Ratings For Buyers and Sellers

[RossW]

I have been burnt, and I know nissannx recently had a bad experience.

What do people think about having the ability to rate buyers and sellers?

I know a lot of people use http://www.heatware.com/ on hardware sites, etc.

Is this something we could do here, possible independant of OVAS.  Then we could all view each others "heat", etc.

Ross

[bitterman]

I think we've all been burnt at some point orjustplain not had people showup. They did try the karma thing before but it did not work. I think the fairest rating type system would be something like what ebay uses.

It sucks that a good thing is recked by the few idiots out there.

Bruce

[RossW]

It sucks that a good thing is recked by the few idiots out there.

I agree, and it seems that they are repeat offenders.  I know there are is at least one person I would never deal with again, and many people share my sentiment but this does not help the new guy who does not know.

[Agnate]

Although I'd have to agree that it sucks when you get hosed, there's always a risk with any transaction you undertake with someone.  I agree that a rating system would be useful, but I don't believe it's plausible for this situation.  On Ebay, only one feedback is made after the purchase is complete.  Unfortunately, there's no way to track purchases on here (as the actual transactions are done in person), and leaving the feedback "open" would just allow people to exploit it (such as spamming that said buyer/seller is bad).

I feel that the problem is with people being too relaxed about deals that are made.  If you always protect yourself and have a backup plan, there's no reason to worry about those problems.  One of those "live and learn" things, if you ask me.

For instance, if you're selling live stock, leave them in the tank until the person shows up.  Sure, they have to wait, but if you tell the person in advance that they'll have to wait 30 minutes while you catch them, then at least they'll know ahead of time (so there are no surprises).

I just think people need to take more care in how they proceed with their transactions.  Murphy's law *loves* to make an appearance in these situations. 

[nissannx]

I agree with this. I have purchased many things off people here an dhave sold many things. There are a few individuals who i wont do business with. i.e. showing up at my house and lowballing the price after i had a price posted. There has been one individual in question who has done that with a few of my items and now i don't even bother responding to his messages.

[Heidi]

It always sucks that there are a few bad apples on every tree. I don't know how something like the rating system could be regulated on a forum such as this. It would need a full time person doing just doing that to make sure the complaint is legitimate and not someone just bashing another person. I don't know if there could be a section just to write down bad experiences but again someone would need to watch it to make sure words and statements don't get out of hand and go from just informing people to slandering people.  Wonder if something could be done for the repeat offenders though. A "time out" from the site sort of thing or something along that line. Something does need to be done for the repeat offenders cause from what I see, it's getting out of hand. That's not to say there can be a legitimate excuse for some people but by repeat offender, I mean someone who has done this 4, 5 or 6 times.  First time, okay - crap happens. Second time...okay maybe they are having a string of bad luck. Third time is pushing it. But on the 4th time, then something is wrong with this person. Of course, then you are back to the point of who will moderate it??  Sigh - I know this has been an ongoing debate but it always comes back to this point....is there anything anyone can do?  Maybe sellers write emails to a specific person or group of people who can keep track of the bad offenders and then post something or have that person removed form the site, especially if they are a non-paying member? 

In the point of people showing up at the house then making an alternate lower monitary offer - that's just stupid. You need to do all of the transactions and deciding on the price before they come to the house. If they show up and then make a another low-ball offer, they should be kicked in the shin. The price stated is the price paid unless there is a lower price agreed upon before they come to the house. They shouldn't waste the sellers time by doing this - there are enough people out there that will pay the posted price.

Well, that's my rant.....

[Brine]

There are a few people I won't deal with because they've caused me trouble and there are a few that I won't deal with because they have caused my friends trouble. The best solution I can figure is to PM your friends about the bad experiences so that they can make a more informed decision if they encounter the same individual. If the same person acts poorly a few times most of the people on the forum will have received a PM from a friend or two by then.
That also avoids publicly bashing someone who might be innocent.
If someone came to my house after agreeing on a price and then tried to low ball me I think I would add the "you are an ass" tax to the original asking price. This tax is somewhere in the 20% to 50% range take it or leave it, don't waste my time.

[Agnate]

Are you serious?  Someone showed up to someone else's house to purchase something after agreeing to a price, and then attempts to low-ball it?  WOW.  I'd have to agree that a good kick-to-the-shin would be in order.  I do enjoy the sounds of your tax, though, Brine!  ^_^

Unfortunately, I also agree that there's no way to moderate something like this.  We'll just have to deal with the bad apples, it seems. 

[KLKelly]

Wouldn't this be the responsibility of the executives?  Can't they warn this person and say further complaints would mean we can ban you?  Is it worth $20 if it causes the community harm?  Send them over to used ottawa.  The community isn't a free for all to be used for personal gain at others expense.

I have a problem with buyers picking up all the free/cheap fish when I know they don't have the tanks/setups they need or extremely incompatible tank mates and they just don't care.  Now that this person knows about personal messages I can't warn the seller (if they cared where their fish ended up they wouldn't sell to this person).

It bothers me as a community participant that this stuff goes on.

[KLKelly]

OVAS Bouncer position maybe?

[groupie02]

Sure. In extreme cases, you should warn the exec. We can't be policing every transaction but if someone repeatedly misbehaves, we can step in and "warn" them 

well, I can anyways

[dan2x38]

Sure word of mouth and warning one another is fine but what about the poor new member just joining, just getting into the hobby? I am for some sort of rating system.

I have had some so-so experiences but no horror stories as of yet. As for low ballers I hate that and if someone showed up here with less than agreed upon they be heading back down the road faster then they arrived.

It could be something worth while a rating system. I know I've bought a few things from auction got it home and it was junk. Also some plants that sounded good but there were just a stem or 2 and they were in nasty shape.

How would it work though?

[Tsukiyomi-sakura]

A rating system sounds like a good idea I have had a few people not show up or try to buy fish off me they knew nothing about, And didn't care, I also Think that maybe For our classified section Non Members have to go through an admin to make a post, I can't tell you how many non users never reply or never tell you they already sold it! And I'm not saying all non-members are bad, Most of them are good, But as in every bunch there are a few bad weeds in every garden.

Maybe just a simple plus and minus sign below the users name ? Or something similar for purchases, Although some of you are right some people would take advantage of the system just because they don't like the person, even though they have received good service from the seller.

It's an Iffy thing I guess.

[groupie02]

ok - I'll add my 2 cents in here. 

A rating system would be really cool if there was a way to prevent abuse. Someone said something about OVAS trying the built in Karma thing on the site and it failed but I don't know any of the details. 

For now, we're not going to get a rating system other than the current "Warn your friends". Later, who knows. I'll look into it (yeah, that one too).

Cheers
Pierre

[charlie]

Folks , this topic has come up before , here is a link to one such time it was brought up.
http://ovas.ca/index.php?topic=7536.0

[sdivell]

I am member of a golf forum for golf addicted people and that community trades, sells and buys golf equipment almost constantly.  We use the iTrader system.  Works a lot like eBay feedback and can also be modified by the mods to stop people from reporting multiple bad feedbacks.

it works really well in that community maybe something exploring for OVAS.

here is a link to that forum

http://forum.ottawagolf.com/

[groupie02]

thanks for the link.

[markw]

Folks , this topic has come up before , here is a link to one such time it was brought up.
http://ovas.ca/index.php?topic=7536.0

I posted on that link then, and not much has changed with regard to the abuse. The "classified ads" should be considered a privilege not a right to abuse. I know I have my own "blacklist" and I'm sure they know who they are. When a person agrees to a price on an ad, then arranges to come and pick up $300.00 worth of fish, and then has the nerve to stand there after I have caught, bagged and boxed all the fish and then hand me $200.00 and suggest "since you already have them all bagged" this is all I got. He got escorted out the door real fast without his fish!! People like that really make it difficult to offer unique quality fry.