Marketplace replacement

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Seller can pick up right buyer or friend etc, no rule for first offer.

larsr · Joined: 25 Jun 2009 Posts: 272 Location: Helsinki, Finland

The only thing that irritates me with the Marketplace is that sometimes I can't distinguish "to buy" and "to sell" adverts from one another. Other forums have dealt with the problem by splitting into "BUY" and "SELL" forums which, I think, clarifies purpose really, really well. That way, you don't have to put WTB or WTS or worry if you forget it or not.

Other than that, I strongly disagree with sub-categorizing the Marketplace any further - as long as the subject lines are clear to interpret, ie: "FS: Pentacon 135/2.8 (M42) from UK" or smth..

My 0.02€

luke cern · Joined: 09 May 2010 Posts: 24

SkedAddled · Expire: 2021-08-12

1. Create separate sections for BUY and SELL.
Members can easily find their way to the proper section for their interests.

2. Do not allow comments posted to a thread to move it to the top.
This keeps things on a more even keel, and prevents people with gear
to buy or sell from moving their post to the top of the list.
A simple search of the section in question will give buyers or sellers
all they need to know, and prevents unfair 'bumping' of a thread.

3. Standardize the subject lines, such as [FS] to mean For sale, [FT]
to mean For Trade, [US] to mean United States, [EU] to mean European
countries, [CA] to mean Canada, [CON US] to mean continental
United States, etc. Actual item is also included in the Subject line.
[FA] can mean For Auction.

4. Create a standardized format for posts, such as:
WHAT: Item is described here, in full detail.
Don't skimp on details, either. The more you tell, the more we'll be able
to decide if we want to make a deal with you.
WHY: Why are you selling/trading/buying?
Example: I just landed a Canon 28-135 IS USM lens which was sold out of
a kit package. The camera buyer didn't want the lens from the kit, so he
offered it up for sale. I bought it.
DETAILS: Everything you'd like to know or should tell. Include clear pictures, if appropriate.
This is the time to mention your personal nitpicks about the item,
or simply tell everyone about the one or two cosmetic issues you've had
with the item. Is function affected? Are the optics affected? Are you
simply being too much of a perfectionist? Say it all, and don't hold back.
PAYMENT: Will you accept PayPal, or do you require other means of payment?
If you will accept PayPal for the price, but insist on collecting the additional
percentage fees of the Paypal service, then simply say so.
SHIPPING: Will you require additional monies for shipping, or is your price/offer all-inclusive?
Be sure to tell others if you will impose an additional charge for shipping
costs. This is especially important when making arrangements between
different countries, and can have a huge impact on total shipping costs.

5. NEVER remove listing prices!
No matter what, this is an excellent indicator of what any given item is worth
in the world market. It's also a superb way for newcomers to get a good
idea of what any given item is worth, or at least give them an idea of
what they should be willing to offer.

6. ALWAYS lock the threads when an item has sold, traded, or transferred.
If there is an option for a poster to lock their threads due to a sale/trade/
purchase or other reason, this should be implemented immediately
on this forum. This option gives the poster a way to immediately
announce that any given item is no longer for sale/trade, while preserving
the details and prices of the transaction.

Scheimpflug · Expire: 2011-11-18

Too many rules. Shocked

There's also a number of problems. For example:

Does a "For Trade" post go in the "For Sale" section or the "Wanted" section?
If comments ("bumping") are not allowed, how will a still-for-sale item stay afloat when other items above it are sold? (Is bumping even a problem here?)
Country descriptions in the subject ([US], [EU], etc) can be misleading. Is this where the seller is from, where they ship to, or what currency they take? How can you distinguish between a US seller who sells only to the US, vs. a US seller who sells worldwide, vs a seller from Ecuador who takes US dollars?
Does "[FS][FT][CON US][NIKON][AF][TELE][ZOOM][LENS][USED][<$100][US$][PayPal][FreeShip] Tamron 300/5.6" as a post title really help make things any more clear, or does it just make the forum a pain to read?
If we lock threads after the item sells, how can buyers report back with feedback or samples? What if the buyer backs out, or returns the item? Won't this system essentially require moderator attention for every single thread in the Marketplace section?

Seems to me like the current system is working. If any piece of information is missing, potential buyers (or any other helpful member) can easily ask for the missing information. It doesn't require moderator attention, it doesn't require users to learn a bunch of etiquette, and it provides a lot of flexibility. It also makes new users immediately obvious, which helps keep other members from getting burned on shady deals. Wink

larsr · Joined: 25 Jun 2009 Posts: 272 Location: Helsinki, Finland