Can we revise the "no ebay" rule in HD?

[gorcorps]

I understand the original point of the rule... auctions aren't hot deals. It seems like things have changed enough though to warrant some ebay postings. A lot of eshops unload refurb merchandise through ebay, so they aren't auctions. B&N unloaded a bunch of Nook HDs through ebay, there was a good deal on Dell tablets recently, and currently there's a good deal on a refurb Nikon D3200 that is still up. Which could be made better by this coupon

Given that these are also posts by AT staff, it seems to me there's not even agreement on this rule. It makes sense that links to auctions still shouldn't be allowed, but links to "buy it now" items with lots of stock aren't really auctions and should be allowed. Just seems like we're just broadly enforcing an old rule without considering how things have changed.

 

[twinrider1]

I support this idea.
I bit on the D3200 deal, though I saw it first on a rotund device for storing money (Are we allowed to name other sites?)

 

[DrPizza]

Given that these are also posts by AT staff,

It was taken down as at present time, it does violate the rule.

We are discussing.

 

[VirtualLarry]

While I'm not a heavy Ebay user, and I understand the reason for no auctions, or even that the mods don't have enough time to police individual ebay links, but sometimes there are some good deals on Ebay. Newegg sometimes unloads stuff on ebay cheaper than their site.

 

[Rakehellion]

If it's a Buy It Now from a legitimate company and there's more than one available, I think it should be allowed.

Auctions, no thanks.

 

[cabri]

If it's a Buy It Now from a legitimate company and there's more than one available, I think it should be allowed.

Auctions, no thanks.

An awful lot of work for the Moderators to go through.

 

[Rakehellion]

An awful lot of work for the Moderators to go through.

Doesn't seem like any more work than they're going through now. They still have to read every thread to see if it's kosher.

 

[Gillbot]

Doesn't seem like any more work than they're going through now. They still have to read every thread to see if it's kosher.

Not really, since eBay links aren't allowed if there's an eBay link they can close the thread.

 

[KeithP]

Not really, since eBay links aren't allowed if there's an eBay link they can close the thread.

Maybe a minimum post count requirement for the poster would help mitigate that a bit.

100-250 posts and you can post a ebay "buy it now" hot deal. Anyone with fewer posts and the link gets killed regardless what it is. This would also help protect against spammers that create accounts to post deals.

-KeithP

 

[Gillbot]

Maybe a minimum post count requirement for the poster would help mitigate that a bit.

100-250 posts and you can post a ebay "buy it now" hot deal. Anyone with fewer posts and the link gets killed regardless what it is. This would also help protect against spammers that create accounts to post deals.

-KeithP

It's not always spammers, it's people trying to sell stuff too. Mods don't have the time to check links and it's not worth the effort.

Maybe allow buy it now links only, but even then they'd have to be checked.

 

[gorcorps]

It's not always spammers, it's people trying to sell stuff too. Mods don't have the time to check links and it's not worth the effort.

Maybe allow buy it now links only, but even then they'd have to be checked.

Let's face it, we're not exactly a hot deals mecca here. The amount of times an ebay link pops up can't be that often. Though when I do check the forum information, the only mod I see listed for HD is AnandtechDeals... so maybe there really isn't anyone that can check on them. If it's really just a lack of dedicated manpower holding this back, I could easily help out if that makes the difference.

 

[Gillbot]

Let's face it, we're not exactly a hot deals mecca here. The amount of times an ebay link pops up can't be that often. Though when I do check the forum information, the only mod I see listed for HD is AnandtechDeals... so maybe there really isn't anyone that can check on them. If it's really just a lack of dedicated manpower holding this back, I could easily help out if that makes the difference.

It's not a mod or manpower issue, it's a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" issue. There aren't many eBay links popping up because they aren't allowed. If they were, it COULD become an issue quickly. There is nothing preventing someone from posting a deal and stating how to search eBay to find it, so long as it isn't directly linked. However, if the eBay rule is lifted, what would prevent everyone and their brother from posting a $0.01 starting auction for their junk then linking it in hot deals? That is the underlying issue really and it has happened in the past.

 

[SunnyD]

Let's face it, we're not exactly a hot deals mecca here. The amount of times an ebay link pops up can't be that often. Though when I do check the forum information, the only mod I see listed for HD is AnandtechDeals... so maybe there really isn't anyone that can check on them. If it's really just a lack of dedicated manpower holding this back, I could easily help out if that makes the difference.

Most eBay "deals" that have been posted in hot deals in the past have been erroneous, one-offs, or outright fraud. From my understanding in speaking with certain mods (because I have asked this very same question in the past), this is the primary driver as to why they aren't allowed. Posting eBay deals require additional vetting, and let's face it - eBay isn't exactly the mecca for hot deals either. It is, however, a bastion for getting ripped off.

And as soon as you open up eBay links in hot deals, you open up the board to getting botted.

 

[esquared]

We're discussion the possibility of allowing BIN from reputable vendors.

 

[desura]

I've posted a few hot deals from ebay from reputable vendors. Mods locked it, but everyone else gushed over it.

I say allow it. Only make sure it's not an auction, not even an auction + BIN, and has to have more than 20 available units.

Not too much trouble.

 

[cabri]

I've posted a few hot deals from ebay from reputable vendors. Mods locked it, but everyone else gushed over it.

I say allow it. Only make sure it's not an auction, not even an auction + BIN, and has to have more than 20 available units.

Not too much trouble.

You are still requiring extra effort for it to be checked as a BIN and the # units.

then what happens if the # available units drop below the trigger point.
Will the Mods know and then should they lock the thread

 

[DrPizza]

You are still requiring extra effort for it to be checked as a BIN and the # units.

then what happens if the # available units drop below the trigger point.
Will the Mods know and then should they lock the thread

I'd think that in good faith, if there had been whatever number of units available, that we wouldn't really need to constantly check. It's always helpful when someone tries to get in on a hot deal and posts "dead" or "out of stock," etc., for others who follow.

 

[TerryMathews]

I personally don't see this being a problem. Just put in the amended rule for users to report suspected referral links or one-off deals. Let the community do the work for you.

 

[Bubbleawsome]

I like this, but it would need some sort of idiot proofing. Right now there are at least 5 BIT some with OBO of used HD 7970s for $150. That's a crazy deal IMO. However we don't need one thread for each auction. :|

 

[SunnyD]

I like this, but it would need some sort of idiot proofing. Right now there are at least 5 BIT some with OBO of used HD 7970s for $150. That's a crazy deal IMO. However we don't need one thread for each auction. :|

And now you know exactly why ebay threads aren't hot deals material.

One-offs and limited quantities do not a hot deal make.

I personally don't see this being a problem. Just put in the amended rule for users to report suspected referral links or one-off deals. Let the community do the work for you.

The community isn't really doing the work. The community is only alerting the mods, which then have to do the work of vetting both the report AND the thread. Not that the mods shouldn't be doing a once-over on the bulk of the threads in the sub-fora they're assigned to anyway, but see above... they'll simply have to vet every... single... ebay... thread. Period.

 

[gorcorps]

I'd think that in good faith, if there had been whatever number of units available, that we wouldn't really need to constantly check. It's always helpful when someone tries to get in on a hot deal and posts "dead" or "out of stock," etc., for others who follow.

And now you know exactly why ebay threads aren't hot deals material.

One-offs and limited quantities do not a hot deal make.



The community isn't really doing the work. The community is only alerting the mods, which then have to do the work of vetting both the report AND the thread. Not that the mods shouldn't be doing a once-over on the bulk of the threads in the sub-fora they're assigned to anyway, but see above... they'll simply have to vet every... single... ebay... thread. Period.

Every single hot deal post ever is of limited quantities... every one. As Dr. Pizza said, things go out of stock all the time on hot deals. Somebody will just say "OOS" and then move on. Ebay posts wouldn't be any different.

Right now the rules state no ebay posts, but there's nothing stopping people from posting links anyway. When somebody posts an ebay link, the mods have to intervene as it is. So the people who don't follow the rules still require editing, and the people that DO follow the rules won't require any work at all. You're making it sound like this will open the door for a bunch of ebay spam when there's nothing stopping it now and we don't have that problem.

 

[desura]

You are still requiring extra effort for it to be checked as a BIN and the # units.

then what happens if the # available units drop below the trigger point.
Will the Mods know and then should they lock the thread

Do you realize how many times I've checked Hot Deals threads to find that they're OOS?

This happens with regular venders also. It's called limited inventory.

 

[SunnyD]

Every single hot deal post ever is of limited quantities... every one. As Dr. Pizza said, things go out of stock all the time on hot deals. Somebody will just say "OOS" and then move on. Ebay posts wouldn't be any different.

Right now the rules state no ebay posts, but there's nothing stopping people from posting links anyway. When somebody posts an ebay link, the mods have to intervene as it is. So the people who don't follow the rules still require editing, and the people that DO follow the rules won't require any work at all. You're making it sound like this will open the door for a bunch of ebay spam when there's nothing stopping it now and we don't have that problem.

Back when the Intel L5639's were readily available on eBay, they were selling for about $90 a pop BIN, but a good many vendors had them listed OBO. It wasn't terribly hard to find a vendor that would accept offers in the low-to-mid $70's especially if you were buying two or more at a time. Great CPU, good price at $70 each. $90 each, eh, not so much. Problem is there was absolutely no way to guarantee that the next person would replicate the OBO despite the vendors usually having multiple listings of quantities of 50 or more at a time to sell. These CPU's turned really popular really fast, and pricing was a moving target.

Therein lies the problem. Rules or no rules, you're going to get posts like that more often than not. It's one thing to have a traditional vendor offering an item, and yes, duh, they'll probably run out of stock eventually. But a traditional vendor has less variables in the sales equation than eBay does and you're not going to run into half of the "listing issues" either.

Yes, I have lamented the occasional "vendor-based deal" on eBay that I couldn't post here. But lets face it, if you're looking for hot deals, you're going to browse Slickdeals or Fatwallet regularly anyway.

 

[Perknose]

Mods don't have the time to check links and it's not worth the effort.

Maybe allow buy it now links only, but even then they'd have to be checked.

Mod workload remains the main sticking point here, but we continue to debate this. We work by general consensus. It can be a very slow process.

 

[desura]

Mod workload remains the main sticking point here, but we continue to debate this. We work by general consensus. It can be a very slow process.

Mods should be checking the links in the hot deals threads regardless of whether it is from ebay or somewhere else.

It would only take a second to see that the seller on ebay was newegg.