At work, brain power failing. Must find.... beer. No beer at work. Danger Danger Danger brain implosion likely!

(I will take a look at home when I'm not at work   Thanks Stobe!)

[Stobe]

Don't strain anything.  Make sure you properly lubricate your brain before exerting it too much!

-Stobe
(thanks for the thanks!)

[Buddabing]

That's all well and good, but we have a wiki page devoted to vendors. IMO the effort could be better spent keeping the wiki up to date with adding new vendors, changing ones if they sell different kinds of items, and noting in the vendor's wiki entry if they have gone out of business.

[Kaytrim]

The wiki is a nice source of information but it is rather low profile when compared to the current system.  To be honest I think that the wiki needs a more prominent link on the forums page and the main page.

Stobe, that is a nice start.  However I was thinking of an actual storefront instead of a enhanced links page.  A lot of the vendors either don't have the time or knowlege to setup a storefront.  I will be honest here.  I am thinking of getting in on the sales front.  Custom CP, maybe some simple electronics, etc.  I am not setup yet to build this stuff but I will be in the future.  I also don't have the knowlege to setup one of these types of sites but it could be so easy to use.  I use eBay for sales of some stuff that my wife sells in her salon.  However I don't want to use their system to sell arcade related stuff unless it was stock parts.  Nor do I want to make a tone of money doing this, I just want a way to pay for my hobby.

TTFN
Kaytrim

[Stobe]

The only problem with a full sales site for multi-vendors is the fact that we are not all setup to dropship for each other.  There is no advantage for "one-stop shopping" when you still have to pay different shipping for different vendors.  Plus its a real challenge to setup a storefront that can charge multiple shipping rates from multiple vendors.

Until there is a Walmart equivalent to arcade parts stores, the best we can try to do is make it easier for vendors to announce sales and new products, and make it easier for customers to find what they are looking for (and find things they weren't looking for, too!)

-Stobe

[Kaytrim]

All valid points Stobe.  Guess that I got spoiled by eBay's setup.

TTFN
Kaytrim

[saint]

I'd like to hear what the various sellers think. Anyone?