This is getting really old....

[Andy1234]

One of the things that led me to register was the ability to post a WTB on the sales forum.
Andy1234

 

[begleytree]

new members now cannot post for "wanted to buy" items until they have 50 posts.
is it possible (or too much of a hassle) to split the Trading Post into 2 seperate forums?.......a seperate "for sale" forum and a seperate "wanted to buy" forum? that way the 50 post lock-out will not affect newer members looking for parts or saws.
sounds fair and reasonable to me, ....any thoughts?

Whats reasonable to me is that new members post a very minor 50 posts in order to use the trading post forum. That keeps folks from comming here only to sell.
The only other option is to lose the trading forum all together. There's a lot of members here whom do NOT want to see that happen.

andy1234, you can still post WTB and WTS items here. only thing we ask is that you stick around long enough to reply a mere 50 times. It's not that you are not wanted here, or that you item isn't good enough, but we don't want deluged with 100s of copy/paste listings.

What may not be widely understood is that monitoring the site takes time, and trading post effectively tripples the workload on this site alone. Allowing just anyone to sign up for free, and list a multitude of saws at or above retail cost, (like ebay) will detract from the site. imagine logging on to find 300 new threads, all saying the same thing (like ebay). sure, it'd help the site's membership stats, but would use up a lot of B/W just for b/s.

I think the change is a step in the right direction, a direction towards providing the trading post forum to our valued members, and weeding out the chaff. Unfortunately, it will include some growing pains to members it was not specifically targeted at.
-Ralph

 

[Andy1234]

I can agree with most of that.

I agree that some prerequisites should be required before WTS ads can be posted.

Just don't make it so stringent as to scare the new guys off.

Thanks,
Andy

 

[bugfart]

The trading forum should be considered and treated like the privilage it is.

Otherwise it would seem unfair to the sponsors.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Hey Ralph, lets look on the humorous side. What if you start a new forum here called the 'Flim Flam Forum',where all the noobs can take a crap in a basket and try to sell it?
Surely it would have some entertainment value if nothing else.
John

 

[donho]

rules

Hey, im fairly new to this site and im the guy who could easily miss the 50 post rules but it must of been in quite a few places as I saw it and it sounds like a good rule to me its a good site ive taken a lot from it already and still don't have 50 posts but im looking forward to someday having and maybe buying something from someone but until then I can go to ebay too rules and laws are in place for a reason we all know that by now KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK (all the people making this site run) THANKS

 

[cbrslider]

I'm a newly registered member but have been lurking for quite awhile. I have learned alot from reading all the posts. I am looking for saw parts and without the 50 post minimum that is going to be tough. I have already tried to send an email to one of the guys that posts that he sells used parts but never received a response. I understand the need for rules so you are not over run with people looking for free advertising, but for a new guy to chainsaws, its going to be tough. I don't know alot about them so I mainly read and learn from those that do. And I don't want to get my 50 posts from posting useless drivel like the guy that posted it in the off topic forum about cops, unions, laws, etc. That could have run my posts count up quick responding to the senseless waste but that is not my style.

I would like to get info on where to get used parts for my Husky saw, so if you could point me in a direction of a sponsor that could help me, please do. I have learned alot here and would like to help out a sponsor that helps keep this good site afloat.

Thanks
Ray

 

[Mange]

I think the smart thing would be to cansel the rule all together and IF there is a seller that gets out of line, let him know so.

I would not try to create more work with PM's deleteing this and that.

Keep it simple.

How many newbies are there compared to sellers that sells to much in a forsale forum?

 

[spacemule]

IF there is a seller that gets out of line, let him know so.

I would not try to create more work with PM's deleteing this and that.

Keep it simple.

That sounds nice Mange, but how do you let him know without deleting the posts and pm'ing them? Afterall, if they post here without following the rules, they aren't going to remove their posts on their own.

 

[coveredinsap]

Why not charge a fee for all successful private party (non-vendor) transactions in the Trading Post? Something like 5% or 10% should cover the extra vigilance necessary to police the posts, and should be enough to dissuade the fly-by-nights. Paid for by the seller (lister/thread-starter) of the item.

Something like an honor-system-based fee payable to a Arboristsite.com PayPal account would probably work, and those caught not paying the fee would simply lose the priviledge of using the Trading Post for a period of time... The carrot and stick method

 

[04ultra]

Why not charge a fee for all successful private party (non-vendor) transactions in the Trading Post? Something like 5% or 10% should cover the extra vigilance necessary to police the posts, and should be enough to dissuade the fly-by-nights. Paid for by the lister/thread-starter of the item.

Something like an honor-system-based fee payable to a Arboristsite.com PayPal account would probably work, and those caught not paying the fee would simply lose the priviledge of using the Trading Post for a period of time... The carrot and stick method

Or we could send a (bill) to sap for everything that is sold..

 

[coveredinsap]

Or we could send a (bill) to sap for everything that is sold..

LOL! What would you rather have, to pay a small fee per transaction or see the Trading Post get shut down becuase it's more trouble than it's worth?

 

[RaisedByWolves]

How about sales tax? Now AS needs an accounting moderator?

It's of no real benefit to the site and is a constant source of irritation.

Wrong, its one of the reasons people come here. If it annoys you, simply dont read it.

 

[Mange]

That sounds nice Mange, but how do you let him know without deleting the posts and pm'ing them? Afterall, if they post here without following the rules, they aren't going to remove their posts on their own.

I mean that the posts should go and he should be told why.
How many is it that actually could sell this much stuff... 5-10-50-100???
Would it not be easyer to deal with the few that do post a lot and are not sponsers, kindly offer them options: a sponsorship Or no selling period.

Compare this to regular users. How many is that?
How many readers is affected?

I can't belive there is more of these potensially harmful sellers than there is regular users.
Actually when looking it is 5-10...

I just thought since beagly had too much to do perhaps this was not a good idea to solve the "problem".

This is in my opinion not a problem that needs more rules and regulation, but less, it also could just be information that is missing.

 

[Mange]

I think there would be less work involved dealing with the ones creating this problem the rule is intended for, than correcting all new users etc..

 

[Cut4fun]

5%

I think other forums that offer trader sales areas, have you make a donation of 5% of the sale to the site. This is done by honesty mode and through paypal. I think. This could be done on the new people (but mandatory 5% pay) till they reach their post limits.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

It's worth noting a moderator started this thread.

Sorry, I didnt know you were speaking for the mods now.....

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Just pullin your chain.

 

[begleytree]

Just agreeing with one. It happens.

But not very often!!

Ahh, I think the problem is solved now. I haven't had to do any moderating on trading post since DDM made a couple of changes. For all members with more than 50 posts, they see no difference in the site. unfortunately, for the few well meaning newer members with less than 50 posts, this forum is inaccessable.
Seems to work good now.
And personally, I HATE the idea of charging a fee for selling on site. Goes against the principles of a free site, IMO. The thought and goodwill in which it was mentioned was appriciated anyway.
-Ralph