Re: [Killietalk] Aquabid vs BNL - I prefer BNL

[Wright Huntley <whuntley at verizon_net>]

Sue Katz wrote:
> snip...
> Yes, I have had trouble selling fish through the BNL as well.  Several people have gotten fish and never responded to multiple requests for payment or return of my scarce boxes.  And that strains my resources.  But at least I know they got the fish.
>
> By going through the AKA F&E List, I try to distribute the fish to people who know - or want to learn - about these fish. Yes, I see greater variety on Aquabid.  And, yes, if  you want to make money, then Aquabid is probably a better place to sell your fish.
>
> However, for me, my biggest thing is distributing fish to those who will work with them.  And again, going through AKA, your organization devoted to killifish, rather than Aquabid helps keep this group of people together and focused on a common goal - promoting killies, rather than everyone out for him/herself.
>   
I heartily agree with Sue's final paragraph. Very well said!

To that I would add that the BNL F&E has served as a wonderful 
nomenclature "fixer" over the years, which is one service that only a 
national authority can provide, effectively. That is, to set nation-wide 
standards and get folks to abide by them (as much as herding cats is 
ever possible). ;-)

The first of the quoted paragraphs, above, illustrates one of the big 
shortcomings of the F&E listing -- there simply is no feedback 
mechanism. COE procedures are a bit too cumbersome to handle such small 
problems.

Web auction software (several programs are available cheap or free) all 
provides some method for providing feedback on both buyers and sellers, 
so they can establish the kind of reputation they want, entirely by 
their own actions. Likewise, local clubs quickly allow a new person to 
guess who is solid and who may be a bit flaky. The rumor mill handles 
that surprisingly well. The only feedback we get on BNL advertisers is 
(sometimes) through notes here on killietalk. Buyers almost never get 
rated. That just isn't enough, IMO.

I guess I am among those who have decided the F&E/BNL thing is a fairly 
uninteresting dinosaur, that has outlived its usefulness in its present 
form. Putting "stuff" in a pretty electronic package means we are still 
just getting/sending "stuff." [Apologies to the Chairman and those brave 
and very sincere folks who hang in and still advertise, there. I DO love 
your ads and column.]

[Caution: sincere personal opinions about to be espoused!]

I'd like to see the Affiliates Chair contacting all the clubs, getting 
all their newsletters, and/or going to their web sites, and then writing 
about 3-4 BNL pages of "What has been happening and what is coming up" 
at each affiliate, every month. What volunteer tasks have they taken on? 
What aquarium societies have they addressed? What new and unusual fish 
have they had in their auction?

If AKA wants to be in the trading loop, and if the forums don't hack it, 
I'd be in favor of setting up an auction (with COE rules) right at the 
AKA web site. Modern software makes such auctions virtually 
self-running. All AKA would need to do was nomenclature policing (keep 
the on-line name dictionary current and accurate) and dispute 
resolution. Sellers might be restricted to members, but buyers should be 
anyone from the public willing to register and provide accurate personal 
information. [Well? We do want to promote the fish to the public, don't we?]

Suggesting stuff that takes work carries a corresponding obligation to 
volunteer. Whenever an opening happens in that Affiliates Chair 
position, please consider me as a possible candidate. Don't appoint me. 
though, if you don't want a major shakeup in how we communicate about 
our fish and our various affiliate programs. It certainly won't just be 
via the venerable old BNL format. :-)

Wright

-- 
Wright Huntley - Rt. 001 Box K36, Bishop CA 93514 - whuntley at verizon_net  760 937-2276 (cell) 760 872-3995.

"I find it necessary to remind myself firmly that the customs of my own tribe are not the laws of nature."          Robert A Heinlein

http://www.self-gov.org/wspq.html 

Join the AKA at http://www.aka.org/aka/modules/content/index.php?id=9.
Archives are at http://fins.actwin.com/killietalk/
Modify your subscription at http://www.actwin.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/killietalk