New Trading Post Policies

[NoAm]

I appreciate everyone's feedback. One of the other options was to ditch the trading post altogether, as it takes more effort than any other forum section to keep up with. But users have asked repeatedly for this service, so we tried to come up with a good way to make it safer.

For anyone who is annoyed they are losing access, we are open to consider other ideas if you have them.

Thank you for keeping the post open! We have bought several things and have had nothing but wonderful experiences!

[NoAm]

what you learn on here is worth way more than the yearly membership cost.

Also, the friends I have met on here, you cannot put a dollar amount to that.

+1,000,000,000

[Necrodamus]

Simple solution...
Man up (or woman up), pay your dues, sell what you want, HAVE HONOR in your transactions!
Maybe I have just been lucky but so far all of my transactions have been good ones.
Either way I see this as a good RESPONSIBLE move.
Thanks ZS

As many are probably wishing... I will shutup now.

I'm not so quick to criticize the people who are unable to donate. There's a professional forum that I've been a member of for like... 4 or so years now, very actively. I've given -some- professional assistance, tech support, help, CAD resources, etc, as well as participated socially very much... but I've received much more than I've given in knowledge and professional education. It was only this past Christmas that I found myself in a position to donate to the site that's helped me -so much-. Every time I got a bonus I would think to myself that I could finally try and give back to the pond I've taken so much from... only to see my bills and debts swallow it up too fast. Never the less, it was not a lack of 'manning up' or a lack of any other virtue. It was just life.

Hell, if a prominent member who seems accountable on this site does NOT have a membership, and wishes to conduct business in the Trading Post... and can't scrape together the dollars.

PM me. If I feel safe enough donating in your name, maybe I'll buy you a membership. I like ZS. I have no problem giving more money for the volumes of lessons and resources I've learned here.

I dont take this personal and I hope no one takes my comments as personal. Im a "user" at several other forums. I dont consider anyone to be a freeloader. My comments are for those that are registered non-members that are taking part in a practice that will net personal gain without contributing to the forum.

If you pay the $15 dues you could sell one or two pieces of gear and recover that cost. My intent is that if you want gain from a forum you should be willing to give. One of the sights where Im a registered user will not allow me to sell for that reason. Im still there I still contribute and I completely agree with the practice.

I compare this to a flea market.
You cant just walk in and start selling. you have to pay a fee to use a space or table.
Setting up your own without paying your dues will get you arrested for trespassing.
Here your restricted from posting till you join. This provides a little reassurance to both buyer and seller.

[PistolPete]

I think our intent has been misunderstood also. This isn't a drive to get more people to sign up. It would be a bad way to do that. However, if a transaction goes bad and it involves a ZS member, we at least have a mailing address for that person if the authorities get involved and ask us. For regular forum members all we have is an email address. To this point we haven't been contacted to provide information for a user who stole from another, but the path is leading in that direction. For some reason there have been more scams perpetrated lately in this forum section.

We've had a user make multiple new accounts recently trying to sell the same goods, that may or may not exist. In looking over disputes, all that have happened since I've been admin of the forums involved at least one party who wasn't a ZS member, and often both parties weren't.

The other considered option was to limit the trading post to only users who only have a certain number of posts. However, that excludes some great people who read a lot and don't post much. Plus, is someone who has 300 posts in OT really more qualified or trustworthy than someone with 30 posts in Contingency Planning? Lastly, there wasn't an easy way to do it with the forum software.

For people who aren't ZS members that have current ads, those ads will remain. No new posts may be added to those threads by folks that aren't ZS members after we flip the switch. The date I'm planning on doing that is next Sunday, the 24th. I'll be at a convention promoting ZS that weekend, so it will probably be late in the day.

I empathize with the folks who see how hard it is getting to sell firearms and firearms related gear. I'd love to be able to sell guns directly on the forums, but the people who understand law and liability suggest it's not a position we want to be in. I use a local board for that anyway, selling guns across state lines is a big PITA, and by the time you pay transfer fees and shipping it can end up costing more than just buying local.

[Shadowsbane]

Hmm, I will have to reroute a few options concerning people reviewing my belts, but overall I don't see this as a horrible thing.

ZS has given me a chance to finally get out of a crap job and become a productive member of society, so that is worth some scratch when I can find it, or trade for it.


But, above all else your house, your rules.

Would it be possible however, to have some sort of subforum or something for the feedback thread? It would seem to be a waste if all the potential non member customers couldn't comment on good or bad transactions with the sales threads.

[TravisM.1]

I think every forum has this kind of trouble with "sales sections".
There's no easy way to do it. Its a matter of deciding who you want to put off. If non-paying users are upset, they can pound sand, and it's no monetary loss. If you exclude paying members, you could possibly lose revenue. Which group would you rather piss off, if you were in their shoes?

I've bought stuff on here, and I've sold stuff on here. I haven't paid for a membership anywhere, and I'm not about to start so I can sell or buy things. There are too many boards that don't charge membership out there. The guys on ar15.com say it's about paying to support the community. Whatever floats your boat, I guess.

[maldon007]

But, above all else your house, your rules.

+1

And it seems perfectly fair anyway, Im not sure why anyone would feel entitled to use bandwidth paid for by others, to sell their nick nacks. Hey, if a site allows it, I am grateful! ...but I dont expect it.



Just a thought, would it be out of line to link a sale you have going on another site, in your sig? (not saying I want to do that, just thinking it might come up... I see it on other forums).

[Hanuman110]

Most other forums that I belong to require you to at least be a productive member before you can buy or sell in their trading post section. It's always surprised me when someone registers on ZS and is listing items for sale in their first few posts, sometimes even before posting in the introduction thread. I've had good luck with transactions on here thus far but I've been pretty careful with my purchases.

While I dont think the current solution is ideal, I do believe it is a reasonable move given the otherwise open nature of these forums and the headaches moderating a swap meet can cause. I would suggest perhaps "stickying" a feedback thread in Offtopic or somewhere else for everyone to be able to post and maybe "grandfathering in" certain forum members such as shadowsbane who already have a good track record established.

[SMoAF]

Rats. I don't mind paying the $15. The problem is that I'm a bit paranoid about giving out too much information, and I'm well-known for using mail drops with friends who understand where I'm at mentally. This hasn't caused a problem in the past, and I've sold a bunch-o-stuff here. That being said, "Your house, your rules".

[TDW586]

Rats. I don't mind paying the $15. The problem is that I'm a bit paranoid about giving out too much information, and I'm well-known for using mail drops with friends who understand where I'm at mentally. This hasn't caused a problem in the past, and I've sold a bunch-o-stuff here. That being said, "Your house, your rules".

ZS doesn't really require much info from you, I'd suggest contacting one of the moderators and seeing what you can work out. A PO box or mail drop address might be fine with them.

[PistolPete]

This policy is now enacted.

[Sckitzo]

Question, and sorry if I missed this.

I understand the spirit behind this and the intent (and for what its worth I agree with it) but can we proxy for a non paying member?

It's a putting our (dues paying member) name/rep/neck/whatever on the line to help. Case in point, was asked to host a gun sale for a buddy who I've known for the last decade or so and can trust without a doubt (even though he never told me he was joining ZS...dick) and would have no qualms about helping out.

Figured I'd check first, and knowing my luck this was discussed earlier and I missed it.

[kyle]

Rats. I don't mind paying the $15. The problem is that I'm a bit paranoid about giving out too much information, and I'm well-known for using mail drops with friends who understand where I'm at mentally. This hasn't caused a problem in the past, and I've sold a bunch-o-stuff here. That being said, "Your house, your rules".

You do not have to share any personal information to join.

The only required fields on the application: username, birthday (to verify you are over 18) and email address. You can pay by money order. It's painless and simple.

We tie your ZS membership to the forum name. This eliminates the scam artists who create multiple forum account to take advantage of our community.

[kyle]

Just a reminder of PistolPete's original post in this thread regarding the sellers that use this Trading Post section of the forum:

This does not mean that we are going to start advocating for buyers or sellers. You are still on your own, don't engage in a transaction with someone you don't trust. There are a lot of jackasses on the internet that will steal your money and not lose a minute of sleep over it.

[RONSERESURPLUS]

Hello all, RON L here
'
I became a member a whil back, and yes I do sell and Buy a lot of Goods here on ZS, I had no real issue with the Membership Policy, but recently a member got some items from me, and then said he couldn't leave me feedback as he could not get in to post? has that been addressed and it is correct? I'm not sure, only gong on what he told me? That will need loking at in my opinion? They should still havthe right to post feedback as it's good and Bad Transactins that make the group sellers look good or bad, right? Let e know? Just curous?

RON

[kyle]

Was that buyer a ZS member?

If not, then they will obviously not be able to post anywhere in the trading post section of the forum. If they paid but have not gotten their membership, have them email membership@zombiehunters.org

If the user its an active paid member (green user name with member banner) and they can't post then have that user contact us because there is a technical problem.

Unfortunately, you are not giving us much information to work with to fix the problem so we don't have anything to look into.

Hello all, RON L here
'
I became a member a whil back, and yes I do sell and Buy a lot of Goods here on ZS, I had no real issue with the Membership Policy, but recently a member got some items from me, and then said he couldn't leave me feedback as he could not get in to post? has that been addressed and it is correct? I'm not sure, only gong on what he told me? That will need loking at in my opinion? They should still havthe right to post feedback as it's good and Bad Transactins that make the group sellers look good or bad, right? Let e know? Just curous?

RON

[RONSERESURPLUS]

Hello all, RON L here,

sorry if I didn't make myself clear, English is no my First language and at times I struggle with it? The Buyer for my Goods IS NOT a MEMBER, I am, but even if he's not a member should the Feedback ability not be activated? That waay if I do a Good or Bad Job People here see that? if not, your Limiting the input the group has on Good or bvad sellers in my Opinion! Seems like that should be an easy fix, I understand why they can't sell here, but if they do buy they should have a Voice in feedback, Right? I can provide the persons "handle: if ya need it? Let me know, not trying to start trouble, but I thnk this is a good point to bring out?

[Oneswunk]

Ive seen some non paying members pm paying members to post feedback for them. Or the easy solution, if they want to buy and post feedback they can ya know join.

[RONSERESURPLUS]

Hello all

RON L here again!

OK, So, I gues this Just means that Sels get a pass to sell and not keep thier word to a NON member as your not allowing them feedback, thats how I read it? I think that's a Bad desision and yes, it can be done thought a 3RD party, but why should it have to be? Wht not allow NON members to Be allowed to post only inthe fedback section, if thats even possible to filter like that?

[kyle]

Hello all

RON L here again!

OK, So, I gues this Just means that Sels get a pass to sell and not keep thier word to a NON member as your not allowing them feedback, thats how I read it? I think that's a Bad desision and yes, it can be done thought a 3RD party, but why should it have to be? Wht not allow NON members to Be allowed to post only inthe fedback section, if thats even possible to filter like that?

You're being a little unnecessarily snarky there, Ron L.

This is the way we have decided to implement the trading post and we don't have any plans to make any significant changes anytime soon. My only advice to you, in order to avoid the risk of buying/selling with non-members, is to not buy or sell items with non-members.

Please keep in mind that ZS is run by all volunteers and to simplify the entire process for our volunteers (while keeping members in mind) we decided to make any involvement in the Trading Post (buying or selling) Members-Only. This policy was largely implemented because of a number of sour deals made by non-members.

As I have mentioned to other entrepreneurs in the past, who have come to this forum for the sole purpose of making a few dollars off this community: ZS is not designed to be a commerce website and we don't plan to focus a lot of effort catering to buyers/sellers. If our small forum doesn't satisfy your business needs there are other websites that put more resources towards offering better services for third-party merchants.

Lastly, keep in mind that doing any business here is at YOUR OWN RISK. Just because someone (like yourself) paid the $15 to become a member, that doesn't mean we verify their credibility and we definitely have no way or making a member accountable if they screw someone over. The "member-only" policy is just our tiny hope that the inconvenience of joining ZS may be a small deterrent for would-be scam artists.

I'm sorry for any inconvenience that this policy may cause you.

[RONSERESURPLUS]

kYLE

ron l HERE

Sorry if nmy responce looked "Snarky", it was not meant to be! I was Just rainsing a cncern, it's been a dressed and we will carry on! I have made a lot of Great Friends here on ZS as wlel as have bough and sold some good gear, I've never seen a colealtion of member or non member of how well the tranaction went! All for now and hope to see ya around the forum?

[TheLastOne]

Hi,

What is the etiquette for bumping one's own post?
One of my posts sold, the other is kind of lingering further down the page below some people's 'already sold' stuff...

It's been 2 weeks, may I bump up? Don't want to be a dick!
Thanks,

[kyle]

Hi,

What is the etiquette for bumping one's own post?
One of my posts sold, the other is kind of lingering further down the page below some people's 'already sold' stuff...

It's been 2 weeks, may I bump up? Don't want to be a dick!
Thanks,

Go for it. If you have some information to add (price change, additional info about the item, etc) go ahead and add to your post to get it back up higher on the list. Just use some common courtesy when "bumping" your own trading post thread. Please don't abuse it.

Keep in mind that if it's not getting any action after a while it could be possible that there isn't a demand for the item. It might be best to let it go.

[whisk.e.rebellion]

Let's try to keep our sale threads consolidated. If you've got 10 active sales going on, you don't need 10 threads; just edit the original post and reply as necessary.