121 replies to this topic

[LogicprObe]

I knew something was going on.
I thought it was my net connection at first but other things seemed normal............so I went and watched House for a while.

[John H. Darko]

.....no need to worry about bumping any longer!

[tisb0b]

Well people can still click on recently updated which means that bumping will have an effect.

[Marc]

From the Classifieds Guidelines:

BUMPING OF THREADS
Bumping is NOT PERMITTED. This forum is sorted by Topic Start Date - so bumping threads serves no purpose other than to clog threads with useless replies.
Using 'Bump' to make your post show up in 'Recently Updated Content' will earn a warning and the bump will be removed. Replies offering further genuine information or updates relating to the sale will be permitted.

[tisb0b]

Does that mean that after a certain amount of time, people will be permitted to create a new thread?

[Marc]

That is also outlined in the Classifeds Guidelines I linked to.
Read people! Please

[JohnA]

so if i am understanding the rules correctly

no bumping
and after 30 days FROM THE ORIGINAL POSTING DATE? we can request the original thread to be deleted then repost it again

[Whatmore]

From the Classifieds Guidelines:

BUMPING OF THREADS
Bumping is NOT PERMITTED. This forum is sorted by Topic Start Date - so bumping threads serves no purpose other than to clog threads with useless replies.
Using 'Bump' to make your post show up in 'Recently Updated Content' will earn a warning and the bump will be removed. Replies offering further genuine information or updates relating to the sale will be permitted.

So no bumping allowed at all. Not even every seven days?

[Marc]

so if i am understanding the rules correctly

no bumping
and after 30 days FROM THE ORIGINAL POSTING DATE? we can request the original thread to be deleted then repost it again

Spot on John. This is the best solution to a number of issues that keep arising, that I can think of.

[Marc]

So no bumping allowed at all. Not even every seven days?

Correct

[JohnA]

Spot on John. This is the best solution to a number of issues that keep arising, that I can think of.

i got no probs with it mate. Just wanted to clarify if its 30 days from original posting or last reply

cheers

ps the new forum looks good

[Marc]

Thanks John. I know it's been a headache for you guys with goods to sell as well as us mods to manage.

30 Days from original post.

[CP_]

So can I ask, I wonder if the FS thread can be cleaned up? There are 167 pages, dating back to 2004. If we can't bump then there should be good (ie relevent) stuff many pages down. 167 is a hard one to get through though!

[jrisles]

Is it easy to delete your post and re-post? I mean there is a bit of effort required to post a FS ad. To be honest i thought a bump every 7 days was ok ...

[jel]

Is it easy to delete your post and re-post? I mean there is a bit of effort required to post a FS ad. To be honest i thought a bump every 7 days was ok ...

After 30 days, CTRL-C from old post, then CTRL-V into new post.
After you have done the original FS ad, the ongoing effort is not much.

[Luc]

I've purchased all my kit through the FS section. A few bits have been from first time(and only time as it's turned out) posters...I had nothing but good things to say about these 'blow ins' for want of a better word.
There has been some great kit offered here by those type of members and I know more than a few regular members here have benefited from these guys who for whatever reason have had to sell their gear quickly and at a loss: Their loss our gain and equally I've had no probs with the coterie of members who jump on a friends thread and enthuse about the poster and the gear they are selling ad nauseum.
I think some members have a template that they just cut and paste and only change the name of the respondent....

Equally I've never really had a problem looking through four or five pages of ads as I know most of the ads already and the highlighted colours told me I'd already read the ad or replied to it and the 'Classified' section is always my first port of call and then the new posts and then the forums and I know many many members who do the same thing: the Classifieds have to be the first port of call because there is always that hoped for bargain popping up.

The nature of the 'Classifieds' section as it was previously did lend itself to the serial seller being able to maintain a high profile by thanking the friend[s] who stated "That the seller was a true gentleman blah blah blah" or this is a truly amazing bit of kit and well worth the [enter a figure] being asked.

Marc states that this is an expensive site to run: perhaps altruism is not really an option and perhaps some kind of charge should or could be implemented, either at the start or on completion. I guess if it was on completion then you'd be relying on first timers to sling you fifty bucks on the sale of their Rega Saturn or Peachtree Nova but would the regular almost monthly sellers be prepared to pay a sum as well?

I liked the old classified section but I guess I'll learn how to get around the new version, I just hope that the baby doesn't get thrown out with the bathwater in any fundamental restructure.

[adrocks]

Luc

Agree with you entirely

Edited by adrocks, 22 March 2012 - 10:45 PM.

[RockandorRoll]

it was freaking me out a bit with the main forum page saying there is a thread about 'Cymer tube amp for sale' then i get in the forum and cant find the bloody thread.

read this thread and all is clear.

Just means that if your keen, use the search function or wade through the pages and pages of ads. Might help members be a bit cleaer with their product descriptions for searching purposes

[LogicprObe]

Luc

Agree with you entirely

Not only preferred the old For Sale forum with its daily bumps and all, but also on the whole preferred the look of the old SNA website. The new SNA site is all starting to look a bit too slick and commercial in its appearance to me.

If it is a truly a community forum, couldn't there have been some discussion with the membership and general consensus by all as to what they would liked to have seen happen with regard to bumps in the for sale section rather than just implementing a new policy without any discussion with the membership whatsoever.

For me a somewhat vague and ambigious reason that the said bumping of ads is causing mods unessecary and excessive work wading through pages of ads to approve new ads, has resulted in the need to remove bump's altogether, or something like that, hardly seems a reasonable solution to the problem .

Surely if you can design a new you beaut slick looking SNA website, you can just as easily design a way for mods to approve new ads without having to wade through pages of ads to do so.

Can't recall ever seeing anyone ever complaining in in the past about excessive bumps in the For sale classifieds to date, so can't really see the need for any change myself. Like many, one of my simple pleasures in life and on this site is looking at the classifieds every day, then looking at any other posts that interest me. It never ever bothered me however many times someone chose to bump their ad and I doubt that it really bothered anyone else.

Also can't say I'm really wrapped in the new changes, nor can I personally see the reason why they came about, despite the reasons presented for the changes made. I'll live with it because thats the way it is but I'm far from convinced its a change for the better.

It's all about the tools.
No matter what Marc does, people are gonna whinge about it.
To get more functionality and to make easier for those in the engine room, you sometimes need to change things.
It's really not too different in how it looks.............maybe a bit slicker (nothing wrong with that) but commercially, it's pretty much the same.
It's hardly cramming ads into every crevice on the screen or inserting them into your posts like some places do.
That'd piss a lot of people off.......and rightly so!

If you want to help, click on the ads now and then to increase the traffic stats.

[Marc]

Thanks guys, some good feedback in these last few posts. I have learned that you certainly can't please everyone, and honestly I don't frequent many other large online communities to get an idea of how others do it. I make decisions based on the commercial realities of this site, and what I feel / believe to be best.

On our sister site, MEA we have been charging for use of the classifieds for years now. It works well, and there are no shortages of ads that's for sure. It is inevitable that we will go that way in the future but I have tried my best to avoid it. The truth of the matter is the "donation" on sale system simply does not work. I can't make it any clearer or emphasis the point any stronger to donate but we might get one donation a fortnight at best, and just in the last 48 hours I have marked over a dozen ads sold (with not a donation received) - not intending to highlight or single anyone out, just making my point.

Anyway, let's see how this current system and subtle changes goes. I have a few ideas for refining it a little more yet. I for one do recognise the importance of the Classifieds for the members that's for sure. With increasing traffic (see my other thread on our growth over the last 12 months) and dwindling advertising dollars (tough market at the moment) something will give before long.

I always find a way to keep the ship afloat and we are far from that point just yet (thanks to the sponsors!) - but things to keep in mind in any case.

[adrocks]

Marc And Logicprobe

Fair and reasonable comments from both of you.. It has given me a different take on things and an understanding of why the changes have occured.

All good, and to my surprise the Classifieds posts section is a lot cleaner to read post "no bump" implementation. So maybe it may not actually be a bad thing after all.

cheers
adrocks

Edited by adrocks, 24 March 2012 - 11:43 AM.

[tisb0b]

I was initially skeptical to the change of ordering things by date but along with the 40pp it seems to have worked out rather well.

[rantan]

There is an old FS post on the front page now that has been bumped back there.............go figure

[:) al]

I agree was very sceptical as well, but marc I have to say I do think its turned out to be working very well

[firefly0071]

Thanks guys, some good feedback in these last few posts. I have learned that you certainly can't please everyone, and honestly I don't frequent many other large online communities to get an idea of how others do it. I make decisions based on the commercial realities of this site, and what I feel / believe to be best.

On our sister site, MEA we have been charging for use of the classifieds for years now. It works well, and there are no shortages of ads that's for sure. It is inevitable that we will go that way in the future but I have tried my best to avoid it. The truth of the matter is the "donation" on sale system simply does not work. I can't make it any clearer or emphasis the point any stronger to donate but we might get one donation a fortnight at best, and just in the last 48 hours I have marked over a dozen ads sold (with not a donation received) - not intending to highlight or single anyone out, just making my point.

Anyway, let's see how this current system and subtle changes goes. I have a few ideas for refining it a little more yet. I for one do recognise the importance of the Classifieds for the members that's for sure. With increasing traffic (see my other thread on our growth over the last 12 months) and dwindling advertising dollars (tough market at the moment) something will give before long.

I always find a way to keep the ship afloat and we are far from that point just yet (thanks to the sponsors!) - but things to keep in mind in any case.

As per my sale of a Luxman Poweramp, I have donated $100.

I have sold $4.5k worth of equipment on SNA. So I confess that I need to do my financial bit for the community.

Edited by firefly0071, 25 March 2012 - 06:52 PM.

[RockandorRoll]

Im just going to donate $100 every year rather than per sale

sound good? good

[firefly0071]

Apart from selling, I have received good advice - potentially saving money as well.

[LogicprObe]

As per my sale of a Luxman Poweramp, I have donated $100.

I have sold $4.5k worth of equipment on SNA. So I confess that I need to do my financial bit for the community.

I dips me hat to you Sir......

[rantan]

Im just going to donate $100 every year rather than per sale

sound good? good

Sounds like a damned good idea. I just might do the same thing myself.

Cheers.

[Marc]

Firstly, thank you all for being so supportive of this change. I know many don't like change at all, but this has been quite well adopted
It seems to be working well, and the donations seem to be more at the front of people's mind with six coming through today - more than we received in the last 60 days

Thank you sincerely to those giving back to SNA. It makes it easier to justify the time and effort a few of us put in each day to keep this place running.

[firefly0071]

People find transitions hard and make mistakes.

But we are a community and will work through it.

[Marc]

This issue no longer exists with some rule and functionality changes.
Closing thread now. Thanks for input all.