Metafilter Craigslist?

July 20, 2005 9:05 PM

Is there any interest, has there been discussion on the idea of having a MeFi section for swapping/selling/buying things between members? Something of a closed craigslist?
posted by FlamingBore to Feature Requests at 9:05 PM (26 comments total)

This came up tonight as I frantically try to find someone to buy my Lollapalooza tickets. Seems trust becomes a real issue with last minute sales like this, particularly when there is distance involved. My first thought was "I wonder if some MeFite needs a good deal on a pair of passes?", but there isn't really an appropriate venue yet. Thoughts?
posted by FlamingBore at 9:05 PM on July 20, 2005

Well, wouldn't an Ask MeFi "Does any mefite in the Albuquerque region want to buy my ticket to Lollapalooza?" serve as an starting point?
posted by nkyad at 9:33 PM on July 20, 2005

i don't think that would go over well in askmefi.
posted by justgary at 9:42 PM on July 20, 2005

Is that not perfect for Ebay?
posted by dreamsign at 9:57 PM on July 20, 2005

I don't think AskMe should be used for that. It already scrolls by fast enough. AskMe is about knowledge exchange, not goods, services and money exchange.

I don't think we should use MeFi or MeTa for that either.

And damnit, if we're adding a whole new page to this hornschwaggle boondoggle, we need a politics section or a revamped AskMe first.

I don't know how comfortable I would be with any direct member-based commerce happening on MeFi. It just seems like it would make thing awfully complex and even more contentious.

On one hand, I'd love to try to sell my art posters here, and I would love to what other homebrew stuff the talented MeFi userbase has to offer, but it's not the place for it.

On the other hand, next thing we know we've got everyone and their brother linking to amazon affiliate links, cafepress stores, ebay auctions, and worse. This really isn't the place for it.

Also my paranoid hind-brain wants to say: "This looks and smells like a thinly-veiled attempt to sell unwanted Lollapalooza tickets. If he wanted to just bring up the idea, wouldn't it be more appropriate to not mention the fact that he just happened to have some tickets he was trying to sell, ASAP?"

What's wrong with craigslist, besides the obvious?
posted by loquacious at 10:03 PM on July 20, 2005

Yeah, I would like to do a section of metafilter for listing stuff for sale. It could be really basic at first, just letting people list stuff for sale, then break it into categories, then expand as needed.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:06 PM on July 20, 2005

Yeah, I would like to do a section of metafilter for listing stuff for sale.

...but I'm already swamped with every other pony. Also, I have a life to lead and a newborn to worry about, so good luck with that.

/reading mathowies mind
posted by puke & cry at 10:14 PM on July 20, 2005

/reading mathowies mind

you have no idea how right you are.

For the record, I still have the mefi projects announcement site pretty much done awaiting a couple hours of tweaks and programming. I'd like to do a simple Jobs site, where any member can list job announcements that only other members can see contact info to apply, and I'd like to do the for sale stuff as another section.

But my afterwork hours are completely swamped with the baby, and I have no time to blog or take photos or even exercise, much less program new stuff. I'm hoping the weekends will be kind to me this summer and I can make some headway on all those fronts.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:23 PM on July 20, 2005

I have a slightly used pistol I need to unload fast!!
No questions asked! None answered!
Already has three other people's fingerprints on it.
Don't get it registered in your name.

*Balisong has (178+) rating. *
Email any questions.
posted by Balisong at 10:37 PM on July 20, 2005

matt,

I hesitate to say it but wait until she starts walking. It keeps getting better and better while still getting scarier and scarier (my boy just turned 1).

I would bet that there are plenty of members with the skills, desire and time to help on some of those projects. But the ponies sound excellent!

Balisong, that a .45 or a nine?
posted by fenriq at 10:40 PM on July 20, 2005

Actually a couple of 9mm's but I think I'll keep 'em.
It's nice to have a few weapons no one officially knows you have.

They'll go great in my next "drop box". I made my last one right before Y2K.
posted by Balisong at 11:01 PM on July 20, 2005

Also, selling GPS locations to pre-burried "drop boxes".
All contain:
Water, 20 yr. shelf life food, a tent or makeshift shelter, various weapons with ammo, flashlight and batteries, medicinals including narcotic and non-narcotic pain relievers, wound dressing, betadine, knives, suture thread and needles, reading material/ news clippings on why I decided to make this drop box, psycadellic halucinogens, rubik's cube, assorted gear to help you through the rough times.
posted by Balisong at 11:22 PM on July 20, 2005

Yeah, I would like to do a section of metafilter for listing stuff for sale.

Well, I stand corrected. Again, I'd love to see what kind of homebrew commerce could arise.

Also, the live preview thingy is awesome but way weird!
posted by loquacious at 12:18 AM on July 21, 2005

But my afterwork hours are completely swamped with the baby, and I have no time to blog or take photos or even exercise, much less program new stuff.

She tried to tell you this would happen.
posted by timeistight at 12:55 AM on July 21, 2005

Soon, Metafilter will control the world.
posted by crunchland at 2:10 AM on July 21, 2005

But my afterwork hours are completely swamped with the baby, and I have no time to blog or take photos or even exercise, much less program new stuff. I'm hoping the weekends will be kind to me this summer and I can make some headway on all those fronts.
You wish. Try the summer of 2020 if you are lucky.
posted by dg at 3:29 AM on July 21, 2005

Good to know on all fronts. Thanks Matt and of course no hurry.

FYI - I thought of MeFi after some bugger bid on them at eBay and has failed to pay leaving me in the lurch.
posted by FlamingBore at 4:49 AM on July 21, 2005

oh, and nkyad - I think the really trouble comes from the fact that Lollapalooza is only in Chicago this year. Where I'll be on Friday night, but still won't be going to the show.
posted by FlamingBore at 6:29 AM on July 21, 2005

FB: You trust MeFites?
posted by matildaben at 6:38 AM on July 21, 2005

Sad, huh?
posted by FlamingBore at 7:27 AM on July 21, 2005

I trust some MeFites.

FlamingBore, you can offer the item to the next highest bidder and file a complaint against the non-payer. It won't get you paid by them but it will help to let others know that they aren't who you want to win your auction.
posted by fenriq at 9:49 AM on July 21, 2005

I WANT THOSE TICKETS
posted by Homeskillet Freshy Fresh at 11:25 AM on July 21, 2005

I trust MeFites. I invited boo_radley (and a friend) to share a hotel room with me (and several of my friends) in LA for E3. I had never met them, and I had never talked to them about anything besides logistics before they were in the room with hundreds of dollars of our video game equipment. The week went great.

I trust MeFites.
posted by Plutor at 11:47 AM on July 21, 2005

In the meantime, Flaming, perhaps you could try posting to www.metachat.org. Their mods would likely be fine with that.
posted by orange swan at 12:01 PM on July 21, 2005

fenriq - thanks. Ordinarily that would have worked, but there was no other bidder & with time constraints it just didn't fly. I've since found a buyer at Craigslist who was willing to deal with the challenges and I'm crossing my fingers that it will all come together tomorrow evening.

Homeskillet Freshly Fresh - if you're serious, I'm sorry, I didn't see this in time. Feel free to email me and ID yourself and if my buyer falls through I'll call you tomorrow night.
posted by FlamingBore at 1:12 PM on July 21, 2005

I posted an askmefi question about how/where to best sell my iMac. Got a lot of good suggestions but in the end sold it to a member of mefi who contacted me. We both made the transaction with nothing to back us up except that we both were long time members.

I've never really used ebay, and without a track record it would have been hard for me to sell such a big ticket item. It went down flawlessly.

So I'd be for it.
posted by justgary at 3:25 PM on July 21, 2005