Modmins and Community - should we have a Wanted Section in classifieds?

Gassage

Just browsing the classified and on FX alone, 16 of the the ads in page 1 of my feed were WTB ads.

Is it time that we perhaps have a sep WTB for each of the main catagories, just to help those seeking or those seeking a buyer, to find all in one place?

I think it would make it easier for both parties.

Thoughts?

loveagood69

WTB: Blue Telecaster, but not too blue.

Looking for a blue telecaster, must be 50s style with a 60s neck. Preferably made in knebworth or japan. The blue can't be too dark...or too light. PM me.

WezV

loveagood69 said:

WTB: Blue Telecaster, but not too blue.

Looking for a blue telecaster, must be 50s style with a 60s neck. Preferably made in knebworth or japan. The blue can't be too dark...or too light. PM me.

How about the red les paul I have for sale?

rpr

loveagood69 said:

WTB: Blue Telecaster, but not too blue.

Looking for a blue telecaster, must be 50s style with a 60s neck. Preferably made in knebworth or japan. The blue can't be too dark...or too light. PM me.

Philtre

WTB: a pirate memory game suitable for children of between 4 and 8. But not too piratey.

Sassafras

WTB: a car that isn't a Honda Civic.

axisus

I've always wanted them separate, makes total sense to me. I would still be checking both pages. 

Dopesick

Yes yes yes make it happen.

Roland

It has crossed my mind because the ratio of WTB to FS threads has been growing, and we did some time ago. It might even been in a face to face conversation, remember those? 

There are a couple of arguments against. It increases the number of forum sections. Besides the additional complexity there’s the likelihood that people who don’t read the forum using Recent Discussions wouldn’t peruse WTB sections and realise that they’ve got exactly what you want collecting dust. 

richardhomer

If we do do this, can I suggest the buyer has to quote a maximum budget, given that a seller is mandated to quote a price?

Hopefully that will dissuade bargain hunters - or at least make it clear who they are.

ESBlonde

There is the question of extra modmin time moving ads to the correct sub section. Are users not capable of using the search facilities? Que a raft of posts about shouldn't this be over there?
Remember this is a free facility with a classified added on. It's not a classified that raises funds to feed the admin costs!

That's my £0.02
Tin hat at the ready.

crunchman

The other complication is where to put FT ads.

Strat54

How about a 'For sale but I don't really want to and I'm likely to withdraw it' section or a 'Wanted but I don't have the cash yet till I sell my vintage Marlin Strat and I'm likely to change my mind anyway about what I want' section?

PC_Dave

Gassage said:

Just browsing the classified and on FX alone, 16 of the the ads in page 1 of my feed were WTB ads.

Is it time that we perhaps have a sep WTB for each of the main catagories, just to help those seeking or those seeking a buyer, to find all in one place?

I think it would make it easier for both parties.

Thoughts?

Flagged for being a sensible idea - We don't want any of those round these parts.

JerkMoans

Strat54 said:

How about a 'For sale but I don't really want to and I'm likely to withdraw it' section or a 'Wanted but I don't have the cash yet till I sell my vintage Marlin Strat and I'm likely to change my mind anyway about what I want' section?

‘Just testing the water’

mart

crunchman said:

The other complication is where to put FT ads.

In the Financial Times?

Gassage

JerkMoans said:

Strat54 said:

How about a 'For sale but I don't really want to and I'm likely to withdraw it' section or a 'Wanted but I don't have the cash yet till I sell my vintage Marlin Strat and I'm likely to change my mind anyway about what I want' section?

‘Just testing the water’

FEELER FS/FT

Emp_Fab

Another vote from me.  It's a good idea.

danishbacon

I’ll go against the grain and say a single section is better. Sometimes I forget I have something that I’d be willing to let go and wouldn’t actively go to a dedicated WTB to see if someone wants to buy something I don’t know I want to sell. 

Gassage

Roland said:

It has crossed my mind because the ratio of WTB to FS threads has been growing, and we did some time ago. It might even been in a face to face conversation, remember those? 

There are a couple of arguments against. It increases the number of forum sections. Besides the additional complexity there’s the likelihood that people who don’t read the forum using Recent Discussions wouldn’t peruse WTB sections and realise that they’ve got exactly what you want collecting dust. 

Roland- apprc your position, but things also evolve- maybe worth a shot this time?

Emp_Fab

By that argument @Roland, there is also the likelihood of someone who doesn't read the forum using Recent Discussions not perusing any instrument-specific section when they happen to have that specific instrument for sale.  If there were a single WTB section that covered all instruments and equipment, it would actually make it a lot easier to quickly scan that section and see if you have anything you could sell.  I've always felt that the existing mixing of buying and selling in the same section was counterproductive.

hoops

Vote yes from me, there seem to be more and more WTB ads. I find it quite annoying, you see something that might interest you and then see WTB.

fretmeister

Yes.

It works well on Basschat.

Only 1 rule really there - no trade ads at all in that section. Wanted ads are for money only. Stops the "I want A and I'll give you B for it" crap.

JezWynd

Sounds like a good idea and @fretmeister's suggestion of no trades makes sense too, as does @richardhomer's of stating a max price. As long as it doesn't cause the mods extra work then it makes good sense.

Cols

No firm opinions on this, but I had noticed the increasing prevalence of WTB posts.  Why is this?  Initially I thought it just bedroom dealers sharking for cheap stock, but that’s not the case.

PolarityMan

I'd have thought that WTB's will lose what little efficacy they had by lumping them in their own section....but tbh I violently couldn't care less about this. 

guitarfishbay

fretmeister said:

Yes.

It works well on Basschat.

Only 1 rule really there - no trade ads at all in that section. Wanted ads are for money only. Stops the "I want A and I'll give you B for it" crap.

This makes sense, I’d be in favour of it using this rule, plus the max price thing makes sense.

If I saw a WTB ad for an item of mine I hadn’t prepared to sell I’d want to know it was worth my time taking detailed photos etc before being told they’d rather trade 6 things I don’t want for it, or a lowball price where I’d rather keep it

Bridgehouse

JezWynd said:

Sounds like a good idea and @fretmeister's suggestion of no trades makes sense too, as does @richardhomer's of stating a max price. As long as it doesn't cause the mods extra work then it makes good sense.

There’s a second rule on basschat - no replies in thread to WTB ads.. PM only

JerkMoans

Cols said:

No firm opinions on this, but I had noticed the increasing prevalence of WTB posts.  Why is this?  Initially I thought it just bedroom dealers sharking for cheap stock, but that’s not the case.

Scarcity of supply, I'd wager.  

Or, at least, scarcity of supply at asking prices that aren't utterly Hornchurch.

guitarfishbay

I reckon people have more time on their hands to think about stuff they’d like to own, but aren’t in a rush to need it immediately. Also there are a bunch of items out of stock at shops too

EricTheWeary

Bridgehouse said:

JezWynd said:

Sounds like a good idea and @fretmeister's suggestion of no trades makes sense too, as does @richardhomer's of stating a max price. As long as it doesn't cause the mods extra work then it makes good sense.

There’s a second rule on basschat - no replies in thread to WTB ads.. PM only

I have suggested in the past that all ads, technology permitting, should be singleton posts: editable by the OP/ admin but you can't reply other than by PM. As modmin time seems to be often taken up with people arguing within classifieds it seemed like a good idea to me. It would mean you can't bump any ad but on the other hand it would stop bumping of ads cluttering up Recent Discussions.   

And a No from me on WTB as that would mean another 9 subsections and the FT ads won't have a home. 

I think the classifieds are an important part of TheFB in terms of attracting new members and providing a service to existing ones but this should still look like a forum with ads and not eBay.