What would you like to see in an improved Trading System?

[Cia]

Some of us simply don't have the time to input a trade list so the database idea would be fantastic. If I could just put in a UPC and have all the info pop up automatically I could actually keep my list updated.

This is a great idea, I would even be willing to be the first to enter all my UPC's of the coupons that I have.

[Tbites]

What's this thing about some coupons being only French? Would this something that would need to be considered in the enhanced trading system? If so how can I incorporate it?

Many coupons in Quebec are valid across Canada but are only written in French. It would be AWESOME to have a check box or something to search for traders who DO take them. So far I've had trades in MB, AB, SK & ON who were willing to take them, but I didn't find them.... they found me.

[divya]

great ideas, especially the one about maintaining a database and color coding.

[nickypooh999]

I think one of my biggest issues with the system right now is in terms of wishlists. I wish there was a way that I could take a UPC for a coupon I have and search and retrieve a list of all people looking for this coupon (or even using the name of the brand). Right now this is impossible to do and takes quite a bit of work to find people looking for coupons I have to trade.

I saw a thread about the coupon scan asking "who will maintain it for 2012" I think this new trading system could both improve trading and replace this thread. As someone has indicated, the new system could hold a database of coupons which include information such as: brand, value, UPC, type (i.e. printable, tft, cz, french, etc), scanned images of coupon, expiration date, category (household, food etc) etc and this database would be maintained by the community. Basically, if you find a new coupon while shopping, instead of creating a thread on the coupon page, you could go and add this new coupon to the list along with scanned images of it. There could even be a general page on the site with a list of "NEW COUPONS" that shows all the latest coupons found so people could be on the lookout for these or add them to their wishlist (maybe even a button beside it saying "Add to Wishlist"). When someone is building their trade lists or wish lists, they could search the database for these coupons and add them to the lists with the click of a button.

[elayjosh]

I think one of my biggest issues with the system right now is in terms of wishlists. I wish there was a way that I could take a UPC for a coupon I have and search and retrieve a list of all people looking for this coupon (or even using the name of the brand). Right now this is impossible to do and takes quite a bit of work to find people looking for coupons I have to trade.

I saw a thread about the coupon scan asking "who will maintain it for 2012" I think this new trading system could both improve trading and replace this thread. As someone has indicated, the new system could hold a database of coupons which include information such as: brand, value, UPC, type (i.e. printable, tft, cz, french, etc), scanned images of coupon, expiration date, category (household, food etc) etc and this database would be maintained by the community. Basically, if you find a new coupon while shopping, instead of creating a thread on the coupon page, you could go and add this new coupon to the list along with scanned images of it. There could even be a general page on the site with a list of "NEW COUPONS" that shows all the latest coupons found so people could be on the lookout for these or add them to their wishlist (maybe even a button beside it saying "Add to Wishlist"). When someone is building their trade lists or wish lists, they could search the database for these coupons and add them to the lists with the click of a button.

[nickypooh999]

Boo,

I work as a developer so if you need any help let me know and I can assist as much as I can. I will be away for the next 2 weeks but once I return if you want some assistance let me know. I would love to help make this the most efficient and easy-to-use trading system

[heycinderella]

Maybe we can fill in our coupons in a table rather than having different formats?

For example, we can fill in

Num of Coupon, Coupon Description, Type ($x off, b1g1, $x off wub2...), Category(food, baby...), Expiry Date, UPC

It would also be great to automatically highlight the ones that are about to expire.

[Cia]

This was posted on the neg. trade thread by another SC:

"I agree that the trade ratings can be misleading. Some folks are attending coupon swaps and then giving positive ratings to the participants when they get home. So it`s easy that way to get 12 ratings in one evening. IMO it is not a realistic rating....there have not been 12 trades that required organization, on-time mailing etc. "

Can there be a rating tab for face to face trade/swaps?? Or was the rating system intended for this type of trade? Thoughts anyone.

[FallenPixels]

Plus, I would find it handy if under the users name where is says amount of feedback, it said the percentage of positive without having to go look at that person's feedback.

This is actually visible in the coupon sections already (look left in this thread, it is there) but it would be nice if it was added so it shows when you PM too

I think that is great... I would also make the titles and subtitles generic for everyone... like SMELLEY'S, BKFAST, DAIRY, SNACKS, DRINKS, CLEANING, LAUNDRY, BATHROOM (SOAPS ETC), PHARMACY...

or a little less generic like (baby, food, housecare, pharmacy, pets, misc) would be much easier to refine our search and spot the deal instead of reading ALL coupons listed until you find the one you want.

I would be in favour of the generic labels, most people don't sort by so many labels and I think it would put people off trading

Yes, this please Boo! This would help me SO much!

I'm not sure that more sections would be helpful. Mods get quite a lot of reports daily because people don't even put their trade threads in the right section as it is, and that's only one general section "trades". I can't imagine how crazy the reports would become with multiple sections.

Since you're talking about "specific" coupons, would it help if you tried using the search feature when you are in the trades section? By clicking "search this forum"?

I agree, it would just be a mess, we already have the software installed on the forum for the drop down menus like we use in the local forums, could that not be implemented in the coupon forum so we choose Auction / Tradelist / Wishlist / Other when a thread is posted while the possibility of colours are looked at

+1

I REALLY like that idea !! I think it should be seperate like that :

Tradelist
Wishlist
Auction
Bundle (person who trade bundle)
Coupons inserts (person who trade inserts)
ROAK (for example if a person would like to ROAK the first person who PM her.. ect)

Then we would have people PMing the poor mods saying wahhhhh xyz has inserts in her tradelist

What's this thing about some coupons being only French? Would this something that would need to be considered in the enhanced trading system? If so how can I incorporate it?

Perhaps a column for French/English/Bilingual F/E/B and a note section where we can put any notes

This was posted on the neg. trade thread by another SC:

"I agree that the trade ratings can be misleading. Some folks are attending coupon swaps and then giving positive ratings to the participants when they get home. So it`s easy that way to get 12 ratings in one evening. IMO it is not a realistic rating....there have not been 12 trades that required organization, on-time mailing etc. "

Can there be a rating tab for face to face trade/swaps?? Or was the rating system intended for this type of trade? Thoughts anyone.

I replied in the other thread but I will always give someone a trade rating if they bring coupons to a meet especially for me. I also feel someone is less likely to rip people off after they have met SCers face to face. I am not sure about the other groups, but the Toronto group has become very close and if one of them ripped people off, I would rip their arms off (not really but I know how to get in touch with most of them off SC and that would help if they did). I don't see how it is different than coupons on a VWL where they mailed once and get 10 ratings?

[FallenPixels]

Now I have finished quoting...

I am hugely in favour of a coupon database where we can see if a coupon is available and maybe a tickbox that says add to tradelist/wishlist to cut down on typing but if we have too many options, people, especially newbies will be put off trading

I also like the idea of the trade facilitators, I know that I get PMs from people because of the what do you think trades should be worth thread, and other big traders / repliers in that thread do too from newbies who are not sure if they are offering enough / getting ripped off.

[MrsSunshine]

ITA FP.. if someone has gone out of their way to not only collect certain coupons/products specifically for me.. and then goes out of their way to come to a swap i hold or somewhere else to make sure I get them etc.... then I believe they do deserve a + rating. whether or not its under the now 'reg' train passenger or one is created specifically for face to face trades/swaps. the gas alone has cost more than a stamp would to get those items to them.

[divya]

It would be great to have a seperate search for wishlist coupons and seperate search for tradelist..That way I can search for coupons I want as well as find people who are looking for coupons that I have. Now it is so time consuming and hard to find people looking for coupons I have.Thanks!

[frugalgirl14]

I think that it would be awesome if we have a color coded trade section! I find it hard trying to find someone who wants specific coupons, therefore some of my coupons go to waste

If we could have seperate searchs for wishlist and trade list, it would be wonderful! Right now, if I'm looking for a specific coupon and search it, I mostly get people who are looking for that coupon.

For me, when I am looking at someones trade or wishlist, I right down on a piece of paper what I have for or want from this person, which means I waste a lot of paper! If there were check boxes where we could check off what we wanted/had for that person, it would save me lots of time and paper!

[K8's Fate]

I did post this in another thread, but maybe others will have some ideas if it's posted here...

The trade forum is looking way better with well over 4000 threads being expired!
However, there are still many members with way more than 3 threads (some with 20+).

Sally does not want them reported, as she is very busy with other mod issue (understandable).
Amber does not want users to send each other reminder pms.
I do believe that users are just unaware of their active threads, and not intentionally leaving them active.

This thread should only be between 20-25 pages (not 117 as it was a few days ago).
The smaller size will be so much easier to search, and for the mods to maintain.
However, without a solution I feel the Trade Forum will continue to grow to almost 6000 threads again, as the expire issue seems hard to beat.

Any ideas?

[NicoleLJ]

I would like to see other choices added to: Trade/Train Passenger/Train Conductor
Examples: RAOK/Traditional Train Passenger/VWT Passenger/VWT Points Passenger

I also think a spot to comment on Train Conductors would be helpful. Ideas:
Communication-- excellent/fair/poor
Coupons-- excellent/fair/poor