Thread: Auctions Question

Originally Posted by Osbojo

I am as yet undecided about the new auctions area as opposed to the market place. One thing comes to mind when viewing it though, why are closed and completed listings still shown? It seems to me that items which are currently flagged as Closed, Sold and Won just clutter up the area and would be better off deleted.

Just a thought...

I must voice my opinion I hate the New Auction I felt the other system work so much better and and less Commercial like EBay I too thought it was meant to be a place where you could offer your excess tools to others for a value you considered fair. This system should go and reinstate the old method and should be set to a vote by the members.

Only then it is considered fair if the majority want it the new way or the old way.

this forum isnt a democracy its a benevolent dictatorship

• 

Originally Posted by fubar

its a benevolent dictatorship

• 

Ruled with an iron reinforced velvet glove

Originally Posted by Osbojo

I am as yet undecided about the new auctions area as opposed to the market place. One thing comes to mind when viewing it though, why are closed and completed listings still shown? It seems to me that items which are currently flagged as Closed, Sold and Won just clutter up the area and would be better off deleted.

Just a thought...

Few things to mention here.

1. Under the old Market Place system, all of the old posts are still there. Goodies might have been sold some time ago, but it can still supply a good research base. For example, A wants to sell a product X that they haven't used for a while, but doesn't know how much it might sell for. A search might reveal the pricing history for the item over the past few years and give them an idea of price they might extract from the unwary. Another example. someone has bought a product Z secondhand recently, but didn't get the manuals etc, they are having some problems. By searching, they might find some people who had the same product from new, were very familiar with it, but upgraded to a different product. One of these former users lives nearby and two people can get together to solve a problem or learn and remember the fun they had with the product.

2. The auction system is currently being populated with a mixture of genuine and test auctions. Like all systems it needs to be tested for all eventualities before being totally thrown to the public. The benevolent dictator has stated elsewhere that test auctions have open slather for a fortnight from initial launch to allow full testing, but will be removed at the end of that time to clean up the system.

3. I believe that the big man has said somewhere that paid commercial adds may be included in the auction system, which might help generate some funding to help pay for the software, server costs and support costs associated with bringing this Forum to us.

As an occasional user of the old Maket Place, I haven't made up my mind about which system I prefer, but I do respect the big man's right to run it as he see's fit. He seems steadfast in his resolve to ensure that us unwashed users have access without having to fork out our credit card numbers. Be gratefull, there aren't too many people trying to run a business (U Beaut) who are willing to contribute so much to the general public and ask so little in return.

My 1c worth (devaluation is a curse)

No criticism meant in my post, just an observation.

Seems to me that already there are several still for sale items that are buried under a couple of pages of completed, sold, etc. items. I think it is exacerbated by items from every sub group being listed, unsorted under the main auction tab. Doesn't overly worry me as I check it a couple of times a day. If I were using it to sell an item, I would bump it from time to time to move it back up which solves the problem.

Originally Posted by Osbojo

No criticism meant in my post, just an observation.

Seems to me that already there are several still for sale items that are buried under a couple of pages of completed, sold, etc. items. I think it is exacerbated by items from every sub group being listed, unsorted under the main auction tab. Doesn't overly worry me as I check it a couple of times a day. If I were using it to sell an item, I would bump it from time to time to move it back up which solves the problem.

G'day Osbojo - In the old Market Place there are seperate forums for the same sections as there are in the new Auctions Forum. In the WOODWORK - Tools & Machinery MARKET alone there are over 3,500 threads going back to May 2009 a lot those possibly as much as half haven't been marked as sold, and are buried up to 100 or more screens deep.

Even in the old Market Place it's not unusual for a new ad to be 2-3 screens deep after only a few days. Nothing there has changed.

The main difference is that the old Market Place shows initially as separate individual forums, where Auctions loads in the main menu and everything is listed. To narrow down the search area click on category of your choice in the Categories section on the left of the main page. This will give you much the same as the old Market Place and display only the ads in the individual category.

The old listings have been kept in the old Market Place because they show in search engines and help to bring more people to the site and hopefully more sales or interest for those using the Market Place. For now the same will happen in the Auction Forum.

Cheers - Neil

PS The name Auctions will be changed to Market Place once the old market place is finally done with, maybe sooner.

Originally Posted by sicd_steve

I must say the Auction is a dud what bright spark thought to do it?

Well I guess that would be me. The forum owner.

Your last post until this one was October 2012. It looks like you have only ever used the forums to sell for your own gain and until now for nothing else.

I guess that gives you have the right to complain about something you haven't even used as being a dud, but as a non contributing member other than for your own financial gain I personally don't think you have the right to speak for anyone other than yourself. So I'll reply to you in the vain your post was made.

Originally Posted by sicd_steve

I must voice my opinion I hate the New Auction I felt the other system work so much better and and less Commercial like EBay I too thought it was meant to be a place where you could offer your excess tools to others for a value you considered fair.

And the difference between the old Market Place and the new one in your opinion is.....?
Um. The name isn't the same. Auctions done to avoid confusion with old M P. I'll change it just for you if you like.
Um... It looks different. Most definitely does.
Um.... It gives you more options. Well that's just not right how dare you.
Um....... It looks like epay. Really is nothing like it, but does look similar sort of, kinda like.
Um.......... I too thought it was meant to be a place where you could offer your excess tools to others for a value you considered fair. So what has changed. Nowhere does it say rip anyone off.
Um............. I don't like change. Get off the horse and cart and save the poo for the roses. It's 2013 not 1913.

Originally Posted by sicd_steve

This system should go and reinstate the old method and should be set to a vote by the members.

Only then it is considered fair if the majority want it the new way or the old way.

This is a Benevolent Dictatorship not a democracy. Funny how I get to pay all the bills to keep this monster on line, updated/upgraded and keep it FREE for everyone and anyone (you included) to use. Yet you as non contributor who uses the forums for free and only for your own gain by selling, seems to think you have right to put down something you haven't even tried and speak for others. I don't think so.

Every time something new is done there are complaints, some have vowed never to use the forums again because it's so unusable and different. But hey, they're still here and running. We've lost a number of people because they couldn't deal with change but have gained way more than we've lost.

I never have and never will, do anything to harm these forums no matter what you or anyone else may think.

In the 14+ years the forums have been running there have been many changes. Some have been enormous and drastic most are hardly noticed. Only what's best for the forums and members has ever been done and this will continue as long as the forums exist.

Cheers - Neil

PS We realise there are problems with the new Auction forum and are working on fixes for whatever we can. It was in testing for almost 2 years and many thousands of dollars have been spent on upgrading it to what we need with many, many hours of work going into fixes. It is still a work in progress as the entire Woodwork Forums are.

Change happens. Get over it. Help by reporting problems and not whinging and things should get better as we're ready and willing to fix any and every problem we can. Some things beyond our power or reach can't be fixed but we give it all a good try.

Originally Posted by ubeaut

Your last post until this one was October 2012. It looks like you have only ever used the forums to sell for your own gain and until now for nothing else.
I guess that gives you have the right to complain about something you haven't even used as being a dud, but as a non contributing member other than for your own financial gain . . . . .

Perhaps there should be a fee for using the market place that goes something like this

eg
{Base rate x number of weeks as a member / number of posts } - Base rate
When this goes negative the member pays nothing
That way a member has to post an average of one post per week to maintain no cost use of the market place.

- maybe a initial threshold just to be able to post.
- posts to the market place don't count
- maybe that average post rate is too generous but that could be easily fixed by adjusting the average number of postings required.

Probably a PIT to implement - just a thought.

BobL - couldn't agree more, and have said so on numerous threads every time a bunfight erupts on the Market Place.

Just make it 50 posts on non-Market Place threads before posters are allowed to use the forum to sell stuff. That weeds out the blow-ins/non-contributors who just see the forum as another outlet alongside EBay and Gumtree to flog their stuff. Many of the sellers with 1 or 2 posts to their name don't follow the forum rules re. Market Place (e.g. listing the item elsewhere at the same time), and haven't bothered to understand the protocols for accepting offers, etc. A few don't seem to even know the PM system exists...

If they needed to have 50 posts up hopefully they might have gained an understanding of how things work on here before attempting to flog stuff, and they may even contribute to the forum in a meaningful way too.

G-day Bob - That idea or similar has been floated before. Matter of fact it is a hard and fast rule on many forums. I don't want to put restrictions on something like this weather time, post count or financial.

The fact that the person above has only posted for his own financial gain and his only post outside the market place was his post in this thread doesn't bother me at all.

I really don't think it should be mandatory for an advertiser to have a certain number of posts in the open forums or other restrictions. If there was a minimum number of posts set we would only get people posting rubbish or useless one liners as spammers do to get their post count up, same with time constraints.

What bothers me is sicd_steve's attitude to something that he hasn't even tried and his statements below thinking that making money from the forums gives him the right to sprout off about changing things to suit him.

This system should go and reinstate the old method and should be set to a vote by the members.

Only then it is considered fair if the majority want it the new way or the old way.

I asked for people to give it a fair go and those who have used it and used their brains or asked for help don't really seem to have any major problem with it.

Some look at it and say it's just a money grabbing exercise or another version of ebay. Neither could be further from the truth apart from the fact that it has an ebay feel.

Every time we do something new the naysayers come out of the woodwork.

Same thing, different day.

Cheers - Neil

Hi,
There is always two sides to things, I have looked at posts in the Market place that are a first post and we never hear from them again and I have thought "b****y cheek" but on the other hand some are deceased estates and what better source is there to find the right mind set to look after the treasured possessions of their beloved late relative, and of course they they wouldn't be interested in our hobby or they would have latched onto the goodies them selves.
Regards

Originally Posted by A Duke

Hi,
There is always two sides to things, I have looked at posts in the Market place that are a first post and we never hear from them again and I have thought "b****y cheek" but on the other hand some are deceased estates and what better source is there to find the right mind set to look after the treasured possessions of their beloved late relative, and of course they they wouldn't be interested in our hobby or they would have latched onto the goodies them selves.
Regards

You are quite right AD but the funny thing is that 9 out of 10 of those that want to dispose of an Estate ask permission to post via a mod or admin.

I get the impression, and I may be wrong, that the Auctions were introduced at least in part to get around all the stupid squabbling that used to go on from people who couldn't follow the very simple rules.

I have put up a few things in Auctions, and have a couple of observations (which may have already been covered elsewhere, and indeed I may be missing something....not particularly unusual):

• I see no need for the start price to be any different to the Reserve. I suppose it does give someone a chance to sell it for less than the Reserve if they wish (i.e when there are no bids up to the reserve, but that just means the reserve was too high anyway).
• the "Minimum Bid" should be called "Bid Increment" IMO - the first Auction I put up I didn't know what the difference was between "Start" and "Minimum" (thought they were the same thing) and so the bidding increment got set to $40 which was the Start price I had set.
• and an extremely minor point - the order of the States in setting the location is different (yup, I'm that retentive), BUT - I don't know why it needs to be specified twice.
• Maybe a little more KISS is needed

I'll take malb's unused 1c and make that 3c worth.

Well I've used it now (made a purchase) and have been checking it every day and can say I don't mind it. It'll probably take people a bit of time to get used to but I think it's a smiggin' more flexible than the old Market Place given that you can put a reserve (the minimum you'll take) and a 'buy it now' (what you really want). Bear in mind, the seller can stop the auction at any time and accept the highest bid (as happened to me). Yeah, I like it.

I understand the occasional need to search back to research a price (did it myself here last week to see what an item had been fetching over the last couple of years) and that it's the same as the old Market Place. I still reckon it bogs things down a bit though .

Os