Why? I just don't get it!

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the45er

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I have a couple of reasonably desirable firearms I'm trying to sell. One is a Remington 1100 Special Trap shotgun. The most logical place to sell this gun is www.trapshooters.com. However, they have a specific rule that says you can't post anything for sale until you've made 50 posts. Well, I don't shoot trap and I'm not going to waste the members' time posting 50 uninteresting and or irrelevant posts just to sell this gun. My question is, what earthly reason is there for having a rule like this? Isn't a forum something that is supposed to support and help the members, regardless of their "seniority". Who is getting "harmed" by someone going on there and posting a nice shotgun that some member may really want? No harm/no foul it seems to me.

Although not specifically prevented on the smithandwesson.com, I posted a question about a Model 17 I was planning to put up for sale and viola, someone "complained" that I didn't have but one post and I might be fishing for a sale. Several members came to my defense and basically said what I'm saying above - what's the harm here?

Interestingly, I gave trap a try many years ago and quickly became disenchanted with the disproportionate number of "anal retentive" types in that sport and quickly changed over to sporting clays. Much more friendly environment to shoot in as far as I'm concerned.

Anyway, back the the point - could someone please tell me why someone cares how many posts a seller makes on a forum before they can post a sale there?
 
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Doyle

New member
The rule is VERY logical. You get lots of yahoos who will join forums just to spam garbage. Doing that is a fair way to mechanically weed them out without a moderator having to waste his time watching every post.

Plus, buying and selling is a privilege that is a side-benefit to the forum. The main purpose of the forum is discussion and information sharing. There are other places that are dedicated to buying and selling.
 
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jmr40

New member
That is a common rule on all sites. Lots of unethical sellers out there who try to run scams offering merchandise for sale, get the money and never deliver the item. I actually think 50 posts is not enough. I wouldn't buy anything on this forum unless they were a regular poster here who have earned a reputation as a "good guy" over a period of at least a year.
 
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tlm225

New member
As others have said, the minimum post rule is to prevent hit and run scammers. Furthermore, for a relatively new member I'll look at their prior posts to see if it's fluff or substance.

Like Doyle said, a forum is primarily a venue for like minded people to exchange ideas and thoughts, buy/sell is a side benefit, not for a one post johnny to try to sell something.
 
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Aguila Blanca

Staff
As others have commented, it's to weed out scammers and opportunists. This site has a similar rule. Look at the sticky post in any of our classifieds areas:

1. You must be an active member of TFL. In order to start a thread in the Gun Show you must have been a member for at least 30 days and have 25 MEANINGFUL posts in the other discussion forums. In other words, "+1", emoticons, fluffed comments, etc. without a meaningful statement involved do not apply. Postings in the Gun Show Forum, with the exception of the Feedback subforum, do not add to post count. In addition, we expect you to continue to contribute to the forum. Using the Gun Show forums as a free storefront, without being active in other forums, will result in loss of privileges.
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44 AMP

Staff
It's a point of view thing. There are tons of buy/sell sites on the internet. The buy/sell forums here are not open to the general public like other sites. The are intended as a convenience for the regular contributing members.

Not a perk you get just for joining the forum, but one you earn by meeting set standards for contributing meaningfully.
 
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Aguila Blanca

Staff
As jmr40 commented, this is typical for most forums. Another example is 1911forum.com:

Absolutely NO guns can be listed for sale. Posts listing guns for sale will be immediately deleted. All local, state, and FFL regulations apply. Must have 45 posts to list an item. Anyone may reply
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The specific number may vary from one site to another, and they may or may not also have a time requirement, but the principle remains the same. Your question is, "Why?" The answer is, to protect the members.
 
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the45er

New member
Two points of view here for sure and I respect what has been said. However, I will respond to the "prevent scammers" argument by saying that it is easy to "prevent scammers" without prohibiting well-meaning newcomers from offering legitimate sales opportunities to the forum. Secondly, if there are truly "tons of buy/sell sites on the internet" (which I accept that there are), why allow any sales to go on on these "information exchange sites" at all? Just don't allow any sales. To claim it's "a privilege" is a bit ostentatious in my opinion.

I accept "it is what it is" though. Thanks for the input.
 
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Mike Irwin

Staff
At TFL, the gun show forum is a "perk" that we provide to the members who contribute to the health, well-being, and knowledge of TFL and the firearms community at large.
 
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JWT

New member
1100 Special trap is a very nice gun. Assuming it's in good condition you should have not problem selling it. Try Gunbroker.
 
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