Can we ban 'Feeler'?!

fretfinder · August 2013

Not that I'm prone to rant at all, at things others may find personally reasonable, but WHAT ON EARTH IS 'FEELER' ALL ABOUT?! Surely you either want to sell or trade your gear, or you don't? I get that we musicians can be fickle and may put gear up for sale but then change our minds. But I don't get 'Feeler'. (I don't literally mean ban it by the way, but it's daft isn't it?)

That's better, I've calmed down now...

markslade07 · August 2013

I tend to agree. Is it just to see if you get enough interest to get a price you want? If so, chuck the pics and a price up and see what happens!

randomhandclaps · August 2013

I agree. It's like asking you girlfriend "If I were to ask you to marry me what would you say". Man up and just do it.

I always think 'feelers' are someone saying I don't want this and am going to flog it but was disheartened to see what they were actually fetching used - anyone want to give me a bit more for my reluctance.

I thought in Sporky's rules it said something about these?!

Sporky · August 2013

The Rules already cover this, I think - any post in the Classifieds must include an asking price or a realistic expectation of trades. If anyone isn't sure what'd be a sensible price there are plenty of resources out there - eBay, the various shops with second hand sections, or even ask here (then create an appropriate Classifieds discussion once a fair price is established).

thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/97/the-rules

nickp · August 2013

randomhandclaps said:

I agree. It's like asking you girlfriend "If I were to ask you to marry me what would you say". Man up and just do it.

or go out for a pint, rethink, and for gods sake don't do it!

octatonic · August 2013

Agree- you either want to sell it or you don't.

I'm not a fan of the 'Oh I just played it and now I'm not too sure I want to sell it- buy it before I change my mind' comments either.

Seems like a bullshit tactic to try to get people interested but it absolutely doesn't work & just makes the seller look like a dick.

Tyre kickers are worse though.

Sporky · August 2013

octatonic said:

I'm not a fan of the 'Oh I just played it and now I'm not too sure I want to sell it- buy it before I change my mind' comments either.

I would class such comments as bumps, as I'm pretty sure that's why people post them.

[Deleted User] · August 2013

I'm not much of a fan of highly inflated prices for pieces of old junk which really belong in a skip. There was (is?) an ad on here that falls into that category. I assume 'Rule 1' should stop people doing this, every bit as much as it prevents me posting a reply pointing out the error of their ways?

jaygtr · August 2013

richardhomer;15753" said:
I'm not much of a fan of highly inflated prices for pieces of old junk which really belong in a skip. There was (is?) an ad on here that falls into that category. I assume 'Rule 1' should stop people doing this, every bit as much as it prevents me posting a reply pointing out the error of their ways?

I wish you hadn't said this , I'm now looking through the classifieds for some old junk.
Having already spent 10 minutes looking for a member called feeler after reading the title #-o :-\"

Heartfeltdawn · August 2013

I vote that 'Feeler ads' should be renamed 'Groper ads'.

Jalapeno · August 2013

Rules is da rules. Not that bothered tbh either way - lot of people want banning things, chill people .........

ICBM · August 2013

I always tended to think of it as "I'm not sure I really want to sell this, but if you offer me something interesting that I might not have thought about, then I'd be happy to consider it as a swap/PX." Maybe I'm wrong.

I don't think we should be banning things unless there's a good reason though - if it's wasting server bandwidth or something (but I understand that isn't an issue). If people don't want to have their time wasted responding to such ads, don't respond.

Same with overpriced stuff. Just ignore it - it's not the seller's duty to offer something at the price you want to pay, or even at a 'sensible market value'.

The only things that annoys me in the classifieds really are constant bumping, and people starting a fight about someone else's gear, unless it's provably being misrepresented.

Sporky · August 2013

ICBM said:

I don't think we should be banning things unless there's a good reason though - if it's wasting server bandwidth or something (but I understand that isn't an issue). If people don't want to have their time wasted responding to such ads, don't respond.

We are generally against banning unless really necessary. I don't really "get" feelers but I'm not sure they do a lot of harm.

ICBM said:

The only things that annoys me in the classifieds really are constant bumping, and people starting a fight about someone else's gear, unless it's provably being misrepresented.

Both of which are specifically disallowed in the rules.

ddlooping · August 2013

I've got things to sell but I'm a lazy/busy monkey so I can't be bothered/don't have the time to take photos, research pricing, p&p, etc...
However, if someone is interested in buying I'll be bothered/take the time for all the above".

monquixote · August 2013

I think feelers are stupid, but I'm not bothered about banning them.

The less rules we have the better IMO.

FelineGuitars · August 2013

Once something has sold is it easy to remove the listing to reduce clutter?

Sporky · August 2013

It'd be very simple to do, but I think threads where the item has sold can be a useful reference. We could look at locking them (at user request) once the item has sold to prevent necro-bumping maybe.

randomhandclaps · August 2013

octatonic;15704" said:
Seems like a bullshit tactic to try to get people interested but it absolutely doesn't work & just makes the seller look like a dick.
.

Which is definitely covered in the rules.

blueskunk · August 2013

On no, forum police

xJonnysixstring · August 2013

Will change my listing to for sale rather than feeler, had no idea it caused such offence, Sorry I will go and chastise myself in a suitable manor for my forum fumbling

monquixote · August 2013

blueskunk said:

On no, forum police

You will notice the mods in this thread are not the ones wanting to ban stuff.

stickyfiddle · August 2013

I don't have a problem with feelers. It's like tyre-kickers but the other way round. Certainly wouldn't want to inflict more jobs on the mods for the sake of that.

I also *really* like to go back and look at old classified threads to find real-world, non-ebay values of stuff, and for that reason really hate it when people delete threads/posts after something sells.

xJonnysixstring · August 2013

Can we start a "low ball" list please, Basically anyone who PM's you and offers way below value claiming to be an expert giving advice and offering to unburden you of your over priced piece of junk, I understand everyone wants a good deal and all negotiations need a starting point, but some people do really take the piss!

monquixote · August 2013

Jonnysixstring said:

Can we start a "low ball" list please, Basically anyone who PM's you and offers way below value claiming to be an expert giving advice and offering to unburden you of your over priced piece of junk, I understand everyone wants a good deal and all negotiations need a starting point, but some people do really take the piss!

Everyone is entitled to offer whatever they see fit, and you are entitled to tell them to bugger off.

I see no need for anything in place over and above that.

axisus · August 2013

My my, we are a bunch of handbag wielding grannies!

seeing as I am too, here's my gripe ...... threads with 20 bumps, just delete the old one when you put a new one in!

There, I've said it, now where's that blue rinse packet .....

ChrisMusic · August 2013

FelineGuitars said:

Once something has sold is it easy to remove the listing to reduce clutter?

Sporky said:

It'd be very simple to do, but I think threads where the item has sold can be a useful reference. We could look at locking them (at user request) once the item has sold to prevent necro-bumping maybe.

Is necro-bumping even legal? sounds too much like a dodgy movie to me

)

stickyfiddle said:

I also *really* like to go back and look at old classified threads to find real-world, non-ebay values of stuff, and for that reason really hate it when people delete threads/posts after something sells.

I have to agree, I find the old ones great for research. (and an odd GAS)

(rant warning) Just PLEASE mark classifieds a sold once the deal is done, ideally in the "title", it saves much time & frustration, and back in the old days I saw people asking about stuff from months before, which TBH could well still be available in the current economic climate.

Locking them may be a good idea too, but if they can't be arsed to mark it "sold" then they wouldn't bother to request a lock.

(rant over) I feel so much better, now off to get a sammich.

Sporky · August 2013

The rules for the classifieds (don't any of you eejits read them?

) do include that people should add "sold" to the thread title and to the opening post. If anyone spots that someone's not done this, hit the Flag button please and the mod/admin team can make that change. It's not going to get anyone in trouble so you're not snitching, just helping us keep things tidy.

ChrisMusic · August 2013

Sporky said: The rules for the classifieds (don't any of you eejits read them? ) do include that people should add "sold" to the thread title and to the opening post.

Hey Sporky, just take a look at the 250 views of the "Rules", and how many members in our wonderful community?

compare that to the 1k1 views "Shit that boils your piss" discussion, and that isn't even stickied,

The other rant is over people not putting a location in their profile when they sign up, it is helpful if you consider trying a bit of kit you are interested in from the clasifieds, or if you want to offer help in person to someone else, or for a myriad other reasons. Nearest town, city, or region is better than nowt.

Now back off for another sammich

octatonic · August 2013

Sporky said:

(don't any of you eejits read them? )

That would cut into my weird youtube video watching time:

ChrisMusic · August 2013

@octatonic, WTF, it appears you have too much time on your hands young man, oops, and apparently so do I.

I guess his guarantee is validified ! =D>

EdGrip · August 2013

stickyfiddle said:
I also *really* like to go back and look at old classified threads to find real-world, non-ebay values of stuff, and for that reason really hate it when people delete threads/posts after something sells.

This^. Either mods deleting old sales threads, or the author changing the asking price to "SOLD!". By all means tell us it's gone, but leave the asking price - it's useful reference. Without it, we're all left with searching ended listings on eBay, the fee-inflated prices of which are the reason we're all trading here in the first place.

And I think feelers are daft, too. "Does anybody want to buy my thing?" is the same thing as "For Sale", so just get on with it.

It's as if the seller is frightened of committing to the situation if everything goes tits-up and someone actually buys the amp that he doesn't particularly want to sell. If you're putting it out there because you want someone to surprise you with some unconsidered trifle to trade for your thing, just put "FT: Fuckoff-Pricey Amps BJ30 for something interesting".

- Ed

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Can we ban 'Feeler'?!

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