FS/FT Forum needs a lot of work.

[timswim78]

So, I've been participating in the FS/FT forum on and off over the last few months, and I appreciate that it is here and that the mods work on it. However, it is my opinion that it has a long way to go before being on par with the FS forums on other Web sites. Here are some of my observations. I'm interested in hearing what other users think:

- Regardless of the rules that specifically prohibit the practice, members (many of them long-time members) feel as though they need to comment on the price of every item that is posted. People have the right to ask whatever price they want. If something is overpriced, guess what, no one will buy it. Then, the seller can either lower his/her price to a more reasonable level or decide to not sell the item.

- Not many people seem to use a reliable feedback system. If people on the forum are worried about getting burned, I suggest that they start to record all of their transactions at heatware.com. Users at lots of other forums use this system with great success.

- What's so bad about thread bumping? Many other sites allow bumping in moderation. For example, you are allowed to bump threads once a day, once every 6 hours, or etc. This practice allows people to know that your thread is still active, and that you are still interested in selling your items. Otherwise, it just gets lost among all of the "feelers" and threads for people that are only moderately interested in selling something.

 

[MacNut]

I do think the rules could use an overhaul, I would rather see a Mac only marketplace. I don't think there is a need to sell a video game system here at 3 times market value. If you want to do that use ebay.

 

[WildCowboy]

I'm not a Marketplace user, but I'll add my thoughts to your comments:

1. I agree about there being a lot of "non-interest" posts in Marketplace threads. The mods can't deal with this on their own...user need to report these posts so that mods can become aware of them and delete them. I report them occasionally, but I'm not in that forum very often. These posts are so prevalent that it really requires a change in the culture of the forum. The best way for this to happen is to make sure that these posts get deleted, so please report them and encourage other to do so as well.

2. As you know, MacRumors doesn't have its own feedback system, but it does encourage its users to use outside ones. I'm not sure what other role MR should play here...it's up to the buyers and sellers to create this standard of behavior.

3. I'm strongly anti-bumping. Once your listing is up there, people can find it by scanning the forum or doing a search. I just don't see it as being fair to those who are posting new threads.

 

[Blue Velvet]

Every time a new thread gets started about the Marketplace, I can't help but feel it's just that little closer to being shut down for good.

I like the 'no-bumping' rule. If you have a thread in which you're trying to sell something there are ways to draw attention to it, like putting a link in your signature for example.

Having a Mac-only marketplace would be too restrictive. Surely peripherals and components have their place too? I've given RAM and other bits and pieces away through the marketplace; parts that would have been chucked in the bin otherwise.

If you think selling a console there is stretching the point, then you obviously missed the spectacle of someone once trying to sell a half-full bottle of cologne.

 

[MacNut]

I just think that it is sticky when someone does mainly what would be called ticket scalping, and that is illegal most places. If you want to sell something sell it market value. I would rather see Mac and computer components sold so as memory would be in that category. When we start allowing big ticket items to be sold like PS3's I think it could get dangerous.

 

[timswim78]

2. As you know, MacRumors doesn't have its own feedback system, but it does encourage its users to use outside ones. I'm not sure what other role MR should play here...it's up to the buyers and sellers to create this standard of behavior.

I think that if the mods registered the site with heatware.com, their words would go much farther than when they simply suggest that people use some type of external feedback system.

However, I'm not too sure what this entails.

 

[PlaceofDis]

the marketplace is simply not the focus of this site. its nice to have, but at times it seems that we'd be better off without it.

i agree that people shouldn't be spamming or making useless comments in threads. that goes for the forums as a whole. use the report button.

the feedback that someone provides is up to them. i don't think any one thing needs to be endorsed of the other.

no thead bumping. even though marketplace posts don't count towards your post count... a no bumping rule is easier to enforce instead of a time based one.

 

[MacNut]

I think that with ebay and other selling sites that the Marketplace is out of date and not really as safe as some of the others are, I would think that MR would be a lot better without it.

 

[timswim78]

I think that with ebay and other selling sites that the Marketplace is out of date and not really as safe as some of the others are, I would think that MR would be a lot better without it.

In many instances, I think that the marketplace has some specific advantages over ebay. For example, if I am looking for a specific Mac part, I can post a WTB thread, and maybe some nice user will look to see if he/she has that part available and would like to sell it.

 

[MacNut]

In many instances, I think that the marketplace has some specific advantages over ebay. For example, if I am looking for a specific Mac part, I can post a WTB thread, and maybe some nice user will look to see if he/she has that part available and would like to sell it.

but those are small parts tho. When you start selling big items someone is bound to get screwed.

 

[thedude110]

We've had thread after thread about the Marketplace -- check this link (a thread from 4 months ago) and you get a sense of the general argument.

A quick search in this sub-forum will show you why I'm sick of both the Marketplace and threads about it.

 

[RedTomato]

I like the marketplace, I've brought some stuff through it, and it remains the one and only time in my life that I've ever met another MR member.

Thread bumping, hmm, I can see the need for reasonable bumping, as to be honest, the search is useless, USELESS USELESS. MR won't let me search for 'UK' in a Marketplace title.

A good idea would be to split the Marketplace into different continents, as I argued here.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/243005/

(for some strange reason, this thread is no longer on the site-feedback forum page even tho it is still open. )

Is it possible to have some sort of self-archive button so that posters who complete their sales / trades can archive their threads?

This would mean the forum would only have 'live' sales / trades (Old threads could be auto-archived after a month with no new posts), while keeping previous threads accessible for checking member histories.