Dark question - video trade rip off?

[Bagelfather]

As for the Canadian video trader, has it been 11 days or more? It takes that long for a package to get from here to there, Bagelfather. Trust me on this. I've mailed stuff to and from your location repeated to a particular place here in Canada, as ya know. It's 10 days for a letter, 11 for a package shipped first class, and longer if they ship it at lower priority.

Thanks Dave. Actually I didn't post this "complaint" until it had been 5 weeks. The guy would regularly harass me in email and MSN that he hadn't gotten my tape.

The good news (of sorts) is that the tape I traded was one I had bought thinking it would be great but was only ho-hum (I'm puprosefully leaving out the title and company to avoid FURTHER heated debate).

the title I was trading for was another one that I was interested but couldn't tell if it was any good.

Mostly I'm out the cost of postage and a lesson learned. I have posted here so that others can be spared this experience. If I find his "general address" (not exact but the city and his name) I'll post it as a further warning.

We are a niche market so the effects of trading and buying used effect the bottom line. However, I do buy first run stuff as well and buying a used copy from someone I'm not familiar with gives me an idea of what the video company is like without shelling out more money than I care to risk.

Future sales of vidoes/dvds on the used market needs to be taken into account when pricing your videos, period. If a a few dollars are figured into this cost then the losses are minimal down the road. All factors must be accounted for. It's not an easy balancing act between reasonable pricing and what the customer is willing to pay.

The used market has effected music, video, clothing, cars, etc for decades. I'm not a retailer or have a lot of retail knowledge but I'm sure there are books on how to best deal with the market other than to beg and plead people not to do it.

If you're a writer who goes through a small publishing distribution and produce maybe 1000 copies of a book, are you going to yell at the public library for buying five copies and lending them to people? The library lends books (not always from big name publishers) and these people don't go out and buy the book since they can borrow a copy. How is that more or less fair?

Most of the feelings are because we KNOW the people (sometimes in person) that make these videos and so we have a special attatchment.

So forgetting trading online... is it any differnet if your friend Bob goes "hey you'll like this video" and lends you one from a company and you watch it a few times and return it. You didn't buy it? You could have bought it and seen enough after 1 or 2 months just as easily. Is your friend bad for lending it?

Honestly this all started out as a friendly warning and asking for feedback. I think we had this debate a while back.

With a few exceptions I think most people who buy or trade videos online with other people don't do it with malicioius intent. I know when I sold off several of my movies the first thing I did was take the money and buy NEW videos from the producers.

that's it for now, I'm going to bed.

 

[dvnc]

Heckuva reply, Bagelfather. 5 weeks to reciprocate a trade is embarrassingly bad. Sorry to see you're bein' taught somethin' thusly. Hate it when you nice folks get rooked.

The trade of videos is a tough one. The library example is one that's oft used in contest to the argument, and it's almost valid. Will be much MORE valid when the hundreds of libraries across the country are buyin' tapes, don't ya think? It's an easy arg to shoot inna foot.

The simple truth is that, in this case, where videos from this community are concerned, WE shoot our own FORUM in the foot. It's now a matter of time, 'cause more of you are interested in arguing the priviledge of exchanging what you've purchased, to the detriment of the vendors that fund this forum. You've no law preventing such. You've a social behavior that's guaranteed to cause eventual apathy from the hosts that fund this place. "Why do I pay my money to fund these folks to rip me off?" Does this statement sound odd, if YOU were one of the folks funding this? If you know, as we do, that few fund this, and one guy carries MOST of the cost, and he's a vendor of tickling videos, then arguin' that you all deserve to trade his stuff freely, once purchased, is a declaration that your desires are more important than his company, his income, and his motivation to fund this place.

Gentlemen, congradulations. I believe you're winning this debate. I believe you've justified that it's your right to do as you're doing, and that the results of your action are not your problem. The result, ultimately, will be the loss of many vendors of these videos, and the loss of this free forum.

Ah, free will...

 

[dodger]

You've a social behavior that's guaranteed to cause eventual apathy from the hosts that fund this place. "Why do I pay my money to fund these folks to rip me off?" Does this statement sound odd, if YOU were one of the folks funding this? The result, ultimately, will be the loss of many vendors of these videos, and the loss of this free forum.

Ah, free will...

My point exactly that I was trying to make. See DVNC you and I aren't so different. Only difference between you and I is I see drew70's interior (self serving) motives, and you dont. 🙂

 

[Iggy pop]

The simple truth is that, in this case, where videos from this community are concerned, WE shoot our own FORUM in the foot. It's now a matter of time, 'cause more of you are interested in arguing the priviledge of exchanging what you've purchased, to the detriment of the vendors that fund this forum. You've no law preventing such. You've a social behavior that's guaranteed to cause eventual apathy from the hosts that fund this place. "Why do I pay my money to fund these folks to rip me off?" Does this statement sound odd, if YOU were one of the folks funding this? If you know, as we do, that few fund this, and one guy carries MOST of the cost, and he's a vendor of tickling videos, then arguin' that you all deserve to trade his stuff freely, once purchased, is a declaration that your desires are more important than his company, his income, and his motivation to fund this place.
Ah, free will...

I still do not see how any video producer is getting ripped off from trading. Do think traders only trade? No they buy videos as well, and will continue to buy videos. Lot of the people on the forum have never purchased video and will probably never purchase videos. Traders are the customers of video companies, and just because I trade a video from a certain company does not mean I'm not going to purchase a video from that same company in the future.

Now as far as funding for the forum goes I understand that it is not cheap. I love this forum and I really do appreciate it. With this said, however, if Jeff feels that he is being ripped off then maybe he should pull the plug. I feel sorry that he feels this way if he indeed does, but I do not think we are ripping him off.

 

[Rockauthor]

Well, I hate to have to mention this, but at the moment I am having a problem corresponding with T Morning. I really don't wanna bad-mouth the guy, after all I've traded with him twice before and everything turned out fine, but I'm having a problem with this latest order I placed with him about a month ago. I've e-mailed him several times and asked him if he got the video tape and the money I sent for some mainstream scenes, and I haven't heard from the guy since. Now keep in mind I'm aware of the TMF rules of not being mean-spirited in our posts, but this just isn't like T Morning to not respond. I hope he is okay. Anyway, I thought I'd put my two cents in on this particular thread.

 

[video-trader]

Look everyone

I understand about the producers but I'm disabled & don't have extra
money to blow on videos. I sent bagelfater his tape I'm honest.
Don't believe that crap! Ask anyone else that traded with me & they'll
tell you i'm honest!

video-trader

 

[dvnc]

Bagelfather, did he make good on his trade?

video-trader, I've been friends wit' Bagelfather for many years. As such, I know better than to think he'd deride anyone without reason. If you've made nice on this, great. I'll mail him separately and ask him to comment, on the chance that real life got in the way of this board for him.

dvnc

 

[Beaker]

Back on Track

Somehow this discussion went from one person accusing another of being a cheat, so a sociopolitical debate on piracy! LOL
I just want to set one record straight. I know Video-Trader and she happens to be a very nice person, and ultimately sincere in her trading habits.
As for piracy, well, I was very good about promoting my local tickling companies and purchased more than my budget's worth. Now I am upset with some in the community who no longer wish EBAY to be a part of free trade. One more wall taking away freedom, and I now no longer support that company and never again will.

 

[Bagelfather]

Re: Back on Track

Somehow this discussion went from one person accusing another of being a cheat,

I never accused anyone of being a cheat. I simply posed a question based on information and experiences in this dealing. To date I have not received the video.

 

[dvnc]

Well, so far, Bagelfather never got a tape from video-trader, and a new kid with one post (Beaker) has their first post as a defense for video-trader. Fascinating.

Beaker, I'm glad to hear that you've had a swell time with video-trader. That sets nothing straight for the poster that has yet to receive his tape. That your first post is in defense of the person who has apparently cheated Bagelfather out of a tape (until such time as the appropriate tape REACHES Bagelfather) is peculiar. It's an interesting first post.

That you have a beef with a video company is off-topic to this thread, too.

video-trader has delayed coughing up the promised exchange for over 5 weeks. This not only teaches Bagelfather that tape-trading isn't a reliable notion, but points out to all here that it's inevitable that some person will eventually fail to reciprocate in such a deal. If video-trader sends the tape, I'm certain Bagelfather will come back and let us know.

I bet he thinks twice about tape-trading again, too.

 

[jaba]

Beware.....

Has anyone had any experiences (good or bad) with someone by the name of Video Trader from Canada?

he says he mailed me a tape in exchange but nothing has shown up. Every time I bring it up he blows me off.

It could be lost in the mail (hey it happens) but the attitude bothers me. Anyone have good or bad experiences with this person?

I have heard from other TMF members that there is a "canadian video trader" who offers video trades and insists that you send your movie to him first, but he never sends a video to you in return.

This person has used multiple TMF member names and e mail adresses, but he is from Canada and requests that you send your movie to a Canadian adress....

beware......

 

[jaba]

ok.....let's ask........

I understand about the producers but I'm disabled & don't have extra
money to blow on videos. I sent bagelfater his tape I'm honest.
Don't believe that crap! Ask anyone else that traded with me & they'll
tell you i'm honest!

video-trader

Ok....let's ask..... 😡

Tell us who else has traded with you?