What's with all these ridiculous new "badges"?

[hill-walker]

Is it just me, or are others insulted by the infantilisation of this board, and being awarded badges, for "being helpful", or whatever?

I'm a grown up, not a child. I don't need badges so others can see how helpful I am.

My 3 year old granddaughter get awarded badges at nursery school, for acheiving things like washing her hands, brushing her teeth, being nice to her little sister etc., and quite honestly, it feels like I'm seen by ebay, as having about the same mental age as her!

We're all adults here; I just wish eBay would treat us as such.

[barry.110]

This makes me think of the line from Blazing Saddles "Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!" 😂

Though I belive that line comes from an even earlier film but I know it from Blazing Saddles.

[kempseykate]

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@1956glyn wrote:

I apologise if i came across as disrespectful.  I was just voicing my personal opinion.

In my case it would be appropriate for Ebay to remove my badge as a Community Expert/mentor. 

You know why i chose to ditch that title but it is still coming up as one of my badges.

Yes not all may not like them so why not give us the choice not to have them on display?

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Same here - mine is still showing.

[katie@ebay]

Hi there,

There is no option at this time for an account to decide if they want badges or not. These are an aspect that comes with being a member.

@kempseykate and @1956glyn the Community Mentor badge is an exception. We do not revoke this from an account as it is an appreciation of the interaction you did as a mentor. However, please send me a PM if you would like me to revoke it from your profile.

Thanks,

Katie 

[elitegiftsltd]

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@1956glyn wrote:

Yes i agree totally ridiculous.    Shame we cannot just delete them.  Who needs a silly badge to boost their ego further lol    

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(hides Tufty badge collection)

Perhaps its a foreign thing. Here people don't need ego boosters, big enough already.

[elitegiftsltd]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Can we have a badge for the most rude and obnoxious posts and posters please, I am sure it would encourage me to be even more rude and obnoxious than I am already.

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The rude and obnoxious don't need badges to encourage them. Replies work fine. 

[the_book_seekers]

It's like being in the brownies again. I've seen what Katie has to say about the badges being a means to encourage new contributors to the boards, but will a badge really do this. I would think the community team should perhaps look at why the watchers are not making contributions. It is also a system that reward quantity rather than quality.  

[dancewithadingo]

Good Afternoon Kate

Like you I went to the dentist recently and he told me that I needed six teeth removing and the cost would be £550.00.   I gave him  £30.00 and told him to just loosen them a bit.

Seriously what about giving the most helpful posters an annual reward ie a reduction on the sale fees of 95% on say twenty of their listings,during a limited period?  In other words some monetary incentive and reward for their efforts.

[hill-walker]

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katie@ebay wrote:

We have alot of accounts on the community that are passive. That means they read and log in but don't get involved. Badges have been used to encourage these accounts to become active. 

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Hi Katie.

If people are reading the forums, but not participating, it suggest to me that they have questions, that are probably being answered by reading about people in similar situations. Why would they feel the need to ask again? Why would they need to "get involved"? Why would you even want them to?

As far as I can see, and do please correct me if I'm wrong, but there is no mention of earning badges on the discussion landing page, so how would these badges encourage participation, if the passive readers know nothing about them?

Yet again, (and yes, I have said this before, in relation to the new listing tool, EDDs etc) it seems that the ethos of eBay appears to be that eBay know best, regardless of what the members feed back to them, and somehow know what members need, despite having never asked the question. Why is there never, as far as I am aware, any market research done before implementing new ideas?

Please know, that this is NOT a personal attack on the Community Team members, but rather on the general "nannying" attitude of eBay over all. These badges are just the most recent itteration of this.

[*knight-rider*]

I just came on and seem to suddenly have a ton of new badges. printing them off as we speak and framing them, with pride 😄😄😄

[hill-walker]

Just as an aside, re the discussion landing page:

"Learn useful eBay tips, such how to bid or use seller tools, or to discuss about the things you love!"

is wrong!

"discuss the things you love", yes.

"have a discussion about the things you love", by all means.

But "discuss about the things you love", no... never... not even in American  😉

[thesmokingrunner]

I've just logged in to find I have (apparently) "earned" four new badges.

When do I get my Badge badge?

: )

[candytan67]

Yes I've got loads of badge notifications coming out of my ears - what a waste of time and effort.

However I have still not received my "pirate & crossed bones" character badge for so many anti-eBay content posts?   😤

Anyone had their "Angel" character badge for their cheerleader/pro-eBay posts yet?   🤗

[barry.110]

I've just noticed that one of the new badges I've received is for 250 Helpfuls given, I would have thought it would be better to have a badge (if we have to have them) for helpfuls received as that show more that you are contributing to the boards and giving good advice.

As it stands now I am quite tempted to mark every post and response I read as "Helpful" whether they are or not just to see if I can get to the next badge. The highest badge you can get is 10,000 Helpfuls Given, now that is a challenge I could get my teeth into. 🤣🤣🤣

[the_book_seekers]

I think what irks me about this is the community team have made more comment on the award of badges than we've had over our struggles with the new listing tools. 

[insidethe93]

You became ineligible for the badge when you wrote "please" 🙂

[*guinevere*]

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@barry.110 wrote:

I've just noticed that one of the new badges I've received is for 250 Helpfuls given, I would have thought it would be better to have a badge (if we have to have them) for helpfuls received as that show more that you are contributing to the boards and giving good advice.

As it stands now I am quite tempted to mark every post and response I read as "Helpful" whether they are or not just to see if I can get to the next badge. The highest badge you can get is 10,000 Helpfuls Given, now that is a challenge I could get my teeth into. 🤣🤣🤣

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Well whoopidoo, I've got a badge for giving out 10,000 helpfuls and I have only given out a fraction of those! Still it's another badge, happy days! 😀

[bennotbill]

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@*guinevere* wrote:

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Well whoopidoo, I've got a badge for giving out 10,000 helpfuls and I have only given out a fraction of those! Still it's another badge, happy days! 😀

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I think the badges are struggling to keep up with many of us.

Is there a badge for suggesting new badges? A badge for the most badges.

Maybe eBay award their own reps badges. A badge for estimating. A badge for answering the most phone calls. And one of the rarest a badge for sincerity.

[thesmi42]

I only got two new badges... sobs into beer... 😭🍺

It is odd though that I never look to see what badges other contributors have. Perhaps I haven't fully mastered the technique of reading the forum.

Also, I do a great  deal of passive reading and yes, I learn a lot and sometimes have a good laugh without feeling the need to respond.

[elitegiftsltd]

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@barry.110 wrote:

This makes me think of the line from Blazing Saddles "Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!" 😂

Though I belive that line comes from an even earlier film but I know it from Blazing Saddles.

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A truly great film that broke plenty of rules. Ahead of its time. 

[*devils.advocate*]

They do indeed give out badges to their staff.

One is for fixing any of the long-running glitches.

They’ve only issued three of them - but they found that was a glitch.