THE BUY/SELL/TRADE FORUM Rant

[techoca]

I've been looking at some posts on the "THE BUY/SELL/TRADE FORUM" forum and want to make a general comment... adds with out pictures are useless.

[mrkirker]

10-4 on your comment.
One 'vendor' told me that "you can't tell anything from a photo, if you want the gun, send me a postal money order for $XXX.XX - or quit wasting my time."

I decided to quit wasting his time. . . .

[Crpdeth]

Yeah and pichers too.

[Shooter45]

Originally Posted by mrkirker

10-4 on your comment.
One 'vendor' told me that "you can't tell anything from a photo, if you want the gun, send me a postal money order for $XXX.XX - or quit wasting my time."

I decided to quit wasting his time. . . .

I'd like the user name of that seller. Looks like we need to tighten the guidelines. The forum is free to members and we do not need things like that. Anyone getting a response of that nature needs to report it immediantly.

[mrkirker]

Originally Posted by Shooter45

I'd like the user name of that seller. Looks like we need to tighten the guidelines. The forum is free to members and we do not need things like that. Anyone getting a response of that nature needs to report it immediantly.

Shooter, if I had retained any info on that dude, I'd forward it in a heartbeat. But the guys so &&&&& me off that I deleted all my tracks, and tossed his address into the firepit that evening.

[Helix_FR]

Man I couldn't agree more. Have you also noticed that many that post have a post count of 1. I asked for pictures once and got them in like 30 seconds. Now how hard is it to post them if you already have them?

I personally like the guy wanting to buy your used guns and estate sale guns on the cheap b/c he had his FFL03 C&R and you could ship directly to him. I nicely sent him the ATF's regulations on C&R and noted that everything that is at estate sales is not C&R qualified.

Is there a way to make the BUY/Sell/Trade forum only allowed access by member with X amount of posts. Surplusriflefourm does that and It keep all the creeps out. You don't have people trying to sell cell phones like that 1 guy a few days ago.

[Shooter45]

I can only take care of the problems if they are reported. I made a post in the BST Forum guide about being cautious of sellers with less than 50 posts to avoid scammers. After 50 posts they become known on the forum and build trust. I have a couple of other ideas to weed them out and will be changing things this month.
Remember, this forum section is for YOU and any help received makes it safer for YOU to buy,sell and trade.

[techoca]

Originally Posted by Shooter45

I can only take care of the problems if they are reported. I made a post in the BST Forum guide about being cautious of sellers with less than 50 posts to avoid scammers. After 50 posts they become known on the forum and build trust. I have a couple of other ideas to weed them out and will be changing things this month.
Remember, this forum section is for YOU and any help received makes it safer for YOU to buy,sell and trade.

While I do agree for the most part with the number of posts idea, I remember being new here and being a legitimate forum contributor.

Just as mrkirker was cautious of a vender, I always check folks out and remember "let the buyer beware".

Shooter45,
this a good place and thank you for your efforts to keep it that way.

techoca

[wingspar]

There is a photography forum I’ve belonged to for a long time, and they also use vBulletin. When I first joined the forum, you had to have at least 30 posts to be able to even see the BST forum. That did not weed out the spammers, and people joining just to sell something, so they changed it to 300 posts and 180 days. vBulletin is capable of doing this, and while it will tick some people off cause they can no longer see the BST forum, it will certainly keep people who only want to sell stuff, and not really contribute to the forum away. You can set the post count and time limit to what ever you want.

You will need a sticky to inform people of the new policy if you should decide to implement such a policy, and then you will need to spend some time locking all the posts titled “What happened to the BST forum? But in the end, it will make the BST forum a much more pleasant place to be, and Pictures Should Be Required!

[techoca]

Would that not keep new members from being able to buy?

That seems detrimental to members seeking to sell items.

[ibtrukn]

TIME OUT! wot about those of us (mebbe jusme) thas intellectually challinged an mosly computer illiterate ?
IB dont no how 2 put in pics, an reely dont wanna lern, yeah everone sez itz EZ, but yo!! not 4 IB.
SO, IB put up ad (not add) in Gunlist etc with good description an fone # 2 call 4 more info. IB pay outbound shipping, potential buyer gets 3-5 days look see; if theyy dont want it return at their xpense.
NOW, how much can U reeli C from a pic?? mebbe tel if itz blue or stainless?? wood stock or plastik an sumtimes that'll fool U. Ispose pics help, but so far IB never had a return, one dude argued price, IB tells'm to return it, he thot better an is happy owner.
Jus like look'n at playboy. mite look nice but nuthin beets holdin in yur hot lil hands-----

[techoca]

Brass maybe, gun no way.

There are some for sale adds there now with no pictures from guys who have previously posted pictures of gun for sale in a post. Give me a break man.

[Alpo]

How much can you really see from a pic? Depends on the guy posting the pics.

Like, I was trying to sell this rifle, once.


Can't really tell a lot. But I said, it's got a crack in the wrist.


And it's got a big ding in the forearm.


I showed closeups of all the damage, and described the damage. I mean, heck, this gun is 120 years old. It's bound to have damage. So you show all the bad stuff, and let people decide. Showing just the good parts, or not showing anything because, "You can't really tell anything from a picture" is, in my opinion, dishonest.

[techoca]

Alpo,
point taken.

Yet I would not pursue a firearm purchase from an online forum or auction without a photograph.

[Helix_FR]

Pictures help to sell. If you want to sell w/o hassle then posting a pic is a way. Your going to get asked for it anyway. Yes in hand is better than pictures but pictures, I know in my mind, help me quickly decipher if its even worth perusing. Also if you post say for instance "FN49 Venezuelan Contract for sale" and post no picture, many people don't even know what a FN49 looks like and just like cars, many people buy based on what it looks like, not on what they actually need. Making it mandatory may not be the way for many reasons. But I think the minimum post count is a good way. Yes new members won't be able to see that forum but getting your post count to 10 is not that hard. No it wouldn't weed out all the BS. Some are more persistent than others but it would keep out people that just go through all the forums and sell random s$%@ or are just there to sell 1 thing and never contribute beyond that. Let me say that just because your post count is 1 does not make you legit but why did you join in the first place? To discuss or get technical help or just sell sell sell and never return?

[wingspar]

I only posted as a suggestion. Post counts and time limits can be set to what ever the forum mods decide on should they wish to do so. Two weeks and 30 posts? What ever. Yes, it keeps some honest members out for a little while, but it keeps the rift raft out also. The forum I’m talking about got involved with legal litigation from their Buy & Sell Forum, and they totally shut the B&S forum down completely for almost two months while they sorted things out. They brought it back with the more stringent rules. They viewed their forum as a photography forum, not a buy and sell forum. The B&S forum was provided as a service to the members, and is not viewed as a necessary part of the forum. They almost didn’t bring the B&S forum back at all.

Originally Posted by Alpo

I showed closeups of all the damage, and described the damage. I mean, heck, this gun is 120 years old. It's bound to have damage. So you show all the bad stuff, and let people decide. Showing just the good parts, or not showing anything because, "You can't really tell anything from a picture" is, in my opinion, dishonest.

I couldn’t agree more.

[jjmitchell60]

When putting post limits on a B/S forum, put in why you do it such as to keep spammers out. All a person has to do to get a post count up is jump in on some topics, sy a few words about it, and in no time they have 10 posts. I sometimes list guns with no pictures but when I do I either do not have the pics yet taken or am on one of the otehr computers ion the house and haave the pics on my lap-top. I do post them as soon as I can and do post that I can send pics but I have found that if you do post pics, you never post enough for a buyer. They always want more of one section or another of the firearm for sale.
Personally I would like to see at least a 10 post count before you can post on the B/S but that is just IMHO.

[Bobitis]

I caught the 1 post count mentioned by helix and took a look.

There's a BUNCH of them.

I also couldn't believe the comments made by some of the sellers.

"once fired brass".... Seriously? Can you prove that?
1 million rounds minimum order.
Pure lead. 50# for 52 bucks, shipping included.
Never loaded SKS mags.

I don't go there cuz I don't sell anything, and can't afford to buy anything.

I have to agree that there needs to be some standard set before one can post thier wares.
As far as I'm concerned, all the above should be regarded as spam.

The internet can be an evil place.
Send a reply and take your chances.

Why would a sniper reveal his position when doing so could cause him great harm?

Looks like trolling to me.

Get your name, e-mail, and any other personal info, then start crunching the possibilites.