For Sale Forum Post Count?

[Burg54]

As a contributing member of the forum I find it frustrating sometimes that you need 50 posts to sell but ZERO to buy anything. I see items in the for sale section getting sniped by first time posters all the time. I watch the for sale section like a hawk, always looking for a good deal (because I can never have enough hammocks!) and I cant count how many times a first time poster gets to an item before me. Ill see things like a smoking deal on a new hammock only to find that its been sold in 3 min to someone that has never posted on the forum and probably wont be heard from again. I am not saying that that is necessarily wrong - free market and all that - but for some reason it just doesn't feel quite right to me. It feels like that person was just using the forum as a marketplace and not really trying to be part of the community. If you cant sell without 50 posts, presumably to keep this from becoming a HammockCraigsList, then is it right to be able to shop the for sale section without ever having posted even once?

I think first crack at the good deals should go to people that are active on the forum. Seems like access to both selling and buying should be the same requirement of say....20 posts. Just my .02. Thoughts? Anyone else feel this way?



PS - I know that I have made some assumptions in my OP. I also see that sometimes it can go this way....That new hammock owner could have been a lurker for months researching, deciding on and finding that hammock in the sale section, scoring one for a great price and then going on to become a contributing member that betters the forum. Could happen that way, I get it. Still doesn't make it feel any better when I see that "Post:1....I'll take it!"

[Brooklyn]

I don't know, this site already has so many "rules" that are policed very strictly - I'd have a hard time with even 1 more.

[dkurfiss]

I will be watching this thread closely. If the majority of the members would like the guidelines changed so a new person has to have a specific post count to purchase, I will run it "up the flag pole" with the other mods/admins to see if it can be supported.

But with that being said, please keep this thread on topic. We are discussing an additional rule to specify what number of post someone should have to post in the FS area. This is not an open mic to rehash the entire FS area. If it turns into a general complaint session the post will be shut down.

If you have a specific change you would like to see made, open your own thread with a suggestion on how to change it.

[Flash Grundelore]

I would like to see some time "in forum" and some participation [50+] before a new member can buy. [I had no idea the 50+ rule was only to sell.]
This place is about community.

[Nooby]

This is my first post on HF, that being said as a noob I see nothing wrong with having requirements for buying. I also appreciate the "not a craigslist" atmosphere.

[kitsapcowboy]

With respect to the OP, personally, if I am trying to sell a piece of gear, I'm happy to sell it to the first registered member willing to pony up the cash. In the case of buying, post count is irrelevant to me. Newcomers are often attracted to visiting and registering on Hammock Forums expressly because they want to purchase high quality used hammock camping gear; they are eager buyers. If you demand a post count of purchasing members in the For Sale forum, you're only hamstringing the For Sale forum and the registered members with sufficient post count who wish to sell there, working at cross purposes to its function. I think it does everyone a disservice.

If folks really think there is a need to segregate items for sale, I would suggest HF establish a restricted For Sale subforum in the donating member area, where only paid members can buy and sell gear listed there -- but ONLY in parallel with the general For Sale forum. My $0.02...

[Miquel Westano]

As a contributing member of the forum I find it frustrating sometimes that you need 50 posts to sell but ZERO to buy anything. I see items in the for sale section getting sniped by first time posters all the time. I watch the for sale section like a hawk, always looking for a good deal (because I can never have enough hammocks!) and I cant count how many times a first time poster gets to an item before me. Ill see things like a smoking deal on a new hammock only to find that its been sold in 3 min to someone that has never posted on the forum and probably wont be heard from again. I am not saying that that is necessarily wrong - free market and all that - but for some reason it just doesn't feel quite right to me. It feels like that person was just using the forum as a marketplace and not really trying to be part of the community. If you cant sell without 50 posts, presumably to keep this from becoming a HammockCraigsList, then is it right to be able to shop the for sale section without ever having posted even once?

I think first crack at the good deals should go to people that are active on the forum. Seems like access to both selling and buying should be the same requirement of say....20 posts. Just my .02. Thoughts? Anyone else feel this way?



PS - I know that I have made some assumptions in my OP. I also see that sometimes it can go this way....That new hammock owner could have been a lurker for months researching, deciding on and finding that hammock in the sale section, scoring one for a great price and then going on to become a contributing member that betters the forum. Could happen that way, I get it. Still doesn't make it feel any better when I see that "Post:1....I'll take it!"

I guess I am going to be out on a limb and all alone here, but I don't think it is fair to have different standards for new folks than senior ones when it comes to buying. I assumed the for sale thing was just to keep a newbie from creating an account, selling an item, collecting and failing to deliver. But as to making the good deals more accessible to some than others, I don't see that as fair. That said, I am a relative newbie and have bought some stuff already.

In my mind if you treat new folks like outsiders, they are unlikely to feel welcome into a new environment. But, like I said, that may just be me. I will abide by whatever rules are in place, and if I feel they become too disagreeable, I will just respect the decision of the mods and move on.

For the record; I believe I have less than 50 post, have bought at least two or three items, and always paid right up as agreed. I would have to admit, I would feel slighted if I were suddenly told I could no longer buy.

[c736445]

This is probably one of the first threads in which I've felt inclined to respond-- I was taught to only speak when spoken to... I'm one of the lurking types who FPed an "I'll take it" a while back. I had been reading pretty much every day for a while before I actually joined, and I have been reading every day since. If I ever have anything I feel worthwhile, then sure, I'll post away. However, I'm mostly just hear to learn and to live vicariously through those people who manage to get out in the woods more often than I do.

Admittedly, I felt a little bad about it being my first (and only) post, but I also figured my money works just as well as anyone else's. I can see how a post count requirement could potentially slow down some sales.

[Otter1]

While I certainly prefer "first dibs" on FS items, I do NOT want this rule added.

As is, the field is broad for sellers, which is a good thing. In addition, I like the restriction on selling as a security blanket. Such a buying restriction offers no additional security, so I see no need for it.

Being able to buy brings more folks to the forum so they can become contributing members.

[TrailSlug]

I agree with Miquel Westano. The newer users are typically the ones that need the gear the most. I like the way it is now but having a for sale section in the members forum would be nice as well.