EA’s Facebook Trade Market Group is nearly a year old and almost 1,700 members strong! I’m delighted to foster a home for so many Anthropologie fans to come together to buy, sell, and trade their items. If you’re not a member and would like to join, you can request membership here.
Due to the somewhat piecemeal nature of the group’s wall, I thought it would be better to make some administrative announcements here on the blog rather than in the group. What announcements? Read on for more…
First up, I want to quickly restate some of the Group Guidelines that I have to remind people of the most. Although you may not agree with these policies, I employ the following logic in the guidelines: I used another successful group’s policies and adapted them, thus maintaining consistency and since I can’t please everyone I try to employ guidelines that make sense to me. I’m not against changing guidelines but if I do not change based on your suggestion know it’s nothing personal; we’ll just have to agree to disagree.
If you do not follow these guidelines I can ban you right away. But I usually warn first. I hate having to ban people. Please don’t make me ban you over something silly like the policies below.
– DO NOT POST PHOTOS DIRECTLY TO THE GROUP WALL. USE THE PROPER ALBUM.
The wall is such a dynamic beast that your photo is sure to quickly fall down off the main page. The purpose of the photo albums is to give your listing a permanent home base that people know to check. Newest photos show up at the bottom of the album, so it’s not like you have to scroll through every item. This also helps to give “bumped” items more presence by allowing them to have a place on the wall.
I know that when you use the Facebook app on your phone or tablet the PHOTOS tab isn’t readily visible. I have no idea why FB made that UX choice but it’s nothing I can change. Best to access the group from your laptop or computer to post your item.
– DO NOT BUMP, LIKE OR COMMENT ON YOUR PHOTOS BEFORE 7 DAYS HAVE PASSED.
Bumping means liking your own photo or adding a comment to it, i.e. “Bump”. This action makes your photo appear on the group wall and gives it additional prominence. Per the Group Guidelines, photos may be bumped after 7 days have passed.
Once you’ve uploaded your photo to the album it does not appear on the wall. That means people have to visit the photo album to see it. Although it’s very tempting to give your item more visibility immediately by bumping it to the wall, DON’T. I promise you members are combing the albums daily — I get contacted about many (not all) of my sale/trade requests within 24 hours of posting photos in the albums.
– DO NOT POST LINKS TO OUTSIDE SITES I.E. EBAY, POSHMARK, ETC.
This group is limited to personal transactions. I realize many times it’s selfless motivation when a group member posts an eBay auction link to help someone who’s looking for an item. However as soon as you post that link it’s no longer a personal transaction and thus violates the guidelines. And if eBay is OK why isn’t this site or that site OK…it just gets to be unmanageable. So I ban all links (except to Anthropologie’s site) because it’s easier to ban everything than it is to decide on a case-by-case basis what sites might be OK.
– DELETE YOUR PHOTO AFTER YOUR ITEM IS SOLD.
It takes about 5 seconds for you to delete your photo and keep the group folders manageable. I’m about to spend a whole weekend cleaning up after the people who can’t be bothered. Yeah, I’m totally guilt-tripping right now. Clean up after yourself. If you can’t, you can’t be in this group.
Next I wanted to tackle the subject of common courtesies. I’m not overly concerned about this — by and large we’re all very kind and courteous to each other and most conflicts come down to a difference of opinion rather than any malicious intent. While the Group Guidelines are a factual list of policies there are some (previously) unstated common courtesies I’d like to encourage all members to follow. I have zero desire and really no time to police transactions. When I see it happening in the group I’ll comment. But I’m mostly leaving this up to you to uphold.
Please do not piggyback on other people’s photo posts.
Let me give you an example: I’m selling an Ottoman Poppies Tank in size 6. I upload the photo into the size 6 folder and put my pricing information in there. Someone sees the post and comments that they’re looking for the same top in a size 4. Then, someone comments on my photo that they’re selling a size 2 of the top. And someone replies to their comment that they’re interested in the 2. This is so confusing! Not only does the original seller’s post get hijacked, but now interested parties have to sweep through a whole bunch of comments unrelated to the item that’s actually for sale. Plus the size 2 for sale isn’t living in the size 2 folder, so how do you bump it or make sure people looking for the size 2 see it? If you have an item for sale or want to find an item you’re responsible for making your own post for it. Piggybacking on someone else’s post is, in my opinion, rude.
Please let sellers know if you’re no longer interested in an item.
This is a frustration I’ve dealt with several times. A perspective buyer will comment on my sale item or email me about an item they’re interested in. I reply back and then…silence. I ping them again a day or two later. More silence. I don’t need a reason, I don’t need an explanation. But if you’re no longer interested in buying my item please just let me know so I’m not flailing in the wind.
Here’s a template you can use, just swap out my name with the seller’s: Hi Roxy, I’m no longer interested in purchasing this item. Just wanted to let you know! Thanks.
Please give buyers time to make up their mind.
On the other side of the same coin, as a seller I think it’s only fair to give a buyer 24 hours — or longer — to make up their mind on an item. If you’ve gotten to the point in a transaction where a potential buyer either asks for time to think about it or hasn’t responded to your last email, please give them a day to think it over before you move on to the next person.
In the past as a buyer I’ve even dealt with some sweet sellers who allowed me several days, for example to wait until my next paycheck arrived, before moving on to the next party. I’m not saying you have to go this far as a seller but it is very nice and much appreciated. Good karma never hurts, right? And as a buyer I’d feel terrible about not following through after being shown such extreme courtesy.
Recently I’ve been made aware of a few situations where a first potential buyer asks for measurements on an item, but the seller ends up selling the item to someone else who just wants to buy it straight out. That’s capitalism for ya. Although my personal stance on this is first come, first served (so I’d send the measurements along and tell the second interested party to please stand by) I understand that an equal or greater number of people may feel it’s better to just sell to whoever’s ready to buy. So I’ll just say that first come, first served is how I’d conduct myself.
Please remember to leave feedback.
In the FILES tab you’ll find editable documents for positive feedback, grouped into bunches of last names. It’s a wonderful way to leave feedback! If you have a negative transaction please contact me directly — only group admins can leave negative feedback. You’re not tattling by telling me about a transaction gone wrong. You’re helping to protect other members.
And finally, here are a few big bolded announcements.
THERE WILL BE A PHOTOS FOLDERS SWEEP THIS WEEKEND.
After nearly a year of existence, the group’s photo folders are starting to pile up with old items. Many of them are unsold but some of them are sold items overstaying their welcome. So this weekend I’ll be combing through every folder. Any item posted before March 1, 2013 is getting deleted. You’ll have to re-post if your item is still available/desired/tradeable.
THE GROUP GUIDELINES ARE MOVING TO THE FILES TAB.
Facebook has really quirky rules for Groups, and one of their latest implementations is that the ABOUT description must be 3,000 characters or less. The Guidelines are about 6,000 characters. So the file is moving. Which reminds me…
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU’VE READ THE GUIDELINES.
11 rules. That’s it. That’s less than the driving test, or a college application, or OSHA policies. Please make sure you’ve read them. If you have questions ask away! But please read them.
Thanks everyone.
Previously: Effortless Anthropologie’s Trade Market is now on Facebook!
