BST Comments

[GreekGuy]

Recently I've noticed a lot of comments, particularly from newer members, which are either ungentlemanly or provide unwarranted grief for sellers on the BST.

Sellers are not supposed to comment on their sales unless it is to answer questions. While feedback on prices is encouraged, and I still believe it should be, there have been some recent instances of posts going too far and threads spiraling out of control.

Should there be a minimum length of time a person should be a member here before they can post regarding prices?

Should the seller PM a mod to handle these posts?

Does the seller have a right to justify their prices?

What are your thoughts?

EDIT: This is not in reference to any one particular sale. Please limit posts to general discussion

[rickboone1]

I agree it has been a lot of whining and bickering on the BST lately. Stuff there spreads like wild-fire. I've been staying away and know that in short time it will fizzle out and be back to normal.

It's amazing at what can quickly be handled in a PM! People should use that before jumping to conclusions about things. I've seen accusations made that were false and all it did was hurt the sale, the seller and the fluidity of the thread.

Like I say...if we get quiet and let it rest it will dissipate.

[mdunn]

Comments on price and product are always welcome in the BST - anything ungentlemanly or a personal attack is not.

If you spot someone saying "hmm, you're selling for $40 when you can buy new for $41" that's fine, if you spot someone saying "listen idiot, i know you're ripping us off on purpose, im going to come to your house and set you on fire" then click on the little red button in the top right of the post, and it flags that comment with the mod team. Same rules as anywhere on the site - be nice and play fair.

Generally though, if the price is right - it will sell. If it doesn't, then the price probably needs adjustment

[Picaro]

If I see that you're going to set someone on fire..yet again...and press the red button. Is the post removed asap? If so is the poster pm'd? If neither of those, then what?

[David in Boston]

I've gotten comments from some of my BST items which were positive.

Due to my ignorance I was selling some items at the wrong price or way.

Some comments were PM and others were on the BST board.

I found them helpful.

As long as they are positive I'm all for them.

However, when I do see a great item for sale (and not one of my sales) and folks complain about the price
I'll give them my two cents!

[franz]

I've commented on a BST listing to praise the beauty or the quality of the item being offered.

I've commented to say "Gee, what a great deal."

I've commented where I felt the seller was being unfairly criticized for his listing.

I've never commented to ding somebody's asking price on a sale. I think the threshold for that has to be set pretty high.

What's the best way to enforce that? I'm not sure. I'm not a big believer in knee-jerk reactions, and usually the spirit of goodwill on here is such that a gentle reminder from the regulars will set somebody straight.

But maybe someone shouldn't be able to comment in a BST listing until their 45 day and 50 post window is up. I don't know if that will fix anything or if the problem is widespread enough to justify that. I do know that a critical comment or two, even if misguided, is the surest way to torpedo a sale.

[Suzuki]

First off, we welcome input from members so long as it is gentlemanly and not overly persnickety.

For example,posting about someone's pricing (the most common type of comment) when its way over (for example, a $50 for a user grade Tech, when the going price is typically between $10 and $20 depending on variant, condition, etc.) is helpful to newbies.

On the other hand (using the same example of the user grade Tech), making a "You're gouging our members" post if the seller is charging $21, isn't overly helpful. Clearly there's a gray area, but you get what I'm trying to get at.

The same applies to descriptions of an item's condition - if someone lists something as NOS or mint and its clearly been used heavily, that might warrant a polite comment. On the other hand, if someone lists something as being in good condition when you might classify it as fair condition, there's no need for a comment, especially if there are decent pictures so that prospective purchasers can gauge the condition for themselves.

One area where I personally think its always ok to make a polite post is where someone has mis-identified a razor model, as this is often an honest mistake and the sort of thing that can seriously impact the value of an item. In fact identification issues generally are an area where our eagle-eyed members often make comments to the benefit of all concerned.

Another example of unhelpful/ungentlemanly commentary was the several quite rude posts in response to a thread where a guy wanted to sell a bunch of Visions as part of an expensive lot - none of these were helpful and only succeeded in having the seller pull his sale and walk away with a very negative experience. While its ok to inquire as to whether someone is willing to break up a lot or ask general questions as to how they acquired so many of a particular item, its not ok to be rude, make innuendo, etc.

Situations where it may be appropriate to call someone out is where its clear that they're flipping something they bought from a fellow member or got by way of PIF at a large profit, they're lying or engaging in some sort of dishonest/misleading conduct (for example, selling replated razors as NOS or mint condition, etc.). In which case, the mod team wants to hear about it as well, as this is the sort of behavior we want to keep out of the BST.

Hope this helps.

[ouch]

What he said.

[73mountaineer]

What if I click the red button on all 3 posts by mods in this thread - what happens then? Dolt of the year award, I never even noticed that there was a red button

On topic, I have been successfully abstaining from BST purchases lately, but I do think that people sometimes get a little over the top with pricing comments. In particular, there seem to be some members that feel that a seller should beat the lowest price that anyone can locate online, regardless of whether there are numerous other sources that show that the seller has priced the item fairly. It's just a little annoying to see someone selling something for $20 then to see someone post, "You can get those at Barry's Blade Bodega for $18.99, your price is too high!" Never mind that they are selling at other well-regarded vendors for $20 plus shipping.

[inspiringK]

I never even noticed that there was a red button

Neither did I.

I like the idea of restricting the posts on BST in some way. Perhaps even 100 posts or 90 days. I enjoy knowing that the BST has the older members as a form of check on prices and claims - I feel that both other members and I benefit from their input. Since the lower post newer members are continually the more blindly critical on BST and are less able to contribute to the thread in a meaningful way, perhaps we should curb their input.

[California Cajun]

Recently I've noticed a lot of comments, particularly from newer members, which are either ungentlemanly or provide unwarranted grief for sellers on the BST.

Sellers are not supposed to comment on their sales unless it is to answer questions. While feedback on prices is encouraged, and I still believe it should be, there have been some recent instances of posts going too far and threads spiraling out of control.

Should there be a minimum length of time a person should be a member here before they can post regarding prices?

Should the seller PM a mod to handle these posts?

Does the seller have a right to justify their prices?

What are your thoughts?

EDIT: This is not in reference to any one particular sale. Please limit posts to general discussion

Personally, I think foreign products have fluctuated in price in the year I have been on this forum and this has caused misunderstanding.

For instance, $45 is a good price on a Merkur 37G in nearly new condition. I've paid as little as $30 for this razor, but the prices were lower at the time.

To me most prices are based on what the seller paid for it, and if they cost the same as a new one costs with free shipping that's fair.

I remember someone trying to make about a $75 profit on a straight razor and that's a definite no-no.

In one instance I sent PMs to both the seller and prospective buyer who complained about a $45 37G outlining what I have said here. If the seller knows he's charging a fair price, he's not really bothered by comments. For that reason I think we should let things go on as they have. It's a subtle message that any funny business may result in embarrassment.

[JBagKY]

I welcome comments on my posts if I have misjudged what the price should be. However, they should be mentioned in the helpful way rather than thinking that I am gouging our community.

I am still learning and with the other newbies (though I don't know if I am one now) coming to this great tradition, its going to happen that we aren't completely sure what we should charge for something that we aren't going to use.

Oh and I just realized that there was a red button as well.

[Go West Young Man]

If I see that you're going to set someone on fire..yet again...and press the red button. Is the post removed asap? If so is the poster pm'd? If neither of those, then what?

An alert is posted to the Mod's board whenever someone creates a report through that button. What happens next depends on the situation, but at least one Mod will check the thread and the post and makes a decision how to proceed.

[mdunn]

An alert is posted to the Mod's board whenever someone creates a report through that button. What happens next depends on the situation, but at least one Mod will check the thread and the post and makes a decision how to proceed.

Bingo.

Clicking the red button creates a thread in the mod forum referencing the reported post - then we can look at the problem, discuss and deal with it.

[Go West Young Man]

Bingo.

Clicking the red button creates a thread in the mod forum referencing the reported post - then we can look at the problem, discuss and deal with it.

I liked it better when the Badger Signal would flash in the night sky

[azmark]

I liked it better when the Badger Signal would flash in the night sky

That's only used when really important stuff needs immediate attention from a mod like: someone is selling Pen's tallow or a Rooney Finest. Or a pair of used shoes!

[gearchow]

I liked it better when the Badger Signal would flash in the night sky

I think a phone call to this place will get you a mod PDQ:





-jim

[Pbalkan]

I'm really new to BST and just recently acquired the privilege of posting items for sale. There are several minor questions and comments that I have... that I would not otherwise raise except for this thread.

1. Why do members post "PM sent?" I did this when I first joined but I have since stopped. It seems to me that such postings are meant to discourage others from contacting the seller on the item and imply that the seller might not be honorable about observing the "first-come" rule. I have no reason to believe that, so I have to trust the seller.

2. On a similar note, I think it is the responsibility of the seller to deal with the first poster and to notify the forum immediately if there is a sale. There was a sale where the seller posted multiples of a very attractive item and then walked-away. There must have been scores of PM's sent. Later, the seller posted that the response was overwhelming, the items were sold and that he didn't have "time" to respond to the individual PM's. I thought that was plain rude. If a seller does not have the time to respond to solicited offers, he shouldn't post his item until he does.

Just my 2 cents. Courtesy works both ways.

[Go West Young Man]

1. Why do members post "PM sent?" I did this when I first joined but I have since stopped. It seems to me that such postings are meant to discourage others from contacting the seller on the item and imply that the seller might not be honorable about observing the "first-come" rule. I have no reason to believe that, so I have to trust the seller.

You're not technically supposed to post that kind of comment (since it just clutters up the BST page while not adding any value) but i think it's more a courtesy to other members, ie saying "no need to overwhelm the seller with pm's, someone is already in line ahead of you".

2. On a similar note, I think it is the responsibility of the seller to deal with the first poster and to notify the forum immediately if there is a sale.

.

Absolutely agreed on updating the listing when a sale is complete, but the seller has the right to deal with anyone he wants to regardless of who was 'first in line'.

[_JP_]

I'm really new to BST and just recently acquired the privilege of posting items for sale. There are several minor questions and comments that I have... that I would not otherwise raise except for this thread.

1. Why do members post "PM sent?" I did this when I first joined but I have since stopped. It seems to me that such postings are meant to discourage others from contacting the seller on the item and imply that the seller might not be honorable about observing the "first-come" rule. I have no reason to believe that, so I have to trust the seller.

The seller has never been required to sell to the first person who expresses interest. Many people here think that is the case but it simply isn't so, or possible to enforce. The seller can pick who they want.

Posting a "PM Sent" is a useless gesture. The PM system here gives the person receiving it an instant notification before they have a chance to see the posting in the thread. And a "PM Sent" does not mean that you have claimed the item, or are expressing interest in the item.