Changes to the classifeds

[hndrsonj]

It might be useful to reply to an ad to ask for more pictures or specific information about the item. This is information everyone would probably be interested in. If someone wants to tell you how to put the item on or use it, they should start a thread in the correct forum since classifieds ads eventually go away.

If there is a way to set up classified ads so that replies don't bump the thread, only the OP can bump, that might help keep them from cluttering the today's posts.

Some auction sites have time limits and then the ad expires. You can re-list the item if it's not sold. If ads automatically expire after a period of time, it would keep ads from hanging around forever and ease the moderator work load, such as checking if the item is still for sale. It would make the seller keep up with their ads.

PM the seller to purchase or ask about shipping is a good idea.

If you need more pics-send a PM.
Even if only the OP bumps it will go to todays posts.
We have time limits, I think it's 90 days from last posting.
If we made the self prune, say 30 days, it would clean the forum and force the seller to relist if he still has the item.

 

[Tow4]

If you need more pics-send a PM.
Even if only the OP bumps it will go to todays posts.
We have time limits, I think it's 90 days from last posting.
If we made the self prune, say 30 days, it would clean the forum and force the seller to relist if he still has the item.

If the seller only PMs you the pictures, it doesn't help anyone else. Even though it's in their interest to post to the thread.

OP is only going to bump once a week. If they edit the original post to add info, does that bump the thread?

The time limit should go from the listing date.

 

[patracy]

If the seller only PMs you the pictures, it doesn't help anyone else. Even though it's in their interest to post to the thread.

OP is only going to bump once a week. If they edit the original post to add info, does that bump the thread?

The time limit should go from the listing date.

Seller can't PM pics. So it'd behoove him to simply post them. Much like how craigslist, ebay, exc. all work.

Editing a post will not "bump" it.

Time limit on the first listed date would cause users ads they are maintaining to be deleted.

 

[hndrsonj]

If the seller only PMs you the pictures, it doesn't help anyone else. Even though it's in their interest to post to the thread.

OP is only going to bump once a week. If they edit the original post to add info, does that bump the thread?

The time limit should go from the listing date.

It's in the best interest of the OP to post the pictures to the thread when he gets a request. If they choose to only send it to those that request it-too bad.
If they edit the origional post it will not bump it.
Time limit is currently from the last post.

edit: Drew beat me to it.

 

[wheelspinner]

This is a proven concept. More and more people are breaking the rules with in needed comments, offers, and other items. Even the wanted ads. These become a pseudo auction. Everybody who has the part wanted publicly offers the part at a price. Then the next person undercuts. It's a race to the bottom and causes people to not want to bother to maintain parts for sale. Can't.

 

[goldneagle]

How about a 30 day listing. Then an automatic PM to the seller reminding him to either bump (renew) the Ad or remove it if it already sold out. An automatic reminder would help sellers that may not be keeping track of their listing all the time.

 

[doghead]

Sellers (other than vendors) can only have 10 ads at a time.

How hard is it to maintain 10 ads?

We could limit it to 2, that would make it easier yet.

 

[patracy]

How about a 30 day listing. Then an automatic PM to the seller reminding him to either bump (renew) the Ad or remove it if it already sold out. An automatic reminder would help sellers that may not be keeping track of their listing all the time.

Another hack needed, not happening.

 

[3dAngus]

Might as well just shut down this thread.

It's pretty obvious minds were made up before the question was asked. We can live with it.

 

[Scar59]

Just a big thank you for setting some commen sense guidlines for the classifieds, and cleaning up my sales thread.
JC

 

[swbradley1]

Not necessarily Dell, it's just that what was decided was that the site is not going back to throwing all those extra hacked up features on for one-off situations (yes this is more than a one-off).

Putting them on produced a patched up buggy site that crashed too frequently and was unstable. This is more better.

 

[patracy]

Might as well just shut down this thread.

It's pretty obvious minds were made up before the question was asked. We can live with it.

Care to expand upon that?

I'm just not willing to further compromise the security of the site. All of these add-ons/modifications/hacks come from third parties. They all can potentially give hackers another means to attack the site. I know there's been a number of these third party modifications that have been exploited in the past. Also for what it's worth. A lot of them are simply something someone spun up on their own. They hold zero liability for them. If they break something or allow a hack, they'll simply say "sorry". Also these add-ons/modifications don't always work well with the core application (vBulletin) during upgrades. So it's a balancing act. I know I've gotten some flack over removing some functions here in the past. But the goal is to streamline things into the base code as much as possible.

FWIW, reviewing the logs since noon, I see 164 entries between the error log (snooping of directories/tools not on the server) and the zb block tool of sql injection attempts, bad bots, and known problematic IPs. There's a good reason for my concern, I can assure you.

 

[goldneagle]

Sellers (other than vendors) can only have 10 ads at a time.

How hard is it to maintain 10 ads?

We could limit it to 2, that would make it easier yet.

Have you ever sign up for some thing with a 30 day free trial and forgot to cancel on time? We get busy with our daily life and don't always keep track of everything going on.

You guys asked for feedback and then get upset when I make a suggestion. EDITED

 

[tobyS]

Are you also going to stop making them part of the "today's posts", mixed in with other conversations? I asked questions without realizing it was a classified based on the title. So will ads be still on that list? I think they should not be. One should not mix classified or vendor section that contains ads, wants or other commerce, with other conversations. Ads should be linkable to the conversations, but separate from "todays posts".

Also, make it know the site receives revenue from ads, what it does with the revenue (optional but inspires good will) and make it easy to pay for ads... aka "user friendly" (like apparently the conclusion of 3dAngus may be alluding to).

Consider hiring a professional at marketing for a few hours.

 

[patracy]

Are you also going to stop making them part of the "today's posts", mixed in with other conversations? I asked questions without realizing it was a classified based on the title. So will ads be still on that list? I think they should not be. One should not mix classified or vendor section that contains ads, wants or other commerce, with other conversations. Ads should be linkable to the conversations, but separate from "todays posts".

Also, make it know the site receives revenue from ads, what it does with the revenue (optional but inspires good will) and make it easy to pay for ads... aka "user friendly" (like apparently the conclusion of 3dAngus may be alluding to).

Consider hiring a professional at marketing for a few hours.

Nope. We've had that discussion before. We put it to a vote. (It was excluded, then people got upset that they received no views for their ads)

They go to Steel Soldiers LLC (Chris) how they're used, I do not know. But he owns the site and is in charge of that. I can say this though, there's substantial costs involved in the site's use due to our footprint (100+ gb, and a massive amount of data transfer each month). Please also read my response about the security risks of these items.

Whom should hire a professional at marketing? The users of the classifieds?

 

[patracy]

Have you ever sign up for some thing with a 30 day free trial and forgot to cancel on time? We get busy with our daily life and don't always keep track of everything going on.

You guys asked for feedback and then get upset when I make a suggestion. EDITED

I'm not upset over this. I started the thread to ask for views on the matter. I could have just as easily made the change and said "this is how it is".

 

[goldneagle]

I'm not upset over this. I started the thread to ask for views on the matter. I could have just as easily made the change and said "this is how it is".

I am not a programmer -so I do not know how difficult it would be for the system to send an AD expiration notice to the seller. I know you have an automated reminder of the Site fees that I received a few weeks ago. But thank you for considering my idea.

 

[Recovry4x4]

You guys asked for feedback and then get upset when I make a suggestion.

I don't believe anyone is upset here. There are a number of factors and issues that have occured behind the scenes. If we seem to be leaning one way or the other, it is because of those issues.

Edited

In the same regard, no one has forced anyone to use the classified section. If one wants to use it, that's no problem but it really is up to them to maintain it. If one can't take the time to maintain their ad, they will have make time to relist it if it gets pruned.

 

[3dAngus]

Care to expand upon that?

I'm just not willing to further compromise the security of the site. .

Sure, no problem. I was referring to the original post, where questions/comments were solicited about ethics and others posting on one individuals, or one vendors classified. It seems for every answer or comment given, it is quick to be shot down.
It becomes evident Moderators are all in the same huddle, and have discussed it before, pros and cons, and have pretty much so come to a conclusion before the solicitation in the original post came to fruition.

I have no problem with it. I have no idea how everybody all of a sudden veered over to hacks, and security, and all these other things that had nothing to do with the original post of whether or not the site should stop allowing people to comment, on a classified ad. I would say no, they should not, even though there are a few good reasons here and there that would be complimentary of a post for a classified ad made in error, or incomplete, and I quoted a source link to support the comment, which was deleted due to the fact the seller did not actually own the items (yet). No problem there either. Perfectly appropriate.

I just have a problem when people want to test the waters on something new and their mind appears to already be made up.
The question is, why ask the question.
Just do it!

 

[patracy]

I'm all ears for anything that will deal with the ethics/morals/and other pains of the classifieds. But my explanation of the security aspects were based on goldneagle's comment. I was giving the reasoning behind why I'm not about to add another piece of code.