[titus]

Hello,
Okay finally have been able to read through these properly in front of a computer. I try to respond to the comments and queries as much as I can.

Originally Posted by gregzz4

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.

If we use Prefix to select locations, we'd have the same issue though one can say province acronyms are shorter which is something I'm keen to make it so for the existing prefixes as well. Otherwise, I can look into removing these prefixes in the New Posts results.

Originally Posted by waynemah

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.

You mean linking as in most but the "Want To Buy" category are linked to the FAQ with explanation? No need to be afraid. While it doesn't mean we can cater to every requests it doesn't mean we can't listen to them and see what we can do about them as long as we keep the discussions civilized.

Originally Posted by waynemah

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 appears that you are not aware there are indeed links in place for the Notice area above each of the Buy / Sell forum pages, and most of the Prefixes themselves, to the FAQ section explaning what the categories are.

Haven't forgotten about the membership who drives the traffic to the site, though not sure why we have come across as such because the implementation was meant to generate stats for me to see how the site is being used and who may be abusing it.

Originally Posted by MKLKT

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.

I agree. I hate the current way of how things are but that's how they have been for quite some time already. If we can make them shorter I'm all up for it but I'd get confused with "FS, FT, FF, LF, etc". One of the reasons for the prefixes is I want to have a process in place where the person starting the thread is also declaring the nature of the thread (ie recurrent or one off, etc). If someone keeps on doing recurrent sale of quality corals every 3 weeks then we need to keep an eye on it. If someone keeps on doing one off sale of quality corals then we need to start investigating if someone is knowingly making false declarations. It is similar to the intention of filling in the Custom's entry card declaring how much and what kind of goods you are bringing in to the country. Yes people can falsify declarations but that's another story. However, this can partially be achieved by using simpler categories such as "For Sale, For Trade, etc" and us building a smarter reporting tool for generating the metrics.

Originally Posted by FishyFishy!

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

Can you give me the acronyms you have in mind? I disagree with no links as not everyone have the same interpretations. I know myself is one of them.

Originally Posted by Seriak

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.

Understood on what you meant by part of the title says you have read it and part of it says you haven't. However, depending on how we take this I may adjust the way the page is displayed to remove the Prefixes. The idea of choosing a city is great but that should be evident from the Location you have entered when you registered. As for agreeing with a limitation, we haven't set a limit. The Prefixes is a means for assist us in collecting information on the types of posts being made over time.
For "One Off Sale of Excess Goods from Personal Shipments", we don't expect someone to order 10 bukets of salt every month and then have to do this one off sale for 9 buckets in the shipment. This doesn't mean there is an issue with someone ordering sand and rock in the first quarter and have to get rid of some because there is too much, and then ordering snails in the second quarter and have to get rid of some because there were 5 too many, then followed by ordering ordering carbon and have to get rid of a few extra bags. But for those who declare this every month and selling off rock, then yes I'd start wondering what's happening.
For "One Off Sale of Personal Items", we don't expect someone keep having Protein Skimmers of all sorts of varieties being available and selling them every so often.
For "Recurrent Sale of Personal Items", this is the category which fragging corals belongs to and sure do this once in a while no problem. If there is an abundance of all sorts of corals and every month we have a sale, then yes something I'd like to know about before some paying sponsor write us a good PM or one of the Staff members getting fed up because they inquire the involved member, who then give them headaches, and in either case we have to read through all the threads and posts the involved members have made in order to get a feel of the history and jist of what happened.

Originally Posted by fishoholic

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.

You will not be able to post without choosing one.

Originally Posted by clown lover

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.

You mean everythign starts with the same Prefix so they all appeared to be mixed together? This would be an issue as long as we use Prefix, even if we use it to categorize seller's location, or using acryonyms as suggested. And the thread editing feature was removed for an entirely different reason.

Originally Posted by Coasting

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.

Believe it or not we do have to deal with issues with some selling quite a bit of stuff. If I do a report on the top 10 person electing this category and it reveals the top 2 have been making 5 of this type of posts of similar goods, then yes some discussions will start happening. This is now being done manually by some of the Staff members viewing the site scanning through the threads. I hate to see them having to do this and would like to have some process oriented manner that is done on an automated basis.
The "One Off Sale of Personal Items" is meant to assist us to distinguish from "One Off Sale of Excess Goods from Personal Shipments", both belonging to the "FS" category. We might in the long term be using the acronyms or something simpler like "For Sale". Just that the Staff have to read through the threads to find out whether it is from a new shipment or something that has been used for a while and is now being sold.
And yes the location as explained, is on the post as part of your member information.

Originally Posted by Ross

I imagine that it will become a vendor only market soon.
and all it will be is "Recurring Sale of Commercial Items" at the same price as everywhere else... WooHoo
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.
All I want to know what is for sale/for trade/for free, where it is and price.

Vendors have their own forum to post and are not expected to post in the Buy / Sell forums.
If it's a frag every 6 months, then it'd be "Recurrent Sale of Personal Items" as we expect you to frag every so often. Regarding the purchaser not caring what category it is in, we can either change to make the Prefix not appear or change to use it to distinguish whether it is a "For Sale" or "Want To Buy", etc manner which is to be decided.
As for someone constantly selling large quantity of stuff, it's being done manually at the moment. As explained above I'm trying to find a way to automate this to relieve the Staff team from having to read through each post, remember who has been doing what, and then bring up for discussions. One of the aims is to find an automated way to do this.

Titus