A BST rule about bumping. Should there be one?
 

As much as I dislike implementing rules I feel having a discussion about one would be a good idea. A thousand things can be discussed, but for this discussion the topic is concerning bumping (responding in a BST section thread for the sole purpose (and no thinly veiled attempts please) of making a listing go to the top. We have a very, very active BST section and it is time consuming to manage; so I don't want to. :) It can get a bit tiresome always going around having to police someone bumping their thread to the top too often. I am thinking of having a hard rule of not bumping a thread more than every 4+/- days, for the sole purpose of bumping it. Again, if anyone tries to play the system it won't work for long. Our members are quite the sleuth slayers. And so we can get a flavor the poll will have some options. All members thoughts are appreciated but if you talk about something else I reserve the right to get us back on track. Thanks for your divided attention.:cool:

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I use the New Posts function to pop in periodically and it is very irritating to see someone bump a post daily. Bump it on day 4 and if it doesn't sell after the 7th day, bump once more then let it die.

If the seller isn't adding dropping prices, I think one time after 7 days is enough. Then if it hasn't sold and they want to bump it every few months, that seems fine.

Items don't all of a sudden sell after the 7th bump at the same price (or with a tiny price drop).

It's a very small % of members (and really only one comes to mind right now) that clutter up the BST with over-priced threads and bumping them every few days. I would love to see a rule or guideline that makes that go away. Can you imagine if everyone posted a $30 T206 at $150 and bumped it every 3 days? The BST would be unbearable. The fact that only a few people do this shows that the overwhelming majority of members are courteous, but a rule to make the 1% stop would probably be very welcome.

It might just be me, but I think the multiple listing rule is abused just as much. Some guys will post five different "WTB" listings, while others will create three or more "For Sale" posts in the same section.

Personally :rolleyes: I really don't see bumping as a major problem.

I think adding rules "could" cause a kerfuffle :)

I voted 7 days, if you are not going to change price/card. But I have no problem with shorter bump times if reducing prices and/or adding cards. However, that's were things could get "un-ruley." You'd get into how much a drop would be significant, etc.

I like (and try to keep) to the 3 posts on the first page rule. Simple to follow, for simple minds like me.

I voted four days, but that's if the seller is not adding new material or dropping the price.

Leon what would be the max bump limit that one could do ? maybe based on a poll between how many days between bumps which you have with a max limit of bumps

Generally, I am of the opinion that the fewer rules the better. I think that the vast majority of B/S/T users are courteous in their listing and bumping practices. Personally, I don't think that there should ever need to be a bump in a listing before 3 or 4 days at the earliest. I also think that like cards listed at the same time should be combined into one thread, rather than individually listing multiple different T206 cards, for example, in separate threads (which causes others' listings to fall down the page quicker and thus causes those posters to want to bump theirs more).

I imagine that it would be somewhat of a hassle for the moderator(s) to have to police these things all the time though, so a few basic hard rules to that effect would probably make it clearer and easier for everybody.

yes
 

Yes. 4 days would be good. I also agree that the number of threads should be limited. A few weeks ago, a former member had 17 different threads on the front page of the baseball memorabilia bst.

Common sense by the posters, and certain guidelines set the moderator, a listing 7 days or more is fair for a bump or when off the current page.

I voted for 7 days. But I think you should be allowed to bump once your thread falls to the second page.

The board's (MO) modus operandi has always been as few rules as possible. I am not dead set on instituting a rule only discussing it. And if there is no issue then I don't want to make one either. We can also have this same discussion concerning the number of threads a member has open on the front page at one time. It drives me batty when I seen cards listed individually, right in a row, from the same series. But so far, with the feedback, I am not seeing it be an issue with bumping. I guess we can do as usual and take them as a one off and tell folks not to do is so much. I would like to see everyone wait at least 3 days and probably 4.....but that is just me and I can't see making a rule if it's not needed.

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Beware of the malicious price drop exemption. Aggressively priced cards should not be allowed to be bumped more frequently due to a nominal price drop.

If an interval is decided upon, it should be applied to all listings regardless of price drops, content manipulation and whatever.

All listing changes can be accomplished by editing the original listing ( and title if one chooses ) without bumping the thread.

All of the above would be easy to police simply by checking the post and bump dates.

How to manage chatter bumps, as in the Lenox Cobb listing, is an entirely different issue and a blanket rule could be difficult to formulate. Incidental chatter that results from the ingenuity of the lister should not be persecuted in my venerated opinion.:D

The manner of operation is going to stay the same with no changes

I voted 7 days, if an item is priced right it won't last that long!

I also think anyone posting a for sale thread should have their name showing.

+1

Based on all factors having to do with this forum if an item hasn't sold within 72 hours it likely won't sell without a price drop of some sort.

I would vote 3 days for the first bump. If no listed price, no allowable bumps after that. If price is dropping then one bump every 3 days.

I voted 3 days which is sort of the way I've been policing it over the past few years. I find that 3 days is kind of the average amount of time it takes for a post to hit the 2nd page so I always thought it was a good benchmark.

With bumping, there's also some exceptions. If something about the listing is changing (ie...cards being added or sold, the prices change, scans get added....etc..) then I've always given leeway to a certain extent. Although if you list 50 cards for individual sale and bump the thread every time a card gets sold, that gets annoying pretty quick!

Also, if someone asks a question and the seller answers it, that's also not a bump in my opinion because you're just responding to another board member.

So there's little bit of "grey area" when it comes to thread bumping I suppose...

Leon

Whatever is easiest for you!

Bob

I've always done about 3-4 days. I do find that a bit excessive now. I think a 5-7 days would be best now.

ttt

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I went with 4 days. If someone is interested in the item, it will get bumped to the top by the interested party asking a question. I think the seller should only be allowed one bump per item and should only be allowed 3 items max on the first page. I think if the the item has not sold with a bump after the 4th day there's a pretty good chance that the item is not going to sell.

Let's Be Frank
 

yeh,whatever Frank said...

Regulation
 

I wonder if the possibility of regulation will lead to a short term increase in bumping

Hilarious!

Respect Leon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG9z...RDwG9z61JaAtE#

I've always done not sooner than 7 days and usually with a price cut.

Awesome. "Ain't gonna bump no more no big fat woman, Gettin' on down"

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