Helpful guidelines : Classifieds

Admin · 14-01-2012, 19:33

Classified Guidelines

These guidelines are here to ensure you partake of any deals with other members safely. We do try to limit any possible fraudulent activity by our rules, procedures and minimum membership requirements.
However, you must also ensure the validity of any other party yourself, by following these guidelines.

As soon as you and the other party have negotiated a deal (on the thread!), it is advisable to obtain a minimum of the following details from each other :

Landline telephone number (confirm this with a phone call)
Explicitly confirm details of the deal :
- Price agreed
- Who is to bear the postage cost
- Payment method
- Delivery/postage method
- Expected timescale for payment (don't forget the time it will take for payment to clear)
- Expected timescale for delivery. If paying by Bank Transfer, obtain a receipt, and KEEP this receipt until the trade is satisfactorily completed, you are happy with the goods received, and the seller has confirmed that payment has been received.

Keep a copy of all PM's and emails until the transaction is complete, and all parties have confirmed their satisfaction.

Always refer to the iTrader system for details of previous trades.

Rule Breaks, Warnings Infractions

We've set up and are using the infraction system for rule breaks in the classifieds forums.
Please take heed of the rules and adhere to them. All moderators are now giving infractions when they come across rule breaks.

The main rule breaks we come across are :

• Price pointing
• Posting when not involved in a deal
• Dealing via PM
• Early bumping

(Amongst others, this is not an exhaustive list)

These infractions carry a 'points' system. Each infraction is worth a set number of points and lasts a set time (mostly 5 points and 1 month). If a member accumulates too many points then their account will automatically be suspended for a short time. This is all automatic and will only happen as a direct result when the rules are broken.

The member will be notified via PM each time they are given an infraction, with the reason and a link to the relevant post.

Please remember, the rules and guidelines are there for your protection both as a seller and buyer.

Feedback System : (Currently i-Trader)

The feedback system is there for you to use to give feedback both as a seller and a buyer. You do not have to use it, but we advise you do. This allows other members to see how previous transactions have been conducted and help make a judgement on whether to enter into a transaction with another member.

There is a guide on how to use the feedback system HERE

Marcel · 05-02-2012, 08:33

Classified Access & Abuse

The classified sections are intended to be a facility for contributing members to pass on or purchase unwanted equipment to / from other forum members. It’s an added benefit of your membership and should be treated as a privilege.

Classifieds activity should be used as it was originally intended - as part of regular forum contributions. We will not tolerate people abusing the system. We are first and foremost a Photography Forum, we are not eBay.

Moderators will closely monitor the ratio of posts in classifieds against other forum activity. Any member that we feel has a heavy bias towards the classified forums will, at admin discretion, have their access to those forums removed for an undetermined period.

We are also aware of people joining up and, on reaching (or getting close to) the required 60 days of membership, spraying the forum with “nice shot” type posts to get up to the 25 post limit to enable their classified access. Again, we consider this an abuse of the classified section. Anyone found to be dramatically increasing their posting to reach 25 after their initial 60 days, to then suddenly try to sell something may find their thread removed, their post count dropped and/or access removed.

The classified sections are invisible to guests. This prevents guests from signing up purely to grab a bargain, never to be seen again. Goods offered for sale should be available to forum members, not people "just passing".

14-01-2012, 19:33	#1
Admin Mod Team Posts: 8,116	Helpful guidelines : Classifieds Classified Guidelines These guidelines are here to ensure you partake of any deals with other members safely. We do try to limit any possible fraudulent activity by our rules, procedures and minimum membership requirements. However, you must also ensure the validity of any other party yourself, by following these guidelines. As soon as you and the other party have negotiated a deal (on the thread!), it is advisable to obtain a minimum of the following details from each other : Landline telephone number (confirm this with a phone call) Explicitly confirm details of the deal : Price agreed Who is to bear the postage cost Payment method Delivery/postage method Expected timescale for payment (don't forget the time it will take for payment to clear) Expected timescale for delivery. If paying by Bank Transfer, obtain a receipt, and KEEP this receipt until the trade is satisfactorily completed, you are happy with the goods received, and the seller has confirmed that payment has been received. Keep a copy of all PM's and emails until the transaction is complete, and all parties have confirmed their satisfaction. Always refer to the iTrader system for details of previous trades. Rule Breaks, Warnings Infractions We've set up and are using the infraction system for rule breaks in the classifieds forums. Please take heed of the rules and adhere to them. All moderators are now giving infractions when they come across rule breaks. The main rule breaks we come across are : • Price pointing • Posting when not involved in a deal • Dealing via PM • Early bumping (Amongst others, this is not an exhaustive list) These infractions carry a 'points' system. Each infraction is worth a set number of points and lasts a set time (mostly 5 points and 1 month). If a member accumulates too many points then their account will automatically be suspended for a short time. This is all automatic and will only happen as a direct result when the rules are broken. The member will be notified via PM each time they are given an infraction, with the reason and a link to the relevant post. Please remember, the rules and guidelines are there for your protection both as a seller and buyer. Feedback System : (Currently i-Trader) The feedback system is there for you to use to give feedback both as a seller and a buyer. You do not have to use it, but we advise you do. This allows other members to see how previous transactions have been conducted and help make a judgement on whether to enter into a transaction with another member. There is a guide on how to use the feedback system HERE

05-02-2012, 08:33	#2
Marcel Mod Team Real name : Marcel Location: Up North Posts: 8,174 Camera: Canon 7D	Classified Access & Abuse The classified sections are intended to be a facility for contributing members to pass on or purchase unwanted equipment to / from other forum members. It’s an added benefit of your membership and should be treated as a privilege. Classifieds activity should be used as it was originally intended - as part of regular forum contributions. We will not tolerate people abusing the system. We are first and foremost a Photography Forum, we are not eBay. Moderators will closely monitor the ratio of posts in classifieds against other forum activity. Any member that we feel has a heavy bias towards the classified forums will, at admin discretion, have their access to those forums removed for an undetermined period. We are also aware of people joining up and, on reaching (or getting close to) the required 60 days of membership, spraying the forum with “nice shot” type posts to get up to the 25 post limit to enable their classified access. Again, we consider this an abuse of the classified section. Anyone found to be dramatically increasing their posting to reach 25 after their initial 60 days, to then suddenly try to sell something may find their thread removed, their post count dropped and/or access removed. The classified sections are invisible to guests. This prevents guests from signing up purely to grab a bargain, never to be seen again. Goods offered for sale should be available to forum members, not people "just passing". __________________