Steve,

This may be a community, however, I don't pay to maintain, police, or do anything else for this site. I soak up useful information for free, therefore you do what is in your best interest and will keep this site alive and thriving.

Some vendors give out very useful information, one specifically who I will buy a product from at a later date. Not because he sold me on the product but because he seems to be a genuine and friendly person, the kind of person I would like to do business with.

One of the things that helps me is to know of various products that are available for my truck. Whether this is done in a vendor section or interspersed (spelling?) throughout the board is irrelevent. Either way the information is helpful and appreciated.

The only suggestion that I have is to allow a little more "blatant" selling (at a charge?) of thier products in a vendor specific section when a regular member asks about a product. Unsolicited information dessimination is one thing, but for a big dummy like myself, sometimes a little information from a vendor is what I am looking for. And again, let me qualify that by saying, I don't pay anything to help with this site, therefore you do what is best for this site and you. I believe that all the regular members, and the one specific vendor that I discussed earlier would respect your wishes for this site.

I have enjoyed this site enormously. I may not post all the time, basically because I don't have the sense of humor of Raoul or Dunbarton and I don't have the knowledge of the F-150 trucks that some of the other members have; but I typically read posts daily. This site has added to my knowledge tremendously and I thank you for your dedication to it and support you in any decision as to how you run it.

Thanks,
Michael Holmes (aka Sasquatch)

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1999 Ford F-150 XLT Sport 4x2 SC; Black, Med Graphite Interior, 5.4L, 3.55LS, 17" Wheels, 275/60 Tires, Tonneau Cover, Captains Chairs, CD Changer, Heavy Duty Electrical and Cooling, Nerf Bars, Rhino Liner, Tinted Windows

 

It sounds like one of the large issues is the Webmaster not making money from the "vendors" that are online here. What about limiting everyones signature..maybe only a few lines and no email or websites? Maybe cutting out the comments - email me and I will give you more info...or call me and I will do the same. Instead have the "vendor" say check the F150 vendors yellow pages and contact me through that. Set up an online "yellow pages" for the "vendors"... make all the vendors pay a fee or maybe a per hit charge?

??

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Ryan Marselis
480-633-2929
SuperdutyTruck@aol.com -
Lifted/Blown/Superduty-
Your Superduty Headquarters




[This message has been edited by Mr. Superduty (edited 02-14-2000).]

 

Well, if Steve wants more money and Roger is trying to start a online store, Make it simple all wares go through F-150 online store, that includes all products, hell Roger can be a Superchip National dist.
With all the members on here he could become on of the biggest ford product online sites going.
What's good for the goose, is good for the gander.....
By the way I LOVE the part about the vendor giving all to charity....OK,I"ve got a bridge in Brooklyn that I'll sell you CHEAP!

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fordyfour

2000 4X2 Oxford White/Harvest Gold Flareside Lariat S/C
5.4L,3.55 Ls
Tow Package
True duals(Dynomax Turbos), K&N Filter, with a 71¢,3" PVC fresh air tube
Super White Headlamps
JL 10" Wo sub (enclosed)
ALL amps and speakers Kenwood

 

Goldie,

What puzzles me is that if the definintions have already been defined, why are we even discussing this?

Fordyfour,

You obviously have not conversed with Mike Troyer or have had the opportunity to ask him about anything intelligible.

Mr. Troyer has never given anyone on this board a reason to doubt what he says including "donating to charity." I think your statement is an uninformed, baseless cheap shot simply based on your own convictions.

 

Well Mr. Fordyfour; Jus who do you tink you is, you de only one dat doubts that man's sincerity about givin all his money away. I know of a whole bucnh of people dat gives all dey moneys away, I jus can't remember their names. Why don you boys just say who it is dats botherin you all so much dat you got beat all aroun de bush and jus try not to call names. Has maybe sombody come in here an upset you status quo? I'm all for everybody helpin to pay de bills at dis site, jus lay down some rules, FOR EVERBODY, an dey will either follow dem or get out. But, I suspec dat you wan several different sets of rules, some fo your buddies and some for dem das not your buddies. Yall is some canai peoples yea!
THE Crankshaft

 

I have no choice but to step up to the plate to defend Mike Troyer. I've known him for over 28-years. Mike is honorable and has given no one any reason to doubt his word. Whatever Mike does with his money is certainly not my business. If Mike spends his money - that's his business. If Mike sends his money to Steve to support this website - that's business. But Fourtyfour has absolutely no business throwing that cheapshot. Mike has been a valuable contributor and friend to many people here.

Fourtyfour - if you wish to respond please do so directly to me at TColegrove@excite.com - you and I have wasted everyone else's bandwidth enough already.

I apologize to Steve for getting off-topic and to everyone else as well.

Tom in Tacoma

 

I think some of us are missing the point.
I suspect that Steve is simply using fore-sight and noticing that there are more and more venders comming here. Although most, if not all the venders have contributed in a benefical & informational fashion, that will not always be the case as this site continues to grow. So I belive he is trying to establish guide lines before it gets to the point where the venders are simply becoming members to gain customers. This action is in all our best interest!

I put every member here who has a site (that I know of) on my links page, and because I visit every site I put there, I have noticed a few "for profit" sites, some of which don't even have their Truck on it. Instead of putting them under the members names section, I put them in the supplys section with the member name under the Title or Icon. This is because I wanted people to be able to click on a member name and see that persons Truck, not an advertisment. Because they are a member, I wanted to include them so I did, just in a different section.
Of course my site is free and costs me nothng to maintain, but if I was buying space on the web, that is visted by thousands of people, and using my online store to help pay for it. I would have to draw some lines as to how the site is being used by the visiters. The information here is and always will be free, but I wouldn't want all kinds of venders moving in with ulterior motives and wrecking it for the people that come to share knowledge and unbiased opinions.

 

My opinion is this, NOTHING is free somebody pays in someway. So the way I see it if your here for FREE selling and making a PROFIT then somebody else is paying for you. And where I come from that is BAD BUSINESS. I think we all need to help each other. Enough said.
Josh

 

Steve,

Some people ARE taking advantage of this board. Over 4,000 potential customers at one location. This is a great advantage in selling their product/service to members of this board. We all have something in common, Ford Truck(s). Most care for our investment and want the vehicle to be as individual as we are.

If a person is owns, distributes, or is employed by the company, or gets any kind of compensation from a product they produce, distribute, or sell, then they should be classified as a vendor.

I also believe that if an individual has a link in their signature to their personal web page to sell members of this board their "Products" then they should have to do one of the following. They should have to sell the items through the On line store or pay a advertising fee to the site.

When they pay a fee for advertising on this site, then give them a "Vendor" identifier. So we know whom is a supporting the site.

 

Ohh we have forgot about the biggest taker of free advertising.
Ford Motor co.
Think how many ppl have bought F150s due to this site, yet Ford wants to shut it down:
https://www.f150online.com/f150board...ML/000069.html

 

I think the term "Vendor" needs to be defined more clearly. Let's consider an analogy:

You belong to a fishing club that goes out together once a week. Each member shares their special tricks and secrets while they're fishing. One member has a really cool lure that you want too. You ask him where he got it and he says he sells them. So you buy one and couldn't be happier. Soon many of the club members buy one and are equally as happy. He makes some money from the sales, is he a "Vendor?" I would consider him just another member of the club that turned me on to a lure that I would otherwise have never found. The fact that I bought it from him is irrelivent, as I would have bought it wherever I had to. I would rather give my business to a fellow "Member" than some other business(Vendor) that just reaps the rewards.

So I say If you are a "Vendor," then you advertise on the site. If you are a "Member," then it should be up to you.

I don't believe that it is too difficult to determine if someone is a "Member" or not.

 

OK Mark, then WHO is paying for the meetings? It seems to me you might not have KNOWN about the lure if you were not at the meeting.

 

Andthensometoo


The meetings are outside at the lakes and streams and everybody brings there own gear and food. Nobody "Pays" for this. Now if it is at a National park and we have to pay to get in to the park, then everybody pays.

I'm not sure what your point is. If Steve wants to treat this site like a National Park, in this example, and charge people for using it, that's up to him.

 

OK... my turn...

I think that the future of advertising here is really going to depend on the customers. From what I can see there are two distinct types of customers, the first being the person who will buy the product at the cheapest price they can find, and the second being the person who considers the value added services.

For some products (ie K&N Filter) I suppose it would be OK for either type of customer to purchase wherever, but when we get into items like chips and tonneau covers where there is more that 1 standard type, are you going to get the support from the guy who gives you the cheapest price?

We all know Mike Troyer works his butt off to support his customers, often going out of his way, would the other 'I can sell it cheaper' people do that? I don't think so. All they want is volume. I'd rather pay the extra money and know that if I have problems I will get the support I need.

How does all of this tie into the situation here? Well if people here really care about their 20...30...40+ thousnad dollar vehicles, they should be willing to spend an extra few dollars on the upgrades they are doing to ensure the support they will need if something goes wrong. I can't imagine anyone who has done a considerable amount of mods to their vehicle without running into a problem here or there. I think that if most people on here think about value-added services they get with their purchase, the low-balling sellers will realize that we care more for our trucks (and other vehicles) than we do about saving a few dollars here or a few dollars there.

And last but not least, support the site which has given you so much knowledge and advice, buy an f150online sticker!

Corey.
(if this all made sense, kudos to me!)


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Silver 99 F150 XLT 4.6l 4x2 Sport Extended Cab with Flare Sides...
Mods: K&N Air Filter, Tinted Side Windows, Flowmaster 40 Series Catback System, Reese Class 3, Airbox Mod's, Fiberglass Tonneau Cover, B&M Tranny Cooler, Tranny Temp Gauge, Water Temp Gauge, Autometer A-Pillar 2 Gauge Pod Kit, Auburn Limited Slip Differential, Ford Bug Deflector, Clear Front Corner Markers, Alpine Deck, 6 Disk Changer & Subwoofer Processor, Zapco AG750 Amp (times 2), Zapco AG360 Amp, JL 10W3 (times 4), JL Audio VR Series 5.25" Component Speakers (times 4), JL Audio VR Series Tweets (times 2), & 1 Farad Cap (times 2)
Coming soon: Spray-On Bed Liner, Headers(?)
Coming this Spring: Kenne Bell Supercharger, BellTech 2"/4" Drop Kit, New Wheels & Rubber

 

Hmmmmm am I a vendor because I sold a few ford bears?? True I did not advertise them anywhere else on the web Even though I could have put them up at ebay every day and sold maybe 10 times as many. But I'm not really in the bear selling business, I just thought it would be something f150-online people might enjoy having. And if I had to pay for advertising cost I would have just kept the bears to myself.

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2000 F150 SC XLT
5.4
4-sp auto
255/70r-16
3.55 LS
Heavy Duty electric
Heavy Duty cooling
Trailer Towing Group
Keyless Entry
Soft Cover
Captains Chairs
wedg blue& silver two tone
Fog Lights
Bed Liner
Fender Flairs
Cab Steps
10 disc CD changer

(Just 892 more payments and that sucker is all mine)