tPF authenticator discussion

[CinthiaZ]

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.

As Meg stated, this is being taken out of context. I even misunderstood it myself, at first. What we are unanimously agreeing on is for AUTHENTICATORS, to have at least 500 posts before they can start AUTHENTICATING. See what we mean??

We are not saying they need 500 posts to RECEIVE an authentication, but rather to GIVE an authentication. Hope that clarifies this better for you. I can hardly imagine you want newbies to GIVE authenticity evaluations here.

I totally agree with you that I don't mind helping newbies at all! We are happy to help them at all times and under most circumstances and I commend you for this. We feel the same way on the MK thread. . We just don't appreciate newbies coming on here and giving evaluations to other members, especially when most of the time, they are wrong and we end up debating with them. Those are the ones we report and the administrators are very good about removing their posts, and some of ours as well! lol!

 

[CinthiaZ]

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





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.

You are VERY responsive and helpful, Swanky Mama! You are also fast as lightning! We are very fortunate to have you here, even if you are quite scary at times! loll! Thanks for all you do!

 

[lshcat]

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!

No not at all, like missbanff just mentioned as well, as volunteers in our thread we just felt so far as if we needed to follow our moderator's clear rules stated on page 1. For instance (taking your words as an example) if it's a seller double checking before they list (not a buyer) or there is no working sale link, or not quite in the proper format etc.. we have been enforcing those rules, because we thought we we had to. So I've denied authentication to people when sometimes I have reeeeally wanted to help. I have never felt like I couldn't skip the ones I've wanted to.. (perhaps for not listening to my repeated requests such as re-adding their original sale link info along with the extra photos later on, or just being generally rude bumping over and over etc..) that's also part of the rules, that it's the authenticators' discretion not to answer some for whatever reason, so that's very helpful/supportive.

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!

Thank you for clarifying. A great idea, and so GOOD to know!!! Thank you so much.

 

[Megs]

No not at all, like missbanff just mentioned as well, as volunteers in our thread we just felt so far as if we needed to follow our moderator's clear rules stated on page 1. For instance (taking your words as an example) if it's a seller double checking before they list (not a buyer) or there is no working sale link, or not quite in the proper format etc.. we have been enforcing those rules, because we thought we we had to. So I've denied authentication to people when sometimes I have reeeeally wanted to help. I have never felt like I couldn't skip the ones I've wanted to.. (perhaps for not listening to my repeated requests such as re-adding their original sale link info along with the extra photos later on, or just being generally rude bumping over and over etc..) that's also part of the rules, that it's the authenticators' discretion not to answer some for whatever reason, so that's very helpful/supportive.





Thank you for clarifying. A great idea, and so GOOD to know!!! Thank you so much.

Ok good! Glad I helped explain.

The first post in each authenticate this thread varies slightly from forum to forum. We gave the main authenticators a chance to be a big part of making the rules, but those are just there to help the authenticators. If someone comes in and just posts a link and you want to help them, go for it! As long as you as an authenticator feel comfortable and have enough info, it's up to you

 

[Prada Psycho]

Off topic a bit, but it's always bugged me that the Hermes AT forum will only authenticate active eBay auctions. There are plenty of resale sites around the Internet that sell items. Why single out eBay auctions only?

 

[missbanff]

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.

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!

Oh, OK. I just figured the 'rules' were written by the mods, and out of respect for them, felt like I should follow what was written, but I'm a rules-follower by nature. It makes my DH mental.

I'm good with whatever, honestly.

 

[Swanky]

Gotcha, I'm a rule follower too! Lol
The AT thread rules have sort of morphed in each forum to meet the quirky character of each forum.
You can absolutely authenticate anything you like!

And I'm not scary CinthiaZ!!



Lmbo!!!

 

[merrydish]

Off topic a bit, but it's always bugged me that the Hermes AT forum will only authenticate active eBay auctions. There are plenty of resale sites around the Internet that sell items. Why single out eBay auctions only?

Honestly, I don't think authenticators on the Hermes thread only authenticate Ebay items. They do require that the bag be in a "live" auction (meaning up for sale and NOT already sold) and that can be on other sites such as Mallories, Portero, Haute Gallery, etc.

Sometimes those sites and even Ebay sellers don't provide enough photos for genuine authentication, the photos are not clear, etc., and the authenticators will mention that as a reason for not being able to give advice on a particular bag.

As Hermes bags are quite costly, I appreciate the thoroughness of the of these outstanding authenticators and have asked them to help me just a few times over the years. Since they are so careful, I've always ended up with a totally genuine bag which the Hermes SAs always compliment me on. No, they don't know I got some of these bags on the secondary market.

By the way, it's one of my favorite TPF threads and I read it daily.

 

[whateve]

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….

Actually I prefer it when the photos are uploaded directly. Then those photos are still there when I do a search on the forum. Sometimes I have trouble enlarging the Photobucket pictures enough, and it is impossible to do authentications on my phone where I can't have multiple windows open.

 

[littlerock]

Oh, OK. I just figured the 'rules' were written by the mods, and out of respect for them, felt like I should follow what was written, but I'm a rules-follower by nature. It makes my DH mental.

I'm good with whatever, honestly.

It comes off that way because when original AT threads need to start over due to length, a Mod will usually do that, and we'll always copy the rules that the AT members have set forth in the previous threads. So it looks like it's coming from us, but it's not.

 

[JustAgUrL]

Actually I prefer it when the photos are uploaded directly. Then those photos are still there when I do a search on the forum. Sometimes I have trouble enlarging the Photobucket pictures enough, and it is impossible to do authentications on my phone where I can't have multiple windows open.

Ahhh, OK, that makes sense..

I had not thought of the phone aspect, But, that is most likely
because I can't see mine….

 

[Swanky]

I don't like when people post photobucket pics. . . it ruins our amazing reference threads when they decide to delete their pics

 

[JustAgUrL]

I don't like when people post photobucket pics. . . it ruins our amazing reference threads when they decide to delete their pics

Ohhh This is so true.
I was looking at an Hermes Thread of Vintage bags,
and over half the photos are missing.

But, that happens no matter what Photo site they use,
if they move the photos or delete a photo, then it will affect all the others
as well.

 

[Swanky]

Doesn't happen if they attach the pics here though!

 

[merrydish]

I don't like when people post photobucket pics. . . it ruins our amazing reference threads when they decide to delete their pics

Totally agree!!!