New Rules for the Exchange forum - Feedback thread.

Here's what I've learned: If an item hasn't sold in two weeks then it's simply not desirable at the selling cost.

To simply relist it and think that NOW it is going to sell because it's being seen on the first page is false hope. Yes, it may catch someone off guard, but history hasn't shown me many examples.

Every poster has the ability to change the pricing, and in doing so will 'bump' the thread right up to the top, where it belongs. But, you have to CLICK ONCE and change the views via Last Post. I do it each and every time I visit a selling forum of interest.

I don't 'buy' that a thread's tracking on the new default page is losing selling power. If you slide off the page without interest, then change the price. Bump.

I'm a supporter.

All this said, I would change the title of the Sticky post to: Forum Default sorting has changed: click Last Post for old format.

Coop

 

This sounds like it would have been a good idea, notification popup about the rules changes ya I know, "read the stickies" but for paying customers it would have been nice to save us the trouble of having to find out why the forum looked different. I can live with it but I don't care for it. Honestly it always appeared like BF was doing 10 times the business as JD or CPF, etc. but in the new format when you check back in a couple hours and see the same knife on the first line it sheds some light on the actual new knife activity. Either way I know the mods work hard here trying to keep up and I am positive I couldn't do a better job but still wanted to give my nay vote.

 

I as a buyer do like the new format as it makes it crystal clear where the new stuff is, much less of a hassle than before. And keeping an eye on threads for price drops or later consideration is easy, too.

The previous bumping caused a clutter of old threads. Seeing a knife or a thread again won't make me want it more than the first time.

 

I was against this change at first...now I do like it from a buyers perspective..it makes it much easier to see whats new. And thats a good thing.
Now as a seller, I have noticed a drop in emails and interest.
I suppose, most would say what I am selling isnt interesting to everyone..but in my 4 years here, I have found that most anything would sell eventually.
Right now, I dont think I am to keen on the 2 week wait.
1. I think the delay should be 1 week
2. upon selling an item, the seller should be required to edit the title to "sold" and not bump the thread to say "hey, its sold and shipped"..I dont care...only the buyer really does.
Anyways..I will hang with BF..its still the best site out there.

 

I guess I just don't understand. the only time I want to "bump" a knife I am selling back to the top is when I reduce the price. Now how exactly does that work. Say I change the price, do I then need to do something to get it to the top, or does the individual viewer need to "click" something to change the sort.

I must have missed something

 

Yes, the viewer will learn to click the Last Post column to see the latest changes. One click.

Posts stay in order of creation by default. Updates require a click. That's the way it is now.

Coop

 

so the viewer has control? and is there anyway for a seller to get it back up?

 

I like the new system.

I like how the original ad stays around the first page MUCH longer.....days as opposed to hours.

I like the "Last Post" format where bumps can be made or looked at if desired.

I don't like the 2 week wait for re-posting a knife. I get it...but I'd prefer a 1 week wait. There are times and circumstances where you just change up the ad or what you want to do with the knife and 2 weeks is a long time. After 1 week(which is typically hundreds of views) who's really looking at it anyways.

Just my opinion...overall it seems to be working well.

 

The viewer has control of the format. He has (2) sorting options (actually seven: Thread / Thread starter / Rating / Last post / Replies / Views) Last Post resorts back to Classic Bladeforums.

There wasn't and isn't a sorting option for the viewer to sort by Thread Creation. That's only something the admin can change through vBulletin. And he did.

You the seller/OP have control to bump it up. (Lower the price!) And now (purportedly ) comments can be made and effectively bump it back up moreso than before. But, the first viewing pattern when the forum is opened is sorted by thread creation.

I'm stumped why this stumps. He he he!

Coop

 

I get it and it makes sense., , , elimate the "bump to the top please" crap. I have been guilty before. the only kind of post that made any difference was when I dropped the price

 

I keep reading these posts that claim that you can "bump" the threads.

NO, you CANNOT "bump" the threads. No way, no how.

It does not matter if it is a price change, it does not bump.

Yes, the thread view hierarchy can be changed by the viewer.

The ONLY way to bump the thread is to re-post it after a two week period.

Regardless of the stickies, many members still do not know that it has changed.

A price change will affect the sale of an item-IF someone sees the change. However, once the thread has hit page 3 or higher, it is a waste of time. Very few will read the thread after it hits the third page.

 

how do you "repost"? would a seller start a new thread?

 

Close the old thread and then post a new thread. Just wait two weeks from the old thread start date.

 

it bumps in the " Last Post " format . the buyers need to learn how to use it .

 

Correct in actuality...but in essence the thread is "bumped" when viewed in certain formats. (Last Post)

 

The new way is different then every other forum I participate in, included the other sections of BF. Which means my habit are going to make me miss price reductions.. The old way was messy, But in my opinion better then this. New listings were easily found by scanning the last column. Changes and new information brought them back to the top. At a minimum if this is going to be the new way a 1 week relist would be much better then 2. My preference would be the old way with more firm policing of the bump rules. If that require an additional moderator help stay on top of the rules, I would volunteer if needed.

 

It is NOT a "bump" if it is not represented in the default format. There are a lot of members here who know nothing of changing the view. Simply saying that they "need to learn how to use it" does not make it so.

Folks just want to click on the sub-forums and read and not play around with changing formats or subscribing to threads--just read it and go.

 

I agree with this. Most viewers will not change the default viewing option, either because they don't know to do do it, don't know how, or are too lazy and just browse forums the way they are set up. Very few people read beyond page two of the for sale forums. Therefore, changes in price are meaningless after page two, except for the small percentage of experienced forumites who happen to be viewing under changed parameters. You get to page three in 3-4 days in the production knives for sale section. So what this means is you get to look forward to a week and a half of no visibility for a knife you are trying to sell. It doesn't even matter of you drop the price to a bargain rate, most folks at that point will not see it. The thing that needs to change the most is this 2 week rule where you can't bargain out the price and have people actually know you've done that. I say keep the current viewing options but let sellers relist their knives in one week instead of two.

 

I don't like the new system, I think the older system worked better.