Controlling heckling and unhelpful posts in the classifieds

sanibel686

Well-Known Member
Guys I had a shotgun for sale in the classifieds but due to persistent distracting posts about how you can get them cheaper at auction, have poor wood to metal fit, have poor actions, dealers can’t give them away etc etc I’ve felt compelled to withdraw it.

Let me be clear; I’m writing this because of my recent experience but this post isn’t about my sale it’s to precipitate a debate on how we should all act responsibly in the classifieds.

The rule about not posting unhelpful/heckling comments in sales threads is there for good reason and it isn't just an SD rule it's pretty much standard across internet forums these days. Quoting the broadband advert off the tele you must be a "monobrowed spoon whittler" for this piece of basic etiquette to have passed you by in this present day and age so;

I can conceive of only three reasons why people still do it.

1, They just might be (!?!?) well meaning but, intellectually incapable of understanding the impact that their posts have on the OP or, how clumsy rhetoric can be interpreted by other readers and how this influences a sale. Even a ferret can be trained however!! so this type of person can be saved but if they need putting right more than once then I would conclude that they fall into the next category.
2, People who are selfish and arrogant with no thought for others. Typically they try to make a little knowledge stretch too far, grandstand with no thought or care for the damage they do or just upload a post to enjoy the carnage like a little boy pulling the legs off a crane fly (for a more in depth understanding of this type of personality look up Psychopathy on Wikipedia).
3, Last we have the type of person who is trying to deliberately derail a sale with the intention of disheartening the seller and/or dissuading other prospective purchasers possibly to clear a path for an accomplice to offer a lower price or to preserve this pool of prospective buyers as they intend to sell a similar item?

The fallout can include: needless anguish & argument, loss of trust, reputational damage, wasted admin/moderator resource for intervention/arbitration, loss of privileges, loss of membership and ultimately even real world consequences.

This has been debated in many different forums where different ways of handling Classifieds have naturally developed as a result of the fallout of particular sales on that forum. Some forums for example have given up trying to influence the good behaviour of members and only allow sellers to post once and then automatically lock the thread or sellers may amend their post but buyers can only PM and not post on open forum.

I think on SD we probably take the most liberal approach as we have a relatively high quality of membership but this can come unstuck as my experience shows.

What are your thoughts/experiences guys??
 
I would have thought that the rules were clear, unless you have anything constructive to say, keep quiet. Alternatively post your item and allow no responses unless they are by pm. Anyone transgressing, one yellow card then a red. The vast majority of people on here are FAC holders so should be responsible, sadly all too many are not.
 
more mods with powers to delete is the only way it works IMO

Would probably help. We could all just grow a thicker skin too. I mean, we're stalkers not the feminist issues editorial team at the Guardian.

I quite enjoy reading the heckling. And the outraged spluttering. It makes the forum more fun than say, reading descriptions of things for sale on eb*y.
 
If someone is not making a bid they would be better keeping clear and not interfering with a potential sale. After all it is up to the potential purchasers own judgement as to whether he or she goes ahead with the deal.

Blackpowder
 
Would probably help. We could all just grow a thicker skin too. I mean, we're stalkers not the feminist issues editorial team at the Guardian.

I quite enjoy reading the heckling. And the outraged spluttering. It makes the forum more fun than say, reading descriptions of things for sale on eb*y.

+1 It is quite funny sometimes
 
My suggestion is to make the classifieds section a single post advert, for response only by PM, no opportunity to add comments. That would stop the heckling.
some people have done a DIY version of this by creating an advert then marking the thread as sold straight away, thus making it impossible for anyone to add their opinions.
 
Let me make this very clear to everyone. We as in Admin/owners are rather tired of the heckling and unhelpful posts that do appear from time to time. I don't think SD is as bad as some forums. We are also rather tired of those that Trade without paying, even though when questioned they always seem to have another excuse or answer, and yet when checking their post count one finds that out of 500 posts 450 are selling or offering for sale.

However we (Admin) all have lives to live outside of the site, and a living to make funnily enough. JAYB has recently moved several hundred miles south and Alex has been busy with work and life. I am in the middle of a very busy stalking season and will shortly be off to Finland.

We do moderate the site tightly and I have recently banned two members for fowl language and trading without paying. We are taking a firmer line with name calling, racist remarks, heckling. We do not however require anymore Moderators on the site.

We welcome everyone to the site and are now on our way to 16,000 members.

The rules of the site are there for everyone to read and have been for some years. Break them and you can expect to get short thrift from Admin.
 
Would probably help. We could all just grow a thicker skin too. I mean, we're stalkers not the feminist issues editorial team at the Guardian.

I quite enjoy reading the heckling. And the outraged spluttering. It makes the forum more fun than say, reading descriptions of things for sale on eb*y.


I know of two people who hit problems in their lives and really needed money quickly. They both put treasured high value things up for sale on their respective hobby forums (not guns/stalking this was a completely different area). I knew them personally I knew it was make or break time for them and their families but of course they didn't advertise their desperation in the classifieds. On both occasions their sales were frustrated by thoughtless hecklers and for one of them the consequences were serious because of cashflow and timing. When a sellers motivation could be through dire need? how can you possibly extract enjoyment from "outraged spluttering" without at least knowing a persons backstory.
 
There's a report post button at the bottom left border of all posts. If you feel a post is unhelpful or heckling then report it and this will help mods police the classifieds
 
I know of two people who hit problems in their lives and really needed money quickly. They both put treasured high value things up for sale QUOTE]

This was me precisely a few months ago: Annie rimfire, 2x Sako 75s, Swaro RF bins, Sightron scope, Cartier watch, Kowa spotting scope, Peli case, Swaro spotting scope - some £8000 of kit that needed going and quickly...

Can I just say a public thank you to everyone that not only bought the kit and PM'd me with messages of support, but for everyone else for not adding any smart*rse comments as they would have being incredibly hurtful, and no-one needs an additional kicking when that low.

This is a cracking forum, and generally it's pretty fair with banter, but sometimes it gets out of hand and this thread should bring the consequences into stark reality...

Cheers
iain
 
There's a report post button at the bottom left border of all posts. If you feel a post is unhelpful or heckling then report it and this will help mods police the classifieds

you know that is the first time I have seen it!!

might get used more often now! :stir:
 
This-
My suggestion is to make the classifieds section a single post advert, for response only by PM, no opportunity to add comments. That would stop the heckling.
some people have done a DIY version of this by creating an advert then marking the thread as sold straight away, thus making it impossible for anyone to add their opinions.
 
If i had a pound for every time my Ad's got heckled i could have a nice cabinet full by now...
 
I'm sure there is an exemption for your ads Red-Dot?

Trolling the resident troll is surely just Karmic cycle.

😚
 
Its a broad forum - as the range of views reflects. But its also a public forum and some of the things that go up on here at times do 'our' sport no help at all.

There are fairly clear rules and I dont envy the task of the Mods in performing the darned if they do, darned if they dont balancing act in applying those.

Personally feel that here is not the place for heckling, purposeful antagonism - whether in jet or otherwise. But can see that runs the risk of a very boring forum. But overall believe that the balance is still skewed in favour of the wreckers. At present, good numbers - but few active and still there are more out than in!

Black triangle in bottom left of posts - could be much better used - hit that rather than get drawn into a slanging match.

Willie Gunn has the best solution I feel - clear rules, break them and one month suspension, break three and you are gone for good.
 
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