Creation of "Sales section helpers"

**Sbrubb** · 01-26-2010, 01:42 AM

Originally Posted by txcollector

That's a gray area that I'd like some clarification (maybe a few use cases on the guidelines)

If somebody lists an ultimate and you notice the caseback, case, CG, etc. are not ultimate do you call it?

Or if they are selling a $200 rep and asking $350 with clever marketing?

Or when somebody asks a question about lume, or movement and the seller is evasive or untruthful with the answer?

"Ultimate" means very little. Various dealers call various watches various adjectives.

I do think there us a huge proliferation of calling something an Eddie Lee version of a watch when it like wasn't any different than the cartel. (on some models) Hard to prove though.

Fully modded is clearly a buzz phrase that gets thrown out too much.

**Drhulee** · 01-26-2010, 02:05 AM

Alright mattusss, now I'm just plain confused. I just read this post of yours, explaining why you can't be everywhere all the time, and couldn't help thinking "Wow, wouldn't it be nice if you had a few members who could act on your behalf and give you a heads up for anything you may have missed?" And who felt that this was actually something they should be doing, as they've been assigned that responsibility.

Sure, it would be great if all members did the above. And you may even get a short spurt where a lot of members do, but after awhile it will die down, and things will return to the way they had been before. But when someone is given a "status/job" they feel inclined to follow-up on it, and not simply make a mental note.

Originally Posted by mattusss

You answered your own question, brother.

There are about 10 moderators for over 25,000 members. You do that math and tell me where we can be all the time.

You, the membership must act as our eyes and ears, and then report this in the Off-Topic subforum, Member/Dealer Review subforum, and guess what else...? How about PM'ing a moderator so that the moderator team can be aware of this?

**FiFi** · 01-26-2010, 03:45 AM

I'm at a loss, Drh. I don't know what else to say, man.

OK, on behalf of repgeek, you are hereby granted the title of "Sales Thread Deputy". Please feel free to post in sales threads, should you find a member selling a non-Ultimate caseback on an Ultimate model or ask a member who says his Rolex GMT IIc has "better than average rep lume" just *how* much better his replica's lume is.

Jeez, guys, we're really splitting hairs here.

If anyone sees a member trying to sell something that you honestly believe to not be what is advertised, ask the seller in the thread to clarify the description of the member's item you feel the seller has either avoided providing or has outright misrepresented the item to be. (That hasn't stopped numerous members from asking questions in a sales thread.)

To "thread crap" is to post something like "Your watch sucks a monkey's nutsack" or "Why are you selling this piece of trash?" However, if you are genuinely inquiring why a member has listed a GMT IIc CHS, but you can clearly see from the member's macro photos that the hands are indeed incorrectly stacked, then diplomatically request verification from the seller in the thread. Just don't be a pr!ck about it; that's what a "thread crap" is, in my opinion.

All of us make mistakes; if a member listed an Ultimate 104, but he forgot that the caseback was replaced by an inferior 104 caseback, and he advertise the watch as an "Ultimate 104", then please post in the thread, and the "good" member will either edit his original post or clarify his advertisement in a follow-up post to your question.

To me, there is a clear difference between someone who is posting like a madman so that he can sell 3 watches in a 30-day period, and a member who makes an honest mistake (and eventually edits his sales thread) about a watch he has for sale.

In the end, there is no set rule of thumb that moderators (or if there was to be a "sales thread helper" position) follow to ensure a 100% scam-free environment. The other moderators and I have encouraged you, the repgeek public, to let us know if you think a member is up to no good, and that's about all anyone can do.

There will *never* be a black & white answer to resolve potential scammers on repgeek, on the Interweb, or in life. Sometimes, sh!t does happen, like the dude selling t-shirts on "Forrest Gump" said. However, I've attempted to provide guidance on when a member should ask questions in a sales thread, when a member should PM a moderator, and how to diplomatically do this.

Prior to becoming a made man, when I saw a member doing some shady sh!t, I had no problem in calling the member out in their sales thread, in other threads, or starting my own threads. However, I didn't become comfortable doing it until I'd been on repgeek for a while and developed a (small as it is) decent good-guy reputation. I would not recommend that a guy who has 5 posts and signed up yesterday start bearing the burden of catching all repgeek scammers, though, as it would put a pretty large hole in his reputation, should he be wrong on calling out a scammer.

Like Forrest Gump said, "That's all I have to say about that."

(God damn! Did I really make two "Forrest Gump" references in the same post? WTF?)

**Drhulee** · 01-26-2010, 09:03 AM

Sorry matt, if I ever gave you the idea that I wanted the status that was my mistake - I don't. It was just a suggestion, and obviously a waste of time.

That's all I have to say.

txcollector · 01-26-2010, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by mattusss

(God damn! Did I really make two "Forrest Gump" references in the same post? WTF?)

well, "stupid is as stupid does"

Sorry Matt, with all those references that's all that came to my head. Cheap shot, absolutely but the ball was just too perfect

**prestigewatchco** · 01-26-2010, 09:31 AM

Bigger problem I see in the sales section is members buying at wholesale and profiting.

Also there should be a rule that doesn't allow members to sell a second hand watch that is still available brand new for less.

These posts can be found everyday in the section

**louisruby** · 01-26-2010, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by Drhulee

Sorry matt, if I ever gave you the idea that I wanted the status that was my mistake - I don't. It was just a suggestion, and obviously a waste of time.

That's all I have to say.

Dr, no attempt, regardless of outcome, to improve this site, the way it runs or to make it a nicer place to be is a waste of time.

You have helped a lot in bringing the whole sales and scams saga to light, so thanks.

As Matt said we are working on new rules to make things tougher, but where there is a will, there is a way....
Any help from any member is still help, even if it leads nowhere.

Really you guys are the forum and in a way run it, we just make sure there is a way of dealing with the evil doers.

Oh, and Matt you are wrong about specific portfolios, I am the exception to the rule and am also the vintage mod....which i still cannot read all of all the time (by the way - no sales pitches are allowed in the vintage section - bit of a plug there....)

**louisruby** · 01-26-2010, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by prestigewatchco

Bigger problem I see in the sales section is members buying at wholesale and profiting.

Also there should be a rule that doesn't allow members to sell a second hand watch that is still available brand new for less.

These posts can be found everyday in the section

So true PWC. or for selling for like $5 less than retail....

**louisruby** · 01-26-2010, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by txcollector

That's a gray area that I'd like some clarification (maybe a few use cases on the guidelines)

If somebody lists an ultimate and you notice the caseback, case, CG, etc. are not ultimate do you call it?

Or if they are selling a $200 rep and asking $350 with clever marketing?

Or when somebody asks a question about lume, or movement and the seller is evasive or untruthful with the answer?

1. yep, but be polite and explain why - they might not know themselves

2. as above, or kindly ask for clarification

3. evasive is dodgy - report to us. untruthful is a potential scammer -report to us. As said above, they may not know themselves. if something is an obvious outright lie, call them out (still be polite) and report it, we will nuke the thread if that's the case - you'll notice a bit of that lately....

If you hit the Report Post button (the exclamation mark under their avatar section) all mods get an email - someone will be onto it pretty quickly (i hope...lol)

**FiFi** · 01-27-2010, 04:21 AM

DRh -- Like lr said, no suggestion is a waste of time. It's just there's no need for a "sales thread helper"; every member is a "helper". A helper of the repgeek community.