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.

[mayor-of-simpleton*]

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@hill-walker wrote:

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Hi katie@ebay
On yesterday's Chat, you wrote

I appreciate the suggestion. For now, we have changed the name of the discussion board for community topics (will take a while for changes to reflect) to meet in the middle.

The post was moved based on the subject. Topics related to community changes should be posted here. Thanks, Katie 

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Unfortunately, as I'm sure you must be aware, changing the name matters not - the fact that this is tucked away inside the "Cafe", means that almost no one will ever find it. Some people here have even said that when trying to find the post, after you moved it, they could not locate it. Why would anyone look in a "Cafe" for a discussion board?

So, might I make another suggestion please?

Why not take the entire Community Platform Discussion, and move it from the Cafe to the Discussion section? It would fit nicely betwn Technical Issues and eBay Ireland.

I feel sure the vastly better visibility there would give you many more feedback posts re the Community itself, and those post would, by virtue of the greater visibility, each receive way more responses.

All in all, greater member involvement... just what you have said you are aiming for.

Hope this helps?

Regards,

Steve

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I admire your optimism and generally I am optomistic myself but creating a seperate unread forum hidden away in a darkened room and almost behind a locked door is an ideal way to stifle all future opposition to any unwanted changes on the forum of which there have been many including this awful current forum built to match an often equally appalling looking main site.

So any future dissent about dare I say about more important topics than badges which few will even notice unless the annoying notification tells you is now totally stifled. Sorry all but I think it's a non issue, if rather childish, but that seems to be the way of the internet in general, cater to the lowest common denominator. 

I applaud your tactics community team, at least on the main eBay site they just ignore any dissent and carry on regardless, Shops, Promos, Discounts, Disptch and delivery dates the list is endless. Your method is much simpler by hiding it altogether.

[bennotbill]

There is one possible good use for badges.

Pretty much everyone agrees that feedback for buyers is now pointless. So every time someone buys something instead of feedback eBay could award them a badge. After buying so many items eBay awards them a special badge as well, 10 items 20 items etc etc.

That would make more sense and perhaps be more useful than forum badges.

[insidethe93]

When would you award the badge? Would a negative badge be awarded if they return the goods?

What if the seller cancels the order - "where's my badge?!" could be a frequent plaintive cry you see in Discussions!

It could give rise to a whole new vocabulary e.g. a seller complaining that a buyer's "badgering" them 🙂

[bennotbill]

That's the good bit. As eBay would be awarding the badges it would all be their problem.

[the_book_seekers]

Would the average buyer take to a badge scheme any better than we have with the community scheme? I don't think so. Buyers expect free listings and frequent large FVF discounts - a badge scheme is unlikley to cut unless there was some advantage to having them. 

[johnwash1]

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@the_book_seekers wrote:

Would the average buyer take to a badge scheme any better than we have with the community scheme? I don't think so. Buyers expect free listings and frequent large FVF discounts - a badge scheme is unlikley to cut unless there was some advantage to having them. 

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Ahem.  I think your sarcasm detector needs an MOT and service.

[the_book_seekers]

No scarcassm was intended. Just saying it as it appears to be.

[johnwash1]

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@the_book_seekers wrote:

No scarcassm was intended. Just saying it as it appears to be.

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I didn't imagine you were being sarcastic.  Far from it.  I supposed you were responding to bennotbill, and I'd be surprised if he was being serious.

Frankly, it's very hard to watch the car crash that ebay's web site has become, without either becoming sarcastic, suicidal, and a few other 's' words that would probably be baudlerised out by these forums.  As I've remarked before, when a company's share price falls from $80 to $30 in a year, you know there's some serious work to do.

I'll go and find some plastic scissors with blunt tips and start cutting out silver stars.

[the_book_seekers]

Frankly, it's very hard to watch the car crash that ebay's web site has become - sadly this all too true.

[bennotbill]

Another completely reasonable use for the badges would be.... 

In the near future when forums are just a fond memory, and users avatars wonder around in a virtual world discussing buying and selling, it could be requested that the badges be made from a digital soft tissue so that the avatars could finally put them to good use.

[1956glyn]

WTH........received notifications this morning that i have ranked up to "contributor" and then seconds later "Champion".    What is that all about?

katie@Ebay as you are fully aware i asked to be downgraded from Community Expert and do not wish to be upgraded automatically.   Is there any way to stop this happening apart from no longer responding on the boards at all ?

[1956glyn]

Now an Experienced Mentor !    Oh well at least i am no longer Champion the wonder horse !

Katie it may be a good idea and more professional if someone at Ebay could actually spell experienced.

Expierenced Mentor

[*guinevere*]

 

 

 

Lol! 😂🤣

[*guinevere*]

I see people are also aces and advisors etc. At least they seem to be spelled right so far.

[1956glyn]

The word PATHETIC comes to mind and hey i can actually spell it correctly too lol

[1956glyn]

Hmm have you been downgraded from a Community Expert to Experienced mentor?

[bennotbill]

Just when you thought it can't get any more ludicrous.

[1956glyn]

Ok so it looks like the Community Experts are now Experienced Mentors.    Ha ha i have that status now but cannot reply on the member to member boards.  

[*guinevere*]

Laurel and Hardy comes to mind? 

[bennotbill]

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@*guinevere* wrote:

Laurel and Hardy comes to mind? 

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Would eBay be the piano?