The equipment for sale forum

[jetmech]

Why is it that I cannot post a reply to buy anything in the sale forums? I understand the 50 post 90 day thing for SELLING things, but buying things as well? That is rediculous!
Bill

 

[Scooterman]

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49967

 

[brandyrb]

Is there a limit to the amount of posts/time a user has to have to send private messages? If not, that would be one way to contact someone if you're interested in something they're selling/giving away.

 

[returnofsid]

Why is it that I cannot post a reply to buy anything in the sale forums? I understand the 50 post 90 day thing for SELLING things, but buying things as well? That is rediculous!
Bill

The rule is in place, partly, as a reward or benefit for Contributing member. It sure seems as the members that complain about it the most, are not what I'd consider a "Contributing" member. How difficult is it to have 50 posts, in the 16 months that you've been a member?

The rule is actually 50 posts and 30 days. You may feel it's "rediculous," but you'll find the same rule on many forums, and an even stronger rule on some forums. A lot of forums have a 90 day requirement and members can't even SEE the "sale" forums until they've met the requirements. Maybe that's what it should be like here. If you can't SEE the forums, you can't use PMs as a way to circumvent the rules.

 

[brandyrb]

If you can't SEE the forums, you can't use PMs as a way to circumvent the rules.

Man, now I feel like a rule breaker.

 

[Scooterman]

Man, now I feel like a rule breaker.

Yea the last thing we want is our members to provide ways around our rules designed like they are purposely.

 

[brandyrb]

Sorry, I didn't mean to disrespect your rules.

 

[iroll253]

better getsta postin

 

[Redseadan74]

I'm new here too and its really not that hard to make 50 post,just ask some questions that you want anwsered,this place is a great place for info and I did not understand the rules but they make sense, and I've got a lot of good info so far and hope to get a lot more,then I will start to get more comfortable talking to poeple on this site.

 

[brandyrb]

Is there a limit to the amount of posts/time a user has to have to send private messages? If not, that would be one way to contact someone if you're interested in something they're selling/giving away.

Yea the last thing we want is our members to provide ways around our rules designed like they are purposely.

Hey Scooterman,

Another thread you had posted on was just brought to my attention and you stated that the rules are directed at selling not buying stuff, so I don't think my post in this thread was a way around the rules. Correct? It would be nice to have this clarified so I know what is appropriate to suggest to users stating they can't "buy" anything.

Please see your comments on posts #49 and #69 here:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50063&page=3

 

[returnofsid]

I don't know for sure why a new member can't send a PM I didn't think that was an issue but maybe it is a byproduct of the sales forum rules recently revised. Regardless you can get to us one way or another if your having troubles, I can look into that a little farther to see if you actually can't send a pm.

Brandy, not sure if this is what you're referring to, or not, and forgive me if it isn't.

This quote was not Scooterman saying it's okay to PM, for the purpose of buying. A member was having issues PMing and it was thought that new members weren't able to PM. Scooterman was responding to that, by saying he wasn't sure why this member wasn't able to PM.

 

[returnofsid]

Ignore that. This, I believe, is what Brandy was referring to:

This new rule isn't stopping us new people from buying just selling. I can still send PMs if I see something I like.

I love this site...it's my new addiction and I have learned a lot from it. This particular thread has been very intertaining--I love drama.

Thanks for the awesome site.

AMEN! That is what we need to hear!

Thanks, I like happy faces, these daily drama issues just brings me down!

 

[brandyrb]

These are the posts I'm referring too:

This new rule isn't stopping us new people from buying just selling. I can still send PMs if I see something I like.

I love this site...it's my new addiction and I have learned a lot from it. This particular thread has been very intertaining--I love drama.

Thanks for the awesome site.

So, you find a loophole, and bypass the rule (thus breaking the rule), and then inform everyone of it? Good way to bring on more strict rules, such as members with under 50 posts or 30 days of membership, not even being able to access the buy/sell/trade forums.

From what I understand the rule is there to keep Idiots from coming on here just to sell stuff. What's wrong with buying from people?

They could add more rules, but wouldn't it just hurt the people who have been around and want to get rid of some stuff.

If I'm wrong then please let me know.

You can buy from people, you just can't sell & you can PM!

The above post is #49

I stand corrected. Sorry.

Sorry thing is if you want to buy something you can not even post for it?

1...Send a PM. They are time/date stamped just like posts so if the selling party has any integrity, he/she will respect that. If not, who's to say the item you're trying to purchase is in working condition anyway?

2...You have 52 posts and have been a member since June 2007, its not a problem for you anymore.

Nick

Actually the restrictions is on Selling not buying, we already posted that information on this thread!

The above post is #69

 

[returnofsid]

I may be way off, but I think the spirit of the rule was to apply to both buying and selling. In the following quote, Chuck refers to buying and selling, though no mention is made about PMing. However, I think if Chuck meant for the rule to apply to buying and selling, that it would apply to buying and selling in any form. However, I'll await Chuck's comments and keep my mouth shut and fingers still, about this issue, in the future.

Due to so many new members believing this is a great place to join and jump in and buy and sell we have had to put some restrictions in place. This place is first and foremost a reefkeeping information sharing site, not a glorified classified ad site. In order to keep with that reefkeeping philosophy of this site, I have put in restrictions:

1. Must be registered for at least 30 days

AND

2. Must have at least 50 posts (meaning members didn't sign up just to buy and sell).

I am sorry if that offends or irritates people but too many times lately have we been running into issues in our for sale forums. This is just one way to try to manage these sections.

 

[brandyrb]

I may be way off, but I think the spirit of the rule was to apply to both buying and selling. In the following quote, Chuck refers to buying and selling, though no mention is made about PMing. However, I think if Chuck meant for the rule to apply to buying and selling, that it would apply to buying and selling in any form. However, I'll await Chuck's comments and keep my mouth shut and fingers still, about this issue, in the future.

That's why I asked for clarification from Scooterman. Both him and Maxx responded stating that you can buy and PM after Chuck posted that rule and before I suggested sending a PM to buy stuff in this thread. If PM's and buying that way are allowed, it would be nice if the rule clearly states that so people aren't misled or quabling over what the rule applies to and what it doesn't.

As a web developer myself, it made sense to contact someone by PM if the site allows it. I figured that if the site allows it, it must be OK. It's part of my job to block everything that's not OK on a website I'm creating. Anyway, that was my train of thought when I offered that suggestion and I was shocked when it was taken as though I was providing a way around the rules, then confused when I read the posts where Scooterman and Maxx both state that the same thing I suggested is OK.

 

[spllbnd2]

I too would be interested in seeing what Chuck has to say about this.

I would really like to know because what does a seller do if he/she receives a pm from someone with less than the 50 post/30 day thing? What are we the sellers suppose to do? Tell the potential buyer, sorry your a newbie?

I think that RF should consider closing the buy/sell/trade forums from users until they have the 50 posts and 30 days. Then open the forums up to them. Another option would be to not allow the user to pm until 50 posts and 30 days.

Cheers,
Alex

 

[Bored4ever86]

Another option would be to not allow the user to pm until 50 posts and 30 days.

I think this would be highly detrimental to the community as a whole, because people that have no interest in either forum would be hit with it. Not only are some new people directed to talk to specific members for advice on specific things (such at skimmerwhisperer) but you'd see newbies putting up "ATTN: person" threads all over the place trying to go around the lack of pm's. I don't think its that much of a problem in terms of trying to buy used stuff prior to becomming a matured member here, how many questions/answers can you provide prior to wanting to start gathering pieces for your first tank/upgrading current tanks of someone new to the site. I do agree, people making an account just to sell stuff is wrong and an injustice that they don't pass along more of the information they have acquired. But, one must strike a balance between those that are new trying to get set up and started and those that just want to leech off of the matured community to get their stuff sold/get good deals on cool stuff.

 

[TotalVapor]

I like how they did it at the other site, you can't even see the selling forum until you reach their limits. Takes all the guess work out of it, no buying or selling.

 

[mfinn]

I like how they did it at the other site, you can't even see the selling forum until you reach their limits. Takes all the guess work out of it, no buying or selling.

that would end alot of drama