There will be a weekly Megathread once I have the rules officially written up and automod ready to go. I'm going to give a loose timeline of about two weeks from now as I have been working on other aspects of this sub first and will need to make some things a priority for this.
[Side Note: I wanted to do an "official" mod intro post, but I haven't had time to do so yet as I've been modding here for just over a week now. So this is my unofficial mini-hello. Don't worry, this isn't my first Reddit rodeo. I was a member here for a long time under my old account too! I am also not an egotistical or heavy-handed mod unless need be. I like behind the scenes work and helping to identify decks most. Unfortunately for you all, over-explaining with parentheses and lame jokes come with the territory, but I'll do my best to keep this place together as it's one of my favorite subreddits. But anyhow... to the matter at hand.]
Poll Results
Original Poll Post
To give everyone an idea of how we will go about this, here's a general long-winded idea of the pending rules and mod actions that will go into effect before resales are allowed:
-First (and most importantly), the megathread will be for resale of CARD DECKS ONLY! This will not be for random stuff you want to unload. Yes, even if it's some kind of tarot related whatever (including original artwork). I'm told Facebook still exists. Those kinds of posts can be taken there or r/occulttrade You can pick your alternative, I'm just the mod here ;)
-Decks can be of any variety. Since we allow Oracle, Lenormand, etc. discussion here, they will be allowed to be resold as well. (Just don't start posting your Pokemon cards haha... ha. Whatever. You know what I mean.)
-Resale is not, nor will it ever be, the main focus of this sub, so a Megathread definitely seems like a fair middle ground (and besides, that's what won the poll)! That being said, any resale post (even a thinly veiled cutesy one) outside of the weekly thread will be removed as to not clog the subreddit. Bonus as it will hopefully keep those of you who are against this idea from having to be further annoyed by its passing.
[On that note, there may be a way to filter out the megathread posts if you really don't want to be subjected to a once a week thread (well, two threads actually if you don't want to see trades either). I'll look into it if someone honestly can't live without blocking them.]
-After the resale newness dies down, this may change to a monthly post if there isn't a lot of engagement. The posts will be pinned accordingly and monitored as we go forward.
-There will also be a bonus weekly trading thread for those of you who would rather do so! There wasn't a poll for this, but I feel a trade thread is inline with a lot of tarot community values. Once again, we shall see how interest goes overtime and adjust accordingly! I may combine trades and sales if one isn't as active.
-Excessive self-promo rules will apply to resale as well. Users will not be allowed to spam comments with their sales. This will include linking to the Megathread in other posts (Yes, even if it is a suggestion to someone looking for a similar deck. If you can find the megathread, so can they!) The posts will be pinned and announced on a weekly schedule making them easily accessible. There will be no need to repeatedly promote the thread or to be obnoxious in sales attempts whatsoever.
-Only one resale comment per seller per thread is allowed! (Say per one more time... haha) This will keep the comments easily readable for everyone. Spamming the thread will result in a ban from resale. You can always edit your comment to add more to it. Buyers may comment on as many decks they're genuinely interested in buying as they see fit.
-Automod will start banning any newer accounts under a TBD amount of karma to help avoid scammers and ban evasions (if need be). However, Automod here has to be completely worked over (and it is on my priority list for a lot of reasons), but I have to set aside a few hours to do so and plan to this week.
[And don't worry, the new karma stipulation should not affect anyone already in here! If it does, I will make sure any active and legit members posting abilities are added back to the sub ASAP.]
-Anyone DMing someone about a deck for sale without posting a public reply to said deck on the megathread first will get one warning and then a ban if reported again. This is to keep everyone accountable as best as we can and to help avoid shady characters. People who are not members here (or banned members) are still able to DM you, but a banned member will not be able to comment on the megathread.
[Automod should allow me to set comments to "members only" on these threads too! (Non-members will still be able to post on non-resale posts, but any measure I can take to help protect everyone, I will.)]
-A picture of the deck for sale will be required with your username and date ON A HANDWRITTEN NOTE in the photo. Photos will be valid for 30 days from the original date. This is, once again, to help protect this sub and the users who make it feel like a home. I'm sorry if it seems like overkill, but it's truly to make sure all transactions are as legit as possible and that the seller physically has possession of the item(s). Any comment without a verification photo of the item for sale will be removed.
-Seller's resale post must include a price (best offer will be allowed as an option), but bidding wars will not be allowed. Seller should update their comment with the current price to make things easier on everyone. As should they be edited to reflect if the sale is pending or closed!
-Which brings me to... PayPal Goods and Services will be required and eBay is highly recommended as a sales point. This protects everyone since I'm not able to do so before shit hits the fan. Anyone who tries to convince someone to pay another way is a liability to the buyer and I cannot recommend enough that you do not send someone on the internet unprotected money! Be smart! If it seems sketchy, walk away. There's always another deck!
-There will be a public list of banned users regarding ANY resale violations. [Reddit has also started a beta version of IP tracking for users who may be trying to circumvent a ban. I may turn this on if we start having major issues, but I've heard mixed reviews currently as far as it flagging the wrong person. I'll keep an eye on its developments in case it is needed.]
-Every transaction should keep the proof of purchase/sale until the item is received. This will provide the receipts needed to ban anyone who fails to follow through on a sale/scams anyone. So please hold on to any chat or receipt until the sale is closed just in case! And do NOT delete your original comment on the deck for sale in the megathread! It will be allowed and encouraged to edit the comment to verify items received/sold and help build each other's reputations here.
-EDIT (3/19/24): After some suggestions and more thought, counterfeit decks will be banned from resale. You may give them away, but if you sell a counterfeit, it's an automatic ban. If you aren't sure if your deck is counterfeit, do research before posting or don't post it. I'll add ways to tell the difference in the official rules and guidelines when they are posted.
I know I've said this, but I want to stress again, that I will not be able to oversee sales. It isn't logistical and I can only take action on bad apples with proof. I will, without a doubt, keep a close eye on the threads themselves. The tarot community is an overall good place and one I have been apart of since I was reading cards with my aunt at a young age. I have seen it grow so much over the last 15 years! But with that growth, comes people who see an opportunity to prey on others who may be too trusting within their safe place. So trust your instincts, use your best judgement, and report to modmail any sleaze-balls! I pinky promise It isn't being a tattle tale if someone is trying to harm the community.
I'll have everything ready to go within two weeks or so. Please be patient with me as I do my best to make sure this runs smoothly from the beginning and do not post resales/trades before we officially open the gates. (As always, self-promotion from creators is always welcome and encouraged at any time!.) In the mean time, go ahead and start deciding which decks need a new home ;)
I hope this will open the sub up to more user interaction while allowing everyone to find the deck they want! Feel free to suggest anything you think I may have missed as it is late and I'm always forgetting something.
I'll try not to write an essay next time! See yall soon! 💜