# New Classifieds Rule Adjustments



## jeff (Sep 29, 2011)

Based on member feedback from this thread and other means, along with continued discussion by the management team, the guidelines for the new classifieds forums, the IAP Department of Commerce (DoC), have been tweaked. The rules are posted here, and below is a summary of the major changes. 

*Feel free to ask questions in this thread.* So that the discussion does not go off into the weeds, I’m asking that members do not reply to other members questions. I am monitoring this thread and I’ll respond directly. May I also please ask that we don’t rehash the entire philosophy of charging for ads. If you really need to vent about that, send me a PM.

As we get used to the new forums, we may make additional adjustments to the rules based on comments and observations about how things are going. If you have a concern or suggestion, send me a PM.

Changes to General Rules:


*Editing:* The thread edit time changed from the site-wide default of 48 hours, to two weeks in the DOC forums. This will allow editing of your ad to update quantities remaining and "X" photos for the entire duration of the ad.
*Photos:* The original rule about not editing photos was to prevent any sort of switcheroo on what was being sold. Editing of photos WILL be allowed to “X” items which are sold. (Useful mostly for blank sales.)
Changes in Trades & Giveaways:


ADDED: “Your ad may remain open as long as you wish. Close it when the items are gone.”
ADDED: "You may include up to 5 photos with your ad."
CHANGED: "All items must be somehow related to penmaking." TO "All items must be somehow related to workshop activities."
REMOVED: "You may post a trade or giveaway once every 7 days at most."
Changes to Vendor Cheers & Jeers:

I know there was some confusion and consternation over these rules. There were a lot of questions about complicated relationships, who could review whom, etc. I got a little confused myself when trying to answer some what-if questions. A couple people pointed out that taken literally, this would prevent a significant number of people from reviewing vendors.

So, I simplified the rules significantly. We’re going to depend on good behavior, honesty, and ethics in the C&J forum. The disclaimers should allow the reader to decide whether or not the review is helpful. 

The essence of the replacement rules is:

Review recent experiences; within 30 days.
Focus! Do not mention competing vendors in any thread.
Threads are subject to closure after one week.
Be ethical and honest. Add a disclaimer if you know you should. (Disclaimers might include: "My son owns the company.", "I sell blanks to the company.", etc.)
Changes to Product Reference Rules:

Originally, the rule regarding SOYP read thusly:

“If you are a vendor, and you make your own pens from your own product, feel free to post your work in our Show Off Your Pens forum. You may identify the materials, *but you may not mention that you sell them.* The same rules apply; no links, no product numbers, no prices. If someone asks where to get the materials, again the same rules apply. Let your signature and your fans and customers do the talking.”

This has changed to: 

If you are a vendor, and you make your own pens from your own product, feel free to post your work in our Show Off Your Pens forum. You may tastefully identify your materials and indicate that you sell them, but you may not direct people to your web site or IAP ad, or post links, catalog numbers, or prices. (A tasteful reference would be: “Made using my Sweet Sparkles Blank.”) The idea is simple; we want to see your nice pens, we want to know you sell the stuff so we can make similarly nice pens, but SOYP is not your product catalog. Leave a week between posting a pen in SOYP and offering the same thing in the classifieds or vice versa.


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## jeff (Sep 29, 2011)

The old classifieds close to NEW THREADS tonight about 10pm. 

Those forums will remain open until Oct 8 so you can wrap up existing transactions.

The new Department of Commerce will open on Oct 1.

Please bear with us as we make this transition. It's not as simple as throwing a switch!


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## hunter-27 (Sep 29, 2011)

I like the clarifications and simplified versions.  Good job!


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## Majorbdk (Sep 29, 2011)

Jeff,

Can you explain how this is done if there is no off site hosting of photos? I have no problem with the rule, just need to understand how do to it. Maybe someone could write something for the "Library". 

*Photos:* The original rule about not editing photos was to prevent any sort of switcheroo on what was being sold. Editing of photos WILL be allowed to “X” items which are sold. (Useful mostly for blank sales.)


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## Haynie (Sep 29, 2011)

Thank you for the X


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## jeff (Sep 29, 2011)

Majorbdk said:


> Jeff,
> 
> Can you explain how this is done if there is no off site hosting of photos? I have no problem with the rule, just need to understand how do to it. Maybe someone could write something for the "Library".
> 
> *Photos:* The original rule about not editing photos was to prevent any sort of switcheroo on what was being sold. Editing of photos WILL be allowed to “X” items which are sold. (Useful mostly for blank sales.)



You upload photos using the attachment manager (the "paperclip" in the advanced editing window). That pops up a window and you browse your local machine for pics and click upload.


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## GaryMGg (Sep 30, 2011)

The leadership shown herein -- the ability to constantly readjust and realign to stay on target --is why this is a great forum.

Thank you.


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## HSTurning (Sep 30, 2011)

Just wondering if we will still have access to the old closed classifieds.  Just yesterday I had an idea of a blank I wanted to have made but could not remember who made that style blank and went looking at the older posts. (not closed)  I am not ready to contact the person yet but would like to later.
This may also come up in the future for other blanks.  
Just want to make sure I dont have to go thru the posts and make a file with all the names with products and blanks for possible future needs.


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## jeff (Sep 30, 2011)

HSTurning said:


> Just wondering if we will still have access to the old closed classifieds.  Just yesterday I had an idea of a blank I wanted to have made but could not remember who made that style blank and went looking at the older posts. (not closed)  I am not ready to contact the person yet but would like to later.
> This may also come up in the future for other blanks.
> Just want to make sure I dont have to go thru the posts and make a file with all the names with products and blanks for possible future needs.



I don't see why we could not move all posts in the existing classifieds into their respective completed listings subforums, then move those subforums to the new classifieds section for reference. Unless there is some unintended consequence I'm not considering, that seems pretty reasonable.


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## seamus7227 (Sep 30, 2011)

Im glad that question was asked, I was thinking the same, thanks Jeff! sounds fair enough!


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## Smitty37 (Sep 30, 2011)

*Mentioning other vendor's products*

I have started collecting pens made by IAP members - in most cases I work a swap of component sets for a finished pen.  Some of the pen makers (probably most of them) sell pens as a business.  *Can I mention the name of the turner if he/she sells their pens as a business?*

Often I provide the blank for the pen. These blanks usually (not always) come from an IAP vendor that I might have a business relationship with.  In no case, is it going to be a vendor who is selling me blanks other than a retail purchase - I don't sell blanks. 
*Can I mention the name of the vendor who sold me the blank?*


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## maxwell_smart007 (Sep 30, 2011)

In what, Smitty?  SOYP?


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## Smitty37 (Sep 30, 2011)

*Yes*



maxwell_smart007 said:


> In what, Smitty? SOYP?


Well that's what I was thinking - even though I don't make the ones I'm collecting myself, I assume that is where to show them to the membership.


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## jeff (Sep 30, 2011)

Smitty37 said:


> maxwell_smart007 said:
> 
> 
> > In what, Smitty? SOYP?
> ...



Yes, you can say "made by X" You cannot say "made by X and go see his web site at http blah blah blah."

EDIT: You can also say where you got the blank.


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## Smitty37 (Sep 30, 2011)

*Clear*



jeff said:


> Smitty37 said:
> 
> 
> > maxwell_smart007 said:
> ...


  That clears that question --- I remembered there was a lot of discussion about it awhile back but didn't have clear in my mind exactly what was decided.


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## IPD_Mr (Oct 1, 2011)

I just got a chance to read the new changes to the DoC that Jeff outlined in this thread. I have to say a lot of thought and common sense went into the changes. Having said that, lets hope that members conduct themselves appropriately with regard to the editing timeline. That had to take a lot of faith on Jeff's and his team's part. I think it is great that things were softened for the individual trying to sell a few items here or there. Tastes change, focus changes, your core product changes when you sell pens and there are always the upgrades to equipment. To be able to sell these types of things without being choked by rules may help to keep people in the hobby longer as they will be able to adapt to their changing styles and interests.

So a big thank you to Jeff and the MODs for their thoughtfulness and hard work.


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## Smitty37 (Oct 1, 2011)

*Hmmmmmm*

By my calendar today is October 1, 2011.  Where are the DOC forums?  I am getting anxious to spend my money on a new classified ad and it seems there is no where to spend it.


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## jeff (Oct 1, 2011)

Folks, I was planning to turn on the new classifieds this morning, but that will have to wait. I have a family emergency to deal with which will take me out of town for most of the day. The classifieds will have to wait until tomorrow.

My apologies, but family comes before anything else.


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## Ankrom Exotics (Oct 1, 2011)

Are website links allowed within the classified ads? 

For instance...... when we add new products to our website inventory can we post a couple sample pictures in the standard classifieds for $5 along with a link to the appropriate web page?


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## shadetree_1 (Oct 1, 2011)

No apologies needed Jeff, we have all had our share of family emergencys, and as you said, Family comes first !! Hope everything comes out ok for you and yours !!!

Joe


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## alphageek (Oct 1, 2011)

Ankrom Exotics said:


> Are website links allowed within the classified ads?
> 
> For instance...... when we add new products to our website inventory can we post a couple sample pictures in the standard classifieds for $5 along with a link to the appropriate web page?



Yes, links are DEFINATELY allowed.   And as long as your post follows the followup policies, etc there is no reason it can't be a standard ad.   You should be good to go... Just remember that if you do put pictures into the ads, they must be uploaded.

Dean
Asst Mod


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## SCR0LL3R (Oct 1, 2011)

I think all of these recent adjustments are great! Thanks Jeff and the rest of the staff for taking the time to analyze and respond to so many of the concerns raised by members.


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## jeff (Oct 1, 2011)

Ankrom Exotics said:


> Are website links allowed within the classified ads?
> 
> For instance...... when we add new products to our website inventory can we post a couple sample pictures in the standard classifieds for $5 along with a link to the appropriate web page?



That was exactly one of the intended purposes of the standard classifieds.


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## jeff (Oct 2, 2011)

The IAP Department of Commerce is now OPEN!


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## OKLAHOMAN (Oct 2, 2011)

Thank you, I really think this is going to work great! 



jeff said:


> The IAP Department of Commerce is now OPEN!


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## jeff (Oct 7, 2011)

All posts from forums in the old Buy, Sell, & Swap category have been moved to a read-only archive forum for reference purposes. Every ad thread since 2005 is in the archive.

After moving all the threads from forums in the old Buy, Sell, & Swap category to the archive, the category and the forums it contained were deleted.

"Department of Commerce" was a working title and the name of the new section has been changed to "*IAP Marketplace*" 

Thanks to all for your cooperation and patience as we've gone through the sometimes painful process of overhauling our classifieds.


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## jeff (Oct 8, 2011)

I just finished a little page to display your thread credit status and purchase history.

Go here and let me know if it works ok for you.

I'll be putting a link to that page on the UserCP sidebar.

Let me know if it should display anything else...

Thanks


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## ed4copies (Oct 8, 2011)

The "credit report" works great!!

Accurate on both Premium and regular, for me so far.
Thank-you!!


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## Smitty37 (Oct 8, 2011)

*OK*



jeff said:


> I just finished a little page to display your thread credit status and purchase history.
> 
> Go here and let me know if it works ok for you.
> 
> ...


 Fine


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## jeff (Oct 10, 2011)

I integrated that report into your user control panel.

Here is the updated link.


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## PR_Princess (Oct 10, 2011)

WOW other cool things there now too!
Go Jeff!


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