Buyers Advice on Classified Ads

[Nico van Loggerenberg]

3 minutes ago, Eddy Gordo said:

I have started to use hub less and less because of the type of moderation. There was another thread similar to this one and it disappeared after one post.

I hardly check the classifieds anymore either. Tired of seeing 20 ads in a row from a bike shop. If the bike has a website, then I use that website. Dealers also repeat ads almost daily making it hard to find ads that are not commercial related. One would have to use the search function, but I like to browse whats new.

No man, having an entire page taken up by overpriced bikes is the quintessential bikehub experience

 

[TheoG]

11 minutes ago, Eddy Gordo said:

I have started to use hub less and less because of the type of moderation. There was another thread similar to this one and it disappeared after one post.

I hardly check the classifieds anymore either. Tired of seeing 20 ads in a row from a bike shop. If the bike has a website, then I use that website. Dealers also repeat ads almost daily making it hard to find ads that are not commercial related. One would have to use the search function, but I like to browse whats new.

Agree, it would be nice to have a filter for dealers.

Edit: never mind, I see there is a filter available ..... ☺️

Edited June 14, 2022 by TheoG

[Hairy]

48 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

And therein lies the rub ....

 

A few members had a good go on commercial members .... 

 

Calling out technical faults in an add is one thing, and can be easily dealt with by reporting the add.

 

 

Commenting on the asking price .... whole different can of worms ... it IS a free market.  Re.sellers can try their luck .... buyer beware and all that.

 

A prospective buyer CAN start a thread to ask advise .... couple of these threads

I think you just described the current platform as being a Gumtree's platform.

[Hairy]

31 minutes ago, Danger Dassie said:

How many? One a day, a week, a month? 
Hairy makes some really good points and imho I don't agree with a fair bit of how/why some threads are binned, as opposed to locking them rather. At the same time it is a quick solution to what can rapidly get out of hand. 
This kind melodramatic statement is a case in point, it actually strengthens Matt's argument more than anything. And on this thread he has gone at lengths to provide feedback. Given the history of classifieds comments it is understandable, some here will remember a certain Francois who got banned after tracking down a lady, threatening and sharing her personal details. 
At the end of the day it is Admin's prerogative as they are legally liable and given the history, likely the lesser evil.

No Freaking way, I did not know that 

[Matt]

15 minutes ago, Danger Dassie said:

How many? One a day, a week, a month? 
Hairy makes some really good points and imho I don't agree with a fair bit of how/why some threads are binned, as opposed to locking them rather. At the same time it is a quick solution to what can rapidly get out of hand. 
This kind melodramatic statement is a case in point, it actually strengthens Matt's argument more than anything. And on this thread he has gone at lengths to provide feedback. Given the history of classifieds comments it is understandable, some here will remember a certain Francois who got banned after tracking down a lady, threatening and sharing her personal details. 
At the end of the day it is Admin's prerogative as they are legally liable and given the history, likely the lesser evil.

Danger Dassie hits the nail on the head here. 

As we've gone to great lengths to explain in a number of posts in the YEARS since comments were removed there were pros and cons to Classifieds comments just as there were pros and cons to the subsequent petition thread.

Ultimately the cons outweighed the pros. 
Comments are not coming back. 
And the petition thread only reinforced that decision. Was there some merit to that thread? Absolutely. But similar to comments, on balance unfortunately it was a net negative.

We provide avenues to report problematic adverts. Please use them. 

If a newbie has questions about a particular bike they don't have to worry about being friends with Hairy or not. There's a fantastic Buyers guide forum or even a dedicated Newbies > Ask Anything forum. As history has proven, Hubbers are always willing to guide a newbie in the right direction. And if you think the bike they're keen on is worth 10% of the asking price by all means share that opinion with them on the thread.
 

[Hairy]

26 minutes ago, Nico van Loggerenberg said:

No man, having an entire page taken up by overpriced bikes is the quintessential bikehub experience

 

 

25 minutes ago, TheoG said:

Agree, it would be nice to have a filter for dealers.

Edit: never mind, I see there is a filter available ..... ☺️

there is a filter for this already

[Hairy]

2 minutes ago, Matt said:

Danger Dassie hits the nail on the head here. 

As we've gone to great lengths to explain in a number of posts in the YEARS since comments were removed there were pros and cons to Classifieds comments just as there were pros and cons to the subsequent petition thread.

Ultimately the cons outweighed the pros. 
Comments are not coming back. 
And the petition thread only reinforced that decision. Was there some merit to that thread? Absolutely. But similar to comments, on balance unfortunately it was a net negative.

We provide avenues to report problematic adverts. Please use them. 

If a newbie has questions about a particular bike they don't have to worry about being friends with Hairy or not. There's a fantastic Buyers guide forum or even a dedicated Newbies > Ask Anything forum. As history has proven, Hubbers are always willing to guide a newbie in the right direction. And if you think the bike they're keen on is worth 10% of the asking price by all means share that opinion with them on the thread.
 

Ja, I do not see newbies browsing to see if what they are looking at is a great deal whilst actually being a lemon.

[ChrisF]

7 minutes ago, Hairy said:

I think you just described the current platform as being a Gumtree's platform.

 

Which is what is have been for the last few years already.

 

Realistically .... how many potential buyers even know there is a forum side to the sales platform ??

 

How many of these actually surf the forum to find out if an add is a good sale .....

 

 

The moderators clearly split the "forum" from the "classifieds".

 

Enjoy the "forum" for what it is. ..   .... and that, for better or worse, has absolutely NOTHING to do with the "classifieds".

[Matt]

4 minutes ago, Hairy said:

Ja, I do not see newbies browsing to see if what they are looking at is a great deal whilst actually being a lemon.

But, by that argument they're not going to see your thread either?

[Hairy]

Over and out from me for today.

[Hairy]

3 minutes ago, Matt said:

But, by that argument they're not going to see your thread either?

They would if I could comment on the adds

[justinafrika]

2 hours ago, cadenceblur said:

well done for raising this Hairy

 

What about newbies coming across the hub and being dooped into overpaying etc.

As was mentioned, the comments were there to protect both seller and buyer

Yeah, I’m a relative noob and that classifieds thread provided an excellent knowledge well and learning experience, guiding me in the 7 or 8 bikehub purchases I've made in the last 18 months.  Was a sale virgin until today when I sold my Pike Ultimate 140mm.

I started a thread to express thanks after Hairy’s classifieds thread was shut but that was shut down within an hour.  I’ll say it here, much thanks to all you informed and sharp-eyed peeps.

Edited June 14, 2022 by justinafrika

[babse]

Chad must be relieved that thread got binned... 

 

And im out! ✌️

[porqui]

My *** Marilize

Was inevitable for sure.

Would like to see the numbers for bikehub.

Typed f.o.k. and not ***.

One thing in life is for sure and that is change.

Edited June 14, 2022 by porqui

[BaGearA]

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/profile/1225

 

Can I report this guy for never in his life has he posted A 'GREAT DEAL - .... '

[Nick]

Be honest, that thread was never primarily about helping newbies and keeping the Classifieds clean (and the same goes for the advert comments before it).

It's about a small group showing off what they've spotted in the Classifieds. This inevitably involves frivolous nitpicking, ridicule, and bullying. All of which is (poorly) hidden behind the pretence of community or having a laugh. This behaviour might be encouraged in other places on the internet but we have a vision for Bike Hub where it is not.

There are existing solutions to all the perceived problems that work exceptionally well. We've explained them countless times. But they meet resistance from a few users. So why? I think it's because of the following factors:

1. It is private (no kudos).
2. Pettiness can be ignored.
3. There is no mob.

As mentioned already in this thread, there is some merit to such discussions but it does not come close to justifying the glaring negatives.