Introducing Forum Marketplace - a small business incubator experiment

[TheGLForum]

We are excited to announce the arrival of Forum Marketplace, an incubator for small, home-based entrepreneurs.

What Is The Forum Marketplace?

The Marketplace is a category of sub-forums where up-and-coming entrepreneurs can promote their products and/or services to forum members within their own group or sub-forum. Any member of TheGLForum can become a Marketplace Vendor if they meet the qualifications.

How is a Marketplace Vendor different from a forum sponsor?

Sponsors have special privileges and advertising benefits within the General Discussion Forums on TheGLForum website. Sponsors are companies, whereas Marketplace Vendors are home-based individuals typically selling a single product or service. Sponsors have their own forums on the main page of TheGLForum website. Marketplace Vendors have their own "Group" (sub-forum) located within The Marketplace category.

Marketplace Vendors are home-based businesses with no commercial distribution for their product(s). They must deal directly with the customer and they cannot offer a product or service that competes directly with a forum sponsor.

An example: John is member of TheGLForum who has created a specialized bracket to mount a GoPro camera to a Goldwing's engine guard. John fabricates the bracket in his garage and sells them to other riders for $45. He only sells a dozen or so per month, so he does not net enough profit to pay for a full forum sponsorship. The Marketplace will allow John to market his bracket within the constraints of his own Group (sub-forum). He can also place a link to his Marketplace group in his forum signature.

Why have The Marketplace?

There are some individuals who have created products for their own use, then perhaps have started to offer these products to other members. On most forums, they find themselves in violation of the rules regarding using the forum as a promotional tool for their "business". Since many of these "businesses" are part-time, or even hobby businesses, they cannot afford a full sponsorship on a forum. We wanted to offer these entrepreneurs a place to promote their products, while still protecting the integrity of our forum sponsorship program. And, we want our members to be able to benefit from the products they have created.

For more information on The Forum Marketplace, click here

Why is this called an experiment?

As the name implies, The Marketplace is an experiment. We want to monitor how this program works over the next few months, then decide how to proceed, if at all.

[zzcop8]

This is a Great idea and I hope it will encourage members to exercise their brain to come up with new innovative ideas that will benefit all of us.

[AndyCBR]

Seems like a good idea long overdue on forums in general.

Once sponsors get involved in a forum it seems like any other endeavor to sell anything in more than a quantity of one becomes banned.

There are lots of people who have something to make or sell that can't justify forum sponsorship.


ETA: Read the rules after seeing Matt's post. Seems somewhat restrictive regarding the website and conflicts with forum sponsors.

[jmohme]

I like it!

[ChrisE]

Signed up.....

[zzcop8]

You are a perfect example why something like this is needed.

[Kiwi]

Very good innovation for the forum.
Looking forward to some new ideas from members who wish to share their ideas.

[TheGLForum]

Signed up.....

Check your PMs for a message.

[wingleader09]

Great idea! I hope it's wildly successful for the forum and for those who take advantage of the opportunity.

[hparsons]

Way to go!! So glad to see you guys looking for solutions instead of restrictions.

[J.C.]

I hope this goes well! Excellent idea!

[Matt Caswell]

I think its a great idea and I would sign up, but the restriction on not being able to advertise on any other forum limits my business potential. As with most people who would be interested in this great idea of yours, we need to make every $$ we can and I'm not so sure about having to pay for the right to NOT BE ABLE to advertise somewhere else.

You do not advertise your business on any other forum or website

I have a website.. thats how I sell. Its my online store. so theres 2 strikes against me.

Good idea, but too many "you may nots" for me.

Matt

[Cruiseman]

I think its a great idea and I would sign up, but the restriction on not being able to advertise on any other forum limits my business potential. As with most people who would be interested in this great idea of yours, we need to make every $$ we can and I'm not so sure about having to pay for the right to NOT BE ABLE to advertise somewhere else.

You do not advertise your business on any other forum or website

I have a website.. thats how I sell. Its my online store. so theres 2 strikes against me.

Good idea, but too many "you may nots" for me.

Matt

First, your own website does not count, that is perfectly acceptable. I should make that more clear.

As for advertising on other forums, here is the logic. The Marketplace is primarily for individuals who cannot afford a full sponsorship. We went with the determination that if a business could afford a full sponsorship on another forum, they could afford a full sponsorship on this forum. It certainly is not a perfect system, but it is what we have right now. I have one potential Marketplace Vendor who is a sponsor on another forum, but is planning to drop their sponsorship when it expires, which means that they could qualify for The Marketplace. So, we are trying to build some flexibility into the system.

[Jack]

I think its a great idea and I would sign up, but the restriction on not being able to advertise on any other forum limits my business potential. As with most people who would be interested in this great idea of yours, we need to make every $$ we can and I'm not so sure about having to pay for the right to NOT BE ABLE to advertise somewhere else.

You do not advertise your business on any other forum or website

I have a website.. thats how I sell. Its my online store. so theres 2 strikes against me.

Good idea, but too many "you may nots" for me.

Matt

I agree! and I have nothing to sell.

[Jack]

Somebody please tell Yoda.

[clayusmcret]

First, your own website does not count, that is perfectly acceptable. I should make that more clear.

As for advertising on other forums, here is the logic. The Marketplace is primarily for individuals who cannot afford a full sponsorship. We went with the determination that if a business could afford a full sponsorship on another forum, they could afford a full sponsorship on this forum. It certainly is not a perfect system, but it is what we have right now. I have one potential Marketplace Vendor who is a sponsor on another forum, but is planning to drop their sponsorship when it expires, which means that they could qualify for The Marketplace. So, we are trying to build some flexibility into the system.

I don't have a business and am not selling anything, but your logic and the reason for what is effectively a reduced sponsorship option makes sense. If a person can afford a full sponsorship on one site, why not another; especially a site trying to become established itself? I've seen quite a number of folks who've tried (sometimes in vein) to skirt the rules because their business was so small and they needed to get the word out. This option gives the garage entrepreneur a chance to advertise publicly at minimal cost. Seems like a good deal for everyone (especially those of us who want to see what these starving artists have to show). And like you said, their own site doesn't count against'em. JMHO.

[Fred in GA]

I think its a great idea and I would sign up, but the restriction on not being able to advertise on any other forum limits my business potential. As with most people who would be interested in this great idea of yours, we need to make every $$ we can and I'm not so sure about having to pay for the right to NOT BE ABLE to advertise somewhere else.

You do not advertise your business on any other forum or website

I have a website.. thats how I sell. Its my online store. so theres 2 strikes against me.

Good idea, but too many "you may nots" for me.

Matt

Matt

Welcome to the site.

You have your free advertising in your Avatar.............Now that you are here, I was unable to email you from the other site so let me tell you here, I do not support any vendor that supports GL1800 riders or VS.

Your post does say lots about you and your business practices.

Enjoy your day

[Kiwi]

What's VS Fred.

[Fred in GA]

Vertical Scope.......They are a company from Canada and own the web site.

[Kit Carson]

I think its a great idea and I would sign up, but the restriction on not being able to advertise on any other forum limits my business potential. As with most people who would be interested in this great idea of yours, we need to make every $$ we can and I'm not so sure about having to pay for the right to NOT BE ABLE to advertise somewhere else.

You do not advertise your business on any other forum or website

I have a website.. thats how I sell. Its my online store. so theres 2 strikes against me.

Good idea, but too many "you may nots" for me.

Matt

In business one must decide where their advertising dollars gain the most return.

I am quite sure that if you wish to purchase a sponsorship on 29 separate forums they will all be glad to sell you one. It is you who must make the decision of which one gains the most return.

To allow some person who is making some little something mostly as a hobby to make friends and sell a few items is a good thing, without the powers of unfounded greed demanding they not do such a thing. They are not going to make any money anyway, they do this more or less as a hobby.

This acceptance of those who as a hobby or as a friendship situation are allowed freedom to do so has been long overdue.

[Cruiseman]

It sort of reminds me of the old saying (and I am grossly paraphrasing): "Capitalism is an unfair, terrible system, but it is better than any other system we know of."

To my knowledge, this is the only forum that offers any program for small, struggling entrepreneurs. We refer to this as an incubator because we would like to see these small businesses grow to the point that they can afford and justify a full sponsorship in the future. So, it is not purely altruistic.

[Jack]

Many hobbiests do not want their "business" to grow. Their only interest may be in helping out a few other interested mc riders with a hobby made tool or gadget. So it may be purely altruistic.

[JGDJR]

Thats a Great idea Cruiseman...Hope it all works out...Thumbs up

John

[MacMan]

I am a member of a lot of forums (motorcycle and non-motorcycle) and I have never seen a program this generous for a hobby business. I hope it works.