Private Signing Rules & Regulations

[Captian23]

Private Signings Threads

We have been having issues lately with people jumping on the soap box everytime someone puts together a Private Signing.

Going forward, only posts relating directly to that signing will be allowed. Bascailly questions on Price, directions on how to get your stuff signed, timetables, etc, will be allowed. Basically if you have no interest in participating in the signing you should not be posting. All of those posts will be deleted. If anyone has a question about this feel free to PM myself or any of the other Mods.

Thanks

 

[alanmoore]

RULES 04-21-2008

OK, due to some complaints from members that the perception is that I am trying to monopolize the Private Signings that appear on the site, the following rules have been tweaked to make them as fair to everyone involved.

Due to a few recent glitches with some private signings, one being my own, we need to impliement these rules.

So, here we go:

(1) You must contact me in advance, and gain approval in advance, before any mention of the signing can be announced to the members.

(2) You must be at least 18 years of age and have the financial means to make everything right if the signing goes wrong.

(3) The items must be protected against damage, theft, etc. All packages must be insured for the full price of the item being signing and the fee charged to get said item signed. MEANING - to and from the signing NOT back to the customer.

I am sure more rules will come to me over time so check back with this thread before you setup any signings in the future.

Alan Moore

 

[scoreset]

Just a couple questions Alan, if you could clarify...

(4) The items must be protected against damage, theft, etc. All packages must be insured for the full price of the item being signing and the fee charged to get said item signed.

People sell and trade things on this board every hour of every day, and insurance is not mandated. What makes a signing any more special than a card someone purchased from the Autos thread?

(5) If you advertise this signing anywhere else, you must not discount the signing fees below what you advertised on here unless it is some sort of quantity discount.

What is the rationale behind this?

 

[alanmoore]

Just a couple questions Alan, if you could clarify...

(4) The items must be protected against damage, theft, etc. All packages must be insured for the full price of the item being signing and the fee charged to get said item signed.

People sell and trade things on this board every hour of every day, and insurance is not mandated. What makes a signing any more special than a card someone purchased from the Autos thread?

(5) If you advertise this signing anywhere else, you must not discount the signing fees below what you advertised on here unless it is some sort of quantity discount. After all, to date, I haven't charged any person/company fort advertising their private signings even though most all of the other sites charge for advertising.

What is the rationale behind this?

Good questions and I have hopefully answers you can understand.

(4) Private signings for the most part will effect alot more of our membership than one GC auction or a sale here and there. My rationale is I don't want dozens or hundreds of members pissed because they saw the signing here and thought all would be golden because it appeared on this site.

(5) I want to make sure if someone is going to "use" this site to promote their signing that they take care of "these" members above and beyond what is advertised elsewhere.

It all comes down to taking care of the members HERE first. What happens on other sites is secondary to me as it's not my focus at all. I want my members protected.

 

[boswell423]

Alan,

I know it is your site and I have not participated in any of these signings nor set one up, but if you are going to make this rule, why allow any for pay signings to be posted, private or public. People are going a little crazy with setting these things up, but if they want to, more power to them. I don't think you have the right to tell them that all items must be insured no more than you can tell people that all trades and 50/50s must be sent insured in bubblemailers. I also understand that you may not want discounts offered to other communities, but that again is within the right of the operator of the signing.

You certainly have the right to not allow them to post the signings, but to make rules about how they conduct these signings is not within your rights. Even with a written contract, things can change as no contract is going to be fully comprehensive. Speaking from someone who has set up and conducted many paid signings and events, these things will happen.

I enjoy the site, I appreciate all you have done for it (particularly some of your home addresses and helping me finish my sets), but this is overstepping it. You can restrict the posting, but not how the signings are conducted.

Jon

 

[alanmoore]

Actually I do have the right to control anything that goes on here that may negatively affect a members "fun factor" on this site.

These are the rules, if they want to promote their private signings, they can abide by the rules or not post. It is really that simple.

When I started setting up the pri signs, I never thought we would have people coming out of the woodwork setting up as many signings as they could of people that many really had little to no interest in. I set up Ryan Anderson the 1st time round because I needed him on 9 cards. Our 1st batch was over 200 and almost 300 total items. I have watched some of the recent ones and we are talking 20-40 items tops.

Also, in the past week I have been emailed with flack about other signings that went south quick and I frankly don't want to deal with it again. HENCE the new rules for a site that I own. At the end of the day, these rules serves 2 purposes:

(1) It protect the members who are sending in their items

(2) It protects me from having to deal with pissed off members (hopefully).

 

[scoreset]

I initally thought as Boswell does, but Alan, I see the validity in your answers. I agree completely with your answer to #5, as we should look out for our own and keep the community thriving. That's what sets this board apart from others, IMO, and there are many, many GREAT collectors on this site who go above and beyond to help out others.

#4, though, maybe consider a minimum price range before insurance is required? In most cases, many of the signings being set up are fairly cheap (some at 50 cents to $1 even), and I'm sure if insurance is a requirement, that cost will be passed on to the buyer. Speaking for myself, I wouldn't want to pay $2 insurance on my $1 investment for the Aaron Capista signing, as an example. Now in the case of a $60 Ricky Williams, I think insurance is a more reasonable request.

 

[alanmoore]

There was a recent signing with a guy and the items never arrived back from the signing. I really implimented #4 to protect everyone involved because NOW this well known and respected guy who just tried to help people out is going to have to shell loot out of his pocket that he really doesn't want to spend. All because the Post Office "lost" the package and tracers have turned up nothing.

I'm not trying to be a dictator. I just want everyone here to enjoy their stay!

 

[bc81758]

Just a couple questions Alan, if you could clarify...

(4) The items must be protected against damage, theft, etc. All packages must be insured for the full price of the item being signing and the fee charged to get said item signed.

People sell and trade things on this board every hour of every day, and insurance is not mandated. What makes a signing any more special than a card someone purchased from the Autos thread?

It's not just providing product, you are providing a service.


(5) If you advertise this signing anywhere else, you must not discount the signing fees below what you advertised on here unless it is some sort of quantity discount.

What is the rationale behind this?

Members of sportsgraphing.com are members on other autograph websites. Nuff said.

 

[boswell423]

Alan,

I posted that as you posted right above me, so your responses to Derek did in fact clear up some of my concerns. My point is that if you are regulating the rules on private signings, what is the difference between trades, sales or 50/50s. What about other signings posted that are being held by other independant parties. They may not fit the rules, yet are helpful to some who need people for sets, premium items, ect.

I additionally feel the insurance thing is something that is an option and isn't something you can (well you can) force upon the two parties. If the parties want insurance, than fine. It should be an option, but in no way forced upon people.

There are numerous trades, 50/50s and sales where I assume insurance is provided on less than five percent of them. Will there be an insurance requirement here as well?

I don't mean to sound condescending, but insuring a $.10 Aaron Capista card is just plain stupid. Would an insurance requirement dissuade this signing from happening? Absolutely, and it would be a shame since it is helping so many people out.

My point is that creating these rules will restrict these events, when in reality, they are no different than a trade. It is a deal between two parties, that if it does go south, you should not have to deal with. It is not your responsibility if a deal goes south to mend the fences. If the post office loses something, that is up to the parties to decide how to fix. Making a trade with people under 18 can go south as much as a private signing can. It shouldn't be your responsibility to police making sure they go smoothly, aside from taking action against the party in the wrong, similar to an eBay. If people are ripping people off on eBay, they are banned. Feedback speaks for itself: buyer beware.

jon