On the Subject of Classifieds

[GPz1100]

i got my big boy pants on so this ain't a rant. i just think jokes / sarcasm on an item or price, comments about  condition, making public a declined offer and seller / buyer disputes have no place in a classified ad. why would that be hard? i think it's just being courteous.

[MrPepsi]

I think jokes are ok as long as they are good natured, however... I think any comment on price, unless someone asks are way out of line. I had a run in with a forum member before the spring crash and still has me bent out of shape towards him. No comments about KBB or NADA are appropriate unless the seller actually asks if they have priced something within reason. Offers while should be kept to PMs are ok IMO.

[JetJock]

Without knowing what classified you're upset about, it's a little hard to comment. Sometimes people overprice things or have other significant facts wrong and it's worthwhile to hear about it. Beyond that, I suppose most comments are unnecessary . . . but this is an open forum. You ain't paying anything for the electrons and if somebody wants to comment or throw a question up, that's just how it's going to be.

[MrPepsi]

Yes its an open forum but I think when it comes to classifieds there should be rules, or TOS as other forums do it.
You should not be able to critisize what someone has for sale, or what they have choosen as a price unless they ask for input.

Of course, this is just my opinion, but most other forums have some sort of TOS when it comes to for sale sections.

[Son of Pappy]

Forum regulars tend to offer either sound advice or witty humor.  When someone unfamiliar posts up a snide comment, they tend to get piled on rather quickly and in the long run it keeps the FS item at the top, increasing the visibillity of the item.  Folks who join simply for the sale really shouldnt expect the same courtesies offered to regulars, they are here for a sale, not to give to our community.
My over valued .02!

Imagine this, I have an '08 C14 FS, cost me new 14500 OTD, only a loving 49,000 miles on her, dropped once, 5 trips to the track, but never bounce her of the limitere for more then 1 second, and never above 4th gear, tires are at %50, oil changed 4000 miles ago, fresh tank of the good stuff.  Heavily farkled, works great fro me.  I will entertain offers of 13,500 dollars, serious buyers only please.  I wont seperate the farkles, so dont ask, I want the new owner to have it all.
Ever read a FS add like this? 

[VirginiaJim]

Yes its an open forum but I think when it comes to classifieds there should be rules, or TOS as other forums do it.
You should not be able to critisize what someone has for sale, or what they have choosen as a price unless they ask for input.

Of course, this is just my opinion, but most other forums have some sort of TOS when it comes to for sale sections.

We do have TOS in the For Sale section.  It's getting people to read it...  However, we don't have anything for the above situation or the one the OP is talking about.  I wouldn't think we would have to.  Some of this is common sense.

If there is a situation that becomes uncomfortable in ANY post in this forum, there is a notify button at the bottom of the post.  Please feel free to use it.  Or you can just ping any of the mods with your concerns.

Jim

[B.D.F.]

Wow, nice discussion gentlemen! Things like this can get out of hand in a hurry so it is really nice to see a reasonable, calm discussion.

I think  I agree with everyone who has posted.... to a point. Just my opinion but posting things on a public forum is going to invite some discussion, some comments, some (hopefully very occasional) unkind remarks, etc. I think it is generally very gentle on this forum. I also think to try and police the situation would cause more harm, censorship- wise, than the relatively few comments found in that section, at least those few that I have seen (I do not read that section all the time).

One other thought- if it is a reasonable sale, biting comments won't cause it to be otherwise. At some point it is the reader's job to screen what is posted here for content and accuracy.

One last thought- if we are going to remove any unnecessary content from this or any other forum there would only be a handful of posts left and probably none from anyone we currently know. 

Brian

[ZG]

When buying on a forum it's always best to check out the sellers posts, it's a good way to get a feel for what type of person they are IMO... I don't buy from sellers that it's their first post etc. 

[Awaz]

Considering this is somewhat of a smaller community, I think one could implement that you have to be a junior member to post items on sale section. And if you are not, your sale item has to go through a moderator. This assumes that by the time a member is junior, they are not going to try price gouge or dupe an ignorant buyer. And if a member does put an item for sale that is overly inflated in price (ignorance or truly feels that is what the item is worth), send a PM if you just cannot kill the itch. At any rate, price bashing is super bad in my books.

[Strawboss]

Interesting. Lots of good points. Open forum means "open". Caveat Emptor-"buyer beware". Silly price, silly comments, buy something for $10, use it for 3 years, then expect $9 out of it, post something for sale with a  reserve price and start bidding at $1, then get mad when somebody asks what you want for it. I can see both sides of this issue though. I never thought that any comments made were offensive or out of line regarding anything I've seen posted for sale here.   

[jworth]

So then critical posters are to respect the seller but have no regard for potential buyers?

[Awaz]

The problem here is that you may think a seat (example) to be worth $250, but I consider it to be $350. And you come to my sale thread and criticize my sale price and thus hamper the chance of selling it. Buyer should do their due research and bite on such sale depending on what they think it is worth.

[jworth]

So again respect the seller but have no regard for the potential buyer?  Come on.  So then would you want to remove any positive comments about your sale?  Maybe you have a buddy post that hey that's a great price for a great item, yada yada.  That would really upset you, right? 

Or maybe I just saw said item on Craigslist for 1/2 that.  I'm helping out a fellow forum member if I pass that on, right? 

[T Cro ®]

Lets put it this way don't do anything in someone else's For Sale thread that you would not want done in your own.

[VirginiaJim]

Thank you..