READ FIRST: Classifieds Rules

morkhans

morkhans

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Rules & Templates
Posting guidelines
Set your title to be as descriptive as possible
Add the following AFTER the title ale / [T]rade / [W]anted (easier to find in Google)
Any additional pictures of the actual product may help your sale along (upload images to forum where possible – hence avoid hot-linking)
Add the information from the templates below to your post
Edit out the parts you think are not relevant to your post.

Rules
Required to be registered for 1 month with 30 posts before you can use this section (similar to some other parts of the forum).
No dealers (we have a dealers section for that).
Item must include a preffered price. No "what offers".
All offers to be made in PM
You may not discuss pricing in other people's ads.
No off topic discussions. If you don't have a question related to the item, don't post.
Only advertise items in your possession. No adverts on behalf of 3rd parties unless you are standing in for them.
If you have sold/found your item please post back.
No backtracking on accepted offers for higher offers. If you've accepted then it's a done deal unless the sale falls through.
Only bump once every 3 days.
Posts not following the guidelines and template will be locked initially while we get used to the new rules. At some stage this might change to it simply being deleted.

For Sale/Trade Template
Item:
Age:
Warranty: Yes/No
Packaging: Yes/No
Condition:
Location:
Reason:
Shipping:
Collection:
Price:
Negotiable: Yes/No
Link:

Wanted Template
Item Wanted:
Packaging Essential:
Desired Age:
Location:
Willing to accept a shipped item: Yes/No

Updated: 2013-09-25.
I'll leave the thread open for comments for now.
 
Last edited:
No backtracking on accepted offers for higher offers. If you've accepted then it's a done deal unless the sale falls through.
 
Would it be useful to have a location in the post title? Some people prefer face to face over shipping, might save some unnecessary clicking?
 
Last edited:
morkhans said:
Would it be useful to have a location in the post title? Some people prefer face to face over shipping, might save some unnecessary clicking?
Click to expand...

Na put the location in the template not thread title.
 
Please enforce the no price discussion. That is one of the reasons why Carbonite works.
 
Also add another field negotiable / not negotiable at all that way we don't waste anyone time flooding their PM.

When creating new thread, the price should be displayed as well. That way instead of clicking every ad.

Value for money will always have better exposure
 
RichardG said:
When creating new thread, the price should be displayed as well. That way instead of clicking every ad.

Value for money will always have better exposure
Click to expand...

If there's a price drop the OP can't edit the thread title.

IMHO it's fine the way it is, why overcomplicate something that can be simple.
 
Last edited:
RichardG said:
Also add another field negotiable / not negotiable at all that way we don't waste anyone time flooding their PM.

When creating new thread, the price should be displayed as well. That way instead of clicking every ad.

Value for money will always have better exposure
Click to expand...

Will add a field for Negotiation.

As someone already pointed out, if people stick to the format a simple hover over the post title will reveal all the details.

chickenbeef said:
If there's a price drop the OP can't edit the thread title.

IMHO it's fine the way it is, why overcomplicate something that can be simple.
Click to expand...

Correct and I agree with keeping it as is. People can bump their add with a price drop.
 
It doesn't look like there is much more to say here. Shall I make it so for the rules? We can always take more input for consideration.
 
Ah don't know if it has been mentioned but don't forget a bumping rule! Only bump once every 3 days.
 
I've added a new rule:
Posts not following the guidelines and template will be deleted.

Which should hopefully make everyone's classifieds browsing experience more streamlined.
 
Thanks for the great suggestions Morkhans.

Some suggestions from my side (basically trying to make it simpler to post, while keeping your suggestions).

Also changed the deleting of ads, replacing it with “follow the guidelines please” and locking the thread (newbies seldom read the rules, and all they see is that their thread was deleted). Better to educate here :)

Posting guidelines

Set your title to be as descriptive as possible
Add the following AFTER the title - ale / [T]rade / [W]anted (easier to find in Google)
Any additional pictures of the actual product may help your sale along - (upload images to forum where possible – hence avoid hot-linking)
Add the information from the templates below to your post
Edit out the parts you think are not relevant to your post.

Rules

Required to be registered for a minimum of 1 month with 30 posts before you can use this section (similar to some other parts of the forum).
No dealers (we have a dealers section for that)
Item must include a [preferred] price. No "what offers".
All offers to be made in PM
You may not discuss pricing in other people's ads.
No off topic discussions. If you don't have a question related to the item, don't post.
Only advertise items in your possession. No adverts on behalf of 3rd parties unless you are standing in for them.
If you have sold/found your item please post back.
No backtracking on accepted offers for higher offers. If you've accepted then it's a done deal unless the sale falls through.
Only bump once every 3 days.
Posts not following the guidelines and template will be [locked] – I think it can help to give friendly guidance and locking the thread rather than just deleting it. Hence – tell the person to follow the guidelines in the second post, and lock the thread.

For Sale/Trade Template

Item:
Price:
Price negotiable: Yes/No
Age, condition and packaging:
Warranty (if any):
Location, shipping and/or collection:
Reason for selling:
Link and images (if needed):

Wanted Template

Item Wanted:
Age, condition and packaging needed (if required):
Location:
Willing to accept a shipped item: Yes/No
 
rpm said:
Also changed the deleting of ads, replacing it with “follow the guidelines please” and locking the thread (newbies seldom read the rules, and all they see is that their thread was deleted). Better to educate here :)
Click to expand...
But then they still have an active advert, albeit in a locked thread, through which they will receive their PMs with offers anyway. So it doesn't solve the problem, wastes other peoples time because the add is incomplete and creates noise if they repost using the template.

I intend to prefix the Rules with a "READ FIRST:". If you can't read instructions then I have no pity if your thread is deleted. :whistle:
 
morkhans said:
But then they still have an active advert, albeit in a locked thread, through which they will receive their PMs with offers anyway. So it doesn't solve the problem, wastes other peoples time because the add is incomplete and creates noise if they repost using the template.

I intend to prefix the Rules with a "READ FIRST:". If you can't read instructions then I have no pity if your thread is deleted. :whistle:
Click to expand...
The problem is that very few people read the "READ FIRST" posts. They just post how they think it should work. I think at least a few months of education will work better than simply deleting the thread. It will also help to limit the mails to me asking why their thread was deleted :)
 
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