EE rule # 11. Absolutely no stomping on other peoples' posts! Do not remark in any way that would negatively impact the sale of someone’s merchandise. This can result in your account being locked.

In the last 7 days I have seen more ad stomping than I have seen in 7 months. I have edited the comments and warned the posters.

This needs to stop, and now.

Don't like the price? Tough, welcome to capitalism. Move on and don't post.

Got a feedback issue with the seller? Then post a -1 thread in feedback, then a Mod can help you.

Dog1

I have some clown telling me I am "Ad Stomping" because I offered my rifle in trade for some guns in the trade forum. Am I wrong here? I am offering my rifle as a trade for the guns in these posts. Isn't that what the trade forums are for?

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=137&t=666914
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=137&t=667443
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=137&t=664506
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=137&t=663328

you dont post a for-sale looking ad against someone else's
you can refer them to it, but otherwise, it's called, stomping
read the forum rules

if i see another one, i refer it to the admins
just trying to nip a problem in the bud, pal-to-pal
Ace

In February of this year I had gotten an account warning notice for posting comments in an ad thread as follow: 1. I described how customer service was dealing with my concerns with stocking and delays in shipping. 2. I praised specific customer service reps by name for helping me deal with a credit card issue with the in-stock/out-of-stock item. 3. I described how my situation was resolved by the customer support supervisor (one of the company officers), and praised the entire operation for helping me comply with my credit card company's retarded policies regarding charges and charge-backs. 4. I offered praise for the specific product and complimented the company on offering high value for low cost. 5. I summed up by saying the company would be 100% if they would resolve their inventory tracking and stocking issues.

This was considered an ad stomp by the dealer, who apparently didn't see it as positive feedback, and I received an IM notice over it. I exchanged IMs with the mod a bit and it was determined that the thread was ABSOLUTELY NOT the place for feedback of any kind. The mod soon posted a new thread specifically for feedback regarding that dealer. I posted my comments there, and within 24 hours the thread was deleted. I decided that since I don't spend much time in EE anyway I wouldn't worry about it and to hell with giving feedback

Six months pass...

So I happened to check this thread tonight and a few weeks ago another post was made by another customer detailing the build he put together using the identical part that I was having issues with stocking and shipping.
The dealer thanked that person for the post. Even though it sure looks like feedback, and I was lightly spanked for offering feedback in that very same thread, I hesitated to raise the issue there.

So I'm raising it here.

I suppose I'm asking if it's appropriate to try to repost my comments in that thread since it's apparently ok now, or should I hit the report button on that user and claim it's an ad stomp under the same EE Rule 11 that I was corrected on?

When did this place become so hypersensitive to comments made in people's sale threads?

If it's that bad, why not just make it so only the person starting the thread can post and bump it so people will have no other choice than to inquire via email/IM? Or have an option when starting a thread... checkboxes or something "allow other users to post in this thread" or something.

I asked if a guy's item was still for sale... received no response. He bumped the sale thread a day after I asked (I essentially bumped it for him by asking).

If anything, some of these comments help people get a better idea of how much of a "salesman" the person actually is, if they blow off inquiries both in the thread and IAW EE CoC.

I can see price bashing being a problem. If you don't like the price, move on. However... I see people getting thrashed on integrity and morality all over this site. If the price is over-the-top or you could find the same thing in several other places for considerably less, then perhaps the seller is trying to take advantage of people and the inflated price should be pointed out. Is there anything in the code of conduct about gouging people? Some people buy on here because of a perceived atmosphere of trust and they can blindly accept someone's price as fair because if they're selling it on this site it's somehow a testament to their personal values system and they couldn't possibly be some turd trying to nail people for a few extra bucks.

Newsflash... some people join this site exclusively to sell their crap... and join a half dozen other similar forums and post the same item on those sites to increase visibility.

It seems like there are a lot of layers to go through to see if the seller has had issues in the past. If I look on a seller's thread, see an item they describe as appealing, but someone posts in "I dealt with this guy before... the product he's selling isn't as described and this person is shady"... guess what, he just saved me a lot of aggravation. Unless a more streamlined feedback system is put into place that is more like eBay or something where all of the user's feedback is in their profile.

That's my two cents... nothing more... maybe less though.