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Our guidelines on when to move a thread that has multiple items and most, but not all, are dead (also dealing with merging in HD)

70,256 5,366 May 10, 2013 at 01:59 PM
This thread got some discussion going.

That and the fact we have been trying to find a good rule of thumb for de-cluttering the HD forum of threads that are 80%-90% dead but prevent others from posting a deal in fear of a repost.

A thread could, and probably will, be moved to DT if:

1) Most of the items are dead.

2) The few items still alive aren't great deals *as in they aren't the items that really made the thread worthwhile.

3) It's been about a week since any real discussion on the deal has happened.


Also, this will be at mods discretion and keep in mind we cannot get through all older threads.




* To merge or not to merge...new guidelines.
(again this is a work in process and reserve the right to alter the parameters)


If the OP is a week old and no one has posted in the thread other than the OP in the last 5 days we won't merge a repost into that thread.

Our reasons are:
If someone creates a Deal Alert after the first thread is made and we just keep updating it they won't get a notification on the deal.
We want others to be able to hunt for deals too and participate in the community.

Most reposts are people who just stumbled upon the deal and aren't people poaching from the original. If we think someone is doing the latter we will deal with them individually.




Another issue came up recently and I wanted to address that.

If we have a thread for Amazon goldbox deal( for instance) and the OP links to the general sale and then lists several items then another member make a specific thread for one of those items we normally merge them. But as most of our rules go, this will be at mods/DE discretion. If the thread for one item seems suited for FP (very popular quickly) we may choose to leave them separate so that it can be more easily seen by the majority of the community.
About the OP
Joined Dec 2004 L10: Grand Master
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Joined Jul 2004
i inspire travel
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Deal Hunter
serra | Staff
05-10-2013 at 11:05 PM.
05-10-2013 at 11:05 PM.
thank you Smilie

i've added this to the RULES, FAQ, TIPS, Store Contact Info, Common Abbreviations thread
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Joined Dec 2006
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BostonGirl
05-14-2013 at 06:47 PM.
05-14-2013 at 06:47 PM.
Bump For those who might not have seen the new rules.
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Joined Oct 2009
L∞: Pro Bono
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calistyle
06-09-2013 at 09:56 PM.
06-09-2013 at 09:56 PM.
If your goal is for me to abandon HD and stop posting deals altogether, then congratulations - you are VERY close to achieving it.

Not quite there yet. But very close.
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Joined Dec 2004
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 70,256 Posts
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Original Poster
Schooby
06-10-2013 at 08:08 AM.
06-10-2013 at 08:08 AM.
Quote from calistyle :
If your goal is for me to abandon HD and stop posting deals altogether, then congratulations - you are VERY close to achieving it.

Not quite there yet. But very close.
Why? I have said countless times that you can PM me to discuss things.
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Joined May 2011
"1stBuy"
> bubble2 6,886 Posts
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CDI
06-11-2013 at 10:41 AM.
06-11-2013 at 10:41 AM.
Quote from calistyle :
If your goal is for me to abandon HD and stop posting deals altogether, then congratulations - you are VERY close to achieving it.

Not quite there yet. But very close.

EEK!.
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Joined Oct 2009
L∞: Pro Bono
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calistyle
07-09-2013 at 07:03 AM.
07-09-2013 at 07:03 AM.
Quote from Schooby :
Why? I have said countless times that you can PM me to discuss things.
Because no one listens and no one cares about anything other than the agenda that's already been set. There is no respect for the human being behind the OP.

The signature quote has as much to do with the mods as anything else. Maybe more...and I've had it.

Take care.
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Joined Nov 2003
Double Staff Oreos
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rayzac | Staff
07-09-2013 at 07:14 AM.
07-09-2013 at 07:14 AM.
Quote from calistyle :
Because no one listens and no one cares about anything other than the agenda that's already been set. There is no respect for the human being behind the OP.

The signature quote has as much to do with the mods as anything else. Maybe more...and I've had it.

Take care.
We give respect when we get respect. Have you read your signature? wave
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Joined Oct 2009
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calistyle
07-09-2013 at 08:31 AM.
07-09-2013 at 08:31 AM.
Quote from rayzac :
We give respect when we get respect. Have you read your signature? wave
That's a lie.
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Joined Dec 2004
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 70,256 Posts
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Original Poster
Schooby
07-09-2013 at 09:54 AM.
07-09-2013 at 09:54 AM.
Quote from calistyle :
Because no one listens and no one cares about anything other than the agenda that's already been set. There is no respect for the human being behind the OP.

The signature quote has as much to do with the mods as anything else. Maybe more...and I've had it.

Take care.
Hi Calistyle,
I have tried many times to talk to you via PM but you have ignored those attempts. I have reached out over and over and so have many of the team here.

I'd rather not do these discussions publicly not because I think I'll be shot down in flames but because it's just really not proper.

We all feel passionately about the site. Each mod, DE, QA person who was hired from the member list (we do have a couple of new QA people who lived in Vegas and now work in the office) and they were chosen because of their dedication and temperament on the site. They have no reason to have a grudge against any member and from what I have seen always do what they think is best for the overall health of the site.

We know those passions run deep because we have them. We also know that it runs deep in many of the members here including yourself. You spend a lot of time here and share a lot of great deals and for that we are all appreciative. I have personally benefited from some of the deals you have posted.

You say that we don't have respect for the human behind the OP and that's just not true. We don't always agree with someone all of the time. Heck, we disagree among ourselves from time to time. That's human nature. We do respect our members, we appreciate them and we try to make the site *as a whole* the most pleasant place to come and save money, to get tech support help, to find freebies, coupons, enter contest and just hang out with each other. We get it....people are important.
And as humans we sometimes make mistakes just like you do and everyone does. It doesn't help to berate people. I have said that if you have an issue with the way an MA was handled to PM me so that I can look into it for you.

We like having thing be somewhat open to mod interpretation. Not all scenarios are the same. We do have guidelines and try to tighten those up when big issues happen but for the most part we like to handle things on an individual basis when lots of variables are involved. Our staff members have been here a long time and have a good handle on how things are running on the site so we trust their judgement. I don't think anyone would like it if we automated this whole system...we like the human touch. And in that end, it is sometimes tricky to make 225K+ members all happy at the same time. I do what I can to try and keep things smooth around here and keep people happy. Apparently, I have failed at my job in regard to you and I apologize.

Again, you can PM me anytime if you want to discuss things or to just vent.
Reply
Last edited by Schooby July 9, 2013 at 11:23 AM.
Joined Oct 2009
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calistyle
07-09-2013 at 10:19 PM.
07-09-2013 at 10:19 PM.
Quote from Schooby :
Hi Calistyle,
I have tried many times to talk to you via PM but you have ignored those attempts. I have reached out over and over and so have many of the team here.

I'd rather not do these discussions publicly not because I think I'll be shot down in flames but because it's just really not proper.

We all feel passionately about the site. Each mod, DE, QA person who was hired from the member list (we do have a couple of new QA people who lived in Vegas and now work in the office) and they were chosen because of their dedication and temperament on the site. They have no reason to have a grudge against any member and from what I have seen always do what they think is best for the overall health of the site.

We know those passions run deep because we have them. We also know that it runs deep in many of the members here including yourself. You spend a lot of time here and share a lot of great deals and for that we are all appreciative. I have personally benefited from some of the deals you have posted.

You say that we don't have respect for the human behind the OP and that's just not true. We don't always agree with someone all of the time. Heck, we disagree among ourselves from time to time. That's human nature. We do respect our members, we appreciate them and we try to make the site *as a whole* the most pleasant place to come and save money, to get tech support help, to find freebies, coupons, enter contest and just hang out with each other. We get it....people are important.
And as humans we sometimes make mistakes just like you do and everyone does. It doesn't help to berate people. I have said that if you have an issue with the way an MA was handled to PM me so that I can look into it for you.

We like having thing be somewhat open to mod interpretation. Not all scenarios are the same. We do have guidelines and try to tighten those up when big issues happen but for the most part we like to handle things on an individual basis when lots of variables are involved. Our staff members have been here a long time and have a good handle on how things are running on the site so we trust their judgement. I don't think anyone would like it if we automated this whole system...we like the human touch. And in that end, it is sometimes tricky to make 225K+ members all happy at the same time. I do what I can to try and keep things smooth around here and keep people happy. Apparently, I have failed at my job in regard to you and I apologize.

Again, you can PM me anytime if you want to discuss things or to just vent.
Thanks for your response.

Not sure I can agree with all of that first part as we have talked via PM many times, but sorry if I upset you. (kind of semi-Autumn sometimes, except not that nice) As for many others, my experience has been a bit different.

If I had PM'd you for this, it would've been a repeat of the same stuff you already had to read because my MAs were left open overnight for you to read anyway. What happened today was unjust from start to finish - and I requested reconsideration from the start. And I'm not gonna go into all the details here, but the MAs were clear about what all is wrong. But at the end of the day, I'm in the same boat. There was no resolution, no reconsideration, and no real explanation dealing with the issues raised. At the end of the day, I still have no understanding of the actions taken or the decisions being upheld. And instead of being able to "just vent", I'd much rather be able to get clarification and an answer that explains exactly what the validity of all of this was to begin with. Is that possible? Like, I don't even know what the closing response was really about...
Quote :
per admin definition it was closed correctly
How so? What was correct about it and what made it correct?

Quote :
... for now this was handled per previous definition from admins
What definition, exactly? And am I supposed to just know what it is? Because I really don't.
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Joined Dec 2004
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 70,256 Posts
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Original Poster
Schooby
07-10-2013 at 09:14 AM.
07-10-2013 at 09:14 AM.
Quote from calistyle :
Thanks for your response.

Not sure I can agree with all of that first part as we have talked via PM many times, but sorry if I upset you. (kind of semi-Autumn sometimes, except not that nice) As for many others, my experience has been a bit different.

If I had PM'd you for this, it would've been a repeat of the same stuff you already had to read because my MAs were left open overnight for you to read anyway. What happened today was unjust from start to finish - and I requested reconsideration from the start. And I'm not gonna go into all the details here, but the MAs were clear about what all is wrong. But at the end of the day, I'm in the same boat. There was no resolution, no reconsideration, and no real explanation dealing with the issues raised. At the end of the day, I still have no understanding of the actions taken or the decisions being upheld. And instead of being able to "just vent", I'd much rather be able to get clarification and an answer that explains exactly what the validity of all of this was to begin with. Is that possible? Like, I don't even know what the closing response was really about...

How so? What was correct about it and what made it correct?


What definition, exactly? And am I supposed to just know what it is? Because I really don't.
After this reply you'll need to PM me if you wish to continue this discussion as this isn't what the thread is for.

As the reply in the MA stated, it was handled per an admins guideline.

I couldn't expound on that and you like to have your MAs closed quickly.

I plan on finding a chance to speak with admins today to clarify whether they do want us merging threads based on posts or just OP and wiki. I was always under the impression it was the later but some wording pointed to the former.

Yelling at the mods isn't helpful. I have requested that if you have issues with how one is closed to contact me via PM.

This discussion is closed in this thread. If you want to continue it you need to do so via PM.





* We won't be merging a thread into another based on a post buried in the first thread. It would need to be a repost of the OP or Wiki...and only if the other guidelines hold true. Merging with a thread based on a buried post doesn't help the community to see the deal.
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Last edited by Schooby July 10, 2013 at 09:50 AM.
Joined Oct 2009
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calistyle
07-10-2013 at 09:42 AM.
07-10-2013 at 09:42 AM.
Quote from Schooby :
After this reply you'll need to PM me if you wish to continue this discussion as this isn't what the thread is for.

As the reply in the MA stated, it was handled per an admins guideline.

I couldn't expound on that and you like to have your MAs closed quickly.

I plan on finding a chance to speak with admins today to clarify whether they do want us merging threads based on posts or just OP and wiki. I was always under the impression it was the later but some wording pointed to the former.

Yelling at the mods isn't helpful. I have requested that if you have issues with how one is closed to contact me via PM.

This discussion is closed in this thread. If you want to continue it you need to do so via PM.
I'd like an explanation with clarification on it either way.

Thanks.
Reply
Joined Dec 2004
L10: Grand Master
> bubble2 70,256 Posts
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Original Poster
Schooby
07-10-2013 at 09:54 AM.
07-10-2013 at 09:54 AM.
Quote from calistyle :
I'd like an explanation with clarification on it either way.

Thanks.
Here is my public apology for how the MA was handled originally. There was an different understanding on some wording for a guideline on handling merging. That has been cleared up and you can see my red font note in previous post.

But yes, your thread should not have been merged. From now on I hope we're all on the same page. And please accept my apology for any stress this caused you. We do our very best but sometimes things happen and we work to make them right.
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Joined Sep 2013
In giving, do we receive
> bubble2 3,266 Posts
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giveNforgive
12-30-2013 at 06:20 PM.
12-30-2013 at 06:20 PM.
Quote from Schooby :
This thread got some discussion going.

That and the fact we have been trying to find a good rule of thumb for de-cluttering the HD forum of threads that are 80%-90% dead but prevent others from posting a deal in fear of a repost.

A thread could, and probably will, be moved to DT if:

1) Most of the items are dead.

2) The few items still alive aren't great deals *as in they aren't the items that really made the thread worthwhile.

3) It's been about a week since any real discussion on the deal has happened.


Also, this will be at mods discretion and keep in mind we cannot get through all older threads.




* To merge or not to merge...new guidelines.
(again this is a work in process and reserve the right to alter the parameters)


If the OP is a week old and no one has posted in the thread other than the OP in the last 3 days we won't merge a repost into that thread.

Our reasons are:
If someone creates a Deal Alert after the first thread is made and we just keep updating it they won't get a notification on the deal.
We want others to be able to hunt for deals too and participate in the community.

Most reposts are people who just stumbled upon the deal and aren't people poaching from the original. If we think someone is doing the latter we will deal with them individually.
hi Schooby,

I think there needs to be a clarification regarding merging individual deals into master threads also.
just to elaborate the situation, there is a thread (#1) with multiple items posted (they are in stock). Now is someone else posts a deal (#2) for 1 single item, which is a subset of the master list in thread#1 and posted later than #1. Do you not merge into the master thread (#1) ?

Note: Thread#1 is still alive and in hot deals. Thread#2 is posted on the same day (so no 7 day rule applies).
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Last edited by giveNforgive December 30, 2013 at 06:31 PM.
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