Bartertown.com

Question/a thought for the mods and such - is there a limit to the # of BTRs and/or negative refs before a trader is suspended/banned?

Didn't see it in the rules and just wondering....

In theory, the prospective trading partner reviews the overall feedback score and checks for BTRs, and can evaluate whether / how to proceed based on the presence / number of BTRs and Negative Feedbacks.

I my case, I simply wouldn't ship first or pay first to anybody with less than pristine Feedback. IOW, I would consider my (current) "perfect" 78 superior to a 200 that includes multiple Negatives and additional Neutrals.

I see BTRs as a small warning sign of potential communcations problems. If someone isn't keeping the other party updated, then the proper response is to escalate to a BTR. Because of the vagaries of shippings, especially Internationally, it is entirely possible for the occasional BTR to be totally out of either party's control.

Heck, I had a package go "lost" in the USPS for almost a month. Oddly, it arrived only a few days after I started bugging the PO directly with my DC#... If my partner had opened a BTR on me, for documentation purposes, I would have completely understood. But it also reinforces my process and the need for DC# on both ends.

Anyhow, I see multiple resolved BTRs and/or Neutrals as a sign of a lack of attention to detail: slackness in shipping / packing / whatever. I treat them as strong warning signs, and would need to see a clean track record after the last problem if I were to ship first.

I see Negatives as indicating both a lack of detail *and* a lack of communications. It's possible for a Negative if someone is unreasonable, and I'd look into Negatives very carefully to determine whether they deserve the right to request me to ship first.

I see multiple Negatives as indicating both a lack of detail *and* a lack of communications. I would *never* ship first to someone like this, and would treat them with great caution. Basically, I would have to "take control" of the deal, to protect myself, and hope that they pick up some good tips in the process of our trade. If they think they can ask me to ship first based on total Feedback, no deal -- too many screwups means you lost the right to ask me to take the risk.

That said, if there is a pattern forming of problems with multiple open BTRs and Negatives / Neutrals, then some sort suspension or flagging is probably deserved.

And of course, I'd like Feedback summary to be available:
20 Good (last 2/10/2007)
2 Neutral (last 8/15/2006)
1 Negative (last 3/2/2005)

In summary:
- no need to ban/suspend, as I just won't trade with someone with serious problems.
- multiple BTRs are OK to trade, but caution
- multiple Negatives means you ship first
- not opposed to automatic banning/suspension
- improved Feedback desirable

/John

JohnHwangBT wrote:
I my case, I simply wouldn't ship first or pay first to anybody with less than pristine Feedback.

Oh I couldn't agree more.

JohnHwangBT wrote:In theory, the prospective trading partner reviews the overall feedback score and checks for BTRs, and can evaluate whether / how to proceed based on the presence / number of BTRs and Negative Feedbacks.

I my case, I simply wouldn't ship first or pay first to anybody with less than pristine Feedback. IOW, I would consider my (current) "perfect" 78 superior to a 200 that includes multiple Negatives and additional Neutrals.

I see BTRs as a small warning sign of potential communcations problems. If someone isn't keeping the other party updated, then the proper response is to escalate to a BTR. Because of the vagaries of shippings, especially Internationally, it is entirely possible for the occasional BTR to be totally out of either party's control.

=========snip========

Anyhow, I see multiple resolved BTRs and/or Neutrals as a sign of a lack of attention to detail: slackness in shipping / packing / whatever. I treat them as strong warning signs, and would need to see a clean track record after the last problem if I were to ship first.

I see Negatives as indicating both a lack of detail *and* a lack of communications. It's possible for a Negative if someone is unreasonable, and I'd look into Negatives very carefully to determine whether they deserve the right to request me to ship first.

I see multiple Negatives as indicating both a lack of detail *and* a lack of communications. I would *never* ship first to someone like this, and would treat them with great caution. Basically, I would have to "take control" of the deal, to protect myself, and hope that they pick up some good tips in the process of our trade. If they think they can ask me to ship first based on total Feedback, no deal -- too many screwups means you lost the right to ask me to take the risk.

I don't think it could have been said any better.

...Unless, of course, it was actually said better....

...Of course...


Eric