A call to all retailers, wholesalers & manufacturers.

[Anonymous]

Jeez... - Just read an email where another person thought this had something to do with price.. I don't know where this came from but if it was my own words, I sincerely apologize for the confusion.

Here is a screen shot of the current record entry module. This is where people would go to enter in a new vendor. (Right now thats only me, but once its ready for release anyone can go here to enter in a record..)

There will be an administrator-only panel for this where hidden options can be set (to make vendors "unlisted" like in Cortez Marines case where the owner doesn't want his business to be listed) but I digress..

What I would like to point out is that the biggest flags most of you here will probably be concered about are that there are already options built into the directory to flag vendors who carry cultured items, fragged items, wild colonies as well as those who offer the ability to cherry pick.

Bah, anyway, I'm sick of having to defend myself when I feel I should never have come under this type of attack in the first place.. - Heres that screenshot. If you'd like to give me your input here on RDO or over in my web-forum (which is dedicated just to it) I'd appreciate any/all CONSTRUCTIVE input I can get..

Click the image to get a larger (roughly 1280x1024) version..

 

[dizzy]

Jeez... - Just read an email where another person thought this had something to do with price.. I don't know where this came from but if it was my own words, I sincerely apologize for the confusion.

Norm take a good hard look at your logo.

 

[JennM]

Not an attack, just my observation...

Grateful, you have taken a defensive stance, and perhaps that's why you've been challenged. If you believe in what you are doing, just keep doing it - the rest of us do, without need to keep jumping up and down gnashing teeth stating that it's righteous. One shouldn't have to work so hard to convince people that it's OK.

You entered into a forum whose participants are mainly brick and mortar retailers or importers who sell to brick and mortars. Yes there are other factions of the trade here but those of us who post the most often are B&M, and so you came in here effectively "stepping on our toes" ... what did you expect? If you had read much before you posted here, you would have surmised that etail is not number one on the hit parade here, to many of the active posters.

Evidently there are a lot of etailers who read, but they choose not to enter into some of the more heated or passionate discussions - why is that?

In other threads as of late, you seem to be, dare I say it? Inflammatory... as if goading for a reaction. I'm not going to bite, but I will keep calling 'em as I see 'em.

Respectfully,

Jenn

 

[Anonymous]

:?

Yeah, trust me, graphic artist is nowhere on my resume.. Big suprise eh?


Great... - More time away from developing the database....

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Jenn.. I guess I fail to see where I'm stepping on toes and can only see where false assumptions have been made on both my motivations and the likely result of my project.

I'm not an industry pro, I am a "geek".. And I sincerely want to know if what I am trying to do is going to be harmful to brick and mortars. I don't want to be responsible for the creation of a monster, but I will defend what I believe is right and not back away when I feel bullied. If I'm a troll for trying to goad real answers out of people, well, my motivation is that I want real answers on how I could be creating a monster. Yet all I seem to be getting back is attacks from other angles, not honest, constructive answers.

 

[Anonymous]

Honesty, I don't see how what your doing will hurt the B&M's. A thousand link pages all ready exist. At least your asking for the inclusion of ALL businesses related to the industry. Its all public info, just compiled into one list, right?

 

[Anonymous]

Its all public info, just compiled into one list, right?

Yes.. - Compiled into one list and searchable by vendor name, vendor type, product type and location. From there each vendor may have matching comments and a 1-10 rating left by (hopefully) past or current customers which can be viewed.

I am building in mechanisms so that if negative ratings are posted, the owner of the business is emailed a notification or barring the abscence of an email addy, a flag goes up for an admin/moderator to review and make sure the info is justified. (Think of it as being like eBays "feedback" but in a moderated arena I guess..)

Nothing at all like the reefplaza, aquarank, pricewatch or gasbuddy .coms.

 

[Anonymous]

Seems some were confused about what exactly you were doing. Its purely an in depth links/reviews database site that will have a pretty good search engine to find exactly what your looking for, a web verion of FAMA or AFM with out the few articles they have :lol: I don't see what the fuss is all about. These links will exist with or without the site, so why get heated up over someone compiling them into one spot and adding a review and some info about them to it?

Are you going to have sponsers or you gonna keep yourself "un-biased" and pay for the site outa your pocket?

I am building in mechanisms so that if negative ratings are posted, the owner of the business is emailed a notification or barring the abscence of an email addy, a flag goes up for an admin/moderator to review and make sure the info is justified. (Think of it as being like eBays "feedback" but in a moderated arena I guess..)

How are you going to address (protect yourself) the legal concerns of legal fiascos like the petswharehouse lawsuit? I like the idea about reviewing the feedback/emailing the company being given negative feedback.

IMO you should have an option for the company to recieve any feedback posted about them.

 

[Anonymous]

A web verion of FAMA or AFM with out the few articles they have :lol:

Yeah, that's another good analogy I guess. (And with Advanced Aquarist and Reefkeeping Magazine out there already I doubt I could ever offer as much "meat & potatoes" articles as either..) :wink:

Are you going to have sponsers or you gonna keep yourself "un-biased" and pay for the site outa your pocket?

Well... - If I can get a good turnout of activity you bet I'll try to get it to fund itself! - But no, I won't be seeking or accepting advertisers from this market, I won't allow it to be swayed that way.

How are you going to address (protect yourself) the legal concerns of legal fiascos like the petswharehouse lawsuit?

I've been of the opinion that its impossible to totally protect yourself legally since I was about 10. I will talk with some lawyers before I open the database for use, but I guess when it comes right down to it, I'll have to be ready to be dynamic in addressing that if it happens. - You can bet I won't roll over like some of those hobbyists did for Novak.. :wink:

IMO you should have an option for the company to recieve any feedback posted about them.

Yeah, you're right, I should probably build something so that people can set their own notification levels.

Thanks for the great ideas!

 

[Anonymous]

With the splendidly crappy weather we're blessed with this weekend, I'm trying to put a serious dent in the search module for my little pet this weekend.

I'm just curious if any of you industry-types would be likely to try and search for another vendor by bits and pieces of a phone number or owners name/email address or anything else like that?? - To me, as a hobbyist that seems a bit obscure and highly unnecessary, but I suppose that if you're IN the trade and happen to remember meeting another industry type at a convention or show or some-such but only remember a scrap it might be handy to have a place to look it up from..

So umm... - Whadda y'all think? - Yes/No??

Here's a current screen cap of the search page. - More is definitely going into it than whats here but I was hoping for some of you to actually be a little helpful in helping me help you (beyond harking the doom of the B&M with the stroke of my creation of course! :wink: )

Click the pic for a larger view..


* -> Note the lack of any method to search on price. - Prices will not be part of the equation in this.

** -> The ability to search on "extra" features such as CB / propogated / fragged / wildcaught / whole colonies as well as filter by the same will be built into it. (So if you wanted to find all vendors offering CB / fragged items but filter out any offering wild caught / whole colonies you can do that... - As well as the opposite, this is just a tool and can be used for good or bad depending on your view..)

 

[cmoresps]

http://www.sea-biscuits.us

will be dedicated to the cyber retail of rare and exotic sps, lps, zoos, shrooms ect, and will carry fish, frags, ora frags as well

thanks Grateful

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.sea-biscuits.us

will be dedicated to the cyber retail of rare and exotic sps, lps, zoos, shrooms ect, and will carry fish, frags, ora frags as well

thanks Grateful

All you're going to be carrying is rare stuff?

I heard my favorite word ("rare") and my ears perked up...



Peace,

Chip

 

[Anonymous]

If all you have is "Rare", is it still rare?

 

[Anonymous]

thanks Grateful

No problem.. - Its getting closer to being ready, the entry module is (I think) finally complete and the search module is probably at about 35% now. I may turn it loose after that and complete the "edit" and "rate" modules on the fly, we'll see..

LFS owners, wholesalers.. - Don't be shy, this isn't just for online retailers! I still see posts all the time on all the boards where people are looking for good LFS shops to visit and as you can see here sometimes, new shop startups looking for wholesalers to buy from...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthrea ... did=380915

 

[Anonymous]

Just an update on what I'm up to on the database (and some other things on the site..)

The database search functions are nearing completion and only a couple minor cosmetic changes need to be made to the entry functions. Screenshots are in a thread on the site for the curious..

Three forums have been created/made available for industry folks which are outside of the public eye. One for retailers and another for wholesalers & manufacturers. These are industry folks only forums and yeah, even I'll keep my trap shut there - after all, I'm a geek, not an industry pro.. :wink:

Also a couple other new forums have been added for everyone.. - "Help Wanted" and "Resumes" with appropriate access rights set on both. Again, more details on the site...

So the short of it is.. - The database should be opening for basic access shortly after I return from vacation the week after the 4th.

Thanks,
Norm

 

[Anonymous]

Diver, I think what you are putting together would be great. I think that this service can and will be used to great effect for the consumer and retailer (e-tailer), and possibly wholesaler if they are included.

What I don't understnad is why there has been so much negativity directed toward this, as if you were tearing up Maui with a crowbar and a sledgehammer

Good luck on your endevor