Post your suggestions for Rules for Classifieds.

One which became apparent today is that a member responding to a WTS or WTB ad must post in the thread in question, if a transaction is agreed upon in principle. I have resisted this because I know many of you wish to retain your anonymity in such transactions and I understand why members feel this way, but this is going to be a rule. There seems to be no way around it.

Feel free to post any suggestions you feel would make for sensible rules. I encourage you to do so and no suggestions will be criticized. No arguing, please. Back-and-forth discussion about the submitted suggestions is fine, but no arguing. Thanks for your input.

I think that's a big one! Tell's everyone who is interested and that they are indeed a "real" member.

Agreed, even as brief as "email sent" would suffice.

I preface any email to a forum member with SigForum in the subject & my username in the first line or two of the email.

Being able to link the 2 would go a long way.

But, I also realize that this would be tough to enforce on the WTB side.

A minimum post count (outside of classifieds) and time as a member.
I mostly look through, not buy or sell there and am always surprised how many posters are very low count, recent sign up's and the overwhelming number of rule breakers seem to come from that group.

If it's worth selling here, it's worth figuring out how to include a photo in the ad. There should be no "email/text" for pics. Too many play the "I can't be bothered to learn" card.

Only the email listed in your profile should be used for transactions. Would make it easy for people to filter out posers.

Minimum of 50 posts outside of the Classifieds.

^^^ I'd add to that, one year of membership. That may sound harsh, but it sure would eliminate assholes.

I would recommend a pic of the item that includes a piece of paper showing the sellers Forum ID and date. This eliminates the use of stock or pirated photos.

I dislike the post count idea, as you end up with people posting haphazardly across the forum to reach the post limit.

Forum email matching transaction email is good, but it puts the onus on Para to deal with the offender if something goes wrong.

I like the requirement to post in the thread.

I think the best thing is to say, do your diligence. If someone with a low round count, only posts in classifieds, or has a habit of only popping in once or twice a year to buy or sell wants to do business. Take a pass on the item or option.

Honestly, if the forum software supports it. I'd make classifieds a pay service. 5 bucks a year through 'x' service.

A simple pay service would weed out most of the shitbags, and problem users. It would support the time spent managing the classifieds and our preferred forum.

Should something go wrong with a scammer, well, then we have at least a name, it might not be the right one, but it would be a start for law enforcement.

My ideas are normally shit, so take the above with a grain of salt.

As far as photo's with name and date. That works, but 9 tenths of the WTB and WTS adds don't include photos.

I think para's suggestion above would help.

A couple others to consider:

potentially require sellers and buyers to have their email addresses viewable in their forum profiles (not posted publicly in a post, but only viewable to SF members). This would potentially be a way for sellers/buyers to verify each other because the email you'd get from a "seller" could be checked against a SF member's profile email.

Also I assume the forum software doesn't support "messaging" otherwise it would be in use. But aving private messages coming from "inside the forum software" from a member might be a way to mitigate scammers from scanning the classified section and sending buyers emails pretending to be SF users. You would still need to vet any potential seller, verify addresses, ask for specific pics of the item, etc.

Thanks Para for your patience with this crap. I hate thieves and scammers and it's a shame that they are using this great forum to try to rob people.

quote:

Originally posted by 1KPerDay:
Thanks Para for your patience with this crap. I hate thieves and scammers and it's a shame that they are using this great forum to try to rob people.

You're a mensch for letting me rail at you. You'll always be welcome here. I want you to know that.

Maybe hide the Classifieds from anyone who is not signed into their forum profile?

I think you shouldn’t be allowed to erase or block out the sold price of the product. You weren’t ashamed of the asking price so the selling price stays. It’s the easiest way to price things right and there is no harm to buyer or seller.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by 1KPerDay:
Thanks Para for your patience with this crap. I hate thieves and scammers and it's a shame that they are using this great forum to try to rob people.

You're a mensch for letting me rail at you. You'll always be welcome here. I want you to know that.

thanks for saying this.

Hiding the Classifieds from off-line lurkers sounds like a good idea Drewr.

quote:

Originally posted by DrewR:

Maybe hide the Classifieds from anyone who is not signed into their forum profile?

Very good idea. I like it.

I also like a couple of other previous suggestions,

Must have email address in profile, and

No "email me for pictures." A prominently labeled sticky at the top containing instructions for linking to photos might be helpful for this.

Another suggestion: We all (well, most of us, anyway) know that we should combine ads, not post multiple WTS ads, but I do not recall seeing this as a written rule any place.

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הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים

I like the idea of posting "I'll take it" in the ad , even if the details are worked out via email or text. I probably should learn how to post pictures of items but don't think it should be required.

A minimum post count along with a time period before one can post in the classifieds could go a long way.

Thank you Para for keeping the classifieds open and asking for input.

I disagree about the pictures thing. Some if you guys have it down pat. I’ve tried like 3 different hosting sites after photobucket went bananas and it is a ridiculous chore for me. I just posted pics on my wts ad because pics sell the stuff better than words. Posting the first pic from imgbb took 5 minutes. The next 3 took about half an hour. I tried the iPad I tried it on a desktop, it was like they changed the operating system 5 minutes after I did the first picture. I almost threw the box of stuff for sale in the trash. Lol

Point is, photo hosting sites aren’t nearly as simple as that goofy meme instruction picture everybody posts when somebody can’t post a picture. At least not for the very occasional picture poster.

I'd say take a look at the characteristics of the past scammers. If a minimum post of 50 and six months membership would have prevented a scam. Make the 50 minimum posts and six months membership a rule. Plus, you had to have posted in the wts or wtb ad.