IceTrade addition

[mojo]

I've added a table in IceTrade that will display the some statistics for the seller.

If you have previously sold on IceTrade, the statistics shown will only display your sales from the time that you were able to set a thread prefix. ie. [SOLD], [WiTHDRAWN], etc. Even though you may have sold items previous to that, they do not get counted in those particular statistics. Sorry, there's not much I can do about.

If you find a problem with it, let me know.

Thanks.

[Moon]

Well done :-)
I can't believe I've sold 18 things (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/search.php?searchid=2186815) on IIS already. What would we do without you?
James

[MikeyB]

An immediate concern is that this league table makes regular IIS sellers look like they are possibly operating a business, rather than acquiring and later selling gear during the course of the hobby as so many of us do. There are clearly tax and other implications, especially since the ATO and Centrelink are already requisitioning information about vendors from eBay.

It isn't clear what the intent of this change is - presumably some sort of indirect assurance of seller bona fides for potential buyers - but to my mind it is an unwelcome and unnecessary development, particularly since it was introduced without (to my knowledge) prior discussion or warning.

[MrB]

I think the basic idea is good, but not sure of it's worth.
With regards to the ATO etc, I apologise for laughing.
They are interested in ebay traders, not the average Joe.
That is, they're looking at sellers of big ticket items like cars and boats, and those sellers with feedback scores in the tens of thousands, which is obviously a business.

[mojo]

The new table is to aid buyers. The information presented in that table is shown to members only.

Having said that, none of the data displayed is private information that anyone (member or not) can do or could have done previously by simply browsing or searching the IceTrade Archive forum. It is not in any way and never has been, private information. The forum posts, the listings & indeed the sold items, are and have always been available for anyone to read.

[MikeyB]

Such access is a useful feature of the site, but the information was previously only retreivable as individual items or to a limited extent as User history. It's the newly available statistical table and the inferences that may be made from it that are concerning, as mentioned in my prior post.

[mojo]

The information is and has always been accessible with exactly the same detail.

For instance, if I was to search for...
User Name: MikeyB
Find Threads with Prefix: [SOLD]

It will produce exactly the same results as is available in the statistics table.

[FlashDrive]

I was not put off by the TAX MAN ... he can look all he wants.
I have most of my receipts when I purchased from Bintel...OPT... MoonLite .. etc.

Besides ... selling your gear ' second hand ' doesn't attract a ' TAX ' component.... ' zilch ' .. no TAX.

Flash :D

[mental4astro]

Why the "Withdrawn" lot? I don't see any positive coming from tabling it. Everyone has their own reasons, but it only makes the seller look dodgy when tabled like this. I've got two "Withdrawn" items. How is a potential buyer supposed to factor this in when dealing with me, or any one else? How am I supposed to react to the quantity of withdrawn items anyone else has. What does it mean if they've got "15 WITHDRAWN"? So what! That's their concern, but it poison's my view of them.

Yes the information is already there in the archives. But this display takes and puts it out of context.

Ego for me isn't a factor though. The "league table" aspect isn't a concern for me. It will others.

Sorry, I don't like it.

[multiweb]

I think it's a good idea. Lots of other selling sites do it so why not here. As Terry pointed out it's only consolidating already fragmented and available information. Saves on research and also will save some people getting burnt in the future.

[mental4astro]

I'm sorry, but it's a conslidation to what purpose? Yes the information is there, but it's only context is there, in the archives, not as a table.

What is anyone supposed to derive from such a table? Honesty? Frequency of selling?

You say getting burnt. How will this table achieve this? There is nothing on it to tell you that! Nothing. How can you achieve this if the seller has only ever sold one item is 5 years? Or 50? Should I be suspicous of the first one as a result. Only if I've sold 50 would some perception of reduced risk be there, but how does this help the collective? Some deals do go sour, but this table does not show that in the "SOLD" information.

But this again doesn't address the need for the WITHDRAWN tabulation.

[multiweb]

Of course it's easier in a table display because you can see all the stats at a quick glance. Everybody will interpret it in a different way. What you read into it is not necessatily the same as what another user will see. Personally I'll be more willing to go with a member who has been a long time member and has done many or little sales. I'd be more careful with a newer member with little sales and more confortable with a new member having done more sales. Nothing's different from the way you judge sales volume vs. feedback on eBay or others. Other time it helps getting a feel for things.

[mental4astro]

Agreed! 100% with how I too approach my trading here.

BUT, the information on joining date is already always there. What your activity on the IceTrades is I don't see it as relevant. More significant is your activity (number of posts), but not how many things you've sold, letlone withdrawn.

[mental4astro]

I am more likely to be persuaded to agree to the tabulation of the "SOLD" tally, but I donot see the relevance of the "WITHDRAWN".

Why not also include those items not marked as SOLD or those are still active too? Don't they also form part of everyone's IceTrade activity?


(OMG!!! I'm admitting to a change in my thinking!!! How outragous!)

[multiweb]

There has been one instance of a very old member ripping off someone in the near past so the activity/number of post doesn't necessarily make you a good/trusted seller. The more info and historical data the better informed decision. That's not going to sort out all issues but I think it will help future transactions.

[multiweb]

People WIDHDRAW when they don't get the price they want or change their mind. I think it's ok too. Doesn't reflect negatively on a seller.

[mental4astro]

Ok, ok. I'm slowly coming round :rolleyes:

How about adding a "CURRENT" or "STILL AVAILABLE" section too then to complete the picture? If you're going to put up information for scrutiny then it should be all there.

[Steffen]

I agree, a "currently for sale" count might be of interest.

EDIT However, the obvious problem is that it may not stay accurate for very long and change before the for sale thread in question is finished.

Cheers
Steffen.

[OICURMT]

Just a suggestion, but would it not be better to have it in the members profile instead of on the thread? Then the stats would be readily available in one spot instead of looking up the last time a person sold something...


BTW: I personally like the addition and don't see any harm into informing the members at large... stats are stats, use them as you wish (or not)

OIC!

[MrB]

I'm pretty sure the script updates with the latest data, ie: the data is global.
The only time anyone would see a discrepancy is if they are looking at an item For Sale, and another item by the same seller has in the meantime been marked as sold. A page refresh should then fix the stats.

[AdrianF]

I like the new format for the classifieds.

Adrian

[mozzie]

i think it's a great addition !!!!!!!!!! geez some people have sold some gear over the years.....everytime you upgrade it costs you money so these people must be broke :lol::lol:

[mental4astro]

I've noticed now that ALL the ads in the archive have been changed to a definite conclusion! All previously "for sale" archived items are now all "sold".

How come?

I often would go back over these older ads & would regularly pick up items.

Ads I have in the Wanted section are now all "Not Required"! I never made that change. I also still had interested parties answering my ads too!

I am not at all happy about this.

I'm sure many folks with items originally still listed For Sale wouldn't be pleased either with some items priced as much as $20,000, and now marked as SOLD!

What's going on?