Why the no commercial caches guideline?

[Icenians]

Hi,

I've been looking to become a member of the GAGB again and as part of that thought I'd check the guidelines to see if they've changed over the years.

Almost all of the guidelines have a sensible and common sense reasoning behind them. Permission, wildlife, kids, etc. Why the no commercial guideline? Where is the justification behind this guideline? Surely that is down to the listing site. Some don't allow commercial whilst others do.

Kev

[The Hornet]

I agree 100%

It's a while since I looked at the GAGB guidelines and I'd forgotten that one was there. While GSP don't allow anything vaguely commercial, there's no good reason I can think of why local best practice should disallow the idea.

It is certainly one to consider when the guidelines are next reviewed.

Possibly goes back to the software in caches incident?

[Bear and Ragged]

I agree 100%

It's a while since I looked at the GAGB guidelines and I'd forgotten that one was there. While GSP don't allow anything vaguely commercial, there's no good reason I can think of why local best practice should disallow the idea.

But would it be allowed to be listted 'over there'?

[studlyone]

But would it be allowed to be listted 'over there'?

Probably not but there are other listing sites out there that may allow it.

[uktim]

I agree 100%

It's a while since I looked at the GAGB guidelines and I'd forgotten that one was there. While GSP don't allow anything vaguely commercial, there's no good reason I can think of why local best practice should disallow the idea.

Surely it's got to be a good to keep commercial caches out of the game. What do cachers stand to gain from commercial caches?

At present the GAGB doesn't even allow commercial adverts on it's forums!

[The Hornet]

Surely it's got to be a good to keep commercial caches out of the game. What do cachers stand to gain from commercial caches?

At present the GAGB doesn't even allow commercial adverts on it's forums!

Some listing sites may think so, some may not. That's not the point. The GAGB guidelines promote good practice for "low impact" caching relevant to this country. GAGB isn't a listing site so doesn't have to be bound by the internal constraints imposed by any particular company.

As for what cachers stand to gain from commercialism, you only have to look at the recent Garmin/Blacks/Millets geocoin promotion to see a generally welcomed commercial venture.

[uktim]

Some listing sites may think so, some may not. That's not the point. The GAGB guidelines promote good practice for "low impact" caching relevant to this country. GAGB isn't a listing site so doesn't have to be bound by the internal constraints imposed by any particular company.

As for what cachers stand to gain from commercialism, you only have to look at the recent Garmin/Blacks/Millets geocoin promotion to see a generally welcomed commercial venture.

Of course it was welcomed everyone likes a free gift, but is caching any better off for it

There's no denying that we all benefit from commercial activities for much of our lives, but I find it hard to see how caching would gain from allowing commercial caches. If we consider the risks of creating the sort of intense activity that the Garmin coins caused around quiet cache sites it doesn't seem consistant with the ethos of low impact caching.

I can think of at least two ways that I could use my own caches to increase revenue from things that I already do. The present guidelines wouldn't allow me to do so and I think that it is quite right that they prevent such activities. Caching is a hobby, if we want to profit from it we can sell cache containers, GPS units, swag, geocoins etc, please let us keep the caches themselves free from blatant commercialisation.

[Icenians]

The problem I have is that as I cache on Terracaching I'm a sponsor, and therefore an approver, of caches. This guideline puts me in a difficult position.

As a GAGB member I would be agreeing to the GAGB guidelines, as an approver I can argue against dry stone walls, etc but not against commercial caches as they are not disallowed on TC. So if one of my sponsors wants to place a cache that is clearly commercial what right do I have to stop that? It becomes a personel view.

We don't have to go to the stage of 'cache sponsored by Blacks' stage to be classed as commercial but just placing one that requires buying a drink in a pub would be commercial. This sort of thing is not discouraged on TC as the idea is to allow creativity.

I don't see that the Commercial guideline falls within the remit of the GAGB in the same way as the others do.

Kev

[markandlynn]

Premium member only caches are commercial caches.

Very similar to the camping thread with this one

[Muggle]

Of course it was welcomed everyone likes a free gift, but is caching any better off for it

Is caching any worse for it?