No pics or PayPal in the Exchange??

[Cypress]

I know the exchange is a "don't like my terms, don't buy it" kind of place, but it seems that quite a few sale threads lately say "email for pics", and provide none in the post itself. I've discussed this with a few members and they all say the same thing: "If I see "email for pics" I hit the back button."

If things go south on the deal and no pics were exchanged on BF, does the buyer have any recourse? The seller could merely say that the pics the buyer has were not sourced from the seller, and then laugh their way to the bank. If the pics were in the original post for all to see, this potential problem wouldn't exist.

Additionally and selfishly: As versed as I am in current knives, I can't keep track of every single model from every single manufacturer. I often have to Google what model the seller is trying to sell in order to figure out of it might be something I'm even interested in. Truth be told, I've ended up discovering must-have knives merely by browsing the exchange and seeing pictures of knives I didn't know previously existed, and I'm not alone when it comes to that.

Another thing I've noticed lately is more and more sellers refuse to use PayPal and are requesting money orders or even personal checks (?!) for legitimately expensive products. Again, I understand that the Exchange is a "Don't like the terms, don't buy it" place, but is this the 1980's? I'm surprised BF is allowing these kinds of posts to occur, as it seem rife with opportunity for scammers. Part of rule #1 in the exchange states that PayPal Friends and Family payments are STRONGLY DISCOURAGED but no such wording or mentions of money orders or checks currently exists.

Is any of this worth rewording the rules for the Exchange? I'm not sure. I do know that both of those issues irk the crowd I chat with, and I'd like this stuff to at least be on the radar with Bladeforums.

 

[benchwarmer380]

Are you suggesting that the forum only accepts PayPal or adds more info in the Exchange rules on protecting oneself when using other forums of payment? My response below is to the former, the latter would be a good idea.

PayPayl itself, while a pretty good service, is not perfect and can be used to scam as well. Bladeforums already suggests ways to protect itself (and went a step further with the somewhat recent addition to the Exchange rules) when conducting business in the Exchange. Why should the forum dictate which ways people can pay or accept payment? That just seems like a way to alienate the members that want nothing to do with PayPal. Don't like the terms then don't buy is exactly the correct answer here IMO.



I'm pretty much in the same camp of "email for pics=back button".
Besides being annoying, I don't think that not having them on the forum will be as big an issue as you think. A prudent buyer will request pics. A more prudent buyer will also ask for a detailed description of any issues. A good seller will have these in the original thread or at least provide them when asked. If the seller doesn't, then walk. If the seller does and there is an issue you will have the documentation in the private correspondence. Matters not if it is in the thread.

 

[hhmoore]

Benchwarmer380 pretty much nailed it.

I'm not likely to email for images, and I'm definitely not texting for them. Just like F&F, though, there are enough people willing to that sellers can get away with it.

 

[craytab]

Are you suggesting that the forum only accepts PayPal or adds more info in the Exchange rules on protecting oneself when using other forums of payment? My response below is to the former, the latter would be a good idea.

PayPayl itself, while a pretty good service, is not perfect and can be used to scam as well. Bladeforums already suggests ways to protect itself (and went a step further with the somewhat recent addition to the Exchange rules) when conducting business in the Exchange. Why should the forum dictate which ways people can pay or accept payment? That just seems like a way to alienate the members that want nothing to do with PayPal. Don't like the terms then don't buy is exactly the correct answer here IMO.



I'm pretty much in the same camp of "email for pics=back button".
Besides being annoying, I don't think that not having them on the forum will be as big an issue as you think. A prudent buyer will request pics. A more prudent buyer will also ask for a detailed description of any issues. A good seller will have these in the original thread or at least provide them when asked. If the seller doesn't, then walk. If the seller does and there is an issue you will have the documentation in the private correspondence. Matters not if it is in the thread.

This would be my response as well.

 

[Danke42]

Email me to find out how I feel about pictures.

 

[tiguy7]

Photos are complicated and hard for some to post on this site (notice how many general postings are devoid of photos).
PayPal goods and services offers useful buyer protection, but shady buyers can take advantage of sellers with false claims.
PayPal is going to 1099 sellers in future (not advantageous for sellers).

 

[craytab]

Photos are complicated and hard for some to post on this site (notice how many general postings are devoid of photos).
PayPal goods and services offers useful buyer protection, but shady buyers can take advantage of sellers with false claims.
PayPal is going to 1099 sellers in future (not advantageous for sellers).

Photos are only complicated to post if one is unwilling to put forth the least amount of effort to learn. There are even tutorials here to show how. Most of the time "email for pics" is pure laziness. If you can't be bothered to post pics, how can I trust that you can be bothered to follow through in other areas of the transaction.

No pics means I move on, like many good members here.

 

[tiguy7]

The only thing that takes more time than the 9 step process for posting photos here is the 12 step program to quit drinking. The drinking problem is exacerbated by the photo process. Even if you learn the photo posting process, it’s is still a time consuming pain in the butt.

 

[craytab]

I think you are doing it wrong. That took about a minute.

 

[Boru13]

If you have a paid membership it’s not necessary to use a hosting site, pictures can be uploaded directly from your computer... no 9 step process.

 

[craytab]

I think you are doing it wrong. That took about a minute.

And I even did it on my phone through imgur. I wasn't good at it at first but I learned. If selling stuff is important, you learn how to do it well. Posting pictures is part of that. It's really not that complicated.

If you have a paid membership it’s not necessary to use a hosting site, pictures can be uploaded directly from your computer... no 9 step process.

Yup.

 

[jlauffer]

If you have a paid membership it’s not necessary to use a hosting site, pictures can be uploaded directly from your computer... no 9 step process.

As long as they are small enough...limit seems to be approx 500kB

 

[tiguy7]

I don’t sell much, but I post pictures to help describe objects and content. There are a lot of users here that don’t post pics. This may be due to inability or perceived time and/or difficulty concerns. The nerds can boast about the ease of use, but most of the users aren’t posting.
Craytab: thanks for the ignore.

 

[craytab]

I don’t sell much, but I post pictures to help describe objects and content. There are a lot of users here that don’t post pics. This may be due to inability or perceived time and/or difficulty concerns. The nerds can boast about the ease of use, but most of the users aren’t posting.
Craytab: thanks for the ignore.

And now people can see why.

No need to call people names who can follow simple instructions to post a picture on the internet

 

[tiguy7]

Nerd is a term of endearment for people who unlike myself are computer literate. Your ignore button is not working dear.

 

[Dogdrawz]

I didn't know copy & paste was a 9 step process.

 

[Mecha]

I don’t sell much, but I post pictures to help describe objects and content. There are a lot of users here that don’t post pics. This may be due to inability or perceived time and/or difficulty concerns. The nerds can boast about the ease of use, but most of the users aren’t posting.
Craytab: thanks for the ignore.

They're probably trying to use smart phones or tablets, the touch-screen things, which are of the Devil. I don't see how ANYONE can get one of those things to work, let alone navigate through a photo posting process.

I recommend they just use a damn computer with a mouse to post the pics, and figure out just one photo posting process: a website called Imgur, which, once one knows how to use it, allows them to post all photos with ease. With a computer and Imgur.com, anyone can shitpoas- er, upload photos and gifs and whatnot all over the site.

 

[jlauffer]

They're probably trying to use smart phones or tablets, the touch-screen things, which are of the Devil. I don't see how ANYONE can get one of those things to work, let alone navigate through a photo posting process.

I recommend they just use a damn computer with a mouse to post the pics, and figure out just one photo posting process: a website called Imgur, which, once one knows how to use it, allows them to post all photos with ease. With a computer and Imgur.com, anyone can shitpoas- er, upload photos and gifs and whatnot all over the site.

Still pretty simple on a Kindle, which I use a lot for this site. If you're grabbing the image from the web, just tap the image and select "Download Image" to get it onto the Kindle, then click "Upload a File" on BF, and then select the image from the Documents folder on the Kindle. Not sure about other tablets.

 

[Bigfattyt]

Every photo I've posted on here, and every comment for the past few years has been via phone.

I have a work laptop, and iPad pro (which I don't use for social media, etc) a home laptop, and I have not used anything other than my phone for years.

It is much faster to use a computer, but not necessary.


Pics in thread are pretty important to me.

PayPal is not obligatory. I've taken money orders, and sent money orders for those who prefer.

I'm not going to send a high dollar money order to a member without significant positive feedback and time on the board.

 

[hhmoore]

The only thing that takes more time than the 9 step process for posting photos here is the 12 step program to quit drinking. The drinking problem is exacerbated by the photo process.

Easy solution: keep drinking - you'll save steps & time... and eventually get better at posting pictures.

*btw - I'm not tech savvy, definitely don't meet nerd criteria, and I struggled with imgur when I started using it. I learned, and now consider it pretty easy (even when my phone won't let me access my older imgur images like the one above - that used to be a hassle, but has become a relatively quick process now that I've done it enough)