Replies to classified ads are now completely disabled (including your own)

[bowkillpa]

You should have the classifieds broken down by manufacture. This way the ads are thinned out and it's pin point to what your looking for.
How to make that happen you ask?? I believe your going to need to wipe out all ads and let the sellers repost them in the right catagory. If this happens you will need to let the seller go back to there main post heading and type SOLD!! when it's sold. This way the moderator can delete the ad.

My .02, hope something is figured out soon...

[The_Game]

You should have the classifieds broken down by manufacture. This way the ads are thinned out and it's pin point to what your looking for.
How to make that happen you ask?? I believe your going to need to wipe out all ads and let the sellers repost them in the right catagory. If this happens you will need to let the seller go back to there main post heading and type SOLD!! when it's sold. This way the moderator can delete the ad.

My .02, hope something is figured out soon...

Are you really suggesting 40-50 subforums...?

[gnbrotz]

Sounds like a solution looking for a problem to me. What's the big deal if some people bump their thread (as long as it isn't daily) and others don't. I'm failing to see the problem here............

Unfortunately that would require people to be responsible for their own actions, including appropriate follow-up. That's my #1 pet peeve, people who don't do what they should do and create more work and aggravation for someone else which in turn results in more rules that will inevitably be a pain in someones ass.
Simply stated, it's usually just a few who ruin it for the majority.

I agree this is a really bad idea....seems like an impulsive reaction in lieu of a real solution.

As far as reaching a point where the software won't handle the current system, I'm not sure I understand the issue - especially given the recent hardware upgrades.

What's the problem with instituting a rule limiting the frequency of bumping, and infracting offenders? Further, if a pattern of abuse becomes apparent for a particular abuser, remove their ability to post...and dare I say even view the classified forum. We should be taking things away from those causing the issue, not cutting features for everyone because of the actions of a couple of morons.

[gunga]

Unfortunately this just requires a lot of time and it's very hard to enforce fairly.

I'm happy to volunteer to help moderate the classifieds section. I'm both a vb moderator and a vb server admin on other boards.

[Hawk]

A few thoughts...

1. Divide the classifieds into two separate sections = WTB & WTS (saves posting space on the first page.)
2. Give posters the power to delete their post and/or edit the title after they sell it.
3. Delete any posts older than 30 days regardless if sold or not. User can repost if they want.
Most items typically don't sell after it's been posted for 30 days anyways.
4. Limit bump to once per week (3 bumps max, see #3) or limit bumps for price change or new information only.

[The_Game]

A few thoughts...

1. Divide the classfieds into two seperate sections = WTB & WTS (saves posting space on the first page.)
2. Give posters the power to delete their post and/or edit the title after they sell it.
3. Delete any posts older than 30 days regardless if sold or not. User can repost if they want.
4. Limit bump to once per week (3 bumps max, see #3)

This is a good set of ideas.

[Pa. Patriot]

A few thoughts...

3. Delete any posts older than 30 days regardless if sold or not. User can repost if they want.

I don't like this as it effectively removes any research functionality.

[gunga]

vbulletin capabilities, based on what I know:

A few thoughts...

1. Divide the classfieds into two seperate sections = WTB & WTS (saves posting space on the first page.)

Easy, part of forum manager.

2. Give posters the power to delete their post and/or edit the title after they sell it.

Easy, built in to the permissions screens in vb.

3. Delete any posts older than 30 days regardless if sold or not. User can repost if they want.

Not so easy- would require a custom pruning script.

4. Limit bump to once per week (3 bumps max, see #3)

Not so easy - would require some custom coding or an add-on.

[Whiskey Delta]

Honestly, we're probably getting close to the point now where vBulletin can't really support a classifieds system anymore.

I just don't think it's fair that some people are bumping their posts back to the top while other people are not.

My guess would be that we have to try to find a way to say "You can only post an ad once a week, and you can't bump it" then if after a week it's not sold, you can post the ad again. I unfortunately do not know of any technical way to do this...

I have to look into how other forums are doing it.

Would it help 'clean things up' if a delete function were offered? I see a LOT of "SOLD" items in the list, and that has GOT to be a strain on the server, transferring ads that are no longer valid.

There must be pages and pages of ads that are no longer valid, going back years. It is a minor PITA opening a post to find " SPF" at the bottom of the ad.

How about doing a board purge, and placing a delete feature in?

[Koli01]

I agree this is a bad idea. Infract the abusers, don't punish everyone else as Gbrontz says. (gee sound familiar?)