Opinions on buying/selling/trading forum

[xibalba]

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[rimsky82]

If we're going to have one of those forums, we should have a disclaimer.

yeah, we'll get all of that worked out if there's any interest.

[Helder]

Hm m can I sell my services too? I mod just about every system that has some modification whether software or hardware.

[rimsky82]

Hm m can I sell my services too? I mod just about every system that has some modification whether software or hardware.

Thats a good idea, perhaps we could have a sticky in the subforum where anyone could have a post advertising their services.

[OldSchoolGamer]

If this new subforum gets created, I hope it won't attract more spammers

Also, I'm worried people will start registering for this website just so they can post their advertisements to sell their stuff. It could possibly turn into a spam subforum.

I think a sticky thread in an already existing subforum would be better than creating a new subforum just so people can try to sell their stuff.

But whatever you decide is fine. I'm just concerned about it attracting spammers and turning this site into a place where there are users registering just so they can post messages to try to sell their stuff. When somebody currently posts advertisements in one of the forums, it gets deleted along with the user due to it being classified as spam by a spammer. But if you start to allow it to happen, I'd just be real careful in creating that subforum where it's okay for people to do that.

[rimsky82]

If this new subforum gets created, I hope it won't attract more spammers

Also, I'm worried people will start registering for this website just so they can post their advertisements to sell their stuff. It could possibly turn into a spam subforum.

I think a sticky thread in an already existing subforum would be better than creating a new subforum just so people can try to sell their stuff.

But whatever you decide is fine. I'm just concerned about it attracting spammers and turning this site into a place where there are users registering just so they can post messages to try to sell their stuff.

Because of those possibilities, the new subforum may require a minimum post count. This combined with our other anti-spam measures should hopefully be sufficient. I'm also quite sure the forum will need close moderation starting out, especially since minimum post counts make even human users crazy for spam.

[RyanfaeScotland]

If the subforum is for computer / video game related sales and people are signing up just to post computer / video game related stuff they have for sale then this is hardly spam, it sounds like the forum would be attracting exactly the sort of thing it's meant to be, pretty much the opposite of spam. If it attracts people selling viagra, women, enhancment pills and the like then the basic rules would be enough to cover deleting posts and banning.

Why risk missing out on an item for sale that you want just because someone isn't a regular at the site?

My two cents, set something up with little regulation and then clamp down on problems that arise.

[OldSchoolGamer]

Why risk missing out on an item for sale that you want just because someone isn't a regular at the site?

If people want to sell or buy video game stuff, that is what EBay, Amazon, and hundreds of other sites are for. My opinion is that this site is for video game hacking. Hence the domain name GameHacking.org. This site is for people who are interested in video game hacking, where people come to hack video games, learn about hacking, and help others do the same. This isn't a shopping website nor a fan website. That is one of the things that makes this site special. I personally wouldn't want to see people, who aren't interested in video game hacking, signing up for this site just to try to sell stuff. Like I said, that is what Ebay and those other dime a dozen sites are for.

That's just my opinion though. It's cool whatever is decided.

[rimsky82]

I think sites like ebay and amazon are bloated with small store owners and people trying to make a quick buck. Being able to offer a deal to a community you know has a real interest in the items is a plus. Also, you can't really make trade offers on those sites.

I honestly don't think that having this kind of activity in our forum will attract new users that only want to sell, because the market just isn't that big. Saying that makes me think we should just post some rules in a sticky in the lounge, and get on with the hacking. That way it's not a big deal if someone wants to present an offer or look to buy from one of us, and we've got our asses covered.

[OldSchoolGamer]

I think sites like ebay and amazon are bloated with small store owners and people trying to make a quick buck.

True, I was just using them as an example. Along with big sites like ebay and amazon, there are also many sites dedicated to selling video game stuff. There are a bunch of sites dedicated to video game merchandise that sell everything you can think of for both retro gamers and new generation gamers.

I honestly don't think that having this kind of activity in our forum will attract new users that only want to sell, because the market just isn't that big.

The three possibilities that could happen are:

• Like you said, the market isn't that big. So the subforum could get very little activity which makes it kind of pointless to dedicate a whole subforum for something where not much activity goes on. It could barely attract anyone and after some regulars on this site post their items the activity practically ends in the subforum. Making it apparent that a "Sticky Thread" would have been sufficient instead of a whole subforum. It may not attract people because they might think to themselves; "why would I visit this site to buy video game related merchandise, when I can go to a trusted website that has been selling video game merchandise for years and who is dedicated to selling every video game related thing you can think of." Or they just decide to use one of the big sites like Ebay and Amazon.

• The subforum attracts spammers and a bunch of people who are just interested in trying to sell their stuff. These people start to slowly dilute the qualities that make this site special and unique. People start to get tired of seeing advertisements and spam from people who have no interest in video game hacking. The focus of this site starts to unintentionally shift from video game hacking to a site where you trade/sell/buy merchandise. People start to focus on buying/selling/trading items instead of focusing on video game hacking, learning, and helping others.

• The third scenario is that the subforum winds up turning out well.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against the idea. I just don't think dedicating a whole subforum is that necessary. A "Sticky Thread" would do just fine.

Why risk missing out on an item for sale that you want just because someone isn't a regular at the site?

Unless you have a very rare game, rare device, rare piece of merchandise, rare collector's item, a prototype, or something of that nature, I promise you that you can find whatever you are looking for on one of the many video game mechandise websites or big sites like Ebay/Amazon. Also, what if a buyer gets screwed over by a seller? Can/Do you really want to trust someone who only signed up for this site just so he can sell you something? What if you send him money for an item and he doesn't send the item? There's nothing to stop or discourage a new member to do something like that to someone. Atleast Ebay has measures put in place that discourages and helps prevents buyers from getting screwed over. And a member who winds up getting screwed over in a sale, could get pissed and possibly leave this website and join a different video game hacking website. Aside from the buyer getting screwed, then this website could start having its good reputation slightly tarnished.

[Lazy Bastard]

It does seem like it would be a good idea to add a meaningful disclaimer sticky to the Lounge, then allow it in the Lounge for a while to see how it goes. If we don't like it, we can cut it down. If we like it and it doesn't show much activity, we can allow it to continue in the Lounge. If we like it and it shows considerable activity, we can create a sub-forum.

We definitely don't want to create a sub-forum with too little activity, as it will make the whole place look less active. We also don't want to flood the Lounge with buy/sell/trade threads, as that will dilute the intended purpose of that forum. So, I think the above solution is the best course of action.

[OldSchoolGamer]

It does seem like it would be a good idea to add a meaningful disclaimer sticky to the Lounge, then allow it in the Lounge for a while to see how it goes. If we don't like it, we can cut it down. If we like it and it doesn't show much activity, we can allow it to continue in the Lounge. If we like it and it shows considerable activity, we can create a sub-forum.
We definitely don't want to create a sub-forum with too little activity, as it will make the whole place look less active. We also don't want to flood the Lounge with buy/sell/trade threads, as that will dilute the intended purpose of that forum. So, I think the above solution is the best course of action.

Yea I definitely agree with that. I think that is the best way to approach it. We will beable to assess the situation better that way.