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Selling... for a friend

This is sort of an open letter to the directors and membership here.

I made this post because I think it deserves discussion by the membership. Today I posted an ad for a friend who is getting out of the hobby. I was notified that the ad was taken down because I am not allowed to sell an item for a friend and that the friend would have to join the club to sell his items.

Really I thought they were joking because even though I haven't been here that long, maybe a year or 2, I have seen many ads titles "Selling... for a friend." So I responded, that its kinda normal here to sell something for a friend, it's done all the time. A search for "selling for a friend" on the site showed many hits where people were making posts for friends and answering WTB with "my friend has..." At least one of the posts even had the moderator "like" the post when it was marked as sold. The posts were closed but still up. Since then it looks like all of the posts I was pointing to were removed.

So first I wanted to let everyone know that this seems to be the "new" rule enforced. I was told that the rule is not new and it does not say you have to own what you are selling, but its the spirit of the rule and being enforced now.

Second, I wanted to say that even if this was a legitimate rule, it doesn't make any sense at all. Here's why, someone getting out of the hobby is not going to join a reef club, particularly not a New Jersey reef club when they may, like my friend, be moving to Florida. So lets go back to the reason for formation of this club in the first place, it's not meant to be a clique or something other than an actual reef club. That is, it's meant to introduce like minded people to the hobby and facilitate knowledge, friendship, trade and promotion of conservation, at least that's what I believe. Every now and then someone is getting out of the hobby, that means that at some point in time they will have to break down their tank and sell everything inside and the tank itself. Well what happens if they cannot sell it for the price they want? They have to sell it for less or give it away for free. I only brought what will eventually be a firesale and freebie fest, but its not wanted.

Not to knock the club, everyone I have met here has been great I don't have any personal issues with anyone but maybe the volunteers here could spend more time recruiting more membership and creating a greater presence. I don't know first hand but I've been told that the club has seen better days.

I volunteer for many things and I know that as a volunteer I have limited time and resources to promote whatever it is I am doing, like my HOA, food banks, shelters etc., So what I'm saying is that you guys can be great, but maybe just change your focus a little, try to look at things in a different way, find out what works and what doesn't. Chasing pet peeves and enforcing rules in an arbitrary manner will just drive people away.

I will remain a member for now but I have ended my automatic enrollment.
 

DYIguy

NJRC Member
Rules are rules- I get it- unfortunately for you, this post and your beef will just disappear
 
I remember seeing various "selling for a friend" posts on here. Even people posting stuff from randoms that they found on marketplace. It's kind of a weird rule. It's also weird that they're trying to make money off of it when the whole point of even paying for a membership is for club events and such, which there hasn't been anything for a while? I was holding off on paying for a membership until stuff opened back up from covid and to see if maybe the club gained some life as there's only ever the same 5 people that post stuff
 

Salted

NJRC Member
I remember seeing various "selling for a friend" posts on here. Even people posting stuff from randoms that they found on marketplace. It's kind of a weird rule. It's also weird that they're trying to make money off of it when the whole point of even paying for a membership is for club events and such, which there hasn't been anything for a while? I was holding off on paying for a membership until stuff opened back up from covid and to see if maybe the club gained some life as there's only ever the same 5 people that post stuff
Without having had any club events maybe all members should get a free renewal.
 

amado

Dal
Staff member
Board of Directors
NJRC Member
Let me say this. I have found more NJ residents
That post and sell on Manhattanreef.com.
I have meet local NJ reefers that don’t support njreef
But post in other reefing sites.

The rules are the rules but I think our hobby is changing
And to keep this site alive we need to change and adapt.
I believe members should be able to sell/trade corals or equipment with no limitation.

I think that the rules that worked 10yrs ago don’t
Work now.

I think we need to change with the times.

In this case I believe you should be able to sell anything as long as it’s reef related and a paid member.
 
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I agree 100% with this post.

I had a similar experience and it really soured this group for me. The mod that took my post down was super nice about it but the rule itself seems extremely counter productive.
 

erics210

NJRC Member
I probably would have been guilty of this last week if not so lazy.
My next door neighbor bought a house in Florida. Renting this one, but physically wont be here for at least a year.
Had a 35 Hex freshwater set up and was asking me to list it for him.

I checked it out and said since its not reef ready they will not be in line to buy it. Better to use the Marketplace, sold for $50- and I helped him tear it down for the guy picking up.

I am guessing the "Selling for a friend" and having actual pics is to prevent scams, which were rampant, actually still are on Marketplace.
I am not sure if there is a cut and dry solution.

Then again if you are selling hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of equipment, you pay ebay and paypal 15%. $20 to become a member doesnt seem all that bad and many of the people who Get Out....get sucked back in. lol
 

MadReefer

Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
In addition some members approach the Board and get permission to post "For Sale" for friends. I cannot comment on how decisions / exceptions are made but I have seen plenty of them.
 
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kschweer

Administrator
Staff member
Officer Emeritus
Moderator
Play this scenario out. I sell you a tank that is my friends. The tank leaks once you set it up. You contact me about it and I tell you “oh it was my friends, he lives in Florida now, you can take it up with him but I’m not giving you his name because he’s a private person”.

I’m sure the thread about that would be much angrier lol.
 

kschweer

Administrator
Staff member
Officer Emeritus
Moderator
From what I saw (and just looked at again) he was selling directly for his friend, not directing to a sale on Facebook or elsewhere.
 

Hockeynut

NJRC Member
All this bickering is why the club is where it is right now, why you always hear how great the club used to be.
I will not take sides in this matter except to say,
Quit the ********, this is supposed to be fun not more drama.
 
calling out drama in the way is drama itself. But I agree. Stupid drama. Membership cancelled, I’m out. Good luck everyone
 

amado

Dal
Staff member
Board of Directors
NJRC Member
I don’t believe this is bickering. I think this is a normal
Conversation. In order for this club to work you need
To look at different points of view.

Like I said before I am a member of a few reefclubs.
Manhattanreefs.com doesn’t have a limit for sale post.
You can post as much as you like.

Like I said before I see a lot of NJ reefers on that site.
I don’t ever see people from that site on NJreefs.
That site also has a lot of post and alot of activity.

On this site you don’t have the traffic.
 
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