What about using tags? I already use the search function for that section, but if there were default links for things based on tags, then you could have both a default view and a sorted view without much fuss. If someone enters the tags wrong, that's not something that needs moderation, just the poster's correction.
"It's the way to educate your eyes. Stare. Pry, listen, eavesdrop. Die knowing something. You are not here long." - Walker Evans
It would help if people didn't make irrelevant comments like "I wish I had one, but can't afford it." Comments that actually contribute something to the thread are useful, though.
Okay, guys, we are not really hearing stories about how the current situation represents a real problem worth the extra work that would be required to 1.) see what there is to see for those who want to see it all, and 2.) keep the threads sorted out, including interpreting those in the gray.
We heard several suggestions of how to do it, but not really any stories of what use cases it would serve.
For those whose posts fall off the first page because someone came along behind them and posted a bunch of items, you can always bump the item, within reason. But people looking for things to buy generally see everything, if the title of the post is clear. Many folks use the "New Posts" button and scan the thread titles of everything that has been posted since their last visit. The times I've missed stuff is not because it fell off the first page, but because someone else got to it first. Clear titles and good prices are the best facilitators of good sales, methinks.
We'll keep an eye on it but unless we see evidence of a bigger problem than we are seeing now, we've decided to leave it as it is.
Rick "respectfully submitted" Denney
AgreeOriginally Posted by Gem Singer
"WOW! Now thats a big camera. By the way, how many megapixels is that thing?"
Sub dividing the section into a For Sale and a Wanted and possibly further subdivision of the sales into say cameras, lenses, accessories, miscellaneous, would make looking very much easier, it would help cut the endless need to bump posts.
The major issue as I see it (and I've bought many items here) is the way items disappear quickly onto page 2,3 etc making it less friendly to use. However having said that I've sold items month after listing them and with no bumping the posts.
Ian
That was not the intent. The intent was to provide a service to LF photographers, many of whom legitimately (if that is a word that can even be considered in this context) work in multiple formats. I've bought lots of medium-format stuff from other large-format photographers here, as have many others. Doing so has certainly not prevented me from also buying lots of large-format stuff.
And there is much stuff that can't be divided up that way in any case.
Yes, sometimes one has to look down a long list of sale posts, and one strategy might be to limit the number of threads one person can start in the for-sale forum to one per day. But then we'd have people making single posts with long lists of equipment, and those are difficult to deal with, too.
I'm just not hearing that people are missing out on items for sale because they fall off the first page. My own experience is that the reverse is true--by the time I see something, someone else got to it first.
Rick "needing use cases, not preferences" Denney
Let me point out two of my ads that might illustrate the problem.
I posted an ad for a B&J 8X10 to 4X5 reducing back. It received no responses, and was gone from the first page in about a day. Perhaps the right person didn't see it during it's one-day presence on the first page.
A few days later, I posted an inquiry about selling elemental mercury. That ad got many responses -- 18 as I recall, of which about three were mine. Of the 15 remaining responses, several supplied helpful information. But there were some others -- let's say, five -- which were "humorous," or otherwise contributed nothing. Every one of those five responses bumped my inquiry to the top of the stack, and bumped every other ad, down a notch. I don't remember what other things were being offered, but some of them probably left the first page because a member posted an irrelevant comment on my ad.
So IMO, the simplest thing the Mods could do, would be to ask people to not comment on an ad unless the comment contributes something. I'd be happy to set the bar pretty low on this. "Joe is an honest seller," is helpful. "If I hit the lottery, I'll buy one of these" isn't.
The For Sale forum is "self-policing" where stating a price is concerned. I think people would respect the "No irrelevant comments" policy, too. But it has to be stated first.
Let me just add that I'll continue to buy and sell on the LF forum regardless of what actions you take or don't take.
I have posted many LF items that got allot of looks but no responses, but I bump periodically. You don't bump your For/Sale ads when they get no response? Actually how many people are looking at your ad is a better indication of exposure than actual comments-positive, negative or nonsensical.
Thanks,
Kirk
at age 73:
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep"
There's two issues here.
First too many people expect items to sell quickly, it's a small market so patience is needed sometimes. Yes some items are over priced, but often items that aren't get bumped with numerous price reductions.
Second, the current systen of listing mean it's more necessary to bump items.
It's a Catch 22 situation. The real questions are could it be made to work better.
Ian
Another frustration...once an item is sold, sellers are not closing/locking their ad thread.
It seems that other sites using the "vBulletin" template are able to split their 'For Sale' header into subsections.
Marc
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