Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Poll: Rating other members 1 to 5 stars?

Should we enable a rating system so members could rate other members and give them from 1 to 5 stars?

It won't be a feedback system like eBay, but it could be a measure by which members could see how others think before a transaction. Members could get stars for answering questions, completing a transaction with a happy (or not happy) buyer or seller, or for being a helpful member of the online community.

The system could be abused by those who may post low marks out of spite or high marks to make a crooked buddy look better. Think about it and vote your preference.

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Should we enable a rating system ? single choice

Yes, Let's try it (19%, 20 Votes)

No, Don't want it (72%, 74 Votes)

Don't know or don't care (9%, 9 Votes)

Total Votes: 103 Voting on this poll ends: Tue Jun 17 2014 12:00 PM

I guess, I am the first one to vote... So close the Polls!!!!!!!

I voted against such a rating system, because of the amount of potential abuse this opens the door too...

By the number of "locked threads" on Oldgas... Emotions run very deep and grudges are held onto tightly...

(or maybe, I just don't want to see my name alongside "negative stars".... LOL)

well i know everyone would give me one star since i am Anthonys brother (RHR)....

I think that rating should only be used when some one buys or sell to a member Here on OLD gas.

I have some very nice TRANSACTIONS on here and 2 Bad ones .

Regards Sid

yes, i think it would be a good thing for buying/selling.

joey... i think you would be surprised what people may rate you. you purchase quite a bit of stuff on here, and I would imagine most of those sellers would give you a good rating.

one thing to always remember, i have met more people that are readers of OldGas than I have met that actually post on OldGas... so those replies/posts that you read, are only a small sample size of the people that are actually reading

I'll vote no to the rating. I've dealt with a lot of the guys on this site. Only had very limited bad experiences. I know who I can trust now and the rest will get no help/business from me. No need to name names, just do not deal with them again. Paul www.severngaspumps.com

I have had a lot of buying and selling here on Old Gas since I started...I never had any problems untill the last couple of yrs..it seems that a lot of our new members have a different attitude towards buying and selling here...mainly with buying items..they say they want it but then you spend a month trying to get them to send your address,how they are going to pay??,them you may wait for a month to get payment and their attitude is no big deal!!! why are you getting upset they say...
I agree with Bob and Sid..only have the rating to buying and selling a item to fellow members,which seems fair to me but you still will have members who will be mad and hold a grudge if they are rated bad..I don`t know if this would be the answer but its a start..maybe this isn`t the answer,but will be interesting to hear from other members..
Alan
I just wanted to add that 95% of the transactions I `ve had have been awesome,just seems to be a small % of members who are causing some problems!!!

I say no because I can see it being abused more than used seriously.
As for Joeyjuice, I have had excellent sales and buys from him.

I have too vote no also because of the chance of abuse.

I'm for a no vote.

It is sad, that we even have to have these discussions. Considering that, visiting this site is something the majority of us do during our leisure time for enjoyment.

I don't think a rating system is going to solve this problem. Unfortunately, I don't have a better suited idea to propose.

I would hate for this site to feel like or become like e-Bay. I believe, the majority of the members on this site don't want to see it become another "online sales site". By having a feedback system in place I think that's what you start promoting it as.

If the spirit and intent of this site is history & collecting first, sales second. Then maybe the sales end needs to be somehow tightened up and restricted....Exactly how? Well, I don't know.

This would surely curb the influx of pickers/flippers and the problems associated with those that are interested in only your money.

I agree to much chance of abuse. Also Joey and his brother are great guys,some people my not agree with the way they do their business,but that's their problem,they are straight up and tell you what your getting and then deliver.

I voted a big NO! Don't muck it up this is not ebay. NO one really likes ebay. Keep it friendly not competitve.

Larry

I would vote NO.

Yes, this would be a good thing. Feedback is everything in this world. Constructive criticism could be helpful here and there.

If it is not broke--don't fix it!
Keep It Simple

Thanks Rick, I appreciate it

Count me in the no camp as well.
Fred

ditto..

I'm OK with buyers rating me for items I've sold on oldgas.....However I think it would be abused by members. Moderators would be constantly hearing sob stories.

i agree with that... i do think it would be a pain for the moderators

I vote No Too much chance for abuse Have met alot of great people here Never had a problem
Bill

IF it is instituted add a RED STAR that can be chosen for a Bad Deal.
Everyone selling in For Sale should be Required to have Real Name, City & email listed in Profile.

At first I was thinking maybe. Then some of the comments made early on in this prompted me to be a no. The comments reminded me that I want to see more education. More history. More discussion. Not more selling/trading. There is plenty of that already and I fear, as other's have noted, that this site could run the risk of becoming dominated by the "For Sale" section.

I agree wholeheartedly with Dick on the real name.... thing.

So I voted no but I commend you Jim for the forward thinking.

That's the worst idea I've ever heard

I voted no But totally agree with Dick, If your going to sell anything on here you should be required to put all your contact information in your profile so we don't have to ask and try to track the seller down!

Agreed

For those who keep up to date, on whats going on in the for sale section...No Star Rating is needed.
You quickly learn, who you feel comfortable to deal with..


On the other hand..those who do not keep up to date, may benefit from a Star Rating.. It might save them the grief of unknowingly dealing with a questionable seller/buyer.

All in all...it does not matter to me..
A star rating isn't going to change the way I do business here.

Why I think it would be more fun than a barrel of monkeys. The readen would get pretty interesting.

I really like the idea of real name and contact info before you can sell anything! Thumbs up on that one!

Before posting an item For Sale, check that your PM Folder is NOT or NEAR FULL.

Picture[s] & Price MUST be in 1st Post.

I agree. This should be made mandatory for all wishing to sell on this site.

I think It should be that way for ALL the members no mater how long they have been a member or how much experience what is there to hide.

I agree.Your profile should include complete name, physical address, contact info, etc. One should know with whom he/she is dealing. Simple and honest.Dave

I say no to the rating system. The Core gasser group knows who's who and information is passed accordingly on deals and dealings. Let the strong survive and the window shoppers wonder.

I like to know who I am dealing with. Then again, requiring a name and address may result in people not posting pictures of their collections due to security reasons. If it is known a person has a great collection then post that they are on the way to Iowa Gas or another show, that is telling the world that the persons collection may be unattended for a few days. Just another thought...

Ok, another question... Even if real name and addy is required... How do we know it is a real name and addy ?...If I remember right when I registered you just typed your info in without proof. Just a valid email and your on. Also I say No to rating system.

I agree with Wes

Wes makes a very valid point.

This is a pretty small community and most of the bad apples are exposed IMO. Too easy to game a rating system. What about something like a certified old gas seller where successful transactions are logged instead of rated? Once a specified # is reached it should reassure new and prospective buyers that they are dealing with a good source.

I agree with Dick! Require proper name and location.
NO to rating system as it would be abused.
Ive offered a money back guarantee for 15 years and NEVER had a problem!
How about forcing sellers to Money Back Guarantee their items if buyer is NOT happy? Or Not as described!
NEW buyers on ebay cant touch the funds UNTIL the item is delivered...
If a person is caught selling a repo OR deceptive selling practices then BAN THEM!!! Spanking their butt and letting them continue is ONLY making things worse...
For example, the florida seller on here, ebay auctions said he was in argentina, warned several times about repo's, foreign signs, about different aliasses and addresses, THEN HE RIPS SOMEONE OFF ON HERE!!!!

No to the rating system.

No to forcing people to do anything more than what's already in place.

This is a buy and sell at your own risk forum, I'm sure Jim and the mods don't want to make this a full time job.

Physical Address should/would Only be viewable to Oldgas Moderator[s], NOT in Profile, But a City, State & Email should be.

...agreed...

on the flip side to that... you give anyone the full name and city/state of anyone, and google will give them the address.

and whats to keep someone from just putting any name, city, address?

HONESTY or a BIG *** BOOT [when found out other wise].
Only Required for the selling of items here.

ebay requires; Confirm that the name and address we have on file for you is correct.

You can't live life worried about "what if's". The fear of "what if's" can't be a reason for inaction.

But, You can be cautious and careful.... That's how thieves and flim flam people hope we think !

This subject seems to be getting a long way off track... Or atleast that is how I perceive the direction it is heading....(not that I don't agree with the full names and States in the Profiles... Along with a telephone #....)

The question is, is there a need for a "star or some other form of rating system" to show which Members are honest?

My opinion is no... I am guessing, here. But I bet I am damn close to being 100% correct... That most of those, replying yes.... Are new to Oldgas and too the Hobby....

Most of us that have been in the Hobby, for any length of time; have reputations... For some in the Hobby, those reps seem to be only good in nature... For others in the Hobby, those reps are not always flattering... (I can speak from experience on that one!)

But, I honestly do not know of one instance where I screwed over another Hobbyist... And my time in the Hobby, is fairly long...

Here on Oldgas it is real easy for someone to send a PM to another Member and ask "Have you dealt with so and so? How about this Member, also"?

Because of my age, I have had mostly fantastic interactions with most of the "older Members", but not always... I at times, have a very "grinding personality"; as a number of Moderators and other Members have experienced....

I also, have tried to reach out to a portion of the "younger Members"... With varying levels of success... It is hard for me, to relate to those who are decades younger than I... That is a sad fact of life, that I will not change....

I vote No, Yes there are some bad experiences we have all had, but we must forgive and move on!!

I'll put up with the sometimes BS, but I don't need anyone rating me about anything.

This is not General Motors, this is a hobby.

Jack Sim

Well said Jack!

Have we heard enough yet? I have. The consensus is a NO

Larry

I think after spending time reading and contributing in several of the forums one already has a pretty good idea of who they are dealing with. If you want to give someone a "bad" rating, just push the "ignore" button.

I vote no and yes I'm late seeing this late. If the stars only rated a member helping with questions,etc it would be yes. Several Olgassers has taking me under their wing so to speak and helped me along the way. Mainly I guess because I wouldn't leave them alone but for those of you I'm truly thankfull! I don't think true collectors mind helping if given the chance and asked in a nice respectfull way.
A black list for sellers and buyers on oldgas is something I've recently been thinking about but should be only added to by Jim and Mods. Only to be viewed by members.
There you go something else for the mods to police as if their donated time is not stretched as it is. TM2C.

I personally thought the rating stars could generate problems, but I wanted to get member opinions. Looks like it is a consensus not to do it.

The issue of requiring real names and location is already being dealt with. We have been requiring actual location with a minimum of state for years for new members. I do verify new member locations and working email addresses. We have been requiring real first and last names for the last year and a half from new members. Starting at the beginning of this year, we require 8 posts from new members demonstrating a knowledge of the forum and a posted image before they can request to be able to post new topics in the For Sale forums.

I don't have time to enforce a requirement for older members to conform to the current new member requirements. I would hope that older members would voluntarily comply with valid name and location info in their Profile. Setting an example for what they would like to see from others is a golden rule practice.

It is a valid security concern for your specific location to be available to the public. We require at least your state, but some try to sidestep that. In an average week, over a dozen new member registration applications are denied because of false or missing location or name. Some reapply and some are never heard from again. Real names and email addresses are only shown in a member's Profile which is only available to registered members who login.

From time to time I get reminded of how much behind the scenes work is done by the our host and mods.

Thanks for all you do to make this the best petro site on the planet!

No

Glad to hear that this will not happen. I'm sure it would have been a nightmare for you guys to control the rating system. As always Great Job!

If it did get voted in, would that mean all of us would have to wear a number 2 or a 3 or WHATEVER on our backs at the shows? LOL I mean c'mon folks? Lets get back to focusing on the hobby and educate one another, not label one another. Have a good summer and get out there and scout for pumps before the corn gets too high.

Goober