New Classifieds ruling.

[Bernard Voges]

Thanks nidri.

[Dallas]

If I can make a suggestion, why not limit the ability to post ads to members with at least 200 forum posts?

Personally I would rather deal with somebody who has established a reputation as a poster on here than somebody with hardly any posts. If I see something on here for sale that isn't nearby I always check the number of posts the seller has made and if it's a low amount I don't go any further. It's very easy to see from their posts on the forum whether they are just making arb posts to fill a requirement.

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

If I can make a suggestion, why not limit the ability to post ads to members with at least 200 forum posts?
... It's very easy to see from their posts on the forum whether they are just making arb posts to fill a requirement.

We've had that, but it also has drawbacks. Many forum members complained that they got tired of the "arbitrary posts". So you might be able to see if the posts are anything useful before buying from the person, but in the meantime, the forum fills up with junk posts and threads.

Look at Bernard Voges that posted just before you. In 4 years he has made only 224 posts. that means that he would not have been able to use the classifieds for close on the 3 years?

[Dallas]

If you really want to clean up the classifieds what about charging for each ad that is placed? Doesn't have to be a huge amount, but I know that I would have no problem paying a small fee to put an ad up.

It will definitely stop the con artists in their tracks and also stop people who waste time putting up ridiculously priced 2nd hand items.

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

If you really want to clean up the classifieds what about charging for each ad that is placed? Doesn't have to be a huge amount, but I know that I would have no problem paying a small fee to put an ad up.

It will definitely stop the con artists in their tracks and also stop people who waste time putting up ridiculously priced 2nd hand items.

hmmm... what would you suggest we charge?

[Dallas]

R25 an ad? The ad quality would be much better.

[Roberto]

Ad payment sounds like a good idea and R25 to R50 is small change compared to the cost of the sale.

I would also be interested to know if it were perhaps possible and even necessary to sub categorize cameras and lenses in order to find what you're looking for a lot easier?

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

I am not so sure... 2 ads are free right now. That is 2 ads at a time. The people that are complaining wants more than two (at a time) but do not want to become premium members...

Seems to me that if we leave it at two for free members, they will post their two, if we charge, they will just grumble and go away?

[ZS1RA]

Well, I still cannot post an ad despite the fact that all my ads have been marked as sold for weeks now. I relisted an item to test and it relist successfully but I am just not able to place any adverts. Very frustrating

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

Well, I still cannot post an ad despite the fact that all my ads have been marked as sold for weeks now. I relisted an item to test and it relist successfully but I am just not able to place any adverts. Very frustrating

Only one I see is this one from Sept last year:

http://www.outdoorphoto.co.za/classi...towanted&cat=5

and it's not tagged as sold. You may have missed it because it was in "photographic accessories" instead of in "wanted"

Can I delete it for you?

[ZS1RA]

Only one I see is this one from Sept last year:

http://www.outdoorphoto.co.za/classi...towanted&cat=5

and it's not tagged as sold. You may have missed it because it was in "photographic accessories" instead of in "wanted"

Can I delete it for you?

I am aware of that one, I relisted it to see if it would list again. Marked it as sold this morning but still no luck.

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

Hmmm... Looking into this one, that is odd...

[andreklopper]

Paying per add... No

Do a once of payment to become lite member (you can now post adds) price lets stay with the R25

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

Paying per add... No

Do a once of payment to become lite member (you can now post adds) price lets stay with the R25

Ok, but what if that 'lite' member now breaks the terms if service, like posting in the wrong category for effect (like not posting wanted ads in the the wanted category) ? What do we do with them?

Also, now that its specifically the service being paid for, how will we be influenced by the Consumer Protection Act?

[elsahoffmann]

Even if ads are charged for at R5 or R10 - it will stop 99% of spammers as it is a schlep to make payment before advertising, but I would also be willing to pay a small fee. Might be good idea if Premium members get adverts free as they are already paying.

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

Or make the classifieds a "Premium Members Only" function?

[Phillip.Grobler]

Even if ads are charged for at R5 or R10 - it will stop 99% of spammers as it is a schlep to make payment before advertising, but I would also be willing to pay a small fee. Might be good idea if Premium members get adverts free as they are already paying.

But it would make easy pickings for the scammers that make the extra effort - with buyers being lulled into a false sense of being safe. Seeing the dodge ads every know and then reminds one to take decent precaution.

[Phillip.Grobler]

I think we sometimes have a bit of an overreaction to stuff and then try to make rules to prevent bad things from happening. Some NGO steel money now we make it so difficult no one can get money. Some people speed now we want to reduce the speed limmit. some drink and drive so we want to decrease the alchol limmit.
Strict passworf policies dont make networks safer the just make it more likely thst users lock their accounts or write it down

ODP will never make money from ads, charging will be more time consuming than just deleting dodge ads.

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

But it would make easy pickings for the scammers that make the extra effort - with buyers being lulled into a false sense of being safe. Seeing the dodge ads every know and then reminds one to take decent precaution.

Also True...

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

ODP will never make money from ads, charging will be more time consuming than just deleting dodge ads.

The idea is not to make money, just to reduce the dodgy ads that is definitely on the rise. Even with the limits introduced, we are still seeing ads come in, but it's more controllable. We are open to suggestion all they way...

Let me rephrase that. We are open to suggestions that will benefit the larger community, not just a single user.