Marketplace Restructuring

[im_to_hyper]

As I sit here at my job, the 17 year old installing Windows XP SP2 updates on four Dell laptops eek: I know, but it pays $10.50 an hour) I had an epiphany.

I was looking to what was new in the Marketplace and thought "Hmm... I wonder why there is no structure here, threads seem to get only two hours exposure before being dumped into the back pages". Yes, this may have come out of my own greed of my threads being gone from the front but nonetheless it would make the place a bit more organized.

Anyway, onto the plan. Subdivide the Marketplace into the following categories (or something similar) :

Marketplace
- Apple Notebooks
- Apple Desktops
- Monitors
- Peripherals and Hardware (e.g. mice, graphics cards, mice
- Mac and PC Software
- PC Hardware
- Gaming (e.g. Xbox 360, games, controllers)
- Everything else (e.g. your car, a pet cat, mother-in-law)

I don't know if that is too many subcategories, or not enough. Perhaps if you wanted, you could divide each of the subcategories into things such as "G3 based notebooks, G4 based notebooks" or "PowerMacs and iMacs and Older Macs" for the desktop category.

Yes yes, I know the Marketplace isn't supposed to be the big hoo-haa that MR is about, but I thought that nonetheless it has become a fairly good, safe place to trade.

Or of course, charge a $2 charge for "Marketplace admission" or be a contributor or demi-god if you want to make threads in there. (Perhaps in addition to the 100 post count minimum? Or of course, make an variation thereof)

Well, I should get back to work. Mull this over, critize me, what-not, I will be back in a few hours to check up on the progress people's ideas have made.

EDIT: Drawbacks:

Well, I thought I would critize myself right away by saying "you really expect the mods to move threads that are in the wrong subcategory and do all that extra work??"

Solution: Create a mod or two or three (call them "Marketplace supervisors") JUST for the marketplace. I know that people like skoker and amacgenius, reberto (and myself, for the most part) are usually hanging around that area so people like us would be able to move threads. And the reason for having so many of these mods is because all of us are in school, so by having more "marketplace supervisors" there will be more of a chance to keep up on the threads there.

I make my exit.

 

[amacgenius]

Great Idea!

Solution: Create a mod or two or three (call them "Marketplace supervisors") JUST for the marketplace. I know that people like skoker and amacgenius, reberto (and myself, for the most part) are usually hanging around that area so people like us would be able to move threads. And the reason for having so many of these mods is because all of us are in school, so by having more "marketplace supervisors" there will be more of a chance to keep up on the threads there.

Dang, I do spend a lot of time in there . I like the idea, and would be glad to helpout if it's implemented...

 

[mad jew]

If it slows some of the bumping then I'm all for it.

I don't know that it'll cause too much more moderating because it's quite clear-cut where a product should be sold. It's really the seller's problem if they get the wrong spot and don't get hits.

 

[StarbucksSam]

Pardon me. I do not want to pay a $2 fee, despite the fact that your idea exempts me from it because I am a demi-god. I do not feel that MacRumors users should have to pay to post in the marketplace. That's why MacRumors is so great - minus a few things demis get, it's free.

Also, I think the subcategories are a good idea - but I would make them look a LOT more like THIS because people aren't always SURE of what they are looking for:

- Macintosh Computers
- Non-Macintosh Computers
- Peripherals
- Music Players
- Other

 

[Kwyjibo]

Solution: Create a mod or two or three (call them "Marketplace supervisors") JUST for the marketplace. I know that people like skoker and amacgenius, reberto (and myself, for the most part) are usually hanging around that area so people like us would be able to move threads. And the reason for having so many of these mods is because all of us are in school, so by having more "marketplace supervisors" there will be more of a chance to keep up on the threads there.

I make my exit.

I like the fact that macrumors does not typically use this system .. a moderator is a moderator ... doesn't matter where they spend their time. I remember when the political section was controversial ... people were calling for a mod or mods just for that section.

I think they just re-evaluated the marketplace (took away post count) and they banned a few people who were spamming. I feel like its improving and theres still a search ... if you want an imac search for it and sort by date. bam simple

I don't think the marketplace was ever meant to be place for MR to earn revenues (they certainely could) but they would also be taking on more liability for each sale.

 

[skoker]

Solution: Create a mod or two or three (call them "Marketplace supervisors") JUST for the marketplace. I know that people like skoker and amacgenius, reberto (and myself, for the most part) are usually hanging around that area so people like us would be able to move threads. And the reason for having so many of these mods is because all of us are in school, so by having more "marketplace supervisors" there will be more of a chance to keep up on the threads there.

I make my exit.

Aw, shucks. Thanks

I probably spend 30 minutes a day reporting stupid posts in the Marketplace, I personally think I'd be a good fit for a 'Supervisor' position. Even if the forum doesn't get divided up, there really ought to be a dedicated person in there to control it.

I'm interested to see Arn's view on this.

 

[GoCubsGo]

The catergories are fine. I mean it's nothing original at all, it's just not here. But the $2 BS for posting is the worst idea I've seen in a long time.

 

[im_to_hyper]

The catergories are fine. I mean it's nothing original at all, it's just not here. But the $2 BS for posting is the worst idea I've seen in a long time.

Alrighty, alrighty I see that no one likes the $2 fee. For the people that PMd me, no I have no way of implementing that myself, nor would I if i did.

What about the rest of everything, though?

 

[edesignuk]

Solution: Create a mod or two or three (call them "Marketplace supervisors") JUST for the marketplace. I know that people like skoker and amacgenius, reberto (and myself, for the most part) are usually hanging around that area so people like us would be able to move threads.

I doubt it.

If it slows some of the bumping then I'm all for it.

That doesn't bother me, if people can't follow the rules then I'm more than happy to ban them for breaking them, and quite frankly we can do without these people. Marketplace bumpers are my BIGGEST pet peeve.

We are doing what we can to get the marketplace under control, banning people who break the rules is one thing which I think has been noticed and so *should* be putting other people off following in their foot steps, if it's not, then more fool them.

 

[Blue Velvet]

Solution: Create a mod or two or three (call them "Marketplace supervisors") JUST for the marketplace. I know that people like skoker and amacgenius, reberto (and myself, for the most part) are usually hanging around that area so people like us would be able to move threads. And the reason for having so many of these mods is because all of us are in school, so by having more "marketplace supervisors" there will be more of a chance to keep up on the threads there.

What a great idea!

 

[skoker]

I doubt it.That doesn't bother me, if people can't follow the rules then I'm more than happy to ban them for breaking them, and quite frankly we can do without these people. Marketplace bumpers are my BIGGEST pet peeve.

We are doing what we can to get the marketplace under control, banning people who break the rules is one thing which I think has been noticed and so *should* be putting other people off following in their foot steps, if it's not, then more fool them.

To be honest, I don't think the mod's have been doing a very good job in the marketplace. I can think of at least two people who should have been banned 3 or 4 times over by now and it's my guess they haven't even received warning PM or something.

 

[eva01]

I have the best way to restructure the marketplace. Just remove it from the site.

As in the words of Guinness

Brilliant!

 

[skoker]

I have the best way to restructure the marketplace. Just remove it from the site.

As in the words of Guinness

Brilliant!

As in the words of skoker:

Stupid!

Why should the people who read the rules and know how to use it correctly have to suffer because some people don't know where the shift key is on their keyboard and can't understand that you can't just make a new thread if nobody wants to buy your item?

 

[eva01]

because everyone and their grandmother bumps, if they want to sell i think they should go to a dedicated site for selling.

 

[skoker]

because everyone and their grandmother bumps, if they want to sell i think they should go to a dedicated site for selling.

I've personally never bumped, and I know most people don't. I think you have an unfair stereotype.

 

[eva01]

I've personally never bumped, and I know most people don't. I think you have an unfair stereotype.

its the most annoying part of the site, followed closely by gaming. If only this website would implement the modification that vbulletin.org where you can choose in your usercp which forums to automatically not search from a basic search.

I can always dream.

 

[thedude110]

I've personally never bumped, and I know most people don't.

Most people don't? Then I can equally say many people do!

Bump.

Bump.

Bump.

And that's from about 120 seconds of surfing.

 

[ipacmm]

I think this would be a great idea and it would help people find exactly what they might be looking for in the marketplace. I would be glad to help out because I do spend a lot of time in the marketplace.

 

[im_to_hyper]

What a great idea!

Twas naught but an example of a possible solution, this 'twas but some suggestions, ma' queen of le sarcastique remairks.

 

[clayj]

Most people don't? Then I can equally say many people do!

Bump.

Bump.

Bump.

And that's from about 120 seconds of surfing.

Stopping people from being able to reply to Marketplace threads would absolutely eliminate the concept of bumping... editing an existing post does not move it back to the top of the thread list.

P.S.: Post #4,000. If I was gonna pull a Lacero and disappear from the site, now would be the time...

 

[XIII]

I quite like just looking at every thread at once - a lot of the time I am just looking for a bargain.

 

[bousozoku]

Most people don't? Then I can equally say many people do!

Bump.

Bump.

Bump.

And that's from about 120 seconds of surfing.

It would be appreciated that you report bumping. I've handled those threads but I'm sure that there are plenty of others out there.

As far as a restructing goes, I'm not sure it's that necessary but there are several conglomeration threads now. Combatting the bumping is difficult now--imagine the extra volume when everything was separated.

Charging for individual threads, including those of Demi-Gods/Goddesses, would help to slow that but would be difficult to implement. It would also make people think that they had even more freedom to break the rules, I suspect.

 

[zap2]

i do think that we need 'fix' the marketplace, which a good start would be more people report "bad" post. If that did not work i like the idea of having marketplace mods. I also think breaking down the market place in sub-forums would do little to stop bumping.

also i'm not blaming the Mods it just there are so many member on MacRumors, the need help(first help everyone stop bumping and report bumps, 2nd help would be Mods for the market place only)

 

[im_to_hyper]

Alrighty... the one thing I did notice here was that there is a differentiation of opinions -- mostly between the long-established members who are all over the site and the newer ones who mostly hang out in just a few categories (Marketplace and Apple Collectors for me -- go to the others on occasion.)

I guess the Marketplace as it is currently set up does indeed work, but in terms of allowing people's items more time for exposure, the different categories would help quite a bit. "Ebay is for selling." Yes, that is true. It is also true that the Marketplace is not to be used for running a commercial business.

Personally, I contribute to the site because this is the best place I know of to sell off my old Mac stuff to people who love what I love. Ebay just seems so... impersonal when it comes to selling. It would just be nice to see a more organized Marketplace.

 

[Doctor Q]

Having many Marketplace subforums would distribute threads over more subforums, so that each subforum would have more relevant threads on its first page. I don't know how important this is, since those really in the market to make a purchase or sale can look at more Marketplace pages. In fact, having many subforums might keep some people from seeing "impulse items" they might otherwise be interested in even, without actively looking for them. So we already have a tradeoff to consider simply in the interests of helping buyers and sellers find each other.

Another potential advantage would be the ability to search specific subforums from the standard search page.

Are there other advantages too?

Potential downsides, some of which im_to_hyper already noted:

* It would be hard to agree on suitable subforums, since some sales include multiple items and would not fit neatly into whatever subforum scheme we use.

* Some people would post to the wrong subforum. Their items would be missed by potential buyers/sellers/traders, unless the thread was reported to moderators and moved manually.

* Some people would post threads to multiple subforums, hoping for increased attention, or because the items overlapped the categories. Would the rule be that only the "best fit" subforum can be used or would there be any cases where this should be allowed?

* Having more Marketplace forums might give the false impression that MacRumors was trying to increase its focus on the Marketplace and run it more formally.

* Some one-time work required by the administrators to change the forum organization, the rules and FAQ, and other pages that explain or link to the Marketplace, and possibly to sort the currently active Marketplace threads. Not a prohibitive factor, just a factor.

What probably wouldn't change:

With or without restructuring, there will be some people who fail to read or understand the rules and who will be corrected, and those who purposely violate rules and will be weeded out. The moderators will continue to handle bumps, thread hijacking, posting without the necessary member-status qualification, sales of items without proper licensing, etc., and as always the post reporting system is the primary way in which members can help.

Another choice for adding Marketplace structure would be to divide the forum into separate For Sale and Want to Buy subforums. There would seemingly be less chance that members would post the same thread to both subforums than if there were many subforums, although there would be more threads per forum display page than with im_to_hyper's original suggestion. Most of the same advantages and disadvantages would result but on a smaller scale.