Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

An alarm goes off in me when I click on an ad and see deleted posts: what is the seller trying to hide? I am seeing more and more of these, in fact: it's getting hard to click on an ad without seeing at least one.

My own posts/ queries have been deleted, and for reasons unknown. I did not slam the seller or his product in any way, merely asked a question.

When I click on an ad, I usually need to know more than the seller had to say at the time he posted it. Most questions are legitimate, IMO. But like I said: when I see numerous deleted posts, and from different members, I get turned off.

Anyone else feel this way?

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

I have deleted two from my ad's because they were inflamatory, with no legitimate question.

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

Jack,
Please PM me a couple of ads where you have seen this. It's possible the updated "private" messages are appearing as deleted to you when in reality they were not.

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

I have deleated most of the negative and flameing post that I've received on mine. However, if you go to my listing (146592) you can see where I tried to respond to post and negative comments that were sent as a question. I'll try and explain what happened very quickly. I bought this plane from someone local about a year ago and the first time I flew it, the Carbon Fiber gear broke. When I decided to list it for sale, I mentioned the gear in my ad. Someone, local posted on my ad that I was not telling the truth about the gear because he broke the gear before I bought the plane. If he did I didn't know that and maybe the gear had been broken before I got it. All I know is that I didn't know that the gear had a problem when I purchased it. The seller told me that it was in excellent condition and had never been crased or had a prop strike. He also told me the engine (ZDZ 80) had only had about 4-5 gals of gas through it, and was just now being changed over to amsoil. Then he came on the thread and said that he had personally ran 15-20 gallons of gas through it and I was not being honest in my discription of the engine. These two guy's are friends and fly at the same field with each other. I do know that they are jealous of me because I am able to buy anything I want, when I want. I usually have 10-15 33% - 40% planes for sale at any given time. Read my ad, look at my rating, then decide if I'm an honest person or not. Sorry I couldn't be more descriptive, or point you to other ads taht will assist you.

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

I'm not sure why you guys think posts are being deleted.... The only thing we changed was instead of NOT showing a post altogether (when the user unchecked the "Post to Ad" checkbox) was include a blank message box with the legend:

This message is hidden from public view on poster's request.

It doesn't mean the post was deleted; it means that the poster elected not to display it. If the seller deletes a post, however, this message will also appear.

The reason behind this is to allow users to see that activity is happening around the ad. Otherwise, if three users, for example, elected to hide their questions, another user might incorrectly assume that nobody was interested in the item simply because there was no activity.

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

I understand this and I like the new format. Keep up the good work. That was not the problem in my case.

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

I may amend the legend to read that the post was hidden by either the poster or the seller.

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

That would be OK, but I think most users of the classifieds understand now. It couldn't be any clear than it is. It just takes time for anything new to becom familar again. Give it a few more days, I think it will be OK as is.

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

Excellent.

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

mkranitz ,,
I am not one who likes this idea..
I have to wonder why a post in an advert is hidden....
And when I see it many times in the same advert kind
of makes me shy away from that advert.. I wonder if
perhaps the advert may not be above board and
hence the hidden posts...
What possible question could someone make that
has to be hidden..?

In Bob Laine's example I would rather see what transpired
and see Bob Laine's reply.. I would want to see that Bob Laine
had a less than honorable transaction from another....
Would sort of alert me to furture transactions with that person..

Robby

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

That's because you are naturally suspicious! ;)

I can likely address your issue by distinguishing between a post that the SELLER chose to hide vs. one that the OFFEROR chose to hide. In the latter case, no harm. In the former, the Seller could be taking down offensive comments, which many times occur for whatever reason. To me, an inference either way is weak. So, in the end, if one is interested in the item, one should look at the item, look at the seller's ratings and take necessary precautions in the transaction, regardless of whether questions were hidden.

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

Wow, surprised you didn't use the "P" word. But that is exactly why this thread was started, and it now appears that I am not the one who is paranoid.

I did just did my usual "Corsair" search in the Marketplace today. The first 2 ads had no 'posts' or 'replies' (too new?). The third one had one which was deleted:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=148408
4th had no replies.
5th had 2 replies, one of which was deleted:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=148825
6th no replies.
7th had 14 replies, 7 of which were deleted:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=148763
8th had one reply, which was deleted:
http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=146700

Get the point yet? Pretty much close to half of replies show up as being deleted

Now, let me expain my paranoia a little:
I have been burned before, and more than once thru internet sales. Here at RCU, and thru eBay transactions.
From this I have learned: the best key to successful transactions are good, no make that GREAT communications. Unlike hobby shops, yard sales, swap meets, etc, we are not allowed to examine (let alone fondle) the merchandise ahead of time. We are completely placing our trust to a complete stanger, who will hopefully very accurately and honestly describe his item for sale. In most cases, the seller does not provide all the info they we may need to know, and many times seems purposely vague. BUT, we are allowed to pose questions, and to see what others are asking and/ or are saying.
Again, when I as a potential customers see deleted posts, it makes me suspicious. I started this thread asking if I was alone in this thinking, it now appears that I am not. And now the question becomes: how many others are there out there, who never venture into this particular forum, but feel the same way, and the end result is fewer sales?

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

If you're uneasy about a listing, ask your own questions or just move on to the next. The one asking the question has a right to keep it private if they choose to. No one is trying to hide anything, except maybe their lowball bid................[>:]

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

I usually delete posts when they get too numerous. Especially when I get a bunch of people interested in the same item, but none of the deals actually pan out. Then I delete the posts to make sure people dont think the item is sold due to so many offers. I also like to delete them when I get like 10 or so because then its just a pain to make sure everyone in the big list of posts hasnt offered to buy the item your looking for. I usually mark what items have sold, and then I delete the corresponding posts.

I really think it distracts people from making offers when you have a lot of posts.

I also have deleted posts because of flaming. One guy was extremely rude to me, so I refused to trade with him, and he got on AIM and messaged me telling me I was racist and he posted something about this on one of my ads. (Keep in mind I didnt know his race, and his screen name wasnt revealing anything to his race either, so there was no way racism was involved).

As for paranoia, I feel my ratings are strong enough that somebody thinking I'm deleting posts for a bad reason would change their minds.



-Brandon

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

Thats the other reason I delete posts. Nothing pisses me off more then somebody ULTRA low balling one of my ads, and then I see they've done so on multiple other ads as well. People like this should be forcibly removed from this site!

I've had this happen to me more then once. It aggravates me to no end!


-Brandon

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

OK, it appears that I wrongly assumed the SELLER was deleting all these posts. Now I realize that it ia actually the (potential) cutsomer, who probably un-intentionally is checking the 'hide from view' box when making his inquiry, that is causing all of the 'hidden from view at poster's request' posts to show up.

This seems stupid to me: IF in fact a customer does not want his post to show up, why is it showing up anyway but in a grayed out/ 'hidden' post? Why clutter up the ad with all these 'hidden' messages? They shouldn't be showing up at. This reflects a change in the way adds are displayed: they didn't used to show all of these hidden posts.

And say what you want about my paranoia and how I should deal with it, the issue I am making is that it appears that I am not alone: there are others who feel the same way about all of these 'gray' posts showing up: it makes us less likely to make a legitimate offer on an item.

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

I agree, it does clutter up the ads. Then again why should people have to avoid posting to everybodies view anyways? Does it make some people feel self concience?

I definately agree that when there are more posts, especially the grayed out posts it makes people less likely to post an offer. Thats why I delete posts most of the time when they get cluterred on my ads.


-Brandon

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

For what it is worth, I usually hide all my questions from view when I ask about something in the marketplace. Usually because if the info I seek is positive, it may make the item look better, and then more competition to compete with, for it. Especially if it is priced extremely low.:D

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

When the seller replies and does not check the box to appear in the "add forum" can the reply still be viewed by the seller? I can see the potential buyers question yet cannot see a record of my reply.

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

Yes, all messages, hidden or not, can be viewed by both the seller and moderators.

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

I used the reply button and unchecked the "post to add" box. The reply was sent to the e-mail, but there's no evidence of a reply on the add itself. The original question from buyer is still there (hidden). I think it ought to show up the same way as the hidden question. Viewable by seller, but shaded (hidden) from others. Sounds like it is suposed to, maybe I am douing something wrong

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

Did you use the Reply button in the email you received when the question was sent by the buyer, or the Reply button in the ad?

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

reply button in add.

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/ite...869&electric=0

John, I replied to add 3 times and can only view the first two. The third time I used the reply button on one of the postings and got the e-mail notice all 3 times. The first two I used have a blue form, the 3rd time used a yellow form (it looks like the older version)

Can you view all 3 postings?

RE: Deleted Posts: WHY so MANY?
 

I think this may have started when the replies and offer responses started to be timed or when the new column for "post count" was added . It is showing only 2 posts and there should be 3.

How do you guys ever keep up? ;) Thanks for your help.