Opinions Wanted: Go Back to the Old Trading Post Forums?

[TGO David]

Folks, I need your input.

The new Classifieds system is pretty slick and does a lot of things that the old forum-based format didn't let us do easily, but it also fails at sending updates out by email.  I have been working to remedy that, but the fix has been elusive and so far nothing has helped correct it.

I can either give it some more time and hopefully with the software's author get it corrected, or I can just move us back to the old way of using the Trading Post Forums and threads to list things to buy/sell/trade.  One of those things could happen in a day or two, the other could be a week or two.

What would you like for us to do?

 

[GlockSpock]

I was very excited about going forward to a more in depth classifieds system, but since the majority of users are not embracing it then I don't see it as being worth it. Examples:

 

1) The "make an offer" function seemed neat. Nobody has ever used it, still sending PM's instead

2) Since a classified ad duplicates as a discussion thread, I had people contacting me weeks after I had marked an ad as sold because they were looking at the discussion thread and never realized it was already sold. End result, a seller has to now mark two separate things (the ad and the discussion thread) as sold

3) The image upload function does not correlate to Tapatalk at all. I suspect it is a permissions issue behind the scenes. Personally, I love Tapatalk because it streamlines all of my forums into one sleek app.

4) Since the new forum software has a certain number of required fields, it makes listing groups of items difficult/impossible and for certain items the selections simply do not make sense.

 

I think most everyone around is so used to the way we were doing things that the old way of doing classifieds would be warmly welcomed. Also, seems like it would be less overall work for you:)

[Grand Torino]

I have noticed a drastic downward trend in views and sales with the new system so for me it isn't working very well. That said I like the format don't care too much for the results. So if you are confident the new system will be remedied shortly I'd say hang in there. If not I'd say drop it and go back with the old system.

[GlockSpock]

13 minutes ago, Grand Torino said:

I have noticed a drastic downward trend in views and sales with the new system so for me it isn't working very well. That said I like the format don't care too much for the results. So if you are confident the new system will be remedied shortly I'd say hang in there. If not I'd say drop it and go back with the old system.

This was another thing I wanted to touch on. I suspect the reasons are mult-ifold, but I too have noticed much, much less interest in my classifieds for sale since switching to the new system. Like I said, like multiple reasons for this, the biggest of which being a political climate by which people aren't panic buying anymore. With that being said, I cannot help but feel the new system has played a part to this.

[Grand Torino]

Just now, CZ9MM said:

This was another thing I wanted to touch on. I suspect the reasons are mult-ifold, but I too have noticed much, much less interest in my classifieds for sale since switching to the new system. Like I said, like multiple reasons for this, the biggest of which being a political climate by which people aren't panic buying anymore. With that being said, I cannot help but feel the new system has played a part to this.

I have to think a lot of people have stopped visiting because they got tired of the political bickering Or...... the political bickering was removed from the forum. There's just no weighing the pros and cons of that one. 

[GlockSpock]

Just now, Grand Torino said:

I have to think a lot of people have stopped visiting because they got tired of the political bickering Or...... the political bickering was removed from the forum. There's just no weighing the pros and cons of that one. 

I'm talking about for months before that ever happened:)

[Grand Torino]

Just now, CZ9MM said:

I'm talking about for months before that ever happened:)

Yeah your right.....

[Omega]

I voted to go back to the old system until a better one can be found.  As one who perused the ads, it was a bit of a PITA sometimes getting to the advertisement instead of the discussion post.  I am a visual shopper, I see a pic and I click on it to see the ad, but many times it was the discussion thread which then I would have to click on view ad to see the rest of the pics.  Is there a way to do away with the discussion thread?  Or is there no way to post to the ad thread, which I think is required?

[MemHeli]

I've been mostly a "buyer" not a "seller" on the classifieds, so I can only speak to it from that perspective.  My mode of operation was to follow both Gear and Firearms sell sections.  Email notifications alerted me to new items listed, as we as associated changes.  With the notification's not working for me, I've been able to save money by not being tempted to buy - by not knowing things were for sell.  Yes, I could be trained to manually look at what's listed, but so far that training isn't habit and my wallet is heavier as a result.

Being in the development business, I do think the developer will eventually figure out the issue - unless we're the only ones using his code - he's bound to be getting pressure from others to address similar if not the same issue.

[Chucktshoes]

 I don't think my vote is going to be a big surprise to anyone. I have voiced my dislike of the new style ad system multiple times. That said, I am generally a buyer, and I think my vote should be weighted a little less than those of the frequent sellers.  If you could make the emails work again for those who use them and somehow figure out how to combine the ads and the discussion thread into a single item, my complaints would go away. 

[bersaguy]

I have always been one to say, if it ain't broke don't fix it and I didn't see much if anything wrong with the old system so I voted to go back. I also am not buying or selling as much as I once was so I can live with it either way so what ever you decide on will be fine with me...............

[hipower]

1 hour ago, bersaguy said:

I have always been one to say, if it ain't broke don't fix it and I didn't see much if anything wrong with the old system so I voted to go back. I also am not buying or selling as much as I once was so I can live with it either way so what ever you decide on will be fine with me...............

Well said, Doug. In spite of the earlier comments in other threads; as much as I would prefer the previous, old fashioned, and just plain easy for me format: this forum is still the property of TGO David and I will abide by his decisions.

As several had already said, I would not stop visiting, and I might go into fits with other formats; but it's still not my playground. I just play here.

[Garufa]

I think the module or whatever it's called has potential but does need work.  The two posts for each ad really is just unworkable and causes too much confusion.  Until the kinks are worked out and it's consistent across browsers my vote is to go back.

If someone doesn't post an ad in a useful manner people have usually been very good and helpful in pointing out the need for more info.

Edited May 30, 2017 by Garufa

[bersaguy]

I am far from being a computer Guru so bare with me on this. When a post is made it uses band width if I am not mistaken. With that said everytime a classified ad is posted it uses twice the band width because it posts 2 ads which has to cost extra. Like I said, I am not by any means the sharpest knife in the drawer when it come to computers and I may be totally wrong. If so someone please correct me........

[bud]

.

Edited June 26, 2017 by bud

[gregintenn]

I'm about as tech savvy as your grandma, and honestly, I've been too intimidated by the new set up to even try to post anything in the classified section since the change.

[btq96r]

I think a big part of the equation is how the reworked classifieds looks and works much differently than the rest of TGO, whereas the old system was TGO as normal, just for selling things.  I've had far less interest in pursing the new classifieds to window shop and even less inclination to post anything for sale under the new system.

[GhstFace38]

I vote to return to the original classifieds


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lordjackel]

I don't typically sell so haven't tried...but from a "buyers" perspective.  I have been on this site for several months and just recently figured out the classifieds system.  It is not like any other forum I frequent so my experience leads to an expectation from other forums of what I would expect...since I didn't "see" that here I just assumed not many people sold anything here.   If my experience is similar to others this could be a big reason why people aren't using it.  Progress and new features are great but when you are a trend setter (in forums) and are that different you risk no one figuring it out or taking the time to try.  

I would suggest we go back to a more standard format for the classifieds...I think you will get more views. 

[Sam1]

Go back to the old system.  I'm all about upgrading to something that provides additional functions or better service at some level, but the new system doesn't seem to really accomplish either of those.  The old system was quick and simple, you make a mistake and need to correct it, simple just pop in modify the thread and *poof* go about your day.  The new system populates two entities on the site and I'm still confused on which one you modify so that it would propagate to the other, or if that was even possible.

The simple 'here's what's for sale' was much better IMO.

[JPS]

I liked the old system better..

[TGO David]

Ok guys, I think we have enough of a consensus here to predict the way this would go even if 1000 people voted.

We'll switch back to the old way of doing this.  I will work on it this weekend.

 

[Climber]

Thanks David and I like the old way as well.  Seemed we had more traffic and I liked reading all the comments that people posted even if it was the standard "wish you were closer"

 

[quedz]

Wow, 29 votes out of 27,719 members...

[broox]

I vote for the old system as well.