DIS Auctions instead of Rent/Trade board

[wdwendyd]

I was just over at the DVC Rent/Trade board and saw this announcement:
Important Announcement Regarding This Board....please Read
Effective July 1st, we will no longer allow the general postings of Rent/Trade offers. Instead, all such transactions will have to be done through our on-line auction (DISAuctions), which launches on July 1. Just wanted to give everyone a heads up on this.

Thanks,
Pete
_________________
Does anyone have more information on this?

 

[ripleysmom]

Hmm....that's interesting....

 

[Desperado]

Bummer, I hate to see that change. The rent trade board was a nice friendly area one could look for additional points.

Did we take a survey to see what our customers perferred? Is there a general concensus that the auction is preferred over the old style board?

If I pay to become a sponsor, does that give me voting rights? Was there a survey of sponsor's only? (Which would be fine with me, I just wonder if any users were asked about this change, sponsors or not.)

Perhaps even a poll on this subject might reveal customer preferences.

 

[SamSam]

Hmmmmm, I hate to see the rent/trade board end. I wonder what the reasoning is behind the change.

 

[chris1gill]

I agree with everyone, I'm a little disappointed in this change. Does that mean that other DIS'ers (ourselves included) would have to bid on an "auction" in order to rent points?

 

[Peterd]

I don't sell my points, nor have I had any reason to rent additional points but I wonder how good an auction is since someone who has let's say 250 points to rent would need to be able to break the points down , or make a few separate ressies. What if a member needs say 9 points to complete a ressie, how will they "rent" these points at an auction?

 

[Lewisc]

I agree, in most cases negotiations will work better than a straight auction. As others have posted too many variables (only want some of the points, can you get the reservations you want, do you trust the bidder). Maybe Pete needs to charge a small fee for listing.

 

[mooses41]

I think things should stay the way they are. Making it an auction would only turn a great board into a place like ebay.

-But, I'm not one to be against something and not offer a solution, so here it is.

Webmasters, I understand that to keep the site up, money is needed and the rent trade board looks like a great place to make a comission by making it auctions. However, i suggest that a fee is charged to use/post on/browse he rent/trade board. Such as a yearly fee of 5 dolars. It would be like tug. Or perhaps just charge to be able to post on it, not browse. Then, you would keep the same format, but still make money. Plus, in some cases you would make more money because someon would only offer one amount of points up for a year.


Webmaster Pete or another webmaster, please post or pm me w/ your opinions on this.

 

[VickiVM]

I had an eloquent post about the relationships I established in making my decision to rent points from an owner...then my computer acted up and expired my page.

Anyway, the gist of it was that I don't think as someone who was a little nervous about the whole transaction I would have gone forward with it without the various posting back and forth and PM's regarding the variables of the whole process. Someone replied to my post about renting points, we emailed back and forth until we came up with a rather flexible and affordable agreement. He allowed me to put 25% down to secure the ressie (since I had over $600 tied up at WDTC for AS's), and pay it out up to 60 days out of ressie. It's now 90 & some odd days out and I finished paying out the last 25%.

It is the very nature of the kind of casual and flexible forum that the Rent/Trade board is that allowed me to take my time, ask questions and research this decision. I will probably seriously consider renting again (one of WDW's best kept secrets), but would not be comfortable in an EBay/Priceline kind of structure. I would, however, gladly pay a small fee for the transaction if the "hook-up" was established on the Rent/Trade board.

 

[Dean]

The other 2 threads on this topic have vanished, moved, closed; whatever actually happened. I'll post here what I intended to post on the one on this board that was "moved". I like the current rent/trade BBS. I am however a guest here and will attempt to act as such. Pete is the owner and if he decides to make changes, that is his choice. I will respect that no matter the outcome. I'd recommend others consider doing the same. At least wait until actual details are available before deciding if things are OK or not.

 

[Niagara2]

Rent trade has always been a friendly place to help each other. I was once Given for free, yes free, 68 points that were to expire in a week. I was at OKW, the kind DIS;er transfered them into my account and MS came through and we stayed am extra 4 days. I was so lucky and the kind person wouldn't give me his address as he knew I wanted to send him something. I was so touched that three times I have given points to members on the rent trade board that needed just a few to make a ressie. Once it was 4 points and twice 2 points. The Point is, rent trade has a difference use than auction. Maybe auctions would be good too, but I would like to see it as an addition, not a replacement. JMHO!

 

[WebmasterPete]

Okay, I hate to sound nasty about this but....

Since you're all so unhappy about the change, I'll leave things as they are. But when there isn't enough money to pay for these servers, you'll know why. I find it interesting that not one of the people "complaining" about this is a site sponsor. You like this site, then help pay for it, because it's getting more and more difficult each month for me to do it.

That's the reason we decided to make it auction based. The entire thing MAY have cost $5 to post and a number of aspects were brought into consideration before time. But, I'll defer to your wishes and leave the rent trade board as it is.

Nothing like people who get something for free then ***** about it afterwards.

Sorry, I've been sick for the last three days I'm tired of seeing posts like this, especially from a man who was a former moderator on this site.

Pete

 

[Deb8821]

I too have rented points for what I consider quite a bit of cash. I dont think I would feel comfortable bidding on points. I guess I just wouldn't do it this way. I really liked the fact I could ask the rentee questions before I was committed to the transaction. Plus I believe the current board allows for more give and take (more date and resort options back and forth) between rentee and rentor. I am not sure how this would be accomplished by an auction. I am open to watching how it works but I dont quite get how it will work at this point. I guess we just have to wait and see . . . . .

 

[Richyams]

I haven't commented because while I rarely, not in many years, use the board, think it is great the way it is, I fully understand the cost of running this site. MuffinPC, my company has begun to host, Pete, maybe I could offer a deal


I have been meaning, but never gotten around to, to become a site sponser. One of the reasons(rationalizations) that I haven't is that I was afraid that people would think that the only way I could be as 'contreversial' as I am is because I was a site sponser. Pardon me while I get around to it.

How soon do I get the thingy under my name??????

 

[Richyams]

Lets see if the thingy under your name comes up right away.

 

[Richyams]

I guess not.....

 

[Richyams]

By the way, Pete, why don't you post more like you used to?

Is it me????

 

[wdwendyd]

I'm going to become a site sponser, too! I was kind of waiting to see how this auction thing was going to go. So since you are being kind enough to keep this board the same, I better show my appreciation and "put my money where my mouth is"!

 

[Richyams]

Let's see who's thingy shows up first.

I bet there are others who have been holding out or procrastinating(me). I have been on this site since nearly the begining. I really do appreciate what Pete has put together for us.

I do hope to meet him at a WDW DISmeet one day.

 

[kem330]

Pete, give people a chance to show you the money! I think it's great you are keeping the board as is, but isn't there a way to charge a user fee? Equivalent to what the auction would bring in? How complicated is it to set up a subscription to the Rent/trade board? I am computer illiterate, so if it's too costly to set up, maybe you can restrict postings to site sponsors only? I appreciate the great service you provide, sorry I procrastinated as well on signing up as a sponsor. Maybe this will remind us all!