DG member stores

What do YOU think of the new "Member Stores" on DG. Is it a great idea? will it lead to the end of "free" trades and swaps? Fantastic opportunity or too much commercialization?

Those capitalist infidels! How dare they try to make money on the web? What's next... registering for corporation status? Argh!

In all seriousness, I'm a bit biased, but I think it's a fun idea and can lead to our members (who choose to use its services) to make a little money, and it can help finance DG. Financing DG will keep me motivated to continue running this site.

Your concern came up last year when we first brought up the store idea, and the idea was sounded defeated by the chorus of folks who didn't feel that it would occur. Most folks will continue trading as always, and those few store owners will enjoy making money for their good products.

I also noticed that the majority of stores aren't actually selling plants at all. Have you actually browsed through the member stores?

Dave

I think it's wonderful. I've looked through them all. I still buy plants, I think we all do. why not get something you really want from a person you can trust?? I can't see it ever replacing trading, but DG really isn't about that so much as the community we are. Some sites, that's all they are - swapping sources. We've built so much more.

I still have plants to trade and we have a nursery. I have a special area for my "trade only" plants and the customers even know about it.

I have looked through the stores...and I love them (one is my DD's), and even though she has a nice store...and has made a sale...I'm sure Cala is still going to send me those Iris's for postage! LOL Dave, you do such splendid things with this site...I really don't know what I would do with out it...literally!! Thanks for all the hard work ya'll put into it! Jo

Well I love the idea and have opened up my page today and was amazed at how easy it was to set up and get running. I still have some things to finish this week but don't think it will take long.

I have been working on a webpage for months and kept running into blocks around every coner and this all came together so well and easy I wish it was in place a year ago.LOL

Thnaks Dave for this new addition to the world of DG.

Mike

Dave! Please don't ever lose your motivation to keep your Garden going! What would we ever do without you! Panicking here

My attitude to the Store is positive,though i have not yet known how it works.this is a developing tendency for the nets to try to survive in the hot struggles.and of course,some of our gardeners want to keep the DG pure,the feeling,i understand.and if possible in the future,i will spread out a stall in the Store to exhibit my handcrafts,chinese quality condiments ,healthcareteas ...to exchange a few bucks to support my garden and pay my net fee.

As a stay at home mom always looking for ways to bring in extra income, I think it is a great idea. I am very excited about the opportunity Dave is offering us. I will be setting up a store front in the very near future. Yes, I will be selling plants, but like Cala, that is what we do for a living. I will also offer some other items of interest. I applaud Dave and Trish for giving me a chance to open my doors to a larger market without me going through the hassel of setting a store up on my own (something I could have never done on my own). To me, it is a win - win situation, good for DG and good for me!

The new store is a great idea! I would like to put up some of my wood ideas, but the shipping could be a nightmare. Thanks for the opportunity.

I plan to have a store and don't see any conflict with trading.I'm like Cala and Lisa(or will be this Spring)I'll sell plants,but mostly,I appreciate the outlet for whatever I fancy to sell. I really like the idea of supporting my DG habit by selling here and helping to fund the site. Ya'll can plan on seeing anything from tomato plants to hand dyed fabric..and maybe a guitar or two in my store.Thanks Dave! The sky's the limit!

and remember, the goal is to have these reach many people outside of DG, so selling seeds/plants is not intended to cut off members, but to reach a huge audience (we hope:)

i will always have plants to trade! I think its a great idea we can offer more than just plants-garden items and not garden items!
i just need to get my camcorder figured out so i can download pics to my PC!
wonderful in a nutshell!

I like the idea I will buy somethings, will not have a store but applaud the ones who does. I hope they all make a few dollars.

Hmmm. Lot more lookers than posters to this thread. My opinion:
I think it is a great idea. Very selfless of Dave to do all the work for what looks ro be "peanuts" comparatively. Also it provides a place to buy unique items of high quality for reasonable prices. I hope Jianhua and other international members are able to open stores so we get a chance to buy truly authentic and exotic items as well. Good luck to everyone who has a go at it!

I personally so not have anything to offer for sale and am usually too broke to buy anything BUT, yep that big word BUT, I think it is a wonderful concept whose time has come. It looks like a win win win situation where the sellers win a chance to vend their wares in a safe and easy environment. The buyers win a chance to buy at a site that is safe and gaining in exposure all the time and Dave wins a chance to put some of his programing to a profitable end and that makes us all winners since it will allow him to support his family and keep our site going.

So to those of you who are setting up your stores I wish you good luck and profitable sales. And for Dave, I hope this thing takes off and grows so huge that you can know such financial securitiy that you never have to work for someone else again! This is a start up company that I will be hoping will suceed!

hello again,
To be Bill Gates on webs is just a castle in the air,at least for me -- a flower fan.some day if you hear the 'go,gone'voice in the Store,exibiting my chinese authenic and exotic items,that will be only ' bucks for garden's sake.'with the bucks i gain,i will pay for all the net expenses;and if there is some leftover,i will buy some english flower books and some favorite seeds,...
DG Store is definitely not an excess.Dave,gardener sellers and buyers will all be benefit from it.
PS.i have succeeded in trading chinese healthcare tea(reducing weight tea) and cooking condiments with a few of our gardening friends.now i am waiting patiently the intel store open.

And to think I've been giving so much stuff away!! :-) I think this is a great idea but whether or not I will have a store is another thing - but who knows!! I took a peek at this a couple of week's ago and am amazed at how it's grown already. Anything to keep DG going - I'm all for it!!

well, I was all gung ho to get started, then I lost access to the digital camera...One of our traders left the camera in Russia..:( so, until I can buy one, I will just have to wait.

I think it's a great idea, too. I will probably be doing more buying than selling, though I'll be keeping my eye out for ideas on things I can sell just in case there actualy IS something. Like Zany said, it's win-win situation ~ if I can make a few bucks while making Dave and Trish a few bucks and giving DGers another seller to buy from that they "personally" know, all the better!

there are a lot of nice things already on the stores and I think I'm gonna do some of my Christmas shopping there.

Great idea, tiG. We can find unique Christmas gift items, and help support Dave's Garden and our forum friends at the same time! John

we have been looking for a while to do this but have not been able to afford it. This is a great opportunity us.

I love it! I don't have any desire to start a store, but welcome the chance to purchase items from my DG friends rather that at a mall! Thanx for the opportunity!

I am new on DG as a subscriber, and love this idea, I just added a store for the company I work for, and hopefully will be able to add one for myself one day!!! I really love DG and it seems to be a really nice web community to be in. I am glad to now be a part of it. Our Store is All Seasons Nursery. I just put up Stepping stones today, but will be adding some plants, hand blown hummingbird feeders, pots, airplants and a few other things also!!!

Katrina

Katrina, welcome to DG! It is indeed a wonderful web community. Best wishes for your store, too -- the company's now, and your own later on.

Hey Dave,If I did open a store here,would there be a way to say that the DG subscribers get a discount?

I think 99% of our Scif Stores are operated by Dave's Garden members. So, likely I won't make any special exception for the majority. :)

dave