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Should the Wanted forums be viewable by Supporting Members only?

Should the WANTED:BASSES forum be viewable only by Supporting Members? (Anyone could start threads)

  • Yes: Anyone can post threads but only Supporting Members can view others' threads.

    Votes: 363 42.8%

  • No: Keep things as they are.

    Votes: 181 21.3%

  • No, but restrict viewing of the WTB forums to users with >30 posts and/or 30 days of membership

    Votes: 321 37.8%
  • Total voters
    849
  • Poll closed .
Status
Not open for further replies.
#21
carl h. said:
What is to keep a scammer from becoming a supporting member? If your potential take is $1500, what's a minor contribution?

Heck, even legit bass players have pulled crap here, so what is excluding folks based on financial outlay going to accomplish?
Click to expand...

carl h. said:
Implication being the non supporting members are dishonest?
Click to expand...

No, but a scammer is not likely to pay money to TalkBass.com because it leaves a trail. It certainly wouldn't be a 100% failsafe solution, but in my understanding a hurdle like this can be a big deterrent.

Waiting 30 days or so could also work, but may create confusion as the user wouldn't know when he'd be able to start seeing threads in the Wanted forum. He/she may just assume there are no threads there.
 
#22
The Bass Clef said:
He didn't say "honest supporting members", he said "honest TB'ers". You lookin for an excuse to start a useless argument over nothing? There's enough of that on TB.
Click to expand...
No, only seeking clarity here, as the non supporting membership seems to be villified as not quite legitimate, and potentially being excluded from more of the marketplace, to the detriment of all membership. If you are looking for something, do you want your post restricted?
 
#23
Whoa! I just voted, and right now it's only 30-something percent to keep things the way they are. I was on this forum for years before I started to support it, and when I did it was largely due to being able to sell gear on here. I got hooked by seeing all the ads for gear I wanted. If we don't allow casual users to see our sale ads, this marketplace is going to dry up faster than you could believe. I have already had a really tough time selling a bass that should be easy to sell at the price point it's at with the way things are. I think it's up to the seller and buyer to determine whether the other is trustworthy.

Vote to keep things the way they are, or perhaps propose some third option!
 
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#26
The 30 day wait would be better and OK because it penalizes only that one person,, instead of the entire community? Sort of having an initiation, Paying Their Dues sort of thing! Ha
paul said:
Waiting 30 days or so could also work, but may create confusion as the user wouldn't know when he'd be able to start seeing threads in the Wanted forum. He/she may just assume there are no threads there.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
#27
Combinator said:
Whoa! I just voted, and right now it's only 30-something percent to keep things the way they are. I was on this forum for years before I started to support it, and when I did it was largely due to being able to sell gear on here. I got hooked by seeing all the ads for gear I wanted. If we don't allow casual users to see our sale ads, this marketplace is going to dry up faster than you could believe. I have already had a really tough time selling a bass that should be easy to sell at the price point it's at with the way things are. I think it's up to the seller and buyer to determine whether the other is trustworthy.

Vote to keep things the way they are, or perhaps propose some third option!
Click to expand...

Whoooooooooaaaa there :) I'm sorry I haven't made the first post clear enough obviously. Nothing here would change how many people see your For Sale ads! We're only voting on whether or not to restrict viewing of the WANTED forum to keep scammers from responding with basses that don't exist.
 
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#28
carl h. said:
No, only seeking clarity here, as the non supporting membership seems to be villified as not quite legitimate, and potentially being excluded from more of the marketplace, to the detriment of all membership. If you are looking for something, do you want your post restricted?
Click to expand...

It just sounded like you took it to mean something more than what it intented to, sorry if I interpreted it wrong. Personally, if a non-supporting member (with no feedback) contacted me about something I posted that I was looking for, then chances are, I would not buy it from him. I do have a little thing I like to do though, which sometimes works..
I ask if they have any ebay feedback.. if they say no, I end it right there.
If they say yes, I tell them my ebay username and ask them to send me a message thru ebay so I can verify that that is their account and have a look at their feedback. If they are legit and have a good history, I buy.

As far as a supporting membership goes though, I find that it's a very small price to pay compared to ebay. If you sold a $500 bass on ebay, they take $50, and that's already about double what the talkbass dues are for a whole year of unlimited sales. So if you can't afford that to support the site, then I don't think you're not legitimate, but I don't think you should be allowed to sell. That's just my opinion though.
 
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#29
if im understanding correctly...the TBers that got scam'd were approached thru their WTB ads and the offers presented were bogus, if thats correct...
...what about making WTB ads hidden to non supporting members and members without X amounts of posts and X amount of purchases...yes I know it restricts the honest first time sales but youre asking about implimenting restrictions for protection


if thats not correct...disregard
 
#30
Slade N said:
if im understanding correctly...the TBers that got scam'd were approached thru their WTB ads and the offers presented were bogus, if thats correct...
...what about making WTB ads hidden to non supporting members and members without X amounts of posts and X amount of purchases...yes I know it restricts the honest first time sales but youre asking about implimenting restrictions for protection


if thats not correct...disregard
Click to expand...

We could restrict non supporting members based on post count and days registered - that is an option. X amount of purchases is not an option the software gives us currently.
 
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#36
I have redone my supporting yet but hear me out.

Why not make new member have to have a minimum post count even if they are supporting member or a minimum post count to become a supporting member? Let's say 500 posts or so. A lot of sites do this.

That way they are more invested in the site and aren't just sign up and leave kind of people. I've viewed people with tons of positive feedback and almost no posting other than their sales adds. Why are they a member here? What's the point?

At the end of the day though there is no real protection. I've seen member that have been on a site for 5 years rip people off for no reason and just disappear. It sucks.
 
#40
I was semi screwed by a Supporting member last week.. So being a supporting member with good FB doesn't really count 100% of the time in my eyes. Turned out that The Picture of the bass that I bought from him, was NOT the bass that he shipped me... and the advertized (stated weight in forum response ) was about 1 pound more than he claimed after i request and stated how importing the weight was before i paid for it.. I contacted the SALES MOD and never heard back yet..

So nothing is 100%
 
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