As Abhijeet says:
The IFG sales section was actually intended as a place for members to swap items surplus to their needs and not as a commercial marketplace.
I do understand (as Abhijeet pointed out) that some commercial selling does go on. Now there are proposals to modify the system for something that will (in the eyes of some) more closely match what the buy/sell forum is being used for, rather than what it was intended to be used for. One might also envision a situation where, if and when the operation of the buy/sell forum is changed, it will continue to evolve into something yet more different.
I am wondering:
"Fair market": This is a subjective, not objective, term. How is fair market going to be determined? By consensus? If so, is a consensus method going to be quick and efficient in providing prices for quick sale? If not, what is the pricing method that is proposed, exactly? It is all well enough to say, "I want to be able to buy at fair prices on IFG," but quite another thing to specify how this will happen in a way that suits everyone, or just a majority, or even just a plurality.
Who will administer and police the prices? This is bound to be a timely procedure. Books on gun values are sold for money here: if the seller is allowed to make a profit and the buyer is going to be protected to receive a fair price, is it to be supposed that the moderator/administrator should provide this service as some sort of donation of their own time? There are lots of services I'd like for people to provide free of charge to me! (This does illustrate how "fair" as many applications and is perceived differently from different perspectives.)
There are points of reference regarding pricing of guns in places like, say, the USA. Is there a mutually agreed upon authority or set of authorities regarding gun values in India upon which the proposed price structure will be based?
If IFG is going to get into the business of becoming a market place, what will become of the original purpose of the board? I know it is easy to say, "Someone will do that work." It is always easy to volunteer the labor of others in order to provide a service to one's self. However, very few things in life really work that way.
Is there really a shortage of other trading zones, such that another one is needed?
If someone wants to communicate an objection regarding price or talk with another prospective buyer, then why is the PM not sufficient for this use?
How are we to keep a group from sitting on the fence, who have no intention of buying or selling, from getting involved in sales? Surely this is a fertile field for conflict? Are we going to assign buyer and seller numbers, something else for the admins and mods to administer for free (not to mention the squabbles and complaints...)
I don't have the answers to these questions. Perhaps some may be provided as this thread continues.