New Advertiser

[steelsoldiers]

Neil, I expected a negative reaction from some. I was not shocked by that. I was shocked by the manner that some replied and by some of the negative things that were implied.

No advertiser agreements were broken by the placement of the GL ad. For anyone to think that of me is pretty low.

Anyone that knows me or Mike at all would know that this was done with the best of intentions for SS and for the hobby.

 

[BKubu]

So, are people allowed to post auction information? At one point we were not allowed to do this. Now, the GL is ad is doing this for us. I am sure most people know my position on posting auction info, but it would seem to me that people should be allowed to do this now. Heck, while we are at it, why not create another section of the forum so people can list nice equipment that is coming up. Then, they can update the list on those trucks right before closing so we know what items are staying low.

 

[steelsoldiers]

Here's the policy as it has been since last August:
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=14020

Nothing has changed in the policy. There is still no collusion or frivolous auction posting allowed. There will be no new forum created for auction posting, bid discussion, etc...

Your position on auction posting and the GL advert is perfectly clear.

 

[BKubu]

I am not so sure you are clear on my feelings about GL...you seem to be locked in on my first post. After my initial shock and horror at seeing GL's advertisement, I came to accept the need for revenue. I can completely understand that. After that initial post, I indicated that I understand they have paid their money and have a right to advertise here. I wish they were not on this site, but wish in one hand, S*** in the other...see which one fills up first. I also stated that, since they are here to stay, it would be good if we can get someone from GL to join this list to address our concerns/issues/complaints. So, to conclude, I would have preferred that they were not a part of this forum, but, as you have made clear, this is not our forum, it is yours and you have a right to make decisions with the best interest of this forum in mind. That seems like the right thing. Now, it would be nice to see GL do the right thing for once and join this forum to allay our concerns. To be honest, that, in and of itself, would do more to bring them additional revenue than this advertisement.

By the way, your position on auction posting and mine are completely in-line.

 

[mangus580]

I also stated that, since they are here to stay, it would be good if we can get someone from GL to join this list to address our concerns/issues/complaints.

Bruce, I am begining to think some of my posts may have been overlooked. This is the second time now in this thread you have mentioned something that I have stated at least once, if not twice....

As part of our agreement with GL (read part of their payment) is to provide a rep to come participate in a particular forum. We have not ironed out the rules yet, as to what can/can't be asked, discussed in such a forum, hence its not in place yet. For example, it would be kinda nuts for us to allow questions about a specific lot in PA, when workign with a rep at corporate in AZ....

Once those details are ironed out, an announcement will be made, and the new forum will be accessible.

 

[mangus580]

BTW... I hope that doesnt sound harsh, I am just getting frustrated playing the part of a broken record

 

[BKubu]

Mike, thanks for the reminder...no offense taken. I was simply summarizing all of my posts. I can go back to check to see if you posted that before or after I mentioned something about it in an earlier post, but it really does not matter. Mike, you and Chris are doing a good job managing this site while trying to keep hundreds of people happy.

 

[mangus580]

Thanks Bruce, I didnt realize it was a Summary. I just know it was covered

I should stop reading forums and start building rules huh?

 

[CUCVFAN]

No advertiser agreements were broken by the placement of the GL ad. For anyone to think that of me is pretty low.

Anyone that knows me or Mike at all would know that this was done with the best of intentions for SS and for the hobby.

Jeff was pretty upset about it, which is what led me to have that particular "random thought". As I said "...the details are not known to me...". If no agreements were broken, then everyone can rightfully feel like upstanding citizens. If any were broken, it's low. No accusations or regrets, just opinions.

Given that most of the membership does not know the rest of the membership "at all", I would not let my feelings get too hurt by anyone questioning why this was done. I'm sure those questions were not meant as personal attacks on your character.

While I do not like the fact that GL is advertising here (it almost gives them some credibility they don't deserve), it was only a matter of time. Their customer dis-service is legendary, but they are the main source, so what can you do. Tough decisions needed to be made to keep this ship floating. I'm not going to lose any sleep over their advertising here.

 

[Blake]

GL ads

You know, at first I did not like the GL ads until I saw a truck at McCoy that I would have never seen. I have certain criteria that I religiously search on GL. This truck was in an area that I would have missed. After I saw that truck and added it to my watchlist, I realized this is really a good thing. Seeing a truck that I want and making money for Steel Soldiers. A win-win situation. It might actually be more effective to watch the slide show to supplement your daily searching. Where else can you learn about the trucks you are watching. The more active you are on SS, the more you see; like a reward. Good job guys! I cant wait to see how this forum expands with the added revenues!

 

[citizensoldier]

Re: GL ads

You know, at first I did not like the GL ads until I saw a truck at McCoy that I would have never seen. I have certain criteria that I religiously search on GL. This truck was in an area that I would have missed. After I saw that truck and added it to my watchlist, I realized this is really a good thing. Seeing a truck that I want and making money for Steel Soldiers. A win-win situation. It might actually be more effective to watch the slide show to supplement your daily searching. Where else can you learn about the trucks you are watching. The more active you are on SS, the more you see; like a reward. Good job guys! I cant wait to see how this forum expands with the added revenues!

Blake you prove my point..

 

[ida34]

RE: Re: GL ads

Are we still talking about this? One point I want to make. If GL prices go up so do the value of our trucks. WWII jeeps were sold pretty cheep until they were all sold out from the government. Then the prices started going up. Naturally I want all my trucks cheap but I want to sell them for lots of money. We can't fight the market and market value.

 

[citizensoldier]

RE: Re: GL ads

Gl prices will go up.. They have and this will contribute to it..The proof is in the pudding for example if that nice M818 Armada just purchased was flashing in the corner he would have never won it.. Or had to pay double what he did. Private sales along with values will go down they have and this contributes to this. Flooded market and easy access to cheap trucks for everyday surfer people that dont have time to search, find,and bid..Parts prices will go up because we will now have to pay more for a junker to part out. Transportation costs have already effected this. Very different from the WWII jeeps in my opinion. Jeeps are up in price because they are dwindling in numbers even the civi versions produced after the war. Every GI wanted, has had, or continues to want them little buggers.. They are also very small and fit into a bigger audiences garage.
Yes I am still talking about this and probably will as the year continues.. Why not continue to talk about it, Just because some agree and other do not . We are all free to read or go to the next.. The whole point of SS.. Share views and knowledge..

 

[steelsoldiers]

RE: Re: GL ads

Personally, if I saw a cherry 818 like Armada's pop up on the advert, the first thing I would do is look for other similar lots at the same location. I would have then found about 20-30 cherry 818's, picked out my favorite three, figure out how much I want to spend, bid that on my number one and if I get it, cool, then I'm done. If not, then I move on to the next one. I think most SS members work it this way. I highly doubt that the 818 Armada won would have doubled in price because there were others in the same sale that were just as nice. There are also hundreds of 818's coming off right now. If there is anyone who is a member of SS that didn't know about GL before we put the ad up, please let me know. If you go to Google and type in "military surplus vehicles," the first name on the list is GL. They are everywhere. It's not like we let the big secret out of the bag. We as MV collectors think we have some sort of monopoly on all the good trucks that come up to auction, but that just isn't so any more. GL is really good at getting the word out and we are just a small number of the tens of thousands of new bidders that are popping up on GL. Whether they advertise here or not, the prices will go as high as the market will bear.

I fully sympathize for the surplus dealers and aspiring surplus dealers because GL has forever changed the way that Americans buy surplus. It will never be the good old days again and that is a shame because there are some really nice folks in the biz that are hurting or have gone out of business altogether. Please remember that the fact that just because GL is an advertiser here does not mean that SS condones everything that may go on in the new world of surplus sales. It was a dollars and sense thing.

While we may be beating the proverbial dead horse in this thread, I am going to leave it unlocked for discussion as long as people remain civil about it. I know a lot of you feel very passionately about this, but try to keep an even temper.

 

[mangus580]

Re: RE: Re: GL ads

If you go to Google and type in "military surplus vehicles," the first name on the list is GL. They are everywhere.

This is exactly how I found GL 4 Years ago... and how I got the disease.... I blame them.. THEY infected me. I clicked on their site for the first time, and some syringe shot out of my computer screen and injected me with the virus. My wife has tried everything possible to cure it, but to date she has not been successful...

I will admit... (and I hope GL sees this)... I have pretty much stopped looking since they centralized all the bidding locations. Now that Ft Drum doesnt sell anything anymore, there is nothing close enough for me to care about looking/bidding. Oh well.... its their loss not mine.

 

[citizensoldier]

RE: Re: GL ads

Hey SS! I like to think of it as discussing how the horse died.. LOL Are you reffering to me? Temper ? never not at all.. Thanks for keeping this open and keeping the site up and running.. From what I see in regards to Armadas truck but I could be wrong is the big dogs reached there quota and he got lucky.. Most of the trucks from that particular auction went to one bidder? Who? Dont know but spent some cash for a inventory of them somewhere. My bid records show this anyway but then they stop after you are outbid..
I must say with the price rise a scrap contract is looking real juicy.. Gotta pay the bill somehow..

 

[ida34]

RE: Re: GL ads

I found GL by reading an article in one of the 4x4 magazines. They bought an M1008 to build up for off road.

I really don't so much worry about other SS members bidding against me. I worry about the big guys buying to export or resell. They really look for the sweet ones like Paul's truck and will bid for a truck that they do not have to work on too much to resell. These guys could easily outbid me because I am cheap. As such I ususlly go for slightly rough trucks to get them cheap to fix up. I know I am cheap. Remember, the people that often outbid us on the nice trucks are the ones that have a lot more money to spend. I am cheap so I low ball most all of the stuff I buy. My most likely competition is another SS member since I go after the "junk" trucks so the adds will probably run up the price on the stuff I am trying to buy or maybe not. How many of us are on the GL website checking the truck or trailer section at least once a week. I would think that most of us do our homework weekly. This also brings up another point. The professional dealers are constantly do there homework so I doubt they are on SS looking at the add in the corner finding new information.

 

[citizensoldier]

RE: Re: GL ads

I get ya ida.. I am cheap too!! lol.. I am sure we have done battle over some junk and didnt know it.... lol.. I just miss buying cheap and making a buck.. Meow! The cat has been out of the bag for some time now and I dont blame SS.. I was just getting frustrated with prices and cant seem to get any deals anymore.. Mangus brings up a good point too.. Moved most of the stuff to Ohio on us Michigan guys and basicaly shut down Selfriedge.. Sucks having to travel so far to feed ODD..
I do my homework daily.. and run through thousands of lots.. In recent auctions you can still get lucky on some stuff when they are releasing complete units of trucks. The big guys cant buy them all. As for export guys? I have seen 3 huge lots of refurbished trucks for that in my travels.. These never make it to auction. Some kind of deals made before that.. One lot to Morocco, and the other two the guy wouldnt tell me.. A hush, hush deal..

 

[Pappa-G]

RE: Re: GL ads

A couple of quick comments here:

A) I love the web site do what you have to keep it open and thanks for the free range grazing.

b) Its to bad that they (GL) will not limit purchases by the big buyers to a certain percentage of vehicles at a site.

3) Armadas truck wasn't all that cherry, the high beams didn't work.

 

[emmado22]

On the flip side, GL is there to make $$$. Why would they limit the % of trucks that one buyer could buy? I mean, yeah, it's be great for them to care enough about the little guy, but from a business standpoint why limit what your selling to?