PAY IT FORWARD

[Toz]

Five positive transactions is a little much.It would have eliminated me right there and I've followed the rules the whole way.Not everyone leaves feedback,even when I was the buyer & paid instantly & left positive for them.

 

Post count & time on the board should be the major factors.We could do a poll on it.

[Toz]

I'd be more than glad to send something manicnerd's way.I'll pm him and set it up.

[Iceman399]

Regardless of what implementations are put in place they can eventually be overridden.

 

Post Count = Spam the boards

Time = not hard to let an account sit and wait

Transactions = so I sell 5 books not hard to do

 

If someone really wants to take a free PIF offer for w/e value you want to assign to it, it is inevitable mind you that individual has some issues on a personal level.

 

My

[MR SigS]

A couple of thoughts:

 

We could have a group of volunteers who would step in to send something to anyone who was stiffed. I would be happy to do so.

 

We could also have some minimum qualification for boardies who want to play. It could be 3 months (or whatever) on the forum (with or without a minimum number of posts) or for those who don't meet that qualification, they could offer a PIF before taking one, and once that was performed successfully, they would be able to play with everyone else.

 

 

The thing with this (I won't call it a problem) is that that would mean there would be more than 1 offer floating out there

 

I thought of that, but I don't really see it as an issue. I think we can deal with it, and it might even make the thread a little more exciting.

 

Agreed. That's why I wouldn't call it a problem. In fact my first post in this forum way back was an attempt to put an additional offer in (before I learned it was a no-no).

 

 

OK, back on topic:

 

I'm going to combine the Blu-ray and Sex/Helheim lots for the current offer.

 

Techvoodoo: shoot me your addy and I'll send you that Green Lantern trade

CAHokie: shoot me your addy - you need to read Watchmen I don't know if it lived up to the hype I read about it but it was a great read!

 

Current offer =

 

[MR SigS]

Regardless of what implementations are put in place they can eventually be overridden.

 

Post Count = Spam the boards

Time = not hard to let an account sit and wait

Transactions = so I sell 5 books not hard to do

 

If someone really wants to take a free PIF offer for w/e value you want to assign to it, it is inevitable mind you that individual has some issues on a personal level.

 

My

 

That's why I feel established PIF boardies should have a some say in approving inclusion. If the number of posts are spammy or whatever, then the PIF Police can say, "Fudge no!"

 

 

 

 

 

OK, back on topic:

 

I'm going to combine the Blu-ray and Sex/Helheim lots for the current offer.

 

Techvoodoo: shoot me your addy and I'll send you that Green Lantern trade

CAHokie: shoot me your addy - you need to read Watchmen I don't know if it lived up to the hype I read about it but it was a great read!

 

Current offer =

 

[Mr Wiggles]

As pointed out earlier, a year into the thread and we've had 2 problems (1 corrected). Looking at the positives greatly outweighing the negative; I'd say the problem already has a solution with the assigned rules.

 

Adding further restrictions just makes this community less open to new members. I claimed my first offer with the bare minimum of posts, as I'm sure many more who are benefits to this community have done before and after me.

 

Any of the suggested added restrictions do nothing to prevent this from happening again but they most certainly restrict new faces from joining the thread.

 

Now, something that can be done, is for someone to send a letter to "he who hasn't sent" explaining that he needs to send his end of the bargain or a mail fraud complaint will be filed (http://ehome.uspis.gov/fcsexternal/default.aspx). I've filed in the past and found it to be very helpful in resolving problems, although it does take time.

 

I would rather see the culprit punished than the community due to more restrictions stemming the flow of new people joining.

[MR SigS]

Can mail fraud be claimed when no exchange of money takes place?

 

I don't know. :shrug:

[Mr Wiggles]

I've used it successfully in the past when no money exchanged hands. I was trading gaming cards. It took the post a couple months but they contacted the other party and, very quickly, I was suddenly sent my half of the trade.

 

Mail fraud is no joke, which is why I suggest someone send the culprit a letter by post as he is not reading his PMs or emails. It might be an issue that can be resolved before having to flag him to the post.

[Benjamin Grimm]

As pointed out earlier, a year into the thread and we've had 2 problems (1 corrected). Looking at the positives greatly outweighing the negative; I'd say the problem already has a solution with the assigned rules.

 

Adding further restrictions just makes this community less open to new members. I claimed my first offer with the bare minimum of posts, as I'm sure many more who are benefits to this community have done before and after me.

 

Any of the suggested added restrictions do nothing to prevent this from happening again but they most certainly restrict new faces from joining the thread.

 

I completely agree with this. It escapes me why time and again there are pages of complaints. The idea is pretty simple. Here's something free just offer something free in return. Now, I know some of the complaints have had merit, such as the one user not sending out his offers. And a solution was already proposed for that (though it wasn't specifically a rule change) of not claiming another item until you've mailed out your previous offer. I'd support that as a rule change, but not the other proposed additional restrictions on member status. We go down that road, and the audience here will get smaller and smaller. It already seems like there is only a specific crowd of members who frequent this thread, why would we want to raise the restrictions to participate in a thread to give away free items and potentially stagnate the participation?

 

Getting stiffed in this thread sucks, but I would suggest we simply take note of the offender and move on. If they don't make good, they don't participate. That's all. If someone wants to step in to send items to the person who got stiffed, I don't see a problem with that, but a PM would probably be the best place to handle that.

[manicnerd]

After a lot of thought, I agree with the ones who have said there is no way to stop this from happening. Everything I could think of was too vague to be a rule (ex: be an active member for X weeks/months - what's "active"?) so I think we should leave the rules alone.

 

However, I think I am going to go through the process of adding BathedinFlames to the probation list because that's the only way to give him a "slap on the wrist".

 

Also, we have an amazing community full of very generous people. I've received multiple PMs with offers of awesome spidey stuff. When I posted about this I just wanted it to be known that we shouldn't deal with this guy anymore and to see if he should be added to the probation list. I never thought others (SO MANY OTHERS) would try to make it right. I feel that accepting something from them would just be passing the buck on to them so I would like to decline their offers (use them as your PIFs to keep this going).

 

Here's the current offer that I feel is very generous:

OK, back on topic:

 

I'm going to combine the Blu-ray and Sex/Helheim lots for the current offer.

 

Techvoodoo: shoot me your addy and I'll send you that Green Lantern trade

CAHokie: shoot me your addy - you need to read Watchmen I don't know if it lived up to the hype I read about it but it was a great read!

 

Current offer =

 

 

[Hado]

 

I agree putting BIF on the probation list is the best option, once/if the PIF is sent he can be removed from it.

[MR SigS]

As pointed out earlier, a year into the thread and we've had 2 problems (1 corrected). Looking at the positives greatly outweighing the negative; I'd say the problem already has a solution with the assigned rules.

 

Adding further restrictions just makes this community less open to new members. I claimed my first offer with the bare minimum of posts, as I'm sure many more who are benefits to this community have done before and after me.

 

Any of the suggested added restrictions do nothing to prevent this from happening again but they most certainly restrict new faces from joining the thread.

 

I completely agree with this. It escapes me why time and again there are pages of complaints. The idea is pretty simple. Here's something free just offer something free in return. Now, I know some of the complaints have had merit, such as the one user not sending out his offers. And a solution was already proposed for that (though it wasn't specifically a rule change) of not claiming another item until you've mailed out your previous offer. I'd support that as a rule change, but not the other proposed additional restrictions on member status. We go down that road, and the audience here will get smaller and smaller. It already seems like there is only a specific crowd of members who frequent this thread, why would we want to raise the restrictions to participate in a thread to give away free items and potentially stagnate the participation?

 

Getting stiffed in this thread sucks, but I would suggest we simply take note of the offender and move on. If they don't make good, they don't participate. That's all. If someone wants to step in to send items to the person who got stiffed, I don't see a problem with that, but a PM would probably be the best place to handle that.

 

The audience may not grow as fast, but why would the audience get smaller and smaller unless time moves backwards? Are we afraid that new members will simply leave the Forums because they have to wait a relatively tiny amount of time before they can claim a PIF? I would think there are so many other reasons a new member would even have joined than just so they can get a free book(s). Heck, I was here over a year before I even looked in this thread- I had no idea what it was.

 

I have no problem with the stiffer being contacted over this matter, but it appears threatening this one with "you can't play with us anymore" wouldn't make a difference because he seems to have left the boards anyway. No one probably saw that coming because he hasn't been here long enough for us to "get a feel" for him.

 

I'm just making suggestions. Whatever is done is fine with me since I'm just a casual observer and an occasional participant.

 

 

 

OK, back on topic:

 

I'm going to combine the Blu-ray and Sex/Helheim lots for the current offer.

 

Techvoodoo: shoot me your addy and I'll send you that Green Lantern trade

CAHokie: shoot me your addy - you need to read Watchmen I don't know if it lived up to the hype I read about it but it was a great read!

 

Current offer =

 

[Mr Wiggles]

The audience may not grow as fast, but why would the audience get smaller and smaller unless time moves backwards? Are we afraid that new members will simply leave the Forums because they have to wait a relatively tiny amount of time before they can claim a PIF? I would think there are so many other reasons a new member would even have joined than just so they can get a free book(s). Heck, I was here over a year before I even looked in this thread- I had no idea what it was.

 

I believe the quote is in reference to the PIF audience, rather than the greater CS forum audience. Having a stiffer barrier to entry causes a fewer amount of individuals to have access to participate. Those who already do participate come and go as with any group (ex: those who signed up in 2008 for a forum account may still have a forum account but that doesn't guarantee they are active). This is where the idea of the audience shrinking comes into play. New members to the PIF thread are the only way the thread grows.

 

[MR SigS]

The audience may not grow as fast, but why would the audience get smaller and smaller unless time moves backwards? Are we afraid that new members will simply leave the Forums because they have to wait a relatively tiny amount of time before they can claim a PIF? I would think there are so many other reasons a new member would even have joined than just so they can get a free book(s). Heck, I was here over a year before I even looked in this thread- I had no idea what it was.

 

I believe the quote is in reference to the PIF audience, rather than the greater CS forum audience. Oh, I know

 

Having a stiffer barrier to entry causes a fewer amount of individuals to have access to participate. Just for a short time.

 

Those who already do participate come and go as with any group (ex: those who signed up in 2008 for a forum account may still have a forum account but that doesn't guarantee they are active). Permitting participation sooner assures they'll stay with it and not come and go? I think it means, by definition, they'll just be able to participate sooner.

 

This is where the idea of the audience shrinking comes into play. New members to the PIF thread are the only way the thread grows. I just don't see how having to wait 6 months is going to chase serious new members away. If they're serious about being a Board Member, they'll patiently stick around. Not being able to wait a handful of months (if you're a six fingered man) could be indicative of certain poor characteristics (ex: shill, bad buyer and/or seller, PIF stiffer...). A teen at the age of 15 years 6 months isn't going to say, "If they won't let me drive solo now, then heck with it- I'll never drive." A young patriot at the age of 17 years 6 months isn't going to say, "If they won't let me join now, then heck with it- I'll never enlist." A young adult at the age of 20 years 6 months isn't going to say, "If they won't let me legally drink now, then heck with it- I'll never drink."

Remember the Simpson's episode where Moe was showing Homer his new deep fryer that can "flash fry a buffalo in 40 seconds"? And Homer says, "40 seconds?!? But I want it Nooow!"

Classic!

I'm not being argumentative, just adding my view to the debate (if that's what this is). 6 months in the life of a true collector is nothing. Sure, the vast majority of transactions in the thread are positive, as is the case with most aspects in life where restrictive rules are in place. When my soon to be born Granddaughter starts to date at 18 ( ) I'm not going to simply accept her love interest just because. he (or she) is new.

 

 

 

OK, back on topic:

 

I'm going to combine the Blu-ray and Sex/Helheim lots for the current offer.

 

Techvoodoo: shoot me your addy and I'll send you that Green Lantern trade

CAHokie: shoot me your addy - you need to read Watchmen I don't know if it lived up to the hype I read about it but it was a great read!

 

Current offer =

 

[techvoodoo]

Food for thought. I think, if I remember correctly, to participate in the Secret Santa thing over Christmas you needed to be a member for a year before you could play that game.

[MR SigS]

Good point, if so (thumbs u

[CAHokie]

Ok, time for someone to claim this cool offer!

[Mr Wiggles]

I just don't see how having to wait 6 months is going to chase serious new members away. If they're serious about being a Board Member, they'll patiently stick around. Not being able to wait a handful of months (if you're a six fingered man) could be indicative of certain poor characteristics (ex: shill, bad buyer and/or seller, PIF stiffer...). A teen at the age of 15 years 6 months isn't going to say, "If they won't let me drive solo now, then heck with it- I'll never drive." A young patriot at the age of 17 years 6 months isn't going to say, "If they won't let me join now, then heck with it- I'll never enlist." A young adult at the age of 20 years 6 months isn't going to say, "If they won't let me legally drink now, then heck with it- I'll never drink."

Remember the Simpson's episode where Moe was showing Homer his new deep fryer that can "flash fry a buffalo in 40 seconds"? And Homer says, "40 seconds?!? But I want it Nooow!"

 

I both disagree and agree. Using the examples you outlined above; my argument comes from a mathematical standpoint of the pool of available participants rather than their desire to eventually join. This is going to come off as slightly morbid but I want to use the examples you provided. Not every child born reaches the age of 16 to drive just as not every account created is still active 6/12 months after creation. The pool of potential participants is much smaller with the more restrictions placed on entry.

 

This stance has no look at how "serious" an individual is; unfortunately "seriousness" isn't a measurable quality. Which is why I don't agree with adding further barriers to entry than what already exist. Adding additional time or post count just restricts those who want to participate from doing so sooner. It doesn't stop anyone from not sending their end.

 

Definitely not trying to argue but definitely trying to relate where I'm coming from

 

 

EDIT: In regards to the Secret Santa exchange, I participated in last year's with a join date of 9/11/12. I was brand spanking new and I was allowed to participate.

[MR SigS]

I wholeheartedly agree... that was slightly morbid

 

I'm cool with agreeing to disagree. I just get irked with those that exploit generosity and prefer to nip it in the bud. Nothing is fool proof so it could still happen no matter what rules are in place.

 

But I'm still for a probationary period of some kind FWIW.

 

EDIT: In regards to the Secret Santa exchange, I participated in last year's with a join date of 9/11/12. I was brand spanking new and I was allowed to participate.

 

Now that's the Christmas Spirit for ya!

 

Anyway, I've stated my view. Any more is beating a dead horse. So... Back to our show

 

OK, back on topic:

 

I'm going to combine the Blu-ray and Sex/Helheim lots for the current offer.

 

Techvoodoo: shoot me your addy and I'll send you that Green Lantern trade

CAHokie: shoot me your addy - you need to read Watchmen I don't know if it lived up to the hype I read about it but it was a great read!

 

Current offer =

 

[techvoodoo]

EDIT: In regards to the Secret Santa exchange, I participated in last year's with a join date of 9/11/12. I was brand spanking new and I was allowed to participate.

 

 

I wasn't allowed and I joined the forum before you. Maybe you whined enough that they gave in or maybe they had an odd number and needed another participant to make the number even, I don't know, but I can't find the original thread from back then.

 

Maybe I'm mistaken about needing to have been a member for a long period of time. I don't think so though, I have a pretty good memory.

 

EDIT:

 

Here's the thread. You had to be registered before Nov 2011 to participate in the 2012 Gift Exchange. You must have just been special to be allowed in.

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=6083078&fpart=1