neighborhood sale day, commercial notes need to have a community benefit
attached to be within the forum scope and mission.
Craigslist is a great place to sell stuff, but things that cost money should
have a local benefit be it 5% to x local charity,free music, etc.
I've let the occassional room for rent or sale notice go by etc. without
comment, but the three notices in 24 hours could unleash an unintended
change in forum use.
I would love to have the tech so we can have a Thrifty Thursday digest as
well as some opportunities for sponsorship, etc. but we do not yet. (Anyone
here a Python/ Zope programmer or want to donate toward some new tech
features?)
Because this is sort of a gray area, don't feel bad if you tried to sell
things on the forum before. It hasn't been a real problem.
Based on other forums in other cities, I do know that if we encouraged open
commerce it would probably jump to 80% of the exchange and eclipse the
community life advice sharing and the civic issues outside of our mission.
So, I'll be gather input soon on our forum charter and forum description to
define the grey area more specifically so we don't need a complete ban on
commericial exchange.
For now, here the good ways around our constraints:
1. Businesses or individual with goods or services in particular live within
in a neighborhood can reply to queries from forum members. Key is the
"customer" taking the initiative first. Members can also recommend
businesses outside the neighborhood who serve the area in replies.
2. Pick a local charity or cause as a benefit for a percent of the proceeds
from your garage sale or major item ... state that clearly in your post. If
community benefit can be generated, go for it.
3. Use our home-based business topic to announce your local business once a
year - http://forums.e-democracy.org/groups/mpls-staneric/topics.html
I am open to ideas about new special topics to create channeling some
commerce into a topic ... like a Garage Sales 2011" topic for those adding a
charity benefit, donating to the forum a small amount, or having a forum
poster and signing up at least five new members on paper. What would you
like to see in a special topic: <email obscured>
Garage sales might be a specific thing we can "channel" so to speak. I've
also thought about a Youth Work topic for baby sitting, shoveling, lawns,
etc.
4. Definitely announce the grand openings, open houses, special community
spirited events, free music, etc. hosted by local small businesses.
5. If you are not sure if a post passes muster, ask me! I'd be glad to help:
<email obscured>
Steven Clift
<email obscured> - +1 612 234 7072
http://stevenclift.com - @democracy