Wanted threads are useless

[hese]

For the third time in a short period my wanted threads have proven to be useless. Either they haven't been read or have been ignored when items are listed for sale. What's the point in having wanted threads when they clearly do not serve their purpose?

 

[Deleted member 14264]

I disagree.

A few months back, I posted a thread about wanting a C64 PAL mainboard and I got it in about 3 weeks.

As a seller, I also often sift through the wanted section in case there is stuff I don't want to invest time starting a thread about because it's bits and pieces but some people might need. I sold a few 8500 CPUs and VIC-II chips along with other components.

 

[8 Bit Dreams]

I disagree.

A few months back, I posted a thread about wanting a C64 PAL mainboard and I got it in about 3 weeks.

As a seller, I also often sift through the wanted section in case there is stuff I don't want to invest time starting a thread about because it's bits and pieces but some people might need. I sold a few 8500 CPUs and VIC-II chips along with other components.

Agree, that's thruth.. For example, i needed two trapdoors and two side covers for a500.. started a Wanted topic, and got one trap door and cover as a gift, and got an offer for another one. So it's not totally useless at all, it's depending what do You looking for..

Cook

 

[Nobby_UK]

I needed a 600 fixing and had offers within hours.

Although I once asked for a ROM + Rom Swapper
and got nothing --- Probably because they are readily
available from AmiKit (got the ROM from them).

and

I am always on the look out for thread where I can help.

 

[Pghulme]

Yes there is a degree of luck involved but I've posted a few wanted threads and they've all pretty much been answered eventually

Just keep trying, have a bit of patience (if nothing else collecting is about the chase not the catch) and follow the forum rules with bumping and you'll come good eventually

 

[Amon_RA]

I've posted a wanted thread for an Apollo 4060 and got an offer the next day, also got an Picasso IV via a wanted thread a while back. It's just luck I guess, but it also depends on what you are looking for...

 

[fitzsteve]

Problem has always been they disappear into the abyss almost immediately and the search function is useless. Next issue (at least in my experience) is people want a 'bargain' so you end up getting nowhere and most that I reply to never even bother to respond so wasted time when you can just list something (at that bargain price they want) and get an immediate queue of buyers.

 

[comraider]

There are mods/hooks available for vBulletin for the thread creation page that will detect threads with similar words/tags and alert you about them. The site admins could install one of those. That way, if I open a For Sale thread and start typing "Blizzard 1230", I will immediately see links to threads in the Wanted section that also have "Blizzard 1230" in the title.

 

[Sardine]

There are mods/hooks available for vBulletin for the thread creation page that will detect threads with similar words/tags and alert you about them. The site admins could install one of those. That way, if I open a For Sale thread and start typing "Blizzard 1230", I will immediately see links to threads in the Wanted section that also have "Blizzard 1230" in the title.

the server already does this and has done for some time, we just can't force a seller to read them even though they are right in front of you just before you click "post"

I give big thumbs up to sellers that post a new thread and add "reserved for member xxxxxx for 24hours as he has a wanted thread" and then post in their wanted thread, if every member done this then Wanted threads would be very useful indeed.

 

[comraider]

the server already does this and has done for some time, we just can't force a seller to read them even though they are right in front of you just before you click "post"

I give big thumbs up to sellers that post a new thread and add "reserved for member xxxxxx for 24hours as he has a wanted thread" and then post in their wanted thread, if every member done this then Wanted threads would be very useful indeed.

ahh.. my apologies I didn't know that as I usually use Tapatalk on my phone.

 

[slk486]

I give big thumbs up to sellers that post a new thread and add "reserved for member xxxxxx for 24hours as he has a wanted thread" and then post in their wanted thread, if every member done this then Wanted threads would be very useful indeed.

I usually just grant right of first refusal to any possible wanted threads for a day or two. That way you give members with wanted threads a chance, even if you don't notice their thread.

 

[tbtorro]

Wanted threads are mainly useful for simple common items I think. If a seller has a high(er) value, sought after item then it doesn't make much sense (apart from courtesy) to spend time on wanted threads, as the seller might miss out on genuine buyers while waiting for replies from wanteds.. I mean one buyer's money is just as good as another's. I'm always super patient with my wanted threads, it should be treated as a 'who knows' thing, one day someone might drop by, see it and just need a quick sale, win-win. Until then, it's a patience game and I think there is no point expecting good results - I mean it's still a free service..

And yes, as fitzsteve pointed out, the 'far from perfect' search function doesn't help either.

 

[Sardine]

the 'far from perfect' search function doesn't help either.

agree with this, most of the item i search for are 3 letters. 040 , 060 , c64, psu, lcd , crt the list is endless.

 

[fitzsteve]

I have my default search to show open wanted threads and periodically check a few pages, that works well to find the occasional thread with something I wasn't thinking of selling at the time

 

[Deleted member 14264]

I took a quick look at hese's wanted threads and IMHO they are for very specific, valuable and uncommon stuff.

I believe this kind of stuff requires more active searching.

 

[vladimpaler]

Problem has always been they disappear into the abyss almost immediately and the search function is useless. Next issue (at least in my experience) is people want a 'bargain' so you end up getting nowhere and most that I reply to never even bother to respond so wasted time when you can just list something (at that bargain price they want) and get an immediate queue of buyers.

I completely agree with this. I tried to do the right thing and use them, and I have never made a successful sale through them. People either:

1) Have changed their mind/got the item and can't be bothered to clean up after themselves.
2) Don't answer.

Notwithstanding the above, I have found people on wanted threads ALWAYS want a 'bargain'. The nasty part of me thinks that they are simply lying in wait for a 'sucker' to come along so that they can get the item for a song and then flip it; even though this does not happen on here, as is against the rules! In the last one I responded to, the guy's opening statement was that he already had '4 or 5' examples of the very specific, and very rare item I happened to have, so he 'could not offer much'. So why does he want a 6th?

I don't bother anymore with wanted threads.

 

[Deleted member 14264]

In the last one I responded to, the guy's opening statement was that he already had '4 or 5' examples of the very specific, and very rare item I happened to have, so he 'could not offer much'. So why does he want a 6th?

This is just manipulation. I guess the guy wants to bait someone so he can sell back the item for multiple times the price he paid.

It seems to me I was quite lucky but then again, the stuff I sold were "good riddance" items I wouldn't bother to start a thread for each individual items.

IMHO, that's what the "wanted" section should be used for. Rarities don't belong in there.

Also, if someone is openly requesting a certain item then technically, this places him in an unfavorable negotiation position so the logical answer to people looking for a bargain after starting a wanted thread is "sorry and tough luck!".

 

[Jameson]

Problem has always been they disappear into the abyss almost immediately and the search function is useless. Next issue (at least in my experience) is people want a 'bargain' so you end up getting nowhere and most that I reply to never even bother to respond so wasted time when you can just list something (at that bargain price they want) and get an immediate queue of buyers.

I agree with this, however the opposite is also true - sometimes when you post a Wanted you will get a seller offering you the item at a price considerably higher than the current market value, kind of like they think you are desperate so it is time to cash in, when you could just go on eBay and pay through the nose there at any time.

So I guess, it kind of goes both ways.

 

[Bryce]

I prefer to sell things through wanted threads. There are several reasons for this:

1) I have a box of stuff that I wish to sell at some stage, but don't have time or motivation to start photographing and uploading them all.
2) I've no idea what the going price is for most of them.
3) If I make a for sale thread it can end up going to a reseller or as stated above, someone who already has 6 of them, whereas wanted threads tend to be serious users that really just need/want one, because they don't have one.

Bryce.

 

[PeterNC]

I have sold items and bought items through WTB.

Agressive housekeeping and archiving old ads would help though. Plus the search is completely useless.