Greta, you do understand that this wasn't started as an auction thread where people put bids, right? It was an announcement of a bunch of Ebay auctions that Peter put up. Any actual bidding has to take place on Ebay, not here. So if posts that aren't bids can't go on this thread, then you should probably just close the thread.
paul... I guess you got the point of my post then, eh? Yes, I am aware that this thread is just an announcement of auctions on ebay. Which would mean that it shouldn't be here at all. If anything, it belongs at the MarketPlace in the "Other auction notices" forum.
As I posted earlier, the "fine line" has officially been crossed. There have been no hard-fast "rules" for this forum... the CPF Custom Builders and Modders forum. It seemed that there didn't need to be. Those who have their own sub-forums here seemed to have understood the concept of this forum and the creation of "rules" seemed unnecessary. I believe those days are now over.
As posted
HERE:
Manufacturer: A manufacturer is commercially involved as a maker of goods produced independently of significant input and/or participation/involvement from CPF's membership, and doesn't significantly produce any goods through such significant input and/or participation/involvement. The use of an outside retail and/or wholesale business website is not necessarily a requirement or an exclusion for manufacturer status on CPF or CPFMP.
Custom Builders & Modders: For the purposes of any forums associated with CandlePowerForums, (CPF proper, the MarketPlace, the Underground), a custom builder or modder can be a manufacturer. However, the distinction would be that the manufacturer started their business here on CPF and is still with us, at least to a reasonable extent. A few examples would be McGizmo, The Sandwich Shoppe, Arc, Peak, Lumencraft, Barbolight, and a few others. A few examples of Custom Modders would be cmacclel, milkyspit, and several others. (Please do not assume that if you are not specifically named here, you do not qualify. I just don't have time to list everyone).
As most of you can see, the line is indeed very fine. But I do think that at this point, it isn't difficult to see that it has been crossed. Peter is no longer the manufacturer of the Arc flashlight. He is a manufacturer's rep. That in itself does not DISqualify the Arc sub-forum from being allowed to be here. "Significant input and/or particaption/involvement from CPF's membership" is where things get murky. From my own observations and speaking for no one but myself, I'd have to say that there has been little to none of that in the case of the Arc6. However, the CPF membership sure has supported Peter and this product and has been very anxiously awaiting it's availability to them.
Perhaps the "line" is where the long anticipated product is being sold and the manner in which it is being sold. The very consumers who have been the biggest supporters (and to which a good portion of the credit for it's perceived value and popularity belongs) are having to compete to own this product not by it's availability but by the size of their wallet. Many of them feel betrayed. And who can blame them? Sure, these auctions are a marketing technique and very well could turn out to be a good one for the manufacturer. But it also smacks of the term "biting the hand that feeds you". (my opinion, of course).
Will there be more Arc6's after these 100 (give or take) are auctioned off on ebay? Who knows? Is this a way for the manufacturer to get the most out of what has already been produced, cut their losses on the project and move on to another? Who knows? We've seen before on CPF where a "limited edition" of a flashlight with a "limited # created" turned out not to be the case at all. We all suffered from that. Is this another case of that? Who knows? One could speculate all day and probably not even come close to the truth.
The point is though that the idea for the very existance of this forum and it's sub-forums came from none other than Peter himself. The Arc flashlight was born here on CPF. Peter Gransee became a household name in the flashlight industry because of CPF. The members of CPF felt that Peter and the Arc flashlight deserved to be spotlighted on CPF. The members of CPF
WANTED to support Peter and the Arc flashlight. "The little guys"... remember when we referred to Arc as that? With Surefire and Maglite and Streamlight being "the big guys"? We were damn proud of our "little guys" and still are. And we support them wholeheartedly with our enthusiasm, input, participation, involvement, spotlighting and.... our wallets.
The question now is, what is or should be allowed in these "little guys" forums? I guess that for me it is the marketing. These forums should be for the purpose of developing and selling a product. As I posted earlier, selling the products in this forum has been fine. Occasional auctions of one or two
CUSTOM items has been fine. Where I believe the line has been crossed is that these lights are not for sale here on CPF. They are not even for auction here on CPF. This flashlight is
NOT available for purchase to the very people who supported it's very existance and supported Peter. And while I don't have a problem with a company doing business in a manner which they feel is best for them, I feel that this type of business practice does not belong in a forum here on CPF that was created to represent and support "the little guys". This type of marketing more closely resembles "the big guys".
I and many other CPF members have worked very hard to maintain the integrity and original concept of CPF... that of the discussion of lights and their technology, as well as shining a spotlight on those "little guys" who give freely of themselves and their talents to the community. And so with that, I feel that if Peter would like to continue with this type of marketing, it is only fair that he take it to the MarketPlace. Either to the Manufacturer's Corner or the Other auction notices forum. I really don't care which. I'm glad that Peter and the Arc flashlight have made it to "the big guys" and I wish them the best of luck and prosperity in the future. As with all other graduations, this one too should be celebrated... :twothumbs
As for closing this thread? Soon. Remember that it isn't
WHAT you say, it's
HOW you say it.