Vendor Question

[DRaider90]

I sent a PM plus fallow up PM about this, but haven't heard back so I figured I would inquire about it here.

I understand the rules about Vendors, and keeping out "backyard" vendors. But I have sort of a unique situation.

For 3 years in this up coming January I have been hosting my own Cafepress shop that has 4x4 Stickers/Shirts etc. At $6.95 a month I have spent over $200 keeping this store up so people can buy stickers/shirts/designs that they request. I make $2 per item sold (used to be $1 till just recently) to help cover hosting costs. In the amount of items sold I am still $120 in the hole, so its safe to say I am not making any money on this. People PM/Email me with custom sticker/shirt requests, I design it free of charge and host it so they can purchase it.

My question is about having a banner ad in my signature, which vendors are allowed to have. But I don't have a business license etc to qualify to be a vendor. So would there be some way I could be allowed to put a banner in my signature to raise awareness of the stickers/shirts I offer as a service to the 4x4 community? If not its no biggie, as I said in my PM's. But it would be nice to know what the moderators/sites stance is on this. I figure it couldn't hurt to ask.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rob]

I got it, I've been busy, I'll answer it soon. I never answer right off, keeps me on the up and up. It doesn't hurt to ask, and I figured your question was due a good answer, not a quick one.

 

[DRaider90]

Thanks, will be keeping an eye on my inbox.

 

[DRaider90]

Since this issue has re-surfaced figured I would update this.

So far my understanding is this:

A.)If you don't have a business/tax license you aren't qualified to be come a vendor. This is to weed out "back yard" vendors.

B.)In order to post up threads about the stickers I make, I need to be come a vendor.

C.)I don't make enough money on the stickers (I am actually $175 in the hole due to hosting costs) to qualify for a business/tax license. I forget the exact number but I know its more than $175 in the negative. Its the concept in order to have a business and get taxed on it to get the license(s) you actually have to be making money.

D.)Therefore I can't get a license to qualify to be a vendor, so there is no way for me to post up about the stickers I make (and the ideas people want turned into stickers for their trucks).

Maybe I am loosing it, but that doesn't sound right.

 

[Rob]

Plain and simple, you do not qualify under this boards guidelines to become a vendor. Therefore you can't pimp your stickers on this board. Your posts come across as selling stickers. Can't get any simpler then that. Your profit or lack of profit doesn't even come into play.

 

[DRaider90]

Plain and simple, you do not qualify under this boards guidelines to become a vendor. Therefore you can't pimp your stickers on this board. Your posts come across as selling stickers. Can't get any simpler then that. Your profit or lack of profit doesn't even come into play.

I really don't see a point in trying to explain myself, but I will give it one shot.

1.)There was no link to an area to buy stickers in my post, it was made to get opinions on the stickers. And to give people that had sticker ideas to get them made up free of charge. But this is a moot point, the thread has been removed.

2.)I didn't make the Vendor requirements, which one of them is having a Tax License or Business License (and there is no NC Law stating this). I can't have a usable Tax License if there is nothing to Tax. That is how my lack of profit comes into play. I didn't make the rule that Vendors have to have Tax IDs/Business Licenses. I understand the rule, but obviously its a no exception rule.

3.)It boils down to someone trying to do something simple for the community like provide stickers isn't allowed on these boards. Not to mention the offer of FREE services to turn board members ideas into stickers so they can have what they want on their vehicles.

4.)The point of having Vendors is to allow people MAKING MONEY from a business to advertise their business on here in a regulated/professional manner for a fee. That is the whole idea, you pay a little bit ($50) so you can advertise and make a PROFIT (usually greater than $50 to make the investment make sense). I am not making any PROFIT but I am still willing to give this site $50 (to add to my debt) so I can provide a service for the community.

THE MATH:

$6.95 Monthly Hosting Fee x 34 Months =$236.47

I have added a $1 fee to help cover hosting cost, which recently turned to $2. $72 in fees has gone to the monthly hosting costs.

$236.47- $72 in $1/$2 fees = $164.47

$400 Yearly Profit needed for NC Tax ID/License + $164.47= $564.47

$564.47 + $50 Vendor Fee = $614.47

$614.47 / $2 fee = 307 Stickers/Items

So according to the rules set forth on these forums for me to be a Vendor I would need to sell 307 stickers/items to get my Tax ID/License etc now and then 225 stickers every year after that. That would be to break even. And would I accomplish this? Well most people would say be getting the word out and advertising, but I can't do that here. So its a moot point.

If there was any slight possibility of me selling 307 stickers off the bat, and then 225 a year from posting a thread on here about the stickers I have made and my offer to design stickers for others for FREE then I would have no issue. But you can't make money if you aren't out to in the first place. I am happy being in the hole because I get enjoyment from being able to help people get the kinds of stickers they want on their trucks, and in the rare occasion getting to see them enjoying something I came up with on their truck.

Bottom line, I wanted to help out the people on here that like having wheeling stickers on their trucks and I will not be allowed to because I don't make any money off of it. The only people loosing here are the ones that enjoy putting the stickers on their vehicles.

I won't argue this point any further. I stated my opinion, the opinion of this forum has been made clear and I won't further this anymore.

 

[Ron]

None of my business, but you should check on the business and tax Id laws, you are mistaken.

For example ECORS had a NC Tax Id a FED Tax ID and a NC Sales Tax ID, befor eour articles of incorporation were even filed.

As a matter of fact you can lose 100k per annum for I believe 3 years before you have to dissolve your business.

 

[DRaider90]

None of my business, but you should check on the business and tax Id laws, you are mistaken.

For example ECORS had a NC Tax Id a FED Tax ID and a NC Sales Tax ID, befor eour articles of incorporation were even filed.

As a matter of fact you can lose 100k per annum for I believe 3 years before you have to dissolve your business.

I have to work through cafepress to get the paperwork needed for the Tax ID because when you sign up you agree to a list of things. Including that until you make $400 in taxable revenue you cannot get/file the seperate SE forum. Besides its a moot point, I am not going to argue with the moderator(s) or anyone else about it anymore. I said my .02, they don't want me providing the service, end of story.