Sales threads Rule #12, or lets turn lemons into lemonade

[skypinkblu]

I've been thinking about this for a while, but I suppose I've been spurred on to actually write something because of recent events.

 

I've noticed lately that there are a few posters who seem to think it's a great idea to keep their sales on the first page whether or not they are adding books.

 

Many of those posters, don't contribute to the forum other than to sell books. Everyone of course feels they are special.

 

I'm not selling anything right now, and I don't sell very often, so it's not impacting me that way, but I'm finding it increasingly disconcerting as a shopper, so I can only imagine how it must annoy posters who have threads up, who are trying to play the game by the rules.

 

I know it's hard for the mods to lock a thread after the 3 bumps specified in rule 12, but personally, I would like to see it enforced more stringently for those who just come here to push their wares.

 

I know many others have mentioned having certain criteria before being allowed to sell, and some have suggested post counts. I'm not sure that would be constructive, but I have been thinking of some kind of service requirement.

 

You earn the privilege to sell by contributing in some way to the community.

 

We've done such nice things for people in this forum and most have been random acts of kindness.

 

I thought perhaps we could have a community service section of some sort where you can post before selling. I'm not sure exactly how it could work, but I was thinking sharing knowledge (and not just by previewing the collection you are selling) or contributing something for Shin's VCC auctions, or contributions to a charity. It would also be a place we could keep all the board charity threads.

 

This might also help get rid of a few of the new additions to the probation list if you had to contribute some kind of service.

 

I know we don't want to create more work for the mods, they work hard enough...I had thought about an approval stamp for those who do contribute, or a point system.

 

I just think it would be nice to some way to incorporate good things our community does with the selling forum, so we don't wind up being sales pitch central.

 

I'm rambling;) but I'd love to hear some thoughts, comments, suggestions ...

 

 

 

[DiceX]

That's way too much lavender text for me to take it seriously.

 

 

[DiceX]

 

 

[skypinkblu]

That's way too much lavender text for me to take it seriously.

 

 

You know dear, even *I* liked the hot babe a lot better...

[comicnoir]

Community service before being allowed to sell?

[comicdonna]

A community service section sounds like a great idea to me Sharon! (thumbs u

[DiceX]

That's way too much lavender text for me to take it seriously.

 

 

You know dear, even *I* liked the hot babe a lot better...

 

 

 

[skypinkblu]

Community service before being allowed to sell?

 

Either that, or you get a special designation WHEN you contribute. Some people might be happier to deal with newbies who have contributed.

 

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

...I had thought about an approval stamp for those who do contribute, or a point system.

 

Interesting...a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for the Boards....

[VintageComics]

That's way too much lavender text for me to take it seriously.

 

 

You know dear, even *I* liked the hot babe a lot better...

 

I like your idea. It's something we've tried to come up with forever on here. I don't think anything will change. The best we can do is remain very, very polite and diplomatic when you correct someone's taking of liberties on here and hope that they learn or comply.

 

Most dingbats will lose their cool and get ejected so that eliminates at least a percentage of people who don't have any real etiquette.

 

I would say that the best way to handle this (short of creating a system like you have described) is to simply be very polite, very friendly and point out what the seller is doing wrong in a way that will come across as friendly and helpful.

 

Name calling, accusations and such (even if they are true) get you nowhere fast.

 

 

[comicdonna]

That's way too much lavender text for me to take it seriously.

 

 

You know dear, even *I* liked the hot babe a lot better...

At least she's not sitting on an Action!

[RockMyAmadeus]

Community service before being allowed to sell?

 

Either that, or you get a special designation WHEN you contribute. Some people might be happier to deal with newbies who have contributed.

 

 

No one should be able to sell anything until they have 11,300 posts....

 

 

[comicnoir]

We would get gold stars next to our names then, like a movie rating system, with the incentive of getting better.

[dupont2005]

Community service before being allowed to sell?

 

Either that, or you get a special designation WHEN you contribute. Some people might be happier to deal with newbies who have contributed.

 

 

No one should be able to sell anything until they have 11,300 posts....

 

The water cooler would get very busy

[skypinkblu]

That's way too much lavender text for me to take it seriously.

 

 

You know dear, even *I* liked the hot babe a lot better...

At least she's not sitting on an Action!

and you KNOW this poor person is a "she"?

[DiceX]

We would get gold stars next to our names then, like a movie rating system, with the incentive of getting better.

 

 

 

[skypinkblu]

We would get gold stars next to our names then, like a movie rating system, with the incentive of getting better.

 

Something like that, or as Jive put it, a good housekeeping seal.

 

I figured it's like chicken soup;) It can't HURT to make a positive contribution...and it doesn't have to be in the form of cash.

 

Someone may have some special knowlege about comics, they could write something that could be used as a reference tool.

 

[comicdonna]

That's way too much lavender text for me to take it seriously.

 

 

You know dear, even *I* liked the hot babe a lot better...

At least she's not sitting on an Action!

and you KNOW this poor person is a "she"?

I believe so! The curves seem right.

[VintageComics]

We would get gold stars next to our names then, like a movie rating system, with the incentive of getting better.

 

Who would do the rating?

 

If it's forumites, well that ship has already sailed. They used to have a star rating for threads before you joined and all that did is great a disaster because if you were voted down by a forumite who disliked you your rating went down, even if they didn't have a reason to dislike you.

 

 

[lizards2]

We would get gold stars next to our names then, like a movie rating system, with the incentive of getting better.

 

Who would do the rating?

 

If it's forumites, well that ship has already sailed. They used to have a star rating for threads before you joined and all that did is great a disaster because if you were voted down by a forumite who disliked you your rating went down, even if they didn't have a reason to dislike you.

 

 

I vote for Cal to do the rating