Minimum Posts Before Listing in Admin Marketplace - or Graphics Requests

There have been a couple of very decent offers in the Admin Marketplace lately, but I've either never heard of the users listing, or it was their very first post.

On another forum I belong to, there is a minimum number of posts that a user must have made before being able to list a product of service in their own marketplace.

With all this hoopla with vB and IPB, etc, it's VERY easy to scam the vulnerable right now. What's to prevent someone from coming in and offering something they don't even have right now? Nothing.

I know there's no perfect solution, and even having a minimum number of posts won't prevent all scams, but perhaps having some requirements in place will prevent some of them.

What'cha think?

 

Re: Minimum Posts Before Listing in Admin Marketplace?

I find it to be very coincidental that you posted this. I have noticed the same thing lately, and it irks me when a user registers and their first post is in the marketplace.

I was thinking of perhaps only opening Marketplace listings to Premium Members. :shrug:

 

Re: Minimum Posts Before Listing in Admin Marketplace?

Makes perfect sense.....

 

Re: Minimum Posts Before Listing in Admin Marketplace?

Just make it that you need at least 50 post to post in it, or even 25.

 

Re: Minimum Posts Before Listing in Admin Marketplace?

Thats the thing, AA could potentially lose out on those who are just here to sell their goods and never return who are genuine. I say 10 posts for the Marketplace would be alright and not too off putting but I would expect quite a few one worders or liners/spam when these people come along solely for the purpose of selling whatever. Its a tricky one!

 

Re: Minimum Posts Before Listing in Admin Marketplace?

Or we can set it to something that isn't easily attained such as 100 posts, and also include the option to bypass that restriction by purchasing a Premium Membership. :shrug:

 

Re: Minimum Posts Before Listing in Admin Marketplace?

You could but then that could put off the genuine one timers and also the chance of someone snapping up a bargain.

 

Re: Minimum Posts Before Listing in Admin Marketplace?

Having people swing by with one or two posts to sell something the forum may be interested in to me is part and parcel of a site such as this. Creating post requirements will either turn people away or create a bunch of useless posts. The thing to look for is serial sellers, those that sell stuff all the time but contribute nothing else. Those are the type I'd think you'd want to discourage.

Has the few that have registered just to sell a license been an issue?

I know it's somewhat distasteful to me and some others, but is also something that just goes on with a forum.

 

Re: Minimum Posts Before Listing in Admin Marketplace?

Can I ask (along the same lines) that you have to post a certain amount before you can ask for graphics assistance?

 

Re: Minimum Posts Before Listing in Admin Marketplace?

Okay, here is what I have in mind:

• Marketplace Threads
  • Users can create 1 listing (thread) per month, freely.
  • To post a listing more frequently than one per month, users must meet one of the following:
    • Have made 100 posts on the forum
    • Be a paid subscriber
• Graphics Requests
  • Users must meet one of the following criteria to request graphics:
    • Have made 25 legitimate posts on the forum
    • Have submitted at least two free graphics for users of the community to download
    • Be a paid subscriber

What do you guys think of these? These are just my ideas, so they are certainly subject to change; I'd just like to hear what you all think first.

 

How would you enforce the Marketplace rules?

I think you've got good ideas there, but it still doesn't do anything about a person registering just to try to sell something (whether legitimate or not).

 

1 - There is a modification that will allow me to limit frequency of thread creations in specific forums.

2 - Nathan's post (#8) discourages me from restricting listing creations for new users. Although, a competing forum requires you to pay to post threads in the marketplace - no matter how many posts you have... so it can't be that huge of a deal.

 

1) Cool!

2) I understand.

 

I am totally against any kind of restrictions for anyone requesting graphics to meet this criteria. Adminaddicts strong point is it's graphic area and once you start imposing this people will be unwilling to post quality content. I don't think it's fair to ask them to be a premium member, this should be their own choice without having a restriction of services.

Another reason is if I do a request it will be of my own choosing not because someone met this criteria.

Like I said, adminaddicts strong point is it's graphic area and this just restricts it when the ideas should be expanding on it to accommodate all not just the few.

 

Thanks for your input; I've been waiting for it.

Really, any restrictions on the Graphics area would only be implemented if supported by the designers. It just seemed to be that no designers filled requests by brand-new members, and I wouldn't expect them to. Obviously the ideal situation would be to have every graphics request filled, but that's not possible -- only what the designers are willing to do is what gets done.

Hopefully that made some sort of sense.

 

I agree with Shelley 100%.

The only reason it seems requests by new members are not full-filled is because many of the requests are made by bran-new members.

 

....so what defines an old member?

 

I think the people that are likely to fill the graphics requests then discretion and common sense will be their asset. Obviously, a member that has posted and been around for a while is more likely to have their request filled than say a member who just registered and started a thread primarily to request for a graphic.

 

I completely agree. It's all in the delivery in how well I butter you designer's up.

Thanks for the insight Shelley.

 

LOL I like that you charmer you.

Obviously other factors have to be considered, I know from experience that I took on requests because it posed a challenge, whilst for other designers they may like to play safe and go with an easy request. Some designers (such as myself) have 100s of thousands of psds and sometimes a request comes along that would fit their needs and I can grab something from my library (this may be the case for other designers). And don't forget the most important factor, Time. Sometimes a designer may have a spare 5 minutes to do such a request and if a restriction is imposed then that is a lost request and potentially happy member that may donate to the site.

All I know, adminaddict strong point is the design area with an array of talented designers. The moment you start imposing these restrictions then people will lose interest (some by new members) who could potential become productive members and those design members who are already in a productive state here may not be able to fill a request to their choosing because such a restriction was imposed on the requester thus resulting in both the requester and designer going elsewhere to fill the request.