Beer Trading & Beer Karma

Is there a chart with specific values for Beer Karma? I would need to gauge how hard it is to gain Karma before deciding. I would then recommend a proper poll.

 

Now this is a great idea! Let folks familiarize themselves with the site in general, then they can familiarize themselves with the trade forum with the enhanced ability that the prior familiarization hopefully will give them. Karma will give them a vested interest in the site as a contributing member. Really like the way this is going. I think those who see a down side to this are stretching, there is no down side.

 

I have a vested interest in this site. I have been a member for almost 1.5 years, and I would be penalized for not contributing? My palate is not as refined as some. I don't taste ash, dirt, monkey butt in my beers. Therefore, I haven't done reviews. The reviews I read are much more thought out than I would write.

 

Putting myself in the shoes of the gatekeepers. I don't see how this would lead to positive growth in site traffic. I understand the reasoning behind it, but I think the negatives outweigh the positive.

I don't trade on the other site nor do I use it much at all, I started using BA because I liked the layout and format. It was the most uncluttered and straightforward to me. If I was just starting today and I had one site that required me to submit to a 'probationary' period and the other I did not, I would familiarize myself with the latter.

 

Excellent point.

 

Not only that but I think it could easily lead to account sharing

 

Have you considered making beeradvocate a 21+, members-only, pay (monthly/annually?) site? I would sign up.

 

If I don't have to pay for ****, why would I pay to use a beer site?

This would undermine ad traffic/revenue.

 

Definitely in favor of a beer karma point minimum (let's say 500 or so) and a member duration minimum (let's say 3 months)...whichever comes first. I also like the idea of "view only" privileges in the Trading Forums until one of the aforementioned thresholds is met.

 

1. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and no one else's opinion is any more, or less, valuable than yours.
2. I found that doing reviews made me better at reviewing, but also, even more importantly to me, gave me ability to better enjoy beer by making me more aware of what I like. Perhaps you will have this benefit.
3. The more people who contribute reviews, the better the aggregate score is at describing a beer accurately for the most people.
4. There is no down side to this. Doing reviews will not make you enjoy beer less, or have other negative effects upon you.

 

i don't like this idea at all and i definitely don't understand the people saying "YEAH MAKE IT 1000 KARMA BEFORE YOU CAN TRADE"

i read the forum constantly, have been here for a year, post fairly regularly, and have more likes than posts, and i'm below 250 karma. if the minimum is 500+ then myself and many other good traders who don't review will be driven out needlessly.

even if it's a low limit, why should someone have to participate in the "community" to trade? as long as they ship their beer as agreed upon then they're a good trader. i see this driving a lot of people away, the majority of which would not be undesirables.

 

Same here. I wish more people would do this.

 

It seems that this thread is extremely split on the idea of limiting posting in the trading threads due to karma, and then you guys think its a better idea to take it one step further and just outright not allow them to view the trading forum? I feel as though the decision has already been made, and you just post this thread to gauge how many people are going to be pissed off by it. Not trying to in any way insult you, just it seems odd.

AND you guys say you want to stay completely out of trading and take no responsibility(which I understand), but then you want to take away the privilege from a lot of people? Color me confused.

 

You could make two trading forums, one that you have to have time in or karma points to access and the second called the thunderdome which would be were anyone new can post ISo/ft's ...

 

I would say 5,241 should be the minimum.

 

What about the people active in the trading forum with low beer karma scores

 

I'm in favor of it. I would grandfather in legacy users, or perhaps dole out karma for anniversaries, but I think it's a great idea to require noobs to get acclimated and vested in the site before diving into trading.

I don't know the perfect amount - hard to say until you see it in action. My only concern is that 'hads' make it super easy to accumulate karma quickly.

As for not even being able to access the trader forums until you reach the appropriate karma... again, I'm in favor. But we should have a "new trader" forum that is open to everybody so people can ask for assistance.

 

Now for my real answer.

Let the n00bs look at the trade forum all they want. The more they read it the better off they are. I don't agree with tying Karma to posting privileges either. It is very easy to deal with new traders. Set up a trade and have them ship first. If they refuse....pass.

 

FWIW, as someone who's been on this site for just over a year, there isn't a chance in hell I would have stuck around if I needed to pass any requirements in order to trade or view the trade forums. I simply would have went elsewhere.

And correct me if I'm wrong, haven't you guys decided to take a pretty passive approach as far as moderating the trade forums? Just yesterday I saw a bad trader alert thread get deleted because things were getting a bit rowdy, almost entirely by the person being accused. Instead of actually moderating the situation, it was just deleted, leaving that guy to potentially go screw someone else over. Why do you now all of the sudden decide to take an interest in who is trading?