Seller's screen name in photo of item being sold?

Just wondering why we don't require the above. I am on several forums of varying interests and nearly all require that when an item is posted for sale, it must have 1 or more photos (another thing we don't require) and the photo must have the user's screen name/login/handle in it as proof of ownership. Some even require the forum's name and date of posting as well. Now I know that nothing is ironclad and no one is infallible, but it would be better than nothing, wouldn't it?

We recently had an incident where someone posted a 5D3 for sale using an established POTN member's hacked account with pictures stolen off a genuine FS thread on a diff forum and he was able to swindle someone pretty easily. With hacked accounts, a buyer's due-diligence on seller can only go so far. If that particular thief were required to put anything in the picture of the item, he would've had to take the picture himself of a real 5D3. Again, not difficult to overcome but more so than he had to that time.

What are everyone's thoughts?

Ive suggested this once already and got some response about not wanting to change the current forum software even though this requirement needs no change in the forum software. I moderate on other sites that use this method and it works well.

ManiZ wrote in post #16038530
Just wondering why we don't require the above. I am on several forums of varying interests and nearly all require that when an item is posted for sale, it must have 1 or more photos (another thing we don't require) and the photo must have the user's screen name/login/handle in it as proof of ownership. Some even require the forum's name and date of posting as well. Now I know that nothing is ironclad and no one is infallible, but it would be better than nothing, wouldn't it?

We recently had an incident where someone posted a 5D3 for sale using an established POTN member's hacked account with pictures stolen off a genuine FS thread on a diff forum and he was able to swindle someone pretty easily. With hacked accounts, a buyer's due-diligence on seller can only go so far. If that particular thief were required to put anything in the picture of the item, he would've had to take the picture himself of a real 5D3. Again, not difficult to overcome but more so than he had to that time.

What are everyone's thoughts?

In my opinion we do not need more rules in the marketplace when a LOT of people have trouble even following the rules we got.

But why not just ask the seller for that kind of evidence yourself ?

I'd break that rule because I'm not going to take a separate photo for every user name for every forum and/or website I list the item on.

I would but this isn't just about me and what I may be interested in purchasing. This is about everything sold here in general and keeping the thieves out. A basic requirement like this deters a classified post in the first place, and reminds buyers to be weary of a non-compliant seller. It won't stop all theft, but it will reduce it.

cdifoto wrote in post #16039829
I'd break that rule because I'm not going to take a separate photo for every user name for every forum and/or website I list the item on.

I doubt every forum you're on has that rule, do they? But if they do and you want to sell there, I am sure you will overcome the inconvenience. Happened on every forum I saw it implemented on. Works extremely well for the simple change that it is.

ManiZ wrote in post #16039945
I doubt every forum you're on has that rule, do they?

No, they don't.

POTN prefers a craigslisty type hands-off atmosphere for the most part, and that's why people like it. What will you ask for next? Some sort of complex (moreso than the feedback thread) rating system? Do you want a mediation team too? Why not eliminate money order/cash payment options and require electronic payments only? Do you want POTN to keep track of shipments and ensure buyers receive their items as well, and sanction any seller who doesn't provide tracking information or prove delivery? Oh and to pay for all that, POTN will need to start taking a cut of our sales.

Oh, wait. That already exists: eBay.

In other words, POTN is not a "system" so stop thinking of it as one. It's a venue like a newspaper where you can post (or read) an ad and take care of the rest yourself. As both buyer and seller (yes, sellers can be scammed too and are more likely to be), you take the good and the bad with this method of transaction. If you want protections...or as much as you can get from an internet exchange...you go to the venues that provide that and have sellers willing to bear the costs of making it easier on both you and them.

You're wrong. POTN is nothing like Craigslist or a newspaper. We do have checks and balances in place. Please describe how what I suggested is any different than POTN's existing policies around not allowing access to Classifieds to new members?

No one aspires their web site to be used by criminals and takes every reasonable measure to prevent it. It's obvious POTN mods and owners do as well. But if you want to turn this into a "if we do that, what else will people ask for?" conversation, you are attempting to make something out of this that it isn't.

ManiZ wrote in post #16040039
You're wrong. POTN is nothing like Craigslist or a newspaper. We do have checks and balances in place. Please describe how what I suggested is any different than POTN's existing policies around not allowing access to Classifieds to new members?

No one aspires their web site to be used by criminals and takes every reasonable measure to prevent it. It's obvious POTN mods and owners do as well. But if you want to turn this into a "if we do that, what else will people ask for?" conversation, you are attempting to make something out of this that it isn't.

Isn't it? Aren't you asking for something new, that will be still another headache for the moderators to deal with? We already get members complaining because we can't review every thread in Marketplace to ensure that it's not a violation of the 4 week rule, and others complaining that the 4 week rule imposes an onerous burden on them. My personal view has long been that the Marketplace is vastly more trouble than it's worth. Sooner than imposing more rules we'd have to enforce, I'd rather see it shut down completely.

Jon wrote in post #16040218
Isn't it? Aren't you asking for something new, that will be still another headache for the moderators to deal with?.

Anything new, no matter how small, can be a headache if not planned and executed well. The question is whether the ROI justifies it. If the POTN staff has decided that improvements aren't worth the resulting work, even with a possible expansion of the mod staff, then the best suggestion might be to ban suggestions from Forum Talk altogether. Replying to them is a headache as well.

Please stop this.

With the new forum software we will get a completely new market place. This is why we are not going to make any changes to how it works today.

Everybody has the rigth to ask any seller for that type of photo evidence and if the seller do not want to then make you decision based on that.

Tommy it wasn't my intent to start something in the first place; it was just a benign suggestion. I just don't care for accusatory dialog. Thank you. We'll wait for the new software.

Because nobody can photoshop the poster's name into the photo....please.

Man, I found a new one today. I have been a member here for a few years (at least 4) and have bought several lenses in the forums.

I usually sold on Dgrin, but since Dgrin is dead I tried to post here and was denied.

Why? Too few posts!

Zanotti wrote in post #16042736
Man, I found a new one today. I have been a member here for a few years (at least 4) and have bought several lenses in the forums.

I usually sold on Dgrin, but since Dgrin is dead I tried to post here and was denied.

Why? Too few posts!

Yes please read the rules for marketplace. Its all explained there.

Tommy said it well: "Everybody has the rigth to ask any seller for that type of photo evidence and if the seller do not want to then make you decision based on that."

As said many times, there will be changes to marketplace, but it will be changed only after new software is fully functional and tested. How marketplace will be changed has couple of scenarios and doing it will delay release of the whole package. New software is at beta 10 now on a another server, and invitations to test it will be sent soon, first to a small selected group (of about 50) and later more are invited to try it out until all can test it.