Thread: New Vendor rules.. Update 12/21/2010

Hello Vendors!

SRP is dedicated to helping you be successful and assisting you in every way we can. We appreciate that you make good equipment available to our members, thereby making our site an even more attractive place to be. In order to make your participation in the site a success, for yourselves and for the SRP community at large, we have compiled a set of basic rules. These rules detail the resources being made available to you by SRP, and their proper use. In general, while we encourage you to participate in all areas of the site, we ask you to restrict advertising products and/or commercial website to the avenues described below.

What is a vendor?

SRP makes a distinction between commercial vendors ("vendor") and hobby sellers. Before you advertise on SRP, you have to ask yourself into which of these categories you fit. If you are a vendor, you must seek vendor status with SRP. You are a vendor, if you meet any or all of these criteria......

1. have a commercial website on which you offer shaving related products;
2. listed items for sale in the Classifieds on a regular basis.
3. buy or make items with the sole intent to re-sell them.

By this definition, you do not qualify as a vendor, if you...

1. only sell excess equipment not required for personal use any more;
2. liquidate (parts of) your personal collection
   

If I am a vendor, can I still use the classifieds?

Yes, you can, but on the condition that the items you list in the Classifieds are not listed on your commercial website, or sold through any other commercial channel (such as an auction site).

While we allow vendors to offer personal equipment, we want to make it very clear that marketeering will not be tolerated, and will result in your vendor status being revoked, and all your advertisements being deleted.

Here are two examples:

1. gsonegun is a commercial vendor offering razors and restorations. He has been using a vintage ACME brush he restored, but for which he has no use any more, and therefore wants to sell through the Classifieds. He is allowed to do that, as long as he does not also list the brush on his commercial website, or eBay.
2. gstwogun is also commercial vendor offering razors and restorations. He also wants to offer his used restored ACME brush through the Classifieds. However, in order to increase the visibility of his offer, he is also posting a picture of it in the restoration and brush forums, as well as the Vendor Corner. This is not allowed.

What is the Vendor Approval Panel?

In order to deal fairly with all vendor related issues, SRP has installed a Vendor Approval Panel ("panel"). We have done this as fairly as we possibly can. Five of the Senior Mods make up the panel: two are vendors themselves, three are not. The panel will make all final decisions on vendor applications and approvals.

The Vendor Corner is now a permission-only forum in which only approved vendors can post. Existing vendors should note that privileges may be revoked by the panel.

We do not allow what we refer to as marketeering or “Drive-by Vendors.” If your intention is only to sell products and not be an active contributor to this community, then SRP is not the place for you.

As a vendor, how may I use SRP for commercial activities?

1. SRP Ads. SRP offers the purchase of ad space. These ads, which get rotated by the website software, are the best way to make yourself known on the forums. If you are interested in advertising on SRP, you can find the necessary information at SRP advertising. SRP Ads are available for all parts of the site, including the Wiki.
   
2. The Vendor's Corner. In here, and only in here, you can advertise yourself. We require that posts be substantial, such as telling everyone about yourself if you are new to the site, or letting everyone know about your latest and greatest special that we all just have to have. Posting unsubstantial replies in order to make your own threads more visible is not allowed. Each vendor may start two new threads in the Vendor's Corner per month.
   
3. Reviews. SRP has a section dedicated to reviews of shaving related goods. Having your products reviewed by experienced members is an excellent way to make users aware of the quality of your products. If you send samples of your goods or work to a member of SRP's management team, you will receive one or more expert reviews. The review will go into the Reviews area for posterity, and be placed on the front page. It is be a great way to get word out about a new product and to bring traffic to your website.
4. Custom makers and restorers can post their finished goods in The Custom Builts and Restorations Forum. Items should be truly custom or restored, not just 'look what I wiped down with MAAS'. You may not advertise the product itself. This is a forum for showcasing work, not for selling it. Any discussions of price should be through private messages ("PM") or e-mail, but never in the forum or chat room.
5. All vendors must copy and paste the Vendor application, fill it out completely, and send it by PM to Glen (gssixgun). This application will then be considered by the Vendor panel.

If there is something else you would like to do, we will consider new ideas. Email Dave (dwessell) for suggestions.

Please remember that the ability to sell your products and services on SRP is a privilege extended by the Owner and the Admins of this site. It is not a right of membership. Selling products on SRP is not free, but we do give you a choice of how to pay. The easiest way is to contact Dave (dwessell) and purchase rotating banners on SRP. This helps the site cover the cost of operation. The other way to pay is through your active participation in the forums. Most vendors know their products and areas of expertise and can answer questions and share their knowledge with the other members of the forum.

After all, the whole purpose of this site is to get everyone a better shave



Update: 12/21/2010

Anyone that is not at least a "Member" in good standing need not apply ie: no Junior Members can apply, we would actually rather see only Senior Members apply, for vendor status (do not try and post a ton of useless posts to get your post count up, we will check)

Look under your user name for your status

We are removing Vendor badges from anyone who does not participate on the forum, with quality posts... Again SRP is here first and foremost to promote wet shaving in general and straight razors in particular we are not a storefront...

Please Copy and paste this to a PM and send to Gssixgun/Glen


Vendor Questionnaire

Name:

Name of Company:

Website:

Email:


Main Products sold:

Services Offered:


How long in business:


Do you ship internationally:



Do you offer other payment sources then Paypal:
Other forms of payment:



Do you guarantee your products / services:
How:

Thank you for filling out our Vendor Application...
One of the Moderators will be in touch with any questions, and to let you know when you can start posting in the Vendor's Corner... Please take this time to Review our vendor policies before your first post

I would like to thank the Vendors that are obviously active on the site and are already sending in Apps...

I am going to be going through the Vendor Forum for the next few days and getting a list of Active Vendors to Bruno and he will start handing out badges...
Most of you, we already know, and we can see who is active and who is not...

Don't panic !!! the badges will be going out slowly, and we are not turning the switch for a little while yet...

Nobody is going to be left out if they want to be listed as a vendor is what I am telling you...

Keep in mind Bruno is only one person, and so am I, plus we are taking our time on this and trying to get it all set in place before we make the change over....

All vendors need to read the rules again, and look at the update...