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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 .
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#163
The only problem is for the honest people that I won't receive my funds until the bass I ship arrives.As of right now with 150 positive feedbacks I recieve my money before I take the item to the shipping company which those funds cover my shipping cost.Great for the buyer not so much for the seller.Plus if the buyer claims he has an issue with an item or nit picks something your money or item could be tied up for a long time.Paypal does not settle disputes is a short time frame,it takes a while.Sounds great on paper but I see drawbacks.This is based on an honest sellers point of view but I can see where the buyer could benefit.I just read the paypal info and if there is a refund they take it from your attached checking account first even if you have a paypal balance.That definitely stinks.
 
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#164
Bassphil said:
Good news! You won't have to change anything now. I just received an email from PayPal that they're going to offer a new service- pay after delivery.

Invalid Link Removed

That completely solves the problem :)
Click to expand...

Looks like this won't be available to everyone, but it's one heck of a service.

Anyway, I voted to leave things as they are. If I can make $1500 on one scam, there's not a lot of downside in investing as a supporting member, on a monthly basis and under false pretenses, doing the scam, evaporating, and then just repeating the process. No point in creating a false sense of security...
 
#165
Would it be possible to hide user info for non supporting members? I think that would be a good compromise. People can browse to see what's wanted, but they would have to take the step to register and support if they want to know who to contact. It's not perfect, but it would be a lot less obtrusive than other options mentioned.
 
#166
I'm a fairly new user. I would not have joined if I could not have read the classified sections, as that convinced me it was active enough that I could sell something.
Of course, now it seems no one will believe me because I have not sold anything here before. Guess I'll just have to be chattier before I sell something. So much for the "strong silent type" bass player image I was trying to project :)
 
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#167
More communication is a good thing all the way around . I've sold to people with no feedback and bought but there was phone conversation in all instances and they all worked out great.If they will provide all contact info usually they are not trying to hide anything.
 
#170
I mod on another forum with a classified sub forum. We found that the 45 days membership, 50 quality posts spec is a good threshold to stop abuse. It still happens every once in a while but its in the nines (.999999999 % good transactions.)

We have a "caveat emptor" approach documented in our Terms of Use to address liability concerns and set expectations but when the mod team would hears about transactions that go bad and we generally help out. Trying to thread the needle in terms of hands off vs. helping members out.

It works pretty well and we don't have this happen a lot.
 
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#171
peabody said:
You may want to keep this in mind when someone asks you to send money via a PayPal gift so they don't get charged the PP fees. It may sound like a simple thing, but you totally lose any protection PayPal may offer. Despite my bad experience, my GAS will live on.
Click to expand...

Sending monies via PayPal Gifts is prohibited by the Talkbass TOS... btw.

and.. sorry to hear you fell for the scam but glad you will get refunded.
 
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#172
I am getting thoroughly confused by so many of the answers in this thread. The scam occurred as a result of people posting in the WANTED : BASSES - meaning they were looking for a particular item and posted that information. They DID NOT post in the classified, nor did the person who scammed them. The scammer answered their request. So many people are talking about restricting access to the classifieds section, and THIS POLL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CLASSIFIEDS! (unless I am reading it all wrong and then please forgive me for shouting).

The question then is who should have access to the WANTED: BASSES section - that is the only forum up for discussion. Seems to me if someone is wanting to buy, it is perhaps a bit more likely a supporting member only having access would read and answer the would-be buyer. To me this makes sense as supporting members are the only ones that can sell on talkbass, so it is broadening that a bit to have them also the only ones who can sell to someone wanting a specific piece of equipment. That is a small expansion, gives a bit more advantage to supporting members. They don't have to compete with non-supporting members who might have equipment for sale.

It will still require due diligence on the part of the buyer and seller, and scammers can become supporting members, but it is one more hassle for them, and might deter at least some of them.
 
#174
I have only read the first page of this thread so far, so with that in mind...........

Just one thing for right now: I understand the feelings of dealing only with someone with good feedback, however, we all started here with no feedback. Think about that for a moment.
 
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#175
Oldbasslover said:
I am getting thoroughly confused by so many of the answers in this thread. The scam occurred as a result of people posting in the WANTED : BASSES - meaning they were looking for a particular item and posted that information. They DID NOT post in the classified, nor did the person who scammed them. The scammer answered their request. So many people are talking about restricting access to the classifieds section, and THIS POLL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CLASSIFIEDS! (unless I am reading it all wrong and then please forgive me for shouting).

The question then is who should have access to the WANTED: BASSES section - that is the only forum up for discussion. Seems to me if someone is wanting to buy, it is perhaps a bit more likely a supporting member only having access would read and answer the would-be buyer. To me this makes sense as supporting members are the only ones that can sell on talkbass, so it is broadening that a bit to have them also the only ones who can sell to someone wanting a specific piece of equipment. That is a small expansion, gives a bit more advantage to supporting members. They don't have to compete with non-supporting members who might have equipment for sale.

It will still require due diligence on the part of the buyer and seller, and scammers can become supporting members, but it is one more hassle for them, and might deter at least some of them.
Click to expand...
The want-to-buy forums are part of the classifieds. I understand and appreciate the point you are making about distinguishing the want-to-buy forums from the for-sale forums, but they are all part of the classifieds. (For clarity's sake.)

In these sorts of discussions (and many other types, to be honest), I don't much care for terms like "perhaps" and "a bit more likely". What is certain is that only supporting members can list things for sale, and both supporting and non-supporting members alike can buy those things that are listed for sale. Limiting sale listings to supporting members is both a privilege of supporting membership and a measure of security. Nobody seems to have a problem with this arrangement.

I see no reason to change that. What I mean, specifically regarding the want-to-buy ads, is that non-supporting members should not be allowed to sell on TB, and therefore the want-to-buy forums should not be available to be used as a dodge around that policy. Anyone should be able to list something in the want-to-buy forums, just like anyone can buy things that are listed by supporting members in the for-sale forums. But non-supporting members should not be allowed the privilege of selling items to want-to-buyers, just like they are not allowed to post things for sale on TB.

So if TB establishes a rule that anyone can post in a want-to-buy forum, but the transaction can only be completed in the for-sale forums in order to be sanctioned by TalkBass, the status and privilege would be preserved. With such a rule, anyone wishing to respond to a want-to-buy could discuss things with the potential buyer in the WTB thread, but ultimately that person would have to list the item in the for-sale section before the potential buyer could buy it.

Hopefully there would be a link in the WTB thread to the FS listing of the same item, but it's not really necessary. And of course, people could still skirt the rule just like they sometimes skirt the rule about no-fee PayPal requests, but the protection would be in place for those who follow the rules.
 
#177
chris.gotfunk said:
That is horribly unfortunate. I truly feel for our members that were scammed. Personally, I feel that only subscribing members should be able to post, view or respond to anything related to the classifieds section. While it would significantly decrease views in our posts, it would reduce and minimize any scammers. If possible, it would also help when receiving a PM or a response in an add that the stats of the individual are highlighted more in the avatar section that shows up when we all post here. Some kind of potential risk notification or flag to the person who posted or something of that nature.... just my .02.
Click to expand...

I'll throw my .02 in too (to make it .04) - While Supporting Membership has levels, I think the first one starts at $25. If you can, make one level at $10 and then require membership to post in certain forums that require ANYTHING dealing with money. The problem with the Internet is that everything is "free" now, and the expectation is that it will always be free. You can also protect your financial transactions online by getting one credit card that you use just for online transactions. If something is scammed or hacked, cancel the card.

Z
 
#179
BlueTalon said:
The want-to-buy forums are part of the classifieds. I understand and appreciate the point you are making about distinguishing the want-to-buy forums from the for-sale forums, but they are all part of the classifieds. (For clarity's sake.)

In these sorts of discussions (and many other types, to be honest), I don't much care for terms like "perhaps" and "a bit more likely". What is certain is that only supporting members can list things for sale, and both supporting and non-supporting members alike can buy those things that are listed for sale. Limiting sale listings to supporting members is both a privilege of supporting membership and a measure of security. Nobody seems to have a problem with this arrangement.

I see no reason to change that. What I mean, specifically regarding the want-to-buy ads, is that non-supporting members should not be allowed to sell on TB, and therefore the want-to-buy forums should not be available to be used as a dodge around that policy. Anyone should be able to list something in the want-to-buy forums, just like anyone can buy things that are listed by supporting members in the for-sale forums. But non-supporting members should not be allowed the privilege of selling items to want-to-buyers, just like they are not allowed to post things for sale on TB.

So if TB establishes a rule that anyone can post in a want-to-buy forum, but the transaction can only be completed in the for-sale forums in order to be sanctioned by TalkBass, the status and privilege would be preserved. With such a rule, anyone wishing to respond to a want-to-buy could discuss things with the potential buyer in the WTB thread, but ultimately that person would have to list the item in the for-sale section before the potential buyer could buy it.

Hopefully there would be a link in the WTB thread to the FS listing of the same item, but it's not really necessary. And of course, people could still skirt the rule just like they sometimes skirt the rule about no-fee PayPal requests, but the protection would be in place for those who follow the rules.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the clarification. It does appear that we do agree on a policy that sellers should be supporting members, regardless of what forum the sale is made through.
 
#180
Any restriction on trade is an abomination.

As far as buying and selling on the internet in general or this forum in particular, it pays to protect one's self. A separate credit card is a great idea for protection after the transaction goes south. It is important to start the investigation at the beginning of the buying/selling process.

There is an old saying that you buy the merchant before you buy the product. That is true in brick and mortar stores. It is more important on the internet where all transactions are at arms length. Who buys anything from a salesman they do not like?

The sales begins long before money changes hands. It is incumbent on both buyers and sellers to perform due diligence on their prospective trading partner. If they have limited or no transactions/feedback then only risk what you are willing to lose. Or just walk away. There are very few things we desire that will not be available at a later date.
 
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