New Members Only Here To Promote Ebay Auctions?

[Damaramu]

Have you guys noticed this?

It seems we've been getting alot of folks signing up here at DP only to promote their auctions, etc.

Look at their post history, and it's all in Everything Ebay, etc.

Now, I'm all for new people here at DP, the more the merrier I say....but something about this just irks me. Like they're.....taking advantage of the boards. :shameful:

[Darth Sensei]

You won't get far with this. I know because I've made similar comments.

[Mayhem]

At one point it was being considered that members needed a certain post count before they could use B&S/eBay forums. Not sure if we should impose it. I can certainly see what people think if you have a valid point here.

[Damaramu]

Well, that has my vote if it comes down to it.

[Mad Q]

I can defiantly see putting some kind of min posts before allowing members to post in the EBay forum. However I don't think that preventing new members from using the B/S forum is a good idea. I'm a fairly new member but might not have stuck around if I wasn’t able to use the B/S forum. The reason that I sought out DP was so that I would have another place to purchase and sell games, I'm sure that this is true of many of DP's members.

What would prevent a new member from going into every topic and leaving a short and pointless post just so that they could make up there minimum posts? Perhaps there should also be a certain amount of days or months that the new member has to have under his/her belt before they can use the EBay forum. What might even be better is a specified amount of time spent at DP with a min number of posts. It might even be an idea to allow new users to buy from the B/S forum but not sell until there newbie time is up.

I really don’t think that there should be any restrictions. However I understand how it could be frustrating to some when members are only using this forum to attempt to make a larger profit on there EBay auctions.

[dave2236]

My first dozen posts were for my ebay auctions. I think my first post was when I sold off my 3DO collection.

I ended up sticking around and checking out the rest of the forums , now I feel like an oldtimer here.

Plus its nice when I can check the forums and find some good ebay auctions without searching, because I have no time to search anymore.

thanks


dave

[FABombjoy]

This kind of thing is bound to happen as the board continues to gain popularity. I'm a fan of charging a vendor fee from anybody who's primary, repeated use of the board is to advertise their own auctions or sales.

[syd]

I definitely think there should be some ruled imposed on the Ebay forum. There are people who come here not to be part of this community, but just to advertise their auctions only. There are plenty of other sites where they can do this. Perhaps some kind of minimum post count could do the trick, or minimum amount of time on the forum. To me, these people don't care about the games, they could just as well be selling pumpkins as long as they get money from it, IMO.

On the other hand, I don't think anything should be enforced on users of the B/S forum. That forum has a totally different atmosphere, if you want to call it that. My first few posts were mainly on that forum, then I stuck around and have ever since, even though I'm a fairly new member anyway. :D

[Darth Sensei]

The problem with the minimum amount of posts idea is that you'll just have people post whoring until they reach whatever minimum you set anyway.

[jajaja]

I dont see the problem here. I like to check out peoples auction. We do have a "Everything Ebay" category at this forum so why not use it?

[evil_genius]

Minimum posts OR a certain time period on the boards would be a good way of preventing such things. Although I gotta admit it doesn't bother me much, I am usually looking for good things to buy or trade when I come on here anyway. I signed up on this board to try and sell something and I liked it so I hung around. I didn't even know about DP until someone said in an ebay auction, "The DP rarity guide..."

[anagrama]

Holy shit! For once I'm in complete agreement with jajaja! ;)

[captain nintendo]

I dont see the problem here. I like to check out peoples auction. We do have a "Everything Ebay" category at this forum so why not use it?

I am fine with that as long as they can obey the rules here at DP ;)

[Buyatari]

If its something rare and unique I don't care. However everyday items just take up space and push the decent threads down the page.

[jajaja]

Holy shit! For once I'm in complete agreement with jajaja! ;)

Haha first time for everything ;)

[PDorr3]

If its something rare and unique I don't care. However everyday items just take up space and push the decent threads down the page.

exactly my thoughts.

I dont think a minimum post requirement would be wise, or else we will have people posting 3 word replies to threads.

Best bet would be to set maybe a 1 month time limit or something, so after being a member for 1 month you can make topics in the ebay forum. This might discourage people from signing up just to take advantage of this forum section.

However, the B/S forum should have no restrictions.

[dieourumov]

I disagree with a "post count" required to get on these boards, it'd only encourage more spamming and pointless posts, and i think there should be a restriction like 10 days to post an auction on the ebay forum, that way by the time they sign up, and want to post the auction in question, it's over.

[scooby105]

i'd personally prefer if this forum was just used to point out rare auctions and large auctions. i really don't care if someone is selling their loose sega genesis, but i do find it interesting when someone is selling an almost complete sega cd collection.

[Berserker]

Here are my thoughts on this...

It's their choice. Seriously, if they only want to come here and do the ebay thing, then that should be their choice. They shouldn't be required to "participate" in other parts of the forum in a mandatory fashion. If something like that were put into place, I think it'd leave a bitter taste in some peoples' mouths who come here at first just wanting to spread the word a little about their wares.

I think it's better the way it is now. People can come in, post auctions, do whatever, barring it doesn't violate any of our rules, which are for the most part just common sense. They can do just that if they want, but there's also these other parts of the forum that they'll see as they do this, and maybe it'll catch their eye, and they'll check the other parts out and participate at some point. If not, well like I said, that's their choice. But I do believe that they should have that choice, as we all should.

[Griking]

If something like that were put into place, I think it'd leave a bitter taste in some peoples' mouths who come here at first just wanting to spread the word a little about their wares.

I don't know, to me it sounds a whole lot like spam.

[CrimsonNugget]

I don't care about people coming to post their auctions. It livens up the forum, and you never know, these people may become good members.

[Xizer]

I enjoy people coming and whoring their auctions, it gives me more selection than 3 posts a day...stop trying to slow down Everything eBay

[Berserker]

If something like that were put into place, I think it'd leave a bitter taste in some peoples' mouths who come here at first just wanting to spread the word a little about their wares.

I don't know, to me it sounds a whole lot like spam.

I can see how my statement could be interpreted that way, as it was pretty general, but I differentiate spam as seemingly mindless plugging of totally irrelevant things, usually in the form of a link to a site. I'm wary of that stuff here and in B&S, and unless it's a site that has something to do with selling video games, such as an online store, or a special case or something, and seems to be written by a human being and not a script or bot, if it doesn't meet these criteria I usually remove it from the forum. It's actually really easy to pick this stuff out, as their learned attempts to be vague and ambiguous in forums that almost require an explicit statement of what you're offering tend to stick out like a sore thumb.

So it's not like I just allow the spam to flow freely as per my quirky, free-wheelin' philosophies -- there are things I check for, and things that will be dealt with if they throw up a red flag. However, I differentiate things like that from just some guy or gal who signs up, posts a few ebay auctions and doesn't feel like or doesn't have the time to post anything anywhere else. As long as they follow the rules, I'll welcome them here just as I'd welcome any other new face.

I just don't think that it should be necessary to try and regulate others' actions any more than is absolutely necessary. Just set a few base guidelines, and allow people to operate within that framework however they wish, that's how I feel about it anyway. For special cases, such as excessive flamewars and things of that nature, well, that's part of what the mods are here for.

[Nesmaster]

I think its fine.

Have no interest in the thread title? Don't click it.

[NESaholic]

Have no problem with that,cool thing is that sometimes i see stuff that i totally missed while searching,so yeah it's cool with me,keeps me up to date!

Edit: Corse this thought only counts for the eBay forum,buy/sell/trade is different IMO,since alot of scams are taking place in there lately i must say good references and eBay feedback.

[NintendoMan]

I agree that there definately needs to be a certain time period on here. BEFORE they can post thread in the Buying and Selling, as well as Everything Ebay.

But of course they would still be able to buy items from there, but not be able to post.

[Kid Ice]

They got games for sale.

We want to buy games.

And the problem is?

Now if it's not gaming related (and it's a brand new member), yep, that's spam.

[tarheelsnipe]

yeah, i agree with the last post. i'm a buyer, so this is the first forum (along with Buying / Selling) i check when i come to the site.

[number6]

I don't see a need to restrict new members who only post games for sale on Ebay. There have been a few such members who posted auctions to some truly rare stuff. I am willing to sort through all the crap auctions for the few golden ones.

[Insaneclown]

Thats why I am here. Does it bother you...well tough. :)

I am here...to check out the proto's, everything ebay and buying/selling. Thank you!

[crisssybwoy]

I dont see it as a problem people using the board for buy & sell or everything ebay (except if all they were posting was lame items). I rarely post in the other sections, I read a lot of the posts but usually have no comment to make. I have been a member here for a long time so would you want me gone just cos I dont have much to say? :)

[shaggy]

I dont see the problem here. I like to check out peoples auction. We do have a "Everything Ebay" category at this forum so why not use it?

Yea, I totally agree. What's the problem here?