Vintage Computer and Gaming Marketplace

[Erik]

I mentioned this in another thread but I'd like to formally announce the new Vintage Computer and Gaming Marketplace (http://marketplace.vintage-computer.com).

This new addition to the Vintage-Computer.com site will hopefully grow to become the preferred venue for buying and selling vintage computing and gaming gear.

The software used for the marketplace was chosen for its simplicity and features which make it a viable alternative to the other, more generalized, auction and sales venues on the web.

Items can be posted in auction format (buy-it-now can be used for flat-rate sales) with descriptions and a photo gallery for each. Bids on items within the last two minutes of an auction will extend that auction by 30 minutes, making sniping a thing of the past.

I've taken the liberty of posting some of my wares for sale on the site. I'll continue to post items I have for sale and I hope the rest of you will consider doing the same.

NOTE: There is absolutely no charge for posting listings to the marketplace or for buying items listed there. The venue is completely free!

I believe that the popularity of these forums and the vintage-computer.com site will help drive buyers and sellers to the new marketplace to the benefit of us all.

Please visit the new site, sign up and, by all means, tell your friends! :D

[carlsson]

Good work! Perhaps the announcement should be made sticky somewhere in Vintage Computer Auctions.

I saw your items, and I understand that you'd avoid international shipping on medium sized items. Hopefully this won't become a trend though as it is up to the buyer to determine (on beforehand) if shipping is too steep. At least on this forum we all know eachother, so it is easy to contact the seller asking for a shipping quote even if none is offered.

[Erik]

Good work! Perhaps the announcement should be made sticky somewhere in Vintage Computer Auctions.

Thanks and good idea!

I saw your items, and I understand that you'd avoid international shipping on medium sized items. Hopefully this won't become a trend though as it is up to the buyer to determine (on beforehand) if shipping is too steep. At least on this forum we all know eachother, so it is easy to contact the seller asking for a shipping quote even if none is offered.

Yeah, I hope folks will work on it. I'm actually willing to ship anything internationally, whether or not I checked the box when posting the auction. :)

Customs forms can be a pain, but if the buyer is willing to pay then I'm game.

[tezza]

If this had appeared three weeks ago, I would be one of the first customers Erik. I've recently got some Apple II manuals shipped in from the UK which included those mentioned on the auction site.

Tez

[NathanAllan]

Erik, this is a great thing! Love the no sniping you put in there, let's you really bid what you really want to pay. Nice!!

Nathan

[Sharkonwheels]

Bravo! Nice addition...

Now...why don't you sell yearly access to an email account @vintage-computer.com ? That would be cool, and I'd be game for that....


T

[Erik]

Bravo! Nice addition...

Thanks! Now spread the word!

Now...why don't you sell yearly access to an email account @vintage-computer.com ? That would be cool, and I'd be game for that....

Could do although I haven't ever sold anything related to this domain and the various services here.

I'm not sure what my limit is on email accounts. . .

[Erik]

Just a quick note: The first VCGM has had its first sale and there are several new items posted.

Since Shark brought it up I have an exclusive offer for y'all: The first ten people to post a relevant item for sale on the Marketplace get their very own @vintage-computer.com email account.

Just post your item and then drop me a PM with the account name you want (keep in mind that some are already in use. . . ;))

[NathanAllan]

I put in a plug over at Atariage, Erik. They like to buy stuff:)

[Yzzerdd]

Erik, I would take you up on your offer, but if I did that, I would no longer have the choice to disappear of the internet if I chose to. I've mentioned it in another thread, as a matter of fact. I've got an e-mail address on a dial up BBS(also accessable on the internet and telnet) which allows me to e-mail between the worlds on the oldest of dial-up capable machines, without any emulation necessary. It is still recommended. I've been thinking about disappearing, but there is 1 main reason I won't be for awhile: These forums and the auction sites.

Although, I may be listing soon. How would such an address be accesable? Outlook express or another POP3 capable program?

--Ryan

[Erik]

How would such an address be accesable? Outlook express or another POP3 capable program?

Right now there is a webmail front end and POP3 capability.

[Sharkonwheels]

Hey! Do i get an account for comin' up with the idea???

:)


T

[Erik]

Just me plugging the Marketplace (http://marketplace.vintage-computer.com)again, but anyone who hasn't visited should consider doing so. There are some cool items being posted (and selling) regularly. . .

[Erik]

Another plug. I just posted a bunch of items and others have been doing the same. There are over 70 active auctions.

Maybe you'll find something you want?

[Unknown_K]

Anybody going to add something for estimated shipping charges?

[Erik]

Anybody going to add something for estimated shipping charges?

Unfortunately that's not a feature of the software. The seller has to do that or provide sufficient information for the buyer to do so.

Sometimes it's somewhat obvious. For instance I listed a bunch of cards and mother boards that should ship in the USPS flat rate box ($8.95 domestic) or for less.

I'm about to upgrade the software to include PayPal integration and some other features. . . :)

[Micom 2000]

Most of the postal systems including Canada now have programs which can give that info easily. You can even download them. I've found the EBay provisions simply complicate matters.

Lawrence

[Unknown_K]

Some people like using USPS boxes for things that are realy once a few dollars to ship, or do not list media mail for software that raises the total cost quite a bit.

I don't mind paying for items I want, but why should I give most of the purchase money to the shipping companies if I don't have to? Listing the shipping services the seller is willing to use would help.

[carlsson]

Perhaps it is a temporary glitch, but currently the Marketplace subdomain points to Erik's start page, i.e. the auction site is not accessible. :-/

[Erik]

Perhaps it is a temporary glitch, but currently the Marketplace subdomain points to Erik's start page, i.e. the auction site is not accessible. :-/

My domains server got upgraded overnight by my host. It appears there is a glitch.

We'll get it fixed up.

[vbriel]

Erik man, with Ebay's new feedback policy, I hope you can generate good hits. I'm going to see what I can list on your site. I can't believe that ebay won't let you leave negative feedback on buyers. What is wrong with them, that is so lopsided I can not believe it.

Anyways, I'm registered and I'll toss some goodies up after this weekend.

Vince

[apple2fan]

Erik man, with Ebay's new feedback policy, I hope you can generate good hits. I'm going to see what I can list on your site. I can't believe that ebay won't let you leave negative feedback on buyers. What is wrong with them, that is so lopsided I can not believe it.

Anyways, I'm registered and I'll toss some goodies up after this weekend.

Vince

That is REDICULESS! what made them change there minds?!

[Druid6900]

Simple, the new CEO is a fool.

Besides playing around with the idea of making all the auctions BIN (which would hardly make it an auction), they are trying to force a test market in Australia to use PayPal exclusively for payments.

I may just put my auction site up again since this guy is doing everything he can to bring FleaBay to its knees.

[carlsson]

Almost every day I'm pondering if I have something for sale to put on the auction site. So far the traffic isn't too high, so I'd hesitate to list something really valuable unless heavily marketed in other places. However perhaps it is exactly what needs to be done, to list a few real gems and spam around other forums, mailing lists and alike both about the marketplace in general and these items in particular. On one hand spamming about other (commercial) sites tends to be frown upon, but as the situation is with eBay moving on to new business methods, most people in the vintage computer communities (not only this forum) may be pleased with an alternative even if ours' isn't the only one trying to gain momentum.

[Erik]

Almost every day I'm pondering if I have something for sale to put on the auction site. So far the traffic isn't too high, so I'd hesitate to list something really valuable unless heavily marketed in other places. However perhaps it is exactly what needs to be done, to list a few real gems and spam around other forums, mailing lists and alike both about the marketplace in general and these items in particular. On one hand spamming about other (commercial) sites tends to be frown upon, but as the situation is with eBay moving on to new business methods, most people in the vintage computer communities (not only this forum) may be pleased with an alternative even if ours' isn't the only one trying to gain momentum.

That's almost exactly what I'm hoping for.
1. Some gems to get listed
2. Word of mouth
3. More traffic from the above.

The amount of traffic, by the way, isn't that bad. There are over 20K page views, 10K user sessions and 8K unique users since we started about a month ago.

Only 60 or so have registered, though. . . so far.

The latter almost certainly because they haven't seen anything that piqued their interest yet. . .

[MikeS]

If one does put something up for sale/auction there, is it bad form to also post a notice here in the for sale section?

m

[Erik]

If one does put something up for sale/auction there, is it bad form to also post a notice here in the for sale section?

I don't think so although it might be more appropriate in the Auctions area pointing to the specific item(s.)

Meanwhile, on that note, I have some newer computer magazines (http://marketplace.vintage-computer.com/item.php?id=81)listed (late 1990s) that will hit the recycle bin if the auction closes without a bid. It's a $1 Buy it Now and I'll be happy to waive that for anyone interested. . . just pay shipping.

I need the space and these do not fit in my collection.

[carlsson]

If they don't sell, keep one or two magazines for reference and dump the rest.

[Erik]

If they don't sell, keep one or two magazines for reference and dump the rest.

If I have the time I may flip through them, but tomorrow is trash day and I've got a lot to do. . . ;)

[Micom 2000]

I do appreciate the potentialities of the site. I will be using it for the multitude of cards and parts I have and for some of my documentation. One of the problems for me is the more limited exposure it affords.

For example an Arc-net Hub I have, or my copies of Scientific American which included the 3 most historically influential articles on computers. Or the copy of Datamation from Nov. 81 which catalogued and featured the innovative companies grouped on Mass. Rte 128 which included DEC, Wang, Centronics, Data Terminals, Data General, Honeywell and a multitude of others. It was the Silcon Valley of early IT development and the locus of the seminal book on computer development, "The Soul of a New Machine". They demand a broader audience, hopefully of those who became wealthy during the dot-com explosion.

But for the real computer afficianados this could be an excellent vehicle for those needing simple parts or accesories to get their computer working or like me who hung onto a multitude of parts and accessories they deemed worth keeping and while sypathetic for the many newcomers to computer collecting are not about to distribute these items for free, hard-won over many years and in many cases including costs of storage. It will provide a market for many things not usually offered on EPay and which commercial companies offer at stratospheric prices.

Lawrence

[MikeS]

Hmm, I'll have to re-think the price of that PIII keyboard...
;-)

m

[Micom 2000]

Hmm, I'll have to re-think the price of that PIII keyboard...
;-)

m

Oh I've given away my share of missing parts to other collectors over the years. I'm referring more to newbies who expect anything that's not new to be free. Heck I can't even get an address out of you to send the $ for it. Beaver squat time approaching. :^))

Lawrence

[Druid6900]

Heck I can't even get an address out of you to send the $ for it.

Yeah, seems to be a lot of that going around, doesn't there (RE: Vacuum tubes) :-)

[Micom 2000]

Yeah, seems to be a lot of that going around, doesn't there (RE: Vacuum tubes) :-)

That's because my guilt complex kicked in cause I made you wait so long. Besides shipping costs were minimal and I figure I can ding you for it in a later transaction. :^)

L

[MikeS]

Vacuum tubes? Ya wants some thermionic valves? Anything in particular?

I should be out your way again soon with some motherboards; found another NEC drive BTW.
Got that disk drive ready for me?

And Lawrence:

Didn't make it to the PO yesterday; will try today.

m

[Micom 2000]

No hurry, The beaver doesn't squat till next Wednesday. NOS 6L6 are as hot as MFMs BTW.

L

[MikeS]

Aw, no NOS (or at least very little), but I think I have a 6L6 somewhere (without any suffix that's the metal version, isn't it?)

m

[Druid6900]

Vacuum tubes? Ya wants some thermionic valves? Anything in particular?

I should be out your way again soon with some motherboards; found another NEC drive BTW.
Got that disk drive ready for me?



Nah, I'm good on tubes. I just needed some good and bad ones to test out a tube tester (which I really have to do someday soon) before selling it off.

Yes, Mike, it's in a box with packing and everything. Apparently, the diagnostic LEDs don't function if it's not hooked up to a PET, so, nothing I can do about fixing it, but I might have some chips if you need them.

BTW, CPUs and RAM would be good in the MoBo(s) too :)

[MikeS]

<snip>
BTW, CPUs and RAM would be good in the MoBo(s) too :)
--
Sheesh; next you'll be wanting the fans & batteries too...

Actually, since you've got that useful neighbour, I'm gonna bring ya the whole box less the drives w/128MB; OK?

How many?

Guess we should really stop wasting folks' bandwidth & take this off-list.

m

[Druid6900]

The whole thread is like this. Why end it now?

No hard drives? You drive a hard bargain, capitalist swine :)

Oh, I don't want to be greedy, so, whatever you want to get rid of and can fit into that motorized skateboard of yours LMAO.

BTW, got the info.