Order from such and such store

[Gen120]

I think it's a great idea! I too am one of the members on AA that researches/finds threads about a certain product for my birds before I buy it, regardless of what it might be. I think a section for testimonials on products is a very good and I would even subscribe to it from my cell phone, (lol!!). But on the other hand, I am also a person that does not make consistent $, I get jobs every once in a while (for now at least) and buy the fids stuff when I have the $, so sometimes the threads make me sad because I can't provide them with all the "cool" stuff that other members can (like MPBT atoms, GAG nets, etc). But knowing that they get a good idea and are spoiled rotten/very well loved that makes me feel so much better. So I vote YES!! Thanks for going over those rules with us Marie! I also love reading the reviews on products and seeing pictures/getting ideas for my own flock/seeing others flocks being spoiled. I will also be happy to write reviews of my own for products that I've tried/used.

 

[Meatball]

I love reading about what everyone is buying and see all the reviews on the products. I love sharing my purchases as well. Yes I live paycheck to paycheck and often can not buy them everything I want when I want but I like to see other birdies being spoiled and get ideas.

 

[Ankou]

Most of the posts I've seen posts that are definitely excitement over an order, posts that are displaying the items they received, but I've also seen a couple posts that made me think "well, that's a tad excessive..." not at all referring to the amount of items but the attitude of "Well, look what I got for my birds!" Still, I don't know how much of that is my "broke college student-ness" talking for me. I wish I could provide more for Peanut sometimes when I see some of these orders, even though I know she isn't really lacking anything right now. Except a toy from Grey Feather Toys made out of spoons, she is lacking that.

I do love seeing what people are getting and many of the posts are useful in directing me towards stores and items to add to my wishlist. I've gotten some great ideas as well and seen things I know I want (when I can afford them) too. "Constructive posts" like pictures of individual items for scale, reviews, pictures of a unique items/toys, or posts calling attention to a not-so-well-known vendor/new item are very much welcome and I think they have a worthy spot on the marketplace.
Pictures of an entire haul laid out before us containing well-known products from a well-known vendor, while I thoroughly understand the excitement, I don't really see as helpful.
Fun, yes, helpful, not usually. On other forums I've seen a "raves" type sub-forum where people could go and just make happy posts about whatever they pleased.
(I was certainly excited to find the wonderful vendors advertized here after having to shop locally and from major retailers for years! Even more excited when the last orders I can place in a long while arrived at my door, but it didn't seem productive to anyone to post pictures of a hoard of toy-making parts and some treats.)

That said, the entire subject of what is and is not helpful/a review is going to be extremely subjective and I don't know if it really warrants it's own sub forum. Perhaps something in that beautiful haul will catch someone's eye that didn't catch mind and it be extremely helpful to them. A perch I think is unique and interesting that refers me to a new vendor, someone else may look at and say "So? I have four of those, this isn't helpful at all."

I'll be curious what other people have to say on the subject, but my stance is probably not yet. Maybe if AA continues to get more and more members and it reaches spam proportions where 1/3 of the posts are comparatively unhelpful a sub forum will be needed then.

 

[Leza]

I'm right there with you on "broke college kid" lol! I don't have money falling out of my pockets, and I don't get to do massive toy orders. I love hand making toys, I get a lot more satisfaction out of it. But if I find a new food or some new product that I haven't seen anyone else talk about, you bet I'm going to share my pros and cons about it. I think the negatives (PRODUCT negatives, nothing about the actual stores)are just as important as the positives, you could be saving someone a lot of money by getting them to not buy something just based on your review.

Also pictures can do a lot of justice to a size proportion! Sometimes before, I would buy a pound or 2 of a food and get it and go "oh my, that is definitely not enough!!" So when I see pictures of bulk bags of people's food or a prepackaged bag I'm interested in, I will ask how much in pounds they ended up getting. I am a very visual person.

 

[Ribbit21]

I love the posts. Gives me great ideas on what I want to add to my wish list. Doesn't matter to me whether or not reviews are put in a sub forum. I'll be reading them wherever they are.

 

[Wasabisaurus]

I don't mind the I-love-it threads when someone buys something. Sometimes I search for a certain product, can't find it, then someone posts that they got it from so-and-so. Orrrr that someone has ordered something special that a vendor went out of his/her way to get. That's nice to hear. It lets us know it's possible to get something that is obtainable -- it just is not on the vendor's website. Like when someone said Kathie went out of her way to get something that was not on Kathie's website. Actually, a couple of people have posted that, as I recall.

I do feel for those who cannot always afford things they see in the posts, but we all provide for our birds....be it purchased toys or home made toys. Our birds would rather have *us* than the best toy ever or the most beautiful stainless steel cage. OK, so I do envy anybody who can get those. Just a little envy.

 

[Jally]

I also live pay check to paycheck. But I love the I ordered from.... post. It gives me an idea what I want to save up for or try to make. I only do orders usally once a year. If I am lucky sometimes twice and I want every penny to count.
I love the idea of a sub forum.

I'm glad you're able to save up money to put an order of goodies in. I'm not able to as I have a family of 5, with 1 in college (or was til she decided to "take a break" ) to think of first. I don't want to be a downer, but there are weeks that we are literally down to our last penny. Nothing to save but that penny

 

[Jally]

And I bet your toys are awesome and keep your birds entertained and happy. And there are those who are jealous that we don't have the time, patience, and creativity to make our own all the time.

It doesn't matter where the toys come from. What matters is your birds are loved and cared for.

Thank you! I agree!

 

[Jally]

I don't know if it's envy or even jealousy that I feel... My husband and I have scraped by all of our life. We are proud of what we have accomplished, but we're not showy-offy people. However, my BIL will brag about how much his house cost, how much his car...motorcycle, whatever cost. He has THE most expensive vehicles, top of the line everything. When my husband and I leave his house (a house that we can fit 2 of ours in) get in our 10+ year old car, then go home to our 30+ year old house, with appliances that are barely functionable, (my dishwasher is falling apart piece by piece)hand-me-down furniture, (my couch and recliner came from our grandparents and my glider came from a yard sale) we can't help but get bummed.

To be honest, he didn't deserve any of those things. He came from nothing, but would sell his family for a dollar. He's a crook!

This is how I feel about all those threads with "Look what I got..." titles. I see top of the line birdie toys, which are awesome little pieces of art. But, I can't help but feel a little bummed that my birds don't have what everyone elses have. A platform perch here, is an unfinished shelf hung on the wall. Do they like it and use it? Yep.

 

[birdlvr466]

Sherry that is your choice of your perspective of the world and this forum. I dont think people are "bragging" at all. They are happy with the service and products they purchased and want to share their happiness. If I felt as you, I would maybe just avoid The Marketplace or not open all the threads where you feel people are bragging.
The vendors also appreciate seeing people being happy with their purchases. There is nothing better than feeling something you made, or sold has made someone else happy.
Maybe your BIL is proud of what he has, just like you are proud of what you have done so it really isnt for you to judge what other people are meaning when they post, it is more about your perception.

 

[CeciliaZ]

I like reading posts about the members' purchases -don't think it needs to be in a separate subforum. it gives me ideas of what I would like to buy for my own fids. I have smaller birds so some posts are not fitting for me - so I just bypass them. I like asking questions to our members who have posted some of what they bought - it is helpful fo me to decide whether or not I want to purchase something. For example - I recently asked someone (Lindsay?) what size atom her tiels were on - so now I know I want that size!

I have about 3 vendors that I plan on purchasing from soon that I have not purchased from before, all because of what has been posted here.

We all have different financial issues and situations and I think we all do the best we can for our fids. Some can certainly afford to spend more than others. I don't think it is meant to brag - just excitement.

 

[Meatball]

I don't know if it's envy or even jealousy that I feel... My husband and I have scraped by all of our life. We are proud of what we have accomplished, but we're not showy-offy people. However, my BIL will brag about how much his house cost, how much his car...motorcycle, whatever cost. He has THE most expensive vehicles, top of the line everything. When my husband and I leave his house (a house that we can fit 2 of ours in) get in our 10+ year old car, then go home to our 30+ year old house, with appliances that are barely functionable, (my dishwasher is falling apart piece by piece)hand-me-down furniture, (my couch and recliner came from our grandparents and my glider came from a yard sale) we can't help but get bummed.

To be honest, he didn't deserve any of those things. He came from nothing, but would sell his family for a dollar. He's a crook!

This is how I feel about all those threads with "Look what I got..." titles. I see top of the line birdie toys, which are awesome little pieces of art. But, I can't help but feel a little bummed that my birds don't have what everyone elses have. A platform perch here, is an unfinished shelf hung on the wall. Do they like it and use it? Yep.

Do I get jealous of everything others are able to provide for their birds? Absolutely, I will not lie about that. Sometimes it is so depressing that I have to decide between spending an extra $50 on a cage or getting perches when someone else can afford to purchase a top of the line cage with perches.
But that is MY problem, not everyone elses. They have every right to post about and be excited about their purchases. Just as I am when I get to buy stuff for my fids. It is not their fault or problem that I have no money, why should they not be able to share their excitement because it might make me feel bad?

 

[Shade]

I don't care much for where it is, here or in another subforum.

I do often post about what I got - I like sharing. Don't feel it's bragging, it certainly not meant to "flaunt" that I have lots of money to spend as I don't (I just make choice about what I spend and where I spend it). I make a lot of my toys as well, but if I bought something from a vendor here, I like to share and I think most times the vendors appreciate it. I like to provide extra visibility to vendors I enjoy doing business with.

The way I see it, if people don't like those threads, nothing is forcing them to view them. Skip over, easy as that.

As for reviews - I tend to want to post a brief review in one of my product and in the past, when I was unhappy with one specific thing, I posted about it, mostly why I found it was a bit problematic. It wasn't basing the vendor as I had obtained other items that made me happy. But it turns out that what had concerned me had concerned others as well and I think it might have led to people being more specific about how they wanted their item.

 

[Danita]

Before I had T4W I LOVED reading those threads, I still do . I felt like I would be getting the boxes of goodies too, or I was excited for the ones who got them. They are the first posts I go to If my daughter goes shopping, I run to see what she got and her friends or my friends, I love to see their purchases.

There have been a few people (maybe 3 or 4 that ever mentioned it) that feel bad about not being able to afford to buy the same for their birds, so I stopped posting mostly my 'look what came in the mail' threads, except the SWS times.

Today I got some fantastic bird toys for my macaw and they are beautiful, I was thinking of posting pics but....

 

[Mizzely]

Honestly, I surf this place by the "new posts" feature, not by forum, so it makes little difference to me where the post is from. I love seeing the hauls; even if I can't afford some of it, it gives me ideas for toy parts or arrangements I may not have considered, and gives me a look at a vendor whose stuff I may not have really given thought to before or overlooked for some reason. If it weren't for those "haul" threads, I wouldn't know about bountiful harvest, herb salad, the gorgeous toys at things for wings, etc. I can feel the posters excitement and have never once considered it to be bragging. It's like Christmas and I would miss that joy around here

~*~ Sent from my phone, so please excuse any typos! ~*~

 

[Meatball]

Before I had T4W I LOVED reading those threads, I still do . I felt like I would be getting the boxes of goodies too, or I was excited for the ones who got them. They are the first posts I go to If my daughter goes shopping, I run to see what she got and her friends or my friends, I love to see their purchases.

There have been a few people (maybe 3 or 4 that ever mentioned it) that feel bad about not being able to afford to buy the same for their birds, so I stopped posting mostly my 'look what came in the mail' threads, except the SWS times.

Today I got some fantastic bird toys for my macaw and they are beautiful, I was thinking of posting pics but....

I don't think you should feel bad for posting and being excited about what you bought your birds. That is not fair to you, it's fun to share! Just because I can not afford to do the same is not your fault and you should not be made to feel bad about that I love seeing what people buy, even if I do get jealous sometimes, I just curse you people and move on

 

[cosmolove]

I love the market place area with all the pictures of what people just bought. Often that is where I decide on a toy I want or don't want. It also lets me know which vendor that has the toy. I am really bad about size proportions I have often bought ralphie cockatoo sized toys which just don't work out and I have also bought him that are WAY too small and having the marketplace people post photos of their birds and the toys so I get a good idea of size.

I also like to kind of "give back" to the vendors. Like by posting and it being a amazing toy or something generally other people will see it and want it. I think I posted a video of ralphie going nuts with a sub toy that I bought as a joke and now other people are planning on ordering it. So I like to help the small businesses out. If you likes something or are really satisfied with the customer service I think you should let other people know. But then again I'm ALWAYS happy with the AA vendors

 

[lotus15]

Well, I absolutely love seeing what people purchase-- it gives me great ideas!! Any way that I can help garner ideas to enrich my birds' lives is a positive post to me. One of my FAVORITE things is seeing people's beautiful outdoor aviaries. I'm an apartment dweller so it's totally out of the question for now but that doesn't mean I can't dream!

 

[Danita]

Oh oh oh, I love seeing aviary threads and bird room threads too!

 

[bicmeister]

As someone who just joined the forum last week and is getting back into the world of birdownership, I really enjoy reading about people's hauls because it really gives me an idea of what I should buy or make in preparation for my fid. And I don't necessarily think that it is "bragging".

However, I do think there should be a separate subforum because when I come to the marketplace, I am expecting to hear from vendors about sales or new items they have on sale. I suppose I expect commerce activities in a "marketplace". That's just my opinion. (Though, I'm fine with the status quo.)