Merchant Ad's in WTS

[McGarnicle 1,463]

Sorry to bring up an old topic, but the previous one has been locked and can be found here:

 

http://forum.wurmonline.com/index.php?/topic/107841-merchant-ads-or-want-to-sell-thread/

 

I was under the impression that this has been resolved as many of these "merchant"-type threads had been moved by moderators to the Merchant Ad's thread. However, there still remain these types of "full time" merchant ads in the "Want to Sell" forum where new inventory continues to get added. 

 

Now, I don't really mind that these threads get put into the WTS, so long as everyone can. It seems unfair that some threads got moved and not others as there is clearly more traffic going through the WTS page. Can we please be consistent. Either everyone gets moved to Merchant Ads or everyone gets to post in WTS. 

 

 

[Druidnature 1,118]

Just throwing this out there too - 

 

It annoys me that there in the WTS threads personally, i'm not looking for constantly re-updated stock, I'm looking for single items someone has made usually (Like a rare/drake set, what ever)  or someone just selling a bulk item (without restocking it)

[Kegan 3,926]

You just have to report them and then it is luck of the draw on who takes the report to if the report gets marked as resolved and remains or gets moved to merchant ads. 

Edited September 12, 2014 by Kegan

[McGarnicle 1,463]

My personal opinion on the matter is that I feel that these types of threads should be in the Want to Sell forum. The truth is, they want to sell items. People who are looking to buy a tool will first check the Want to Sell thread since it is logical they will find threads by people who want to sell stuff.

 

The merchant ad thread seems more appropriate for advertisements for merchants who offer a specific trade. They will post the types of items they can make and the prices for certain quality's. People who are looking for custom made items will first check the Merchant ad section for a merchant who can make these items.

 

By relegating these types of "merchant" threads that include only items that are for sale to the Merchant Ad section, it makes it very difficult to find them for the people wishing to look through items for sale. In addition, they get bulked in with the traditional merchant ads and dilutes that forum.

 

I am personally considering just posting my items in the WTS thread and NOT updating the inventory. When I want to refresh my inventory I could just create a new thread. This should meet the silly requirements that people feel WTS threads should have.

 

I do not wish to rub people the wrong way. If you do not like looking at these types of threads, just don't click on them. But for those who are looking for a specific enchanted tool, they should be able to come to the forum where everyone is selling enchanted tools and find it....the WTS forum.

Edited September 12, 2014 by McGarnicle

[Kegan 3,926]

I am personally considering just posting my items in the WTS thread and NOT updating the inventory. When I want to refresh my inventory I could just create a new thread. This should meet the silly requirements that people feel WTS threads should have.

That is fine it is a sale of your items and you are not keeping it going that to me is a sale.

 

By relegating these types of "merchant" threads that include only items that are for sale to the Merchant Ad section, it makes it very difficult to find them for the people wishing to look through items for sale. In addition, they get bulked in with the traditional merchant ads and dilutes that forum.

I think you summed it up nicely in the above quote as to why we don't want the full time priest/crafters selling items on a constant basis in the WTS section we don't want it bulked down with them.  

 

I don't know the answers but i can see both sides of it i guess too.  Just imagine if everyone in the merchant ads section were to post a sales thread also then we would for sure have a mess of a thread in the wts section.  The only other thing i can think of is child boards for the wts section to alleviate some of the pain like have a rares, tools, weapons, armor and then just a grab bag type of deal for all the rest so you can better find what you need. 

Edited September 12, 2014 by Kegan

[Valdor 1,426]

My view is that WTS and Merchant Ads should be two distinct flavored forums. The first one should be for just casual, temporary, single, non-recurring items and sales. If, however, you have a shop (merchant or otherwise), then you should advertise in Merchant Ads. There, you can update your post as you get new stock. WTS should be just for sales of opportunity.

[Shadz 525]

Kinda like how my "independence cookhouse" thread was moved to classified ads, yet the Xanadu cookhouse thread remains in the merchant section... 

 

Good luck getting consistency

[Shrimpiie 3,665]

As a note here, we will be more stringent on moving threads to their appropriate boards such as clear Merchant Ads moved out of the WTS area. For instance updating regularly is a merchant ad, and will be moved accordingly as that is the entire point of the board. There are specific sections for thread types, please use them.

[Cista 429]

I am a strong supporter of moving all merchant threads to the Merchant Forum. The reason is that there is much more traffic in the WTS Forum, but that also means threads being bumped down to second page. WTS should be for single sales and  sellouts only.  

 

While I have had a merchant going for a long time in Merchants, I have noticed other merchants appearing in the WTS forum and thus getting higher exposure. My strategy now, I must admit, is to make periodic sell threads in the WTS forum as well, since the forum moderators are not consistent, and therefore it is the moderators that are teaching both sellers and buyers not to use the Merchant Forum at all. 

Edited September 24, 2014 by Cista

[Shrimpiie 3,665]

Aye it wasn't consistent before, but it is becoming increasingly more problematic so more action will be taken now. If all the merchant threads were placed into the Merchant Ads, as the only place they could be, then yes there would be more traffic back to that area.

[Aeris 3,764]

Might be that people get confused too, "Merchant ads" isn't exactly a descriptive forum section name. There is already an NPC in the game named Merchant so it's possible that people look at the headline and think "Okay, it's for advertising merchants and merchant deeds" and leave it at that. "Classified ads" isn't very descriptive either, for that matter. Part of the problem might be solved by simply renaming the sections something like "Store and Service ads" and "Looking for work/workers".

[Borieck 12]

Might be that people get confused too, "Merchant ads" isn't exactly a descriptive forum section name. There is already an NPC in the game named Merchant so it's possible that people look at the headline and think "Okay, it's for advertising merchants and merchant deeds" and leave it at that. "Classified ads" isn't very descriptive either, for that matter. Part of the problem might be solved by simply renaming the sections something like "Store and Service ads" and "Looking for work/workers".

 

 

Been playing for a while and never even noticed what the merchant ads were for.  Always thought there were ads for people's in-game merchants or something like that. If I was looking for something to buy I only looked in either WTS or the Auction forums. It never dawned on me that Merchant Ads were another forum stuff was sold on.

[Coastis 321]

I don't have a problem if everyone is moved to the merchants section as long as it's done consistently. However i see this as simply creating more work for the moderators due to the long term policing involved and have concerns over what will be done to stop a merchant from posting multiple un-updated threads in WTS section when it continues to be the most trafficked?

[Cista 429]

I don't have a problem if everyone is moved to the merchants section as long as it's done consistently. However i see this as simply creating more work for the moderators due to the long term policing involved and have concerns over what will be done to stop a merchant from posting multiple un-updated threads in WTS section when it continues to be the most trafficked?

 

IMHO, ideally WTS should only allow a one type of items (e.g. tools, or crops, but not both crops, dirt and bricks and mortar) within one post, and every player should only be allowed having one WTS post at a time. If selling more types, players should absolutely make a merchant thread.

 

Unfortunately, as you say, this can never be policed efficiently.

 

I would suggest also moving merchant ads to the top of the list, that would automatically give them more exposure.

[Griffith 362]

unless both treads are merged no system will ever be perfect or satisfy everyone.

even merging them wont satisfy everyone.

 

but bureaucracy and red taping also brings another set of problems.

 

just my 2 cents.

 

doesnt affect me much either way, my stuff barely ever sells

[Ayes 3,715]

As a note here, we will be more stringent on moving threads to their appropriate boards such as clear Merchant Ads

 

This is good to read since there are many others who make posts in sections of the forums where they do not belong because of the attention that they will attract in the more viewed forum sections. This is a problem certainly not exclusive to Merchant Ads, so it is encouraging to see that the forum Mods will be more diligent in this respect.

 

=Ayes=