The deteriorating classifieds culture

[Hairy]

18 minutes ago, MORNE said:

If only you could still talk k@k in the classifieds…right @Hairy?😅

Im not being condescending, you just chose to read it that way and it probably reflects your general vibe here. In fact, id go as far as to say YOU are the one choosing to be condescending? Too good for us ‘mere forumers’ 🤣

Again, here you are talking k@k in the forums while trying to prove that talking k@k in the forums is for non business account peasants. You go do you in the classifieds good sir. 

The good old days where you could call out a "rip off add" and often negotiate a price on the add.

[NotSoBigBen]

10 minutes ago, Michael S said:

Buyer / Seller Reviews, one review stating the above and they will struggle to repeat it. 
I swear by those reviews and I have not been let down by a buyer/seller with a good rating, they are always the "Bike Hub as a community" okes.  

At the time the deal 'went down' it was all good .... pretty sure I did give a review (good off course). Not sure if you can/could change the review after 2 weeks though

As you say reviews and if you're really a stickler then the 'Rouxtjie rule' at the very least!

#IYKYK

[mikkelz]

25 minutes ago, MORNE said:

If only you could still talk k@k in the classifieds…right @Hairy?😅

I miss seeing the grammar police pointing out the typos in the ads. 😜

[Meezo]

8 minutes ago, Hairy said:

The good old days where you could call out a "rip off add" and often negotiate a price on the add.

ad as in advert or advertisement

 

1 minute ago, mikkelz said:

I miss seeing the grammar police pointing out the typos in the ads. 😜

o sorry

[MORNE]

8 minutes ago, mikkelz said:

I miss seeing the grammar police pointing out the typos in the ads. 😜

Jeez, some of these ads really still need the grammar nazi’s. Some are so bad it’s painful. What makes it worse is, these days you don't even have to write your own adverts…you just ask an AI to do it.

(Don’t though, everybody loves an advert with some creative zing to it)

edit: checking grammar in-lieu of Generalfeldmarschall @Meezo s presence…

Edited February 18, 2025 by MORNE

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, Scott roy said:

In my opinion bikehub is for the good of the cycling community and not for making a living off of… (again, my opinion) 

I have no trouble with people picking up a good deal (without lowballing) and then reselling it at a fair price though. 

 

I was about to point out that the owners of the Bike Hub have made it clear over the last few years that the "forum" is not a profitable entity.  It is on the classifieds where they make the business model work.

 

1 hour ago, ACE Cycles said:

The classifieds section is how bikehub.co.za generates revenue.

Businesses pay to use the platform to advertise their stock.

Many users prefer the convenience and reliability of selling to a business as opposed to the hack of dealing with time wasters

It was created to be a commerce platform 

 

 

You make an interesting point.

 

Your "forum" name suggests you are a BUSINESS ... yet it shows you are a MEMBER.  Uhmmm ... so many questions .....

[Hairy]

1 hour ago, ACE Cycles said:

The classifieds section is how bikehub.co.za generates revenue.

Businesses pay to use the platform to advertise their stock.

Many users prefer the convenience and reliability of selling to a business as opposed to the hack of dealing with time wasters

It was created to be a commerce platform 

 

Was it origionally created to be a commerce platform, or did it grow into one?

[Scott roy]

13 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

 

I was about to point out that the owners of the Bike Hub have made it clear over the last few years that the "forum" is not a profitable entity.  It is on the classifieds where they make the business model work.

 

 

You make an interesting point.

 

Your "forum" name suggests you are a BUSINESS ... yet it shows you are a MEMBER.  Uhmmm ... so many questions .....

I was referring to dealers or users making use of the platform to make a living rather than the actual bikehub owners. 

[Nick]

16 minutes ago, Hairy said:

Was it origionally created to be a commerce platform, or did it grow into one?

Good thing we codified the lore recently: https://bikehub.co.za/news/20-years-of-bike-hub/

[shaper]

11 minutes ago, Scott roy said:

I was referring to dealers or users making use of the platform to make a living rather than the actual bikehub owners. 

Registered dealers have to pay to sell https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/dealer-and-retail-sales and private sellers do not https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/sell-on-bike-hub.

Whether you like it or not, bikehub is now for classifieds that happens to have a community.  You could argue that bikehub owners are using you, me and everyone else in the community to legitimize the classifieds as people see a community and feel more comfortable buying or selling here.

Irrespective, dealers have the right to be here, they are registered and pay the bikehub owners accordingly to make a living!

Edited February 18, 2025 by shaper

[MORNE]

14 minutes ago, Nick said:

Good thing we codified the lore recently: https://bikehub.co.za/news/20-years-of-bike-hub/

 

8 minutes ago, shaper said:

Registered dealers have to pay to sell https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/dealer-and-retail-sales and private sellers do not https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/sell-on-bike-hub.

Whether you like it or not, bikehub is now for classifieds that happens to have a community.  You could argue that bikehub owners are using you, me and everyone else in the community to legitimize the classifieds as people see a community and feel more comfortable buying or selling here.

Irrespective, dealers have the right to be here, they are registered and pay the bikehub owners accordingly to make a living!

No issue with them either. But one can argue that if this all didn't grow from a forum with its community and earned the trust you mentioned, it could possibly have been nothing more than another gumtree or junkmail. The rapport and trust came before the trade…and yes, because classifieds has been established for more than a decade now, the forums seem secondary, especially to ‘day traders’

But as per the lore linked above, let’s not forget where it all came from! 
 

i’m just here to praating k@k and sell some stuff to fellow forum peasants every now and then. I have a real job😅

[Nick]

36 minutes ago, shaper said:

Whether you like it or not, bikehub is now for classifieds that happens to have a community.  You could argue that bikehub owners are using you, me and everyone else in the community to legitimize the classifieds as people see a community and feel more comfortable buying or selling here.

Our analysis of user behaviour reveals two distinct communities. The Classifieds community is highly active, playing a crucial role in regulating fraud and curbing bad behaviour. While their efforts may not directly boost post counts or reputation, we engage directly with their reports and queries daily.

This doesn’t diminish the value of the forum community in any way. Rather, it highlights different user types contributing in different ways. For instance, we regularly push newbies to the knowledge in the Forums to answer their questions about getting into the sport, what bike to buy, new to races, etc.

[shaper]

10 minutes ago, MORNE said:

 

No issue with them either. But one can argue that if this all didn't grow from a forum with its community and earned the trust you mentioned, it could possibly have been nothing more than another gumtree or junkmail. The rapport and trust came before the trade…and yes, because classifieds has been established for more than a decade now, the forums seem secondary, especially to ‘day traders’

But as per the lore linked above, let’s not forget where it all came from! 
 

i’m just here to praating k@k and sell some stuff to fellow forum peasants every now and then. I have a real job😅

You have been here long enough to know that the original community is no longer, it left the building not long after the great bikehub crash and a lot of the long standing members hardly contribute to the community as the sole was ripped out when NCR topics etc were removed and it transitioned to  classifieds, with a limited community involvement.

Whilst I have not been here as long as some, I have been long enough to see the change, not only in the bikehub site, but the community as well as the "deteriorating classified culture", and many of the older hubbers have moved on and have limited or to no involvement in the community with the change.  Many do not post as much as they use to, myself included.

All I am pointing out, if someone has beef with dealers being here on a selling site which happens to have a community, they need to compare apples with apples and see that dealers are ALLOWED here and have to pay to for that privilege, whereas individuals don't.

Likewise, I pop in now and again looking for something I need, or selling something, and occasionally talk *** 😉

[Scott roy]

44 minutes ago, shaper said:

Registered dealers have to pay to sell https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/dealer-and-retail-sales and private sellers do not https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/sell-on-bike-hub.

Whether you like it or not, bikehub is now for classifieds that happens to have a community.  You could argue that bikehub owners are using you, me and everyone else in the community to legitimize the classifieds as people see a community and feel more comfortable buying or selling here.

Irrespective, dealers have the right to be here, they are registered and pay the bikehub owners accordingly to make a living!

I’m aware, merely more irritated by the disdain for the forums 

[Mamil]

I've bought and sold things on the forums without a problem since 2016 (I started cycling in 2014). Probably about 20 deals in that time - I don't see a deterioration. 

I also think the forum is generally a lot better since the NCR topics were ditched. 

[BuffsVintageBikes]

Yup, most of the k@kpraat has now moved onto whatsapp groups instead of the forum. Rather sad actually. I find myself enjoying the Wilddog Adventure biking forum a lot more as the topics are more varied and engaging. The target market there also appears to be a lot more mature (read old toppies) and experienced.