The For Sale/ Wanted boards - update from M Towers and post your ideas/thoughts here

[JustineMumsnet]

As you may know we have in mind a complete overhaul of the For sale/ wanted boards as they seem to be making many folks' lives (ours especially) a misery.

Clearly it makes sense for us to have classified ads - why not re-cycled used stuff? That should in theory be good for buyers and sellers alike (and it's very green too). But equally clearly, at the risk of understatement, it is not functioning well at the moment.

However, complete overhaul is going to have to wait a wee while as Tech's got quite a lot on... (We are hopefully bringing you improved local listings, blogs and more in the next few weeks and months).

In the meantime do give us your ideas for how you'd ultimately like to see For sale/ wanted working. (I know some of you have already posted some sensible (and not so sensible thoughts around and abou but we'd be super grateful if you'd re-post the best of them here so everyone can see, discuss and refine.)

So... what rules would be fair/enforcable and assist in the smooth working of the thing? (nb we are never going to enforce a no huns policy I'm afraid, so do be realistic - MN is for all parents even those with poor grammar and spelling.)

Should we re-house somewhere off Talk? And will it be used/useful if we do? Can we make it work on Talk if not? What would make it easier to use/ more functional?

Should we charge and if so how. What would you pay to use and how would you like to pay it?

Which other boards do this successfully and what are the best ideas/functionality should we pinch?

To ease the pain of waiting for overhaul, next week we will introduce a couple of quick fixes that might hopefully smooth the operation a little, namely we're going to insist that everyone who posts a for sale notice pays a CAT and we'll break down the boards into categories so things are more easily searchable.

In the meantime, please hang on in there and if it all gets too much there's always the hide thread/topic option .

Thanks for your input and your patience.

Peace and love,

Mumsnet Towers

no, it isn't, not at all. it's because all the sellers who were on that thread (and there were plenty) aren't spreading the word. many were the very same people having the most extraordinary go at me a few days later, despite the fact that they should bloody well have told the OP ages before. (actually, i imagine that thread must have been viewed hundreds of times as well, so there really is no excuse for the word not getting out).

having said that, it was a voluntary thing anyway, so no matter. but if the news had spread like wildfire, if the selling community (as distinct from the MN community) had taken it seriously and realised that things were out of hand and upsetting the balance of MN as a whole, it would have been a really positive indicator that it would all be fixed quite easily.

as i said, if MNHQ wants to do something about it, they will. if they want two separate MNs (with the core lot, the ones that get MN in the papers and build their brand etc only able to use ebay rather than their own site), that's MNHQ's lookout. and the Bad Mothers'Club's gain, i would imagine.

ooo & can I add people should not post Wanted things under the For Sale topic !

ok, so unlike some of the other posters I have actually read the whole thread (well except page 15, which it says is there, but wont let me). TBH its taken me blardy ages, its now bed time and i started at 5pm.

I dont class myself as a 'regular' or a 'hun' and don't like either term. I've only been on mn for a few months, and was introduced through the For Sale/Wanted boards. In the short time I've been here I've gradually shifted across and posted/started threads in lots of other areas (much to dp's dismay as I spend rather too much time on mn). I've tried to become involved, and sold/given/swapped and bought stuff through the boards. It is entirely possible that if the classifieds were not on talk that I might not have moved across. I do much more lurking than I do posting, and hate confrontation, so don't normally get involved if there's a chance of being flamed for it.

Im my short time, I have noticed a change in classifieds, especially in the run up to Christmas with people trying to sell games consoles at stupid prices, the increasing number of scams, and, most recently, the 'them & us' mentality, which I personally believe was started by the danascully thread. Its a shame. I agree it seems to have become known that its a good place to trade and it does spoil it for those of us who are genuine mums trying to recycle stuff and buy new stuff for our lo's. I am also guilty of posting non parenting type stuff on the FS boards, which I will stop doing now.

I dont have any new ideas to add on how to deal with it, but I agree on these points already made:

• remove it from talk, if it makes it easier for people.
• categories for FS threads
• FS threads are listed in the order they are placed, i.e are not bumpable.
• Threads are removed after a period of time
• one off payment (CAT) I'd be happy to pay.
• You can add amendments to your OP/Thread title to say that its been sold/re-offered.
• The form idea (like the recipes) is a good one.
• location would be handy, but maybe ensure that people have their profiles accessable, so you can see where they are etc.

I'm sure there were lots of other good points as well, but I'm dog tired now and off to bed.

oh.... now i can page 15!

good post, claire.

aitch, you've misunderstood me. I don't sell on here and have no interest in looking at the for sale threads. I block them. I am not interested.

I think its important for sellers to accurately describe the condition of what they are selling. If they do not do this, if they say the item is new when it is used, they are being dishonest.

It is a red herring IMO to think sellers are 'better' if it is them personally who has owned the item.. These are not antiques, what does the origin of the item matter? It's the current condition that is important, not who and how many owners it has had.

And no, I have never raided bin bags outside charity shops (shudder at the thought).

yes, but the whole point of the MN for sale boards, as it says at the top of the page, is for mums to pass on unworn or unwanted goods to each other. it was never about trading or earning a living but very recently it became so, that's why we've reached this crossroads.

i did say that i didn't understand the point you were trying to make beforehand, and i still don't tbh. we've got situations where people are using old photos to sell buggies, where they're selling things that are still the subject of a dispute etc etc etc. this is ebay's department, not MN's.

I don't think there is a place for 'professional' traders on MN, as it appears to be impossible to tell the difference between them and mums selling a few bits...I say...off with their heads!

Genuinely, I think MN should concentrate on its strengths (support, friendship, escapism, advice etc) and not invest time, money and effort sorting out the legalities and responsibilities of allowing (some) unscrupulous traders on.

funnily enough the people voting against or for charging for, for sale board are not actually seen on there, so what have they got to do with it.

if you were to charge for it no one would use it.

we're not seen on there because it's such a rabble now, that's why. it's got to do with us because we want to use it, because we are all MNers. do you understand that?

We used to use it, syskywalker, but to be quite honest I am embarrassed to be seen there lately. It feels like a rough market place - it used to be a pleasant charity shop atmosphere.

I used it once (to buy) (from wolfgirl I think, it went well)

Then I couldn't plough through all the crap to find the ones I want

So I blocked it...

I have had an idea. It will either be terrible, or fantastic. This post will be a bit rambly, but if it falls into the "fantastic" category, we can tweak

If you have something for sale, you put it in your profile (in a special box to be added by Tech )

If you want to buy something, there is a Sales Search button on the main board - NOT a for sale topic. You click on the button and choose from a list - feeding/prams & pushchairs/clothing/adult clothing/music & audio/toys/misc - you get the idea. You also type in a keyword, so in prams & pushchairs, you may type "quinny" = then, you get a list of what is available. Possibly, we have a private messaging system, and all deals should be made through that, so MN can have a nosy look in case of dispute "you said it was blue!" "no, I said it was aqua"
justinemumsnet "no, you did say blue" etc

PROS - no endless bumping, regulars can sell if they want to, MNHQ can keep an eye (via the private message thingy) without having to actively be involved in every blardy sale. Could still pay a once yearly fee to be able to have the "sales" box in your profile - £5 a year like cat?

CONS - more work for Tech!

ISNT THIS A FANTASTIC IDEA!

you can thank me later hunnis

sorry, couldn't resist

MamaG, I think that's a brilliant idea.

YESSSS!

Tech is probably spraying his cocoa reading that though

oh yes, fab idea.

ooooooh, good idea...

LOL

I think the rabbit has a point. Business will go down...

yes but thats a GOOD thing lapin! It will be like a public service to DHs everywhere who h ave to listen to "but I NEED a farkaboo"

well the search could be more general, like just buggies and a list of buggy ads that you'd click on to get to the profile page.

yes Aitch, or if you KNOW you want a farkaboo, you could put that in the "keywords" box

or you could leav it blank for a whole list of prams etc

how many boxes does a woman need? great idea, tho. (you do know she's set up another thread to boast about it, don't you)
like the fiver a year idea, and it wouldn't be too hard for us to have a box on our profile page for stuff we're selling, would it? my geek DH reckons it's do-able. then all the posts will read "i cant find any prams on the for-sale-search-thingy" instead of "please please give me £14 in paypal hun"

I probably should not have posted this