Classifieds overhaul?

[gregmonsta]

Think it might better to have a thread based classifieds system? The threads would stand a better chance to stay current and would also be more noticable me thinks. Also, once completed, any mod should be able to delete the thread.

Might be another idea to use the old section but add it to unread posts updates?

[adamanteus]

We did have a threads based system before.... Jason placed the Classifieds Tab there when he modernised. I'm inclined to agree with you though, Greg. It doesn't seem very effective in it's current format. No one visits it!

[gregmonsta]

It would make it more accessible to visitors too ... I know it's on the top tab but that does escape people sometimes.

[adamanteus]

I'll highlight this thread to Boots, see what he thinks about restarting the thread based classified sysyem.

[brain]

It would make it more accessible to visitors too ... I know it's on the top tab but that does escape people sometimes.

It might help to just move the "classif" tab in front of the "Home" tab??


Just thinking out loud ..

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

It might help to just move the "classif" tab in front of the "Home" tab??


Just thinking out loud ..

not in my case at least it wouldnt... I just don't like the current classifieds setup at all. It's all really outdated stuff in there and it doesn't seem to attract any attention.

[Boots]

While moving the tab would be a change but I would rather look at what is wrong with the current setup and see if we can fix that instead. If anyone has any thoughts or ideas on how to improve the classifieds I would love to hear them. If there is no way to fix it we could always go back to having the ads as a sub-forum. It cost me money to maintain the classifieds and I would have not problem saving the money if they are not useful to our members. That said, I would rather figure out what is wrong with the current setup and work on improving it.

Jason

[zooplan]

The clasified section is on the right place!
The feature block at the Homepage should be enough at that place.
Maybe it will work better when the running-time is limited, or there is an option to reset the date of the ads.
Maybe the moderators could have a little look on it(I found an European ad without an active member?)
And last but not least I´want to ask for the permission for more than two ads, even for "active members"
(like James and Sefan ;-D )

[jitami]

I think the classifieds would work better as a sub-forum. I know I almost never use the portal page. I try to check in there every so often, but it just doesn't happen on a regular basis.

Here's a very busy forum example with a VERY busy, and useful, classified section Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board - Powered by vBulletin They haven't always been this active, of course. They started out small and I've watched them grow over the last 12 years or so. They now have a paid vendor section up top, then a free classified section at the bottom.... and a whole bunch of stuff in between, including VERY specific sections as well as a miscellaneous section that houses their general chit-chat area, where anything goes. I only bring this forum up as an example because I think it's very well run, there are very strict "on-topic" rules which are typically moderated well, if not a bit heavy handedly, but it works and works well. It's not the largest forum out there, but I do think it's particularly well run... As is Thamnophis, in my opinion, but we may want to look outside our "little box" to see different ways to proceed as we grow.

[gregmonsta]

Certainly I still think a sub-forum would be best ... it seems to work better on other forums ... it's livelier and also easier to see when things have been sold etc ... as part of the unread threads it would also peak more interest and reach more people actively ... even if the established format were to be transferable to this style it would be a big improvement.