Concerning the new Buy/Sell posting format
 

Hey all,

I've not been a member here very long, but I'm sure I love this website as much as the next member.
When policies are made, I'm sure they are introduced either with everyone's best interests in mind, or to protect either the vendors/sponsors, the members, or the website itself.

This new posting format that has us selecting a prefix is an issue for me.
I have nothing against using it, but find it has made it harder to read through postings.

I'm sure I'm not the only one that has noticed this.

When I select 'New Posts', many look as if I've already read them, due to this new setup.
This not only makes it harder to scan through threads I've read, but the length of the titles is counter-productive, at least from a 'scan through' prospective.

I could speculate, and say this new plan is the result of complaints from sponsors, due to the volume of private sales, but that's just my personal thought.
I'm sure there is a valid reason as the 'site' is a business.

I'm only asking for your opinion on this new format and, if you don't like it, speak up.

I'm sure Titus has a solid reason for implementing this new format, but there must be a better, more member-friendly way to do so.

Opinions? My OCD has gone into overdrive :razz:

Glad to hear I'm not alone ....

The concept is understandable, but the layout is confusing... Especially with some of them being linked and some not (I think it looks better unlinked). But I'm also fearful for my account... So, I'll stop there. :biggrin:

Don't be afraid to say your piece ...
Your voice is necessary
You're not going to get banned for having a say
After all, us members are what drive this site ...

Sure, the sponsors pay for it, but we members are what keep the sponsors 'sponsoring' ( if that word isn't in Websters, it should be :smile: )

Just politely say what you want to say ....

I'm not looking for a revolt here, people

If you don't like it, here's your chance to say so

If you're OK with it, then let it go

Sure, why not...

I've spent hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars at most of the sponsors on this site. I'm sure other members are in the same boat. In exchange for supporting these vendors, it would be nice to have a clean worry free buy/sell page where I can sell off unwanted products/frags without having the worry of breaking rules and following confusing grey area regulations. As you said, it's us members who drive this site... It seems as though this concept was lost in the implementation. /rant

I would be happy if the rules were clearly displayed on the main page of the buy/sell section and use this functionality for a clearer understanding of what the person is trying to do with their post. Having a drop down for "For Sale", "Group Buy", "Want to buy" without a link to rules would be clean and useful.

+ ∞

It's overly wordy. I really don't need a EULA to reef keep. If there was just FS, FT, FF, LF, etc. That'd be perfect, otherwise I have to brush up on my legalese every time I post, which means I'll likely not bother.

Yup, I find the new format extremely annoying. Just harder to read and seperate through posts (The opposite of what it is intended to do). And the wording is kinda funny too (eg. "one off sale of personal items"). Sounds funny to me lol.

Maybe simple acronyms like most other forums would work? They don't need to be links either.

The prefix idea has some merit but...

a) the link to forum rules is annoying and a little too much and

b) confusing as all hell as part of the title says I have read the link and part doesn't. (As previously mentioned)

A better idea for a prefix would be to add a city which is mandatory. Now that would be useful.

I never did agree with a limitation on what I can sell out of my fish tank. It helps keep the bills down at least until the inevitable crash which makes me have to buy everything again.

Seems like an ok idea in theory as a way to sort out sales posts but since it gives the option of "no prefix" it seems kinda pointless as I'm sure most people will choose that option out of convenience.

If these changes reeeeally bother a person that much they are probably breaking the rules to begin with ooooooor he feel the need to instruct everyone to hold hands to cross the street just so he can take them back across to the other side again. This crappy hotel must have me grumpy, well a three hour drive to the next, hopefully it's better.

Not a fan http://simmergirl.com/forum/smileys/thumb-down.gif

No accounts will be harmed in the voicing of opinions on this :)

I totally agree, I quit using it to sell because everything is mixed together. Also not being able to edit to keep your thread up to date or remove your thread after you sell is a PITA.

It was a lot cleaner (and easier to buy AND list) when I could just strikethrough or update the first post with "sold". Instead, now I have to skim through a few pages of conversation/bumps on a listing with multiple items just to see if one of the pieces is still available. Before I could skip the listing entirely if the title was just updated to "SOLD". :) I definitely don't browse through much anymore, maybe that's the intention.

Based on that, it was probably you that caused the edit to be removed :) We asked a billion times for people to not change or remove the posts, but you kept doing it. We would have left it if people just marked items sold, but stuff got removed, changed or deleted altogether. So, no more edit. On a positive note, most people have adapted to not editing.
But, we digress, this thread is about the prefix "feature"...carry on :razz:

Ummm, thats a bit overstated. :lol:

Ahhh, that is what has happened. I noticed this, and wondering WTH. I personally don't like it either.

I saw the prefixing on my comp last night, but not seeing it on tapatalk today. ;)
Edit:
I do not see the prefixing when viewing but it asks to put one in if i post.

I may not post much on here but I do read through multiple times a day. "[One Off Sale of Personal Items]" Really? Like I think somebody selling a 200gallon tank has 40 more sitting in their basement. Its a bit redundant as well as annoying to look at for somebody who just clicks "New Posts". Even if people had a frag grow-op in their basement and was just cut and sell. They wouldn't be picking a title that said thats what they were doing. Just a Simple FS, FT, FF, LF (or a mix of them) that was mandatory would be more then enough, there are lots of people that forget to put that.

Now I would be all for something that makes people put a location in the title.

I'm not a fan I have a feelng the buy and sell sections days are numbered TBH:(

I imagine that it will become a vendor only market soon. :Cry:

and all it will be is "Recurring Sale of Commercial Items" at the same price as everywhere else... WooHoo

I agree!!
Knowing what city an item is up for sale on Tapatalk is a royal PITA without a location in the title.
I'd be pushing location more than "One Off Sale of Personal Items"
If it's in the For Sale section one would assume that it's For Sale unless noted otherwise.

Now wheres my soap box??

If I sell a frag every 6 months, is that "Recurrent Sale of Personal Items]" or [One Off Sale of Personal Items]"?
As a purchaser, I only care that there is a frag for sale, not that one was sold in the past by this user.

"[One Off Sale of Excess Goods from Personal Shipments]" is redundant.
If someone is importing large quantities of items and constantly listing them up for sale, then they should be confronted by the mods at that point for sponsorship. I'm sure that the paying sponsors will see and mention if someone is undercutting them in this area.

Again, I'm not really interested if a seller ordered a 10lb bag of calcium and ended up with a 1000 lb bag and therefore has "Excess Goods from Personal Shipments".

All I want to know what is for sale/for trade/for free, where it is and price.

I think their should be a section for members buy and sell seperate from sponsors buy and sell.

Absolutely not going to happen. Te buy and sell forums are for the members, and are here to stay.

There is. It's the buy and sell forums. They are only for members. Vendors sell their stuff in their own respective forum. If you see otherwise, let me know and I'll move it to where it should be.

Exactly.

As for location, each member is expected to put their location in their profile, which shows up on each and every post. If that doesn't show with tapatalk, that's a limitation of the app and should be taken up with them. Other than that, if the seller's profile (and post) indicates they are in Calgary, one would assume the item for sale is in the same city.

For the rest of your soapbox rally, I'd tend to agree.

I find the new format hard to navigate and a little annoying. People who abuse the buy and sell aspect b/w members can be dealt with individually and the rules updated if need be. Please bring back the previous, easy to read format.

The new format seems to be targeted/include in some ways at those with a small frag setup... I don't have one (yet), but that to me is part of the fun of this hobby... to acquire corals and trade/sell frags. I buy plenty from the sponsors, but I also want to buy and sell to members if I chose and I hope the door isn't closing on that particular part of the hobby on this board.

This has been an incredible resource for me since getting into SW just over a year ago and I visit it almost daily as a one-stop: research, browse, buy, sell. Its been great meeting people thru the buy and sell forums.

+1. I think If they changed to the categories that MKLKT mentioned it would be better.

If the categories are going to be used they should be mandatory in the buy/sell forums. Then all the posts would be in a more standardized form and start with the appropriate prefix.

As others have mentioned as well I normally only view the New Posts listing unless I am specifically searching for something. I don't like how the category is never bolded on the new threads that I have not viewed.

Either way though... change happens and I'll get used to it :)

+1 on limiting the prefix to FF/FS/LF/FT. The new format looks unnecessarily wordy and complicated. If it's difficult people won't use it and speaking for myself the buy/sell is a big reason I check canreef multiple times a day instead of once a day. If Buy/sell dries up, so does a big reason for me to check in which decreases the amount of viewing of sponsor ad's that happens.

I also want to rant a little on the new definition (I think it's new, but maybe I just noticed it) of a commercial vendor; specifically the line about not needing even needing a website or other real "commercial" presence to fall under that category. A lot of our most active and most helpful members could potentially be classified under this new definition, guys who maintain a frag tank to subsidize their own hobby. If we chase these guys away in order to appease the sponsors we lose a tremendous resource and the sites quality will suffer as a direct result. To me, this smacks of bullying by vendors threatening to pull their advertising dollars and is really unfortunate.

I do realize that sponsors pay the bills around here, but enthusiasts selling frags out of their basement frag tanks keeps the hobby affordable, sustainable and their assistance and goodwill (on a level that you rarely see sponsors provide) help the large number of new members that pass through here every day keep from feeling overwhelmed by this intimidating hobby. If we lose that, your advertisers will have no one to bully but they will also have a drastically reduced audience to market their wares to. Once the advertisers see that site traffic is down, they will start questioning if advertising (sponsoring) on canreef is a worthwhile investment or money down the drain. Members are the reason Canreef gets sponsors who pay the bills. End of rant

Most of my concerns have been voiced by the general canreef populace, the only thing that I can add is I have no problem paying a membership fee (Something similar to RC) if this would help circumvent high vendor fees.

By all means this wouldn't be a "pay or get lost" thing, just give general members the option to "support" canreef. Paying members could get a little avatar indicating they have personally contributed.

Just my 2 cents.

I would contribute reguarily , for people like me how is sponsorship possible where I don't own a business and my revenue from frags is small, I'm not someone who posts only when frags are for sale I post answers, I visit houses, give people tester frags free and offer any service I can....I rarely charge for anything just frags I swallow all other costs and time......its kinda sad that I have to be careful not to make sponsors mad when people like me put in the real blood and tears.
...I bet I can name 50 people I've helped one way or another free of charge since Christmas
....and when its time to sell some frags I'm stepping on eggshells:(

Not trying to start a revolt just stating what's obviously fact:)

I really didnt want to comment, as none of us has really knows the story behind
why this has been implemented. Yet.

But it's not hard to guess where it's going tho. It's to stop people who are selling multiple frags. I find it kinda sad that I am "breakin the law" because of my 15 acan frags I started 2 months ago planning on December sale for some extra Christmas money. Guess there's too much competition here.:razz:

I'm not going to stress over a message board rule change...I have the real world for that! It is what it is

I stand by my sig line tho..

No need to toot your own horn Denny ;), that's what were here for.

I couldn't agree with the statement above more, never even meeting me Denny SHIPPED me a Nuc. Green frag free of charge. It's people like this that act as the proverbial glue here at Canreef, remove their ability to provide help and you have a house built of sponsors, not a home built for us.

In addition most of these sellers are providing something very few vendors provide, actual aquacultured frags, grown in their own home systems. Not a single store in Calgary at the moment has an actual propagation system. What option does this give us besides wild caught?

Please Canreef, stop oppressing the little guy before its too late!

Lol...

guys, this website is a business and like it or not, we the users are it's commodity.

This will not be the last change created to stifel the "black market" we create for ourselves as lets face it, the easier it is for us hobbysist to communicate, trade and sell at fair prices the harder it is for vendors to make their margins.

He who has the gold makes the rules.

We fear change
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PWR3w2VkSZ...fearchange.jpg

If vendors are worried about loosing money to guys like Denny then maybe they should one up him and bring in new exciting pieces we all drool about over the web

I agree with this as well, lots of other sites have paid members along with non-paid members. I visit here quite often throughout the day for my fix and would gladly contribute funds to keep things rolling smooth.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

absolutely same here:)