idea proposal: sectioned Buy/Sell/Trade subforum

[erocker]

Some of us don't have this option, Mr bold named Moderator type. If I had that power, I'd use it and just keep one thread going with an ever changing title depending on what I've got. User-controlled thread titles in the B/S/T is an awesome idea.

I'm online. Any and all members that want their title changed this way, PM me now.

 

[Black Panther]

If I had that power, I'd use it and just keep one thread going with an ever changing title depending on what I've got. User-controlled thread titles in the B/S/T is an awesome idea.

... ending up in a B/S/T forum full of epic-long threads?

 

[DonInKansas]

It's good of you to offer rockerman, but I just hate having to be a pain in the butt to a moderator every time I had something else come up for sale. You guys and gal have better stuff to do (I assume. )

@BP- Epic threads are epic, but other forums with higher traffic usually impose a limit on thread posts and then you have to start a new one and lock up the old one. Impose a 200 post or so limit per thread to avoid mega uber threads of death.

 

[utnorris]

Wish more forums used that format. Hardforum clumps it all together and it is a pain to find stuff.

 

[angelkiller]

I spend a fair amount of time on the sale forums of [H], OCN, and TPU. Mostly [H] because there's tons more traffic.

I voted for don't care. Why? I don't find it particularly helpful to have everything sectioned off. If I'm in the forum, I'm either A) Just browing for potential deals or B) Looking for something specific. If I'm just looking for a deal, I hit "See all Sale threads" so I can see everything and just click on whatever looks interesting. If I'm looking for a specific item, I just search for it. So having the forum divided, doesn't help me. That said, it doesn't hurt me either. So if dividing the forum will help others, I'm all for it. Makes no difference to me either way. So unless somone has a reason why we shouldn't do this, I'm all for this.

Since we're all here and all, I do strongly think that posts in the B/S/T Forum should count towards your post total. I could have a huge post count if I bumped my thread everyday. Especially when you consider all the random discussions that happen in these threads in addition to the bumping. It's post whoring. Posts in the B/S/T forum are just the same as posts in the old General Nonsense forum here on TPU and if posts don't count in GN, they shouldn't count in B/S/T. And I know everybody says a high post count doens't mean anything, but you all know you judge based on post count. If it really didn't matter, why keep track of posts at all?

This is slightly off topic, but still related. It's also my opinion that forums are not the ideal place for buying and selling goods. I've been toying around with and idea and it's still in its infancy.... What about a single site waht would consolidate all the FS forums on TPU, [H], OCN, Anandtech, etc into one site. All those sites would close thier FS forums and everyone would use this new site instead. The biggest benefit is the increased traffic. All the traffic from all the other forums would be on this on site. I'm not sure what this new site would look like or what kind of format it would be in. I'm not a software guy and quite frankly, I don't know what's even possible. But I do know that this proposed site would be built ground up for buying and selling computer hardware and such. If anyone is interested in working on such a project, or at least fleshing out the idea, let me know.

 

[erocker]

It's good of you to offer rockerman, but I just hate having to be a pain in the butt to a moderator every time I had something else come up for sale. You guys and gal have better stuff to do (I assume. )

@BP- Epic threads are epic, but other forums with higher traffic usually impose a limit on thread posts and then you have to start a new one and lock up the old one.

Just start a new thread. Nothing bad will come of it, and it would help the moderators much more than having to clean up hundreds of posts at a time.

 

[TheMailMan78]

I really don't know if this would be easier on the mods. I mean so many more sections to control could lead to the need of more ban sticks to wield.

 

[utnorris]

Just to clarify, I just want a separate "FS/FT" section and "WTB" section. That's it.

 

[DonInKansas]

This is slightly off topic, but still related. It's also my opinion that forums are not the ideal place for buying and selling goods. I've been toying around with and idea and it's still in its infancy.... What about a single site waht would consolidate all the FS forums on TPU, [H], OCN, Anandtech, etc into one site. All those sites would close thier FS forums and everyone would use this new site instead. The biggest benefit is the increased traffic. All the traffic from all the other forums would be on this on site. I'm not sure what this new site would look like or what kind of format it would be in. I'm not a software guy and quite frankly, I don't know what's even possible. But I do know that this proposed site would be built ground up for buying and selling computer hardware and such. If anyone is interested in working on such a project, or at least fleshing out the idea, let me know.

Um, how is driving traffic AWAY from the aforementioned sites going to be helpful to them? I LOVE forum trading. I live in the boonies where I have to buy online and can't afford to shop retail. If there were no BST forums I'd probably be rocking a Dell rig right now.

 

[angelkiller]

Not useful to the sites, useful to buyers and sellers. As a seller, you would get the combined traffic of all those sites combined in one place. Plus, you wouldn't have to make/update a thread at each site, which happens fairly often. As a buyer, again, everything is on place. You don't have to look in three or four forums to find something.

And I think you may misunderstand my point. This will still be a used computer parts trading sitll. I LOVE trading on forums too. So you'll still get the 'forum experience', but this site may not necessarily be in a forum format. But it will definately be very similar. My idea is basically to have one giant forum instead of having them all split up across multiple sites.

 

[MoonPig]

Sigh, gimme a min and I'll make the drawing so you understand why I disagree.

Here we go:
http://img.techpowerup.org/100411/Capture071.jpg

Close threads that are no longer active, simpler to navigate. The only actual addition I can think of is adding a tag for category (like [HD] for harddisks) and being able to filter on that. But I'm not sure if filtering is something that can be added easily.

+1

I'd be up for this. Much simpler.

 

[DonInKansas]

Sigh, gimme a min and I'll make the drawing so you understand why I disagree.

Here we go:
http://img.techpowerup.org/100411/Capture071.jpg

Close threads that are no longer active, simpler to navigate. The only actual addition I can think of is adding a tag for category (like [HD] for harddisks) and being able to filter on that. But I'm not sure if filtering is something that can be added easily.

So if I have 12 things to sell you want me to make 12 threads? That sounds like a serious pain in the butt.

 

[runnin17]

While I do like how the OCN FS section is setup I have found that TPU's section often is more fun to look through. I often find myself browsing through the section and come across something for sale that I don't recognize, then I click the link and I'm like "holy crap that's cool!!!".

My wallet doesn't like it, but my curiosity does. Not sure I would change a thing.

 

[ste2425]

if you guys feel so inclined to attack me on a personal level you are more than welcome to on GNF.

be sure to link me to the thread so i can see all of your gripes about me.

this thread is not to be crapped in about personal feelings toward me.

hey im sorry bud it was all good joking it wasn't meant serious/personal i was just trying to have a laugh mate. Its kind of hard to show that through text and maybe i should have saved it instead of cloging up this thread but it wasn't anything personal, sorry if it came out that way

 

[Cold Storm]

Me, personally, I don't care for the switch. It's fine the way it is. Can we fix a few things going on, yea. But, now to do the full over haul. Not worth it in my book.

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

I think some good ideas have been brought up here... it's just how do we decide what the best option is. You now, communally...

 

[Deleted member 67555]

I really like OCNets for sale section on the exception That it would be nice if when a sale is completed it would be nice for an automated DELETE by seller button that would terminate the thread after the purchaser responded with a Received item

like sale goes through money is received seller clicks sold button thread is locked except for Buyer and once he receives that item the buyer has an item received link or button and once clicked the thread is auto deleted

 

[human_error]

I really like OCNets for sale section on the exception That it would be nice if when a sale is completed it would be nice for an automated DELETE by seller button that would terminate the thread after the purchaser responded with a Received item

like sale goes through money is received seller clicks sold button thread is locked except for Buyer and once he receives that item the buyer has an item received link or button and once clicked the thread is auto deleted

I don't think deleting bst threads is a good idea - maybe archiving them in a completed sales sub forum or just closing the threads is the best solution. Having proof of an agreement between a buyer and seller is important when completing distance selling transactions where you don't get a receipt for both the buyer and the seller. Also when i go to sell parts i look at how much they have sold for on the forums recently to give me an idea of the value of the items.

 

[DonInKansas]

No threads are ever completely deleted in vbulletin. They just flutter away to where us normal members can't see them.

 

[hat]

What if you're making a thread where you're selling everything? I wouldn't want to make like 5 different threads..

 

[Solaris17]

What if you're making a thread where you're selling everything? I wouldn't want to make like 5 different threads..

just make 4 keep the ram

 

[Deleted member 3]

So if I have 12 things to sell you want me to make 12 threads? That sounds like a serious pain in the butt.

Yes, otherwise I'd have to enter 20 threads just to see what's for sale and to find out half is sold. Besides, discussion about any of those 12 items gets mixed with the other 11. Navigating those crap "don's for sale thread" threads is a pain in the butt.
If you make 1 thread per item you see what's for sale right away, if it interests you you can open the thread to check the details and photos.

 

[hat]

More work for the seller, less work for the browser/buyer. I think we're buyers/browsers more than we are sellers, so it does look like a good idea.

 

[DonInKansas]

Yes, otherwise I'd have to enter 20 threads just to see what's for sale and to find out half is sold.

If we could alter thread titles, we could erase the stuff that's sold as it leaves. What do you need to see about the item other than the OP?

 

[Deleted member 3]

If we could alter thread titles, we could erase the stuff that's sold as it leaves. Plus, who's to say people will lock up threads for stuff that's already sold?

That's more work than closing a thread and making a new one. Plus, you keep a trade history. Users can easily look at threads created by you in the forum and decide whether you're a complete dick to work with or some great trader. Surely Heatware functions similar, but it doesn't make the point completely flawed.