tPF authenticator discussion

[poopsie]

If I truly wanted an authentication I would take the time to learn how to do whatever it took to receive the assistance. How hard is it to set up a Photobucket account? I get so annoyed at people who rely on others to do simple tasks for them. A good proportion of queries could be answered with a Google search.

 

[JustAgUrL]

Often times what happens, is a person will buy their very first Michael Kors and are scared that they just bought a fake! They find this forum in their researchs. Often times the photos we need are not in the listing they purchased it from, so we need to see the pics of the bag that they received. These newbies are not allowed to attach jpegs of their photos. They are only allowed to provide LINKS to those photos and many / most of them, do not know how to get a LINK to a photo, but do know how to attach a jpeg file. If a spammer wants to post inappropriate materials on our our forum, not being able to upload jpegs, isn't going to stop much.

At present, it is mostly stopping us from helping new members, that get frustrated and go somewhere else to get help, where they can upload a simple jpeg file.

I was looking at an AT thread the other day, then I wondered,
would it be better or easier if the people asking for authentications
just uploaded the photos onto Photobucket

and just created an album in Photobucket, then just post the link to the album
in the AT thread, instead of all the photos clogging the page?

This way they can enlarge them if needed, and it would make it easier
to see all the requests….

 

[lonesomeoctober]

These comments reveal confusion about the purpose and impact of TPF authentication threads. There is no vested interest here in moving any member toward or away from any purchase, except with regard to the authenticity of the item in question. There is no mission to "value" members on the AT threads aside from competently reviewing the authenticity of their contemplated purchases.

No confusion here.

But somewhat ot perhaps.

Was speculating ( emphasized) about the goals of ownership, and how to maintain forum growth and potential profitability.

Thank you for your comment, however.

 

[lonesomeoctober]

If I truly wanted an authentication I would take the time to learn how to do whatever it took to receive the assistance. How hard is it to set up a Photobucket account? I get so annoyed at people who rely on others to do simple tasks for them. A good proportion of queries could be answered with a Google search.

Yes!!!!

Absolutely!!

But, alas, it doesn't seem to work that way sometimes.

 

[Swanky]

That's what is so wonderful about a forum though. . . people can ask and find more reliable answers from people they trust a little.


Look at all the ID requests, I find the answers by Googling when I have a few free minutes because I like to be helpful.
I see people literally posting asking for Chanel in the city of XX, XX all the time and all I can think is "google it!" lol! But people are helpful here.


I'd be weary of googling for authenticity help because not all info found online is accurate
At least here you have a focused audience w/ a lot of experience and knowledge. tPF has an amazing wealth of helpful people and priceless info IMO.

 

[lonesomeoctober]

That's what is so wonderful about a forum though. . . people can ask and find more reliable answers from people they trust a little.


Look at all the ID requests, I find the answers by Googling when I have a few free minutes because I like to be helpful.
I see people literally posting asking for Chanel in the city of XX, XX all the time and all I can think is "google it!" lol! But people are helpful here.


I'd be weary of googling for authenticity help because not all info found online is accurate
At least here you have a focused audience w/ a lot of experience and knowledge. tPF has an amazing wealth of helpful people and priceless info IMO.

Very true as well.

And while, for example, an individual might feel quite competent in one brand or several, the opinion of a real expert is always valuable.

Which brings us full circle...

 

[BeenBurned]

It seems quite unaminous here, that we all really like the idea of the 500 post requirement before offering authenticity opinions. Let's do it!

Unanimous? Not as far as I'm concerned.

I'll authenticate for newbies, oldies, current listings, completed listings, private sales, non-linked sales/purchases, yard sales, buyers and/or sellers as long as the rules are followed, requests are polite and without a sense of entitlement or expectation and I don't believe someone is promoting their own items.

While some brand authenticators feel differently, I've seen several posts from various authenticators who seem to feel as I do.

I want to protect buyers from getting a fake and I commend those who want to make sure that any items they might consider listing are authentic. I don't necessarily believe that sellers should get professional authentications for those items they want to verify.

JMHO. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Swanky]

BB, the 500 post requirement is for members to help with authenticating, not to request help.


Megs and Vlad are implementing a rule that authenticators must have a minimum of 500 posts before offering authentication advice.

 

[Megs]

Online form format is being discussed but if I understood Megs and Vlad correctly it would be after we change website platforms, so won't be very soon.

Yes! We would love to build this out, but this can not come right away. This will take a bit as we are switching platforms and this will be looked into having customized for the new platform. So while I love this idea and I personally have it top on our list, it will be a little bit before we get there!

A mod was extremely quick! I was typing up a PM to Megs and wanted to add details by looking at all the post this new person has posted in various authentication threads but then notice all her posts has been removed already!

Woohoo! Our mods are super on top of things!!

:wonderingImo, a form/format for at requests is an excellent idea. Forces production of reqd.elements for authentication, if done correctly. A programming issue...

But back to the bigger picture!

If this forum is fueled by advertising dollars;

And growth in member numbers is vital in sustaining the flow of said dollars, then;

The owners have a real approach/avoidance problem.

Do the know what % of first time posters post in the at threads? And what -% of those at users go on to become participating members?

And then what % of those who begin in the less costly brands ( am not saying lesser quality, just lower cost ) --gradually move into the higher end brands ? (more potential advertising $$$)

In other words, how do they welcome newbies in the secondary market without vetting authenticators ( in a way that would incur liability)?? And what % of their active members are, ( based on posting ) and remain apparently only in the secondary market?

And do they know what % of users never use the at threads because they only buy new? And how do they grow that market share?

While trying to keep the vocal minority-(authenticators and a small number of others) feeling valued? Particularly critical for authenticators.

Without credible authenticators, forum growth diminishes/ forum cred diminishes, potentially. And, again, at threads are used primarily by those in the secondary/resale market.

And btw: is that secondary market the more viable future for the forum, not only in growth, but in reputation? It appears that the blog's focus is high end...aka big ad $$. But how sustainable is that?

So, basically, this looks like the seven blindfolded men and the elephant to me, at this point.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful insights.

I love the story of the blind men and the elephant. It's so true, we all view things differently but that doesn't mean that what we see or think isn't truthful - even if it varies from the next person.

May I ask about this part of your reply Megs? Is this true across the board? What about if the moderator rules conflict with this (on the first page?) Also, I am unclear as to why some threads don't allow you to use an auction that has ended. We don't do that in LV. Sometimes a bag feels off once you receive it, or the auction was found in the last minutes etc. Is this up to the authenticator as well?

Also just to mention again, I can't believe how many times I have to refer people to page one, please keep in the back of your mind if there could be some suggestion or revision (if a form feature isn't used) that would put a few small key points on the top of every page in the thread, that would be great. I know it varies by thread (and maybe, if I'm understanding you correctly, by authenticator too) so that gets tricky maybe even impossible, but it is a frustration. I'm not even sure if it would help in this age of smart phones and rushed buyers but sometimes if people find us through online search it brings them to the body of the thread not page one. Or maybe this is where our signatures need to come in..? I'll think about that too.

Thanks so much!

I'm going to look into if there is a way to sticky the first post from page one to the top of each page of the Authenticate This threads. That *could* help with people seeing the format of how each AT thread should be run, but you never know!!

Are you saying that some mods are saying you have to answer all AT requests? Just want to make sure I'm getting what you're saying and not missing something. I have never said an authenticator has to answer anyone. Some authenticators only want to authenticate for people who have been on the forum for a while. What I say to that is that is totally your prerogative and totally ok - but I am asking you don't post on the thread telling the person "please go post elsewhere before I will help". I think I covered this a bit more earlier in this thread, but what I typed above I've seen said and I ask that is not done because that is not a rule from us. But it's also not a rule from us that an authenticator needs to authenticate. I feel like I'm rambling... let me know! Sorry!

I HEAR YA on having to remind people about page one! I kept saying this but I do think people for some reason are a little less likely to really look into things because we are all so used to having everything right at our finger tips easily. But even when you make it as easy as possible, people seem to still miss it. I post on our instagram page and I will tag a brand in a photo and tag the brands name in the text, and people still ask 'who makes this bag'. It's kinda nuts!

 

[missbanff]

IMO I really don't care about sale links, closed auctions or whatnot; but someone wrote the rules for our brand (LV) and it wasn't me, so I figure as a volunteer, I should follow them and direct other folks to do the same. I've had a couple people PM me and ask why certain rules stand - and my answer is always the same - pretty much what I just said.

There are certain people I won't authenticate for, but it's just personal preference. Or, if I've asked someone 47647232084 times to please read page 1 and they clearly haven't - I'll stop responding and skip them.

 

[deacc]

Unanimous? Not as far as I'm concerned.

I'll authenticate for newbies, oldies, current listings, completed listings, private sales, non-linked sales/purchases, yard sales, buyers and/or sellers as long as the rules are followed, requests are polite and without a sense of entitlement or expectation and I don't believe someone is promoting their own items.

While some brand authenticators feel differently, I've seen several posts from various authenticators who seem to feel as I do.

I want to protect buyers from getting a fake and I commend those who want to make sure that any items they might consider listing are authentic. I don't necessarily believe that sellers should get professional authentications for those items they want to verify.

JMHO. Your mileage may vary.

The 500 post minimum requirement is for someone that wants to help to authenticate items not the person seeking authentication.

 

[Swanky]

A mod was extremely quick! I was typing up a PM to Megs and wanted to add details by looking at all the post this new person has posted in various authentication threads but then notice all her posts has been removed already!

Ha! I saw it and deleted them all. Then did my usual round of checking e-mail for reported posts and saw that someone had reported it. Please always report these posts, it get's in more hands quicker when you use the report button. Feel free to PM Megs as well if you'd like since she's offered to be PMd for such things. But the report this post button is super efficient

IMO I really don't care about sale links, closed auctions or whatnot; but someone wrote the rules for our brand (LV) and it wasn't me, so I figure as a volunteer, I should follow them and direct other folks to do the same. I've had a couple people PM me and ask why certain rules stand - and my answer is always the same - pretty much what I just said.

There are certain people I won't authenticate for, but it's just personal preference. Or, if I've asked someone 47647232084 times to please read page 1 and they clearly haven't - I'll stop responding and skip them.

Honestly, you can authenticate anything you like
A lot of people are happy to authenticate things others aren't. A lot of us have the same end goal in mind - keeping fakes off the market.

 

[Megs]

I agree. It is a good step to have the 500 post requirement. It would help VERY much, because it is usually only the newbies that 'don't get it' if you know what I mean, so yes, it is a good fix in many ways. I just hope they don't think they are authenticators after 500 posts! lol! No worries, I am bit 'fuzzy' all the time! lol!

I really don't think people will hit 500 posts and then think they should start authenticating. I think majority of people probably are not going to be comfortable to do something they are not knowledgable to do. It's not a massive problem now, it shouldn't be one then. I'm sure a few will pop up, but that's what we are here for - to remove posts, ask the person to stop, etc!

It seems quite unaminous here, that we all really like the idea of the 500 post requirement before offering authenticity opinions. Let's do it!

One other concern I have that I have written letters about already, and tell me if anyone else is puzzled by this and finds it to be a hindrance for authenticators is "How come new members can't attach jpeg files until they have more posts and are able to use the advance features??" .

What makes this such a privieledge that you can only attach jpegs after so many posts?? This is such a simple feature and I don't understand why it is such a gift that can't be had until you are allowed to have advanced features?? Is to deliberately stop new members from getting authentications?? Why would we want to do this?? We have seen many of them get frustrated and go to another forum! Is this really what we want?

I would like to ask that when you make these new changes, you please allow new members to attach jpegs of bags they just bought, so we can help them! I feel foolish having to tell them over and over again, that they have to go around the forum saying "ooh, aahh and nice color", to acquire enough posts to be able to upload a jpeg file?? I can see stopping newbies from doing authentications, but why would we want to stop them from getting one?? I seriously hope you will change this and allow new members to attach jpeg files. it is so much easier than trying to find the link to the photo, as that is presently the only way they can do so.

I have noticed how different all of the authenticity threads are. We are not near as strict as many others over on the Michael Kors thread. We do understand many of their reasons as we have encountered some difficulties, but we really want to help folks to not get ripped off with a fake. Allowing newbies to upload jpegs would really help us, to help them. I hope you will change this with your updates. Thank you.

There is an amount of time someone has to be a member before they can upload a photo. This is mostly because of spammers. We had a stint where spammers were signing up and started upload pictures across the forum all over, and this is a way to deter that. It does make a problem for the AT thread, but if a member waits a little (I think it's only 5 days and 5 posts), they can then upload a jpeg. That shouldn't be that big of an issue for them - but it would be for an auction that is on a time crunch.

I'll ask Vlad if there is something we can do here!

These comments reveal confusion about the purpose and impact of TPF authentication threads. There is no vested interest here in moving any member toward or away from any purchase, except with regard to the authenticity of the item in question. There is no mission to "value" members on the AT threads aside from competently reviewing the authenticity of their contemplated purchases.

YES!!

Right before we started PurseBlog and PurseForum I bought a fake Prada bag off a site that I clearly thought was reputable. When I began to look into it, I figured it out. I think the AT threads are so important - yes to the forum of course - but because it is offering a service to help people from being scammed and duped.

I think the jpeg thing may be to stop spammers (and trouble makers) from joining and posting pictures of nefarious things. We've had issues in the past. But newbies can still link to a sale or use a photo hosting site, no?

Yes you hit the nail on the head!

If I truly wanted an authentication I would take the time to learn how to do whatever it took to receive the assistance. How hard is it to set up a Photobucket account? I get so annoyed at people who rely on others to do simple tasks for them. A good proportion of queries could be answered with a Google search.

YES YES YES! I totally do too! I wish everyone would but as we know it's just not the case always...

Unanimous? Not as far as I'm concerned.

I'll authenticate for newbies, oldies, current listings, completed listings, private sales, non-linked sales/purchases, yard sales, buyers and/or sellers as long as the rules are followed, requests are polite and without a sense of entitlement or expectation and I don't believe someone is promoting their own items.

While some brand authenticators feel differently, I've seen several posts from various authenticators who seem to feel as I do.

I want to protect buyers from getting a fake and I commend those who want to make sure that any items they might consider listing are authentic. I don't necessarily believe that sellers should get professional authentications for those items they want to verify.

JMHO. Your mileage may vary.

The 500 posts is not to have something authenticated for you but to authenticate for others.

I LOVE that we have members that are so helpful to oldies and newbies alike!! How lucky are they (and we!).

Clearly I need to word this differently because I am already confusing people

 

[CinthiaZ]

^ got it! I'll flag for m&v to see if allowing jpegs for newbies is doable.

thank you so much!!

 

[Megs]

IMO I really don't care about sale links, closed auctions or whatnot; but someone wrote the rules for our brand (LV) and it wasn't me, so I figure as a volunteer, I should follow them and direct other folks to do the same. I've had a couple people PM me and ask why certain rules stand - and my answer is always the same - pretty much what I just said.

There are certain people I won't authenticate for, but it's just personal preference. Or, if I've asked someone 47647232084 times to please read page 1 and they clearly haven't - I'll stop responding and skip them.

And we can edit the first post in the threads if some people would like because there are certain statements that not everyone wants there.

Everyone should authenticate for whomever they'd like, when they'd like, and for whatever reason they'd like. That's all up to the authenticators!