Price Check Category?

I guess I got used to there being one on mactalk… is there, or will there be, a price check section here? A friend has asked me what his MBP is worth and I havent a clue.

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Must resist… temptation…

I think you mean category :wink:

But yeah, we have one, there are just restrictions on who can see it so we don’t end up in the situation of people signing up just to sell their gear. I don’t think it’d be active enough to have a separate category just for price checks, though.

LOL! Category then :stuck_out_tongue:

Yeah I get why there are restrictions… so what does one have to do to see it? Its not like I am “new” or one who signs up to sell things. :smiley:

:joy: do the chicken dance :joy: Joking!

I thought I saw the category the other night, but it’s gone now and maybe I no longer have access to that page too.

We’re not using custom groups for trading category access, so at the moment you need to be trust level two before being allowed access.

What’s trust level two? As per the official trust levels post on Meta:

  • visiting at least 15 days, not sequentially
  • casting at least 1 like
  • receiving at least 1 like
  • replying to at least 3 different topics
  • entering at least 20 topics
  • reading at least 100 posts
  • spend a total of 60 minutes reading posts

@julee: we made a small change after the influx of users over the past week that changed the requirements from trust level one to trust level two. Which is probably why you saw it for a little while before it disappeared again.

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OK, all good :slight_smile:

I don’t think we need to get overly paranoid about the trading forum - even if people join up just to use the trading forum initially, a proportion of them will hopefully return and participate in the forum. For myself, I would much rather trade my gadgets with other forum members than use eBay or other sites.

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Sure, I understand. But it’s not just about people signing up and using AppleTalk for trades rather than discussion, it’s also the possibility of scammers.

If we don’t have access restrictions on the trading forum, we expose our users to getting scammed more easily than if the trading forum was only open to established members of the community. Of course, that’s not saying established members won’t scam other members, but it’s about lowering risk.

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather carry the burden of less trades than having to suffer the repercussions of one of our members getting scammed. Obviously if someone does get scammed it won’t all be on me, but I’d feel responsible — especially if it was because the trading forums had no access restrictions.

So yeah, trading forum restrictions are here to stay.

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I found that Mactalker over the past 2-3 years just became a place for people to flip Apple gear.
It was disheartening to come to the site after a 2-3 day break and find that most new posts were trading forum related.

Here at least there is lively discussion going on for a change.

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Yeah, re Mactalk. I would even go so far as to say there were one or two who were there to buy cheap and flip on ebay.

I do sell much cheaper to members who I treat as friends. So it would be a bit sad that it’s taken advantage of. For example I have away a whole 80 inch TV (albeit a rear projection one) on mac talk a while back. I hope people appreciate the goodwill in a community like this.

If the trading forum is hidden from view and people don’t know that there even is one, how do you get people signing up only to sell things?

We don’t, which is how I like it.

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I get all this, but what about people who just wants buy a new phone? :smile: I often used to send people to MacTalk to buy because the sellers were trustworthy. :wink:

If people just want to buy a phone but not participate, then they don’t belong in here. The trading forum (I believe) is ONLY meant for people who are active members. Thats how it was supposed to be at Mactalk. Its always how it was when Anthony ran the show.

I’m sure there are plenty of trading forums around, which are dedicated to that.

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Fair enough. I’m keen to buy a s/h 5S at the moment but MacTalk is a graveyard and I only just found out about here… so I guess I’ll just have to wait until I’ve been here long enough to get access to it! :wink: Been buying and selling on MacTalk for years and always loved it because I know people on there were real people and the items were (almost always) as described. Been let down so many times by eBay etc. :frowning: that I only bought or sold mac gear on MacTalk. :smile:

Its easy, just be the same active individual you were on Mactalk and the access will be there before you know it.

Fair enough. :smile:

Can anyone tell me if there is a WTB forum? I’m looking for a 5S…

Alternatively, can someone at least give me an idea of whether there is much action in the sale forum here? :slight_smile: I have to wait at least another 12 days to be even eligible and I need to know whether to look for a 5S elsewhere or whether there are plenty of them there at the moment (like there used to be art MacTalk each time Apple released a new model). Thanks!

There is a 5S for sale at the moment. Perhaps the seller will see this topic and contact you directly…