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

I think the countess' idea was good:

'Only allow an advertisement

They must put an email address in the advert and then the sordid business can be transacted off the board.

No further posts can be allowed therefore no bumping

They can come on and close it when the item is sold '

I tried to sell something it went wrong and then there were posts saying that I was rude and even when I have refunded the £ plus some I was still 'marked' by the selling mafia

If you must, retract it from Talk, and then categorise it somewhere else. Cappucino made a good point about a lot of items not being associated with parenting, so categorising would also be a consideration (not a cessation).

I also think the CAT policy should be statutory. I was shocked to see that when I googled my name (its unusual and just wanted to see how many names existed worldwide the same) that it linked up to Mumsnet where I had left someone my home email addy. NOT good! So Cat for security purposes if nothing else.

I do think this site has a place for Buy/Sell, especially childrens items, whether it be toys, clothes or whatever. It is part and parcel of a bigger entity, of which I am grateful (for one!)

Charging a fee to sell? I dont think so. One of the reasons most genuine sellers make sales, is to earn some spare cash. Selling DOES benefit others too, it benefits me. In addition, who doesnt like finding a bargain, and most of the stuff being sold here, is good value and a good bargain. Feel good factor all round.

Regulating is vital. I would instil a policy that one New For Sale thread may be generated per Seller per day. Its up to the Seller what they advertise on their Window of opportunity for that day, but one per day. In addition, bumping should be restricted, to once a day. The User should decide when they think the best time of day warrants the best size audience. iykwim

Outside of these thoughts, I have nothing to add, other than I dont believe that this is making peoples lives a misery. Being told you have Cancer, or losing a child is a Misery. People need to get things into perspective. This is such a trivial matter, and in all honesty Im shocked that it has been taken this far at all.

Completely agree with CD, make it more like gumtree, can have a for sale section where each ad links to a (sellers) email. Can also have a freebies section....

I wonder if the for sale topic showing as the 3rd busiest topic is a bit of a false economy though? If you go on some of the threads, they have hundreds and hundreds of posts and most of them purely say ?bump? or ?bumping 4 u hun xx? or similar. All those register as posts on that board but they?re not active posts, they?re just there to ensure said thread stays at the top of active convos.

Personally I would get rid, but if you?re going to keep it then I would make sure to gain a good revenue from it. So I would:

Take it out of talk, or make it like sn so you have to actively allow it into your searches.

Not allow new posters to post there for 90 days. This includes namechangers so if you?re a regular and namechange then you would lose the right to post on for sale for 90 days also.

Only allow one post per poster per thread, thus to avoid bumping multiple times.

And have a subscription of £10 per month in order to be allowed to post on for sale. This would have to be renewed every month.

I said it first, not CD

I'm probably gonna get shot down now, but i've bought and sold on here and for the small amounts i charge it's not worth me using Ebay because of the fees.
However i would be more than willing to pay a fee everytime i sold something, but as someone said above thats a hell of a lot of work for MN to handle.
Theres got to be a way of doing this that suits everyone, just don't know what the answer is

Just like to add that i do use other boards as well not just classifieds

I don't like the idea of namechangers not being able to post for 90 days! God I've just changed my name (went on a diet ) - but am going to change back again soon......it's going to be Easter soon - so no doubt more "seasonal" name changes will take place - for some people that like mucking around with their name it would mean they could never sell!!

£10 a month to post for sale??? Sorry think that's a bit steep - especially if the stuff you're selling is only going to bring you in a couple of £!

£10 also rather steep when you compare it to £30 for a 90 day Small Business Classified which is already charged!

FAQ - members are registered in their own right, whatever their posting name, so I dont think it matters if you change your name - your account still remains the same.

I've mentioned it before but I think that if the For Sale category is that busy then it would be beneficial for MNHQ to capitalise on that - it's obviously needed, but, I think it should be an offshoot of the site (like wahm auctions - but better). Then crafters could use it aswell, it would generate revenue and become it's own community.

Personally I'm not really bothered what happens to For Sale tbh.

I know the account stays the same - was just commenting on WannaBe's suggestion

I agree with marina's post.

tis very cluttered on there, no?

i once posted to offer a free, no-catches, boden top as i'd duplicated an order

no-one wanted it - prob didn't even spot the thread

love the idea of local boards.

I haven't read this yet but scrolling down I had a little flush of excitement at seeing there was an interchange with a member of MNHQ. Am I sad or what?

I have one of them in my address book too you know

Sorry that did sound extremely lesbianistic didn't it

I'm not, honest....

I agree with the suggestion of an ad, with no posts or bumping to be added. If each seller lists their email address all communication can stay off board which should in itself make life lots easier.

Could you disable the ability to add to a thread? That would be a VERY quick fix if so!

...and now I've killed the thread!

free local board - paid for national board?

The For Sale boards don't bother me in the slightest as they are hidden and I have no interest in them whatsoever.
I also agree that in terms of traffic they are probably quite valuable to mnhq so should stay. However, they probably need moderating as self moderating won't work when trading is involved. So what ever mnhq decide they will probably have to spend money and man hours regulating the For Sale boards and I wonder will that equate to the advertising revenue that the extra traffic brings?

What are huns?

(Sorry VVVQV!)

Take it off Talk, make it a totally seperate section, clicked to from the home page, not from Talk. That one is a must. It HAS to go from the normal advice and natter area!!

make it a 'one post only' thing - like an ad in a shop window...sort of thing. Put up the listing, there is a facility for replies to go to the seller, but no conversation or bumping can take place. You list it and any info or questions you deal with between you!

Have categories, so seller must, when putting the item, choose...eg...clothes, pushchairs, bottles, etc etc, so prospective buyers click from the home page onto a list, and can click on what section they are interested in, rather than wading through all the ads.

And, say, one or 2 free ads a month, but any more pay up front, say, 10 or 20p per ad. Still affordable if you are a genuine person with a few second hand bits to sell, but soon mounts up if you are a business being naughty on here!!!

A simple feedback system. Click to say you got it and you are happy. So people can see at a glance how many other things you've sold and how reliable you are.

BUT TAKE IT OUT OF TALK!!!!!!!!

As VVQV said.... Credit where it's due

Self moderating should work. We should all only buy and sell with people we know on here...surely that was the whole point from the beginning? Otherwise ebay is safer!

People buy from scammers, unwittingly, and then complain about it - it isn't MNHQ's fault. I feel sorry for the people who get ripped but at the same time could we have a sort of waring at the top of the topic, like 'Please don't uy from someone you are not familiar with' or something?

That might help a bit. Though I realise I'm being idealistic...