Used stamps exchanges.

I just saw the Sveinn received only 50 stamps instead of 100. I know also that it happened to another new member because he posted it yesterday in the forum where we are both of us.
I also received this week a letter with more than 50 definitives.
What to do with these members who are not following the rules? It gives a very bad image of this club which can attract new people only if there is quality.
Danubius, is there somehow something planned in the rules in such cases?

About the ideas suggested above, I can implement at least some of them. Your experience can help this site grow. I am always open to ideas of how to improve this club.

I can add the following for now:

1. Explanations of photos - I will create a way to add comments on the exchanges

2. Limiting the number of simultaneous swaps if having 1 bad exchange in the last 10 exchanges - Having 1 bad exchange can be an exception. This reviews are subjective. Good swappers can receive negative reviews even if they sent good stamps. But I can try this to see if it works. How about in such a case we drop the limit to the initial 2. And we will see later if we need to change this.

Some of the other ideas were already discussed in one form or another. Maybe it helps if we add each of this ideas as a separate subject. It might get confusing discussing so many ideas in one place and we lose track of them.

Since 31 March, the limit for bad swaps is 2 in the last 10 exchanges. This exchange Jess receive was sent on 30 March, one day before I added that limit. So when the exchange was registered that member was already banned. He and 5 others are currently banned for reaching the 2 bad exchanges limit.

The first time I implemented the banning system at the end of January. At that time I made it more relaxed. The limit was 5 (no one reached that) and there was a warning message at 2. I counted more on the warning message to give them time to adjust before I lowered the limit.

According to the statistics, the negative exchanges are dropping while the positive exchanges are increasing. I can't promise that there won't be bad exchanges, but I will try to limit them as much as possible.

It may take some time before the effects of these changes are felt.

Some more ideas:
All the sendings received should be uploaded, both bad and good.
Transparency is the key.
And finally, private comments, sometimes I have received 4 or 5 stars, but not a message like "Thank you, I liked very much your stamps".
Regards

I want to give my impression as well.
It is of course very dissapointing not to be corresponded as you feel you should.
But, on the other hand, this site is by far the best option I have found, and I have been swapping in plenty of sites.
I do feel bad as well when I don´t receive 4 or 5 stars.
I have to say that not all the new members are behaving badly.
If we give a chance to this site, and I think it really deserves it, in two or three years this site can be really a nice place to swap (it is already a nice place to swap).

Some ideas to share:

1.- Retake the possibility of a "skip option", you dont have to send an envelope to a person you know didnt sent you a good swap, or to a person you know you cant satisfy.

2.- Milestones: I think another member proposed that each member who achieves let say 50 sendings with a rate over xxx stars, should receive two or three free sendings.

3.- Average of stars: a member who doesn´t achieve 3,75 of average after, lets say 10 sendings will be reduced in his slots.
If he receives less than, let's say 3, will only receive one slot.

4.- Resendings, anyone can better his rating if he sends a better sending (should be a extreme option).

Regards

Thank you all for your support.
I am a member of this club from the first day on.
I did many nice swaps here and met a lot of nice people. But lately exchanges are running back in quality. And, in my opinion, there are some people who send out trash and build a nice collection with stamps we send them because we DO care about a nice rating. Wheter that is a 4 or 5. For me it is all about making someone happy with what I can send them. There is no better feeling than a happy mail day and I want to give my partners that feeling. I always try to meet my partners wishes and I wonder: " is this something I would like to receive myself?"

I agree with alexisslay that the behavior of some member will kill the club in the end. For me personally it kills the joy that I have in exchanging stamps.

...alexisslay very well written, all of those sound like good ideas ! and yes there should be restrictions to send and receive if you have maybe more than 1 low rating in last 10 exchanges -it is not fair to register someone´s bad sending (lot of damaged stamps, several duplicates, less than 100 stamps) and then this member will perhaps receive 100 undamaged unique stamps in return... i absolutely feel that i rather not send anything if i receive such member´s address who has sent crap to me or someone else -if i send i do not want to send good stamps to that member but then i risk myself getting rated 1 or 2 ^^ it happened a couple of times ...i had received crappy stamps from them first and sent back the same:~

I completely agree with what you wrote. I am making stats about the average rating of people on the site and i can see that more and more low quality stamps are sent. Always by the same people without consequences. I can understand that a newcomer make a mistake and wrongly evaluate what he is sending. But a repetition of such behavior is not acceptable. I am trying also my best to send nice stamps because i want to receive nice ones too. Like you i was also disappointed.
In short term, it will kill the club and it is a pity as it is a great idea.

I would really appreciate that people having even one bad rating ( 2 or 1 ) will have restrictions ( like only 1 possible lot to send ) thus they will think twice before sending a bad lot and it will avoid that 5 members will receive bad stamps. ( I saw several time the same low rated members making such things ). The possibility to still send 1 lot of stamps is a way to have another chance but they would need to gain the trust and will have to send several good lots to be able to swap 5 lots.
If they continue with bad lots, the administrator should make a last warning before the ban. And i mean definitive ban. I am on a forum where strict rules exist and i am never disappointed with any swap. It is unfortunately the only way to have quality : haves rules and stick to them.
How is it possible to see people with 3 bad rating in the last 10 swap continuing to send lot?

Another point, to help to have the best quality, i would propose that members with an average above 4 would have to possibility to allow a second swap or more with the members they rated 4 or 5. They could choose to enable or disable the option at any time. It can give the system more options. What do you think?

For me, it is in first place not important what 4 or 5 rating I will receive for my swap. I try to send my swappartner as much as I can interesting stamps. I try to meet his/her preferences. Some of the members are sending torn, damaged stamps, or many old stamps. I know it is a plus when you can meet your partners profile, but at least you can do your best to send something nice. As I now realize members who send good quality go elsewhere and the members sending bad 100 stamps stay active on this website, as there are no consequences of the ratings they receive. They are allowed to stay active.

First of all: I met some wonderful and interesting people who sent me wonderful stamps, dream parcels, THANK YOU, I hope to meet you again……
My respect for Danubius, this is not an easy job. Like all over world, there are always people who abuse and/or do not comply with the rules

With the summer just around the corner I was balancing and I am very disappointed. My stamp collection has decreased a lot. Both in quantity as in quality. I have send many more good and interesting stamps than I received. Many many more. On top of this: in the future I get the addresses of people who are my 1 and 2 (and even 3) "bad swappers" and I have to send them 100 good stamps. I had a bad night sleep. I have the impression there are collectors who, without any scruples get rid of their trash and instead build a nice collection with the stamps they receive.
The last swap I received was so shameful –it made me sick- I sent it back without registration/rating, I never did before, I made some pictures of course!
I decided not to start again in 100 stamps club after this summer if the system doesn’t change………….
Summarized: the system doesn't work justified...yet.
I know that you can't expect to receive dream parcels (luckily I got a few) but the opposite is unacceptable. As said before: there are lots that haven't been registered at all or don't arrive at its destination. Those stamps are lost.

If we consider real collectors, real stamp lovers, people who are also really happy and busy with their albums, then we should be honest and admit that what we see on the photo of Jess, is not an asset to her collection and I think it is NOT DONE to send damaged stamps. I want to ask those bad swappers: what is the purpose of a profile, did you read it, did you look for stamps within that profile?
I know this is a very long post, but reading it costs significantly less time than writing and translating it. That means I am committed with the 100-stamps-club and the dissatisfied and frustrated swappers and there are really more of them than Jess18877 and Stevado

Dear Jess (and all other that will read this message)

I am not saying the lot IT-148 didn't deserve a 2*. I only said that by the photo it doesn't seem to deserve it. But as you now say, "there are many torn and damaged stamps" (which we cannot see on the photo you uploaded). So I think it only reenforces my opinion that there should be a message/title/description that we could add to the photos we upload. Is it possible Danubius?

Also, for me, past ratings must not make influence on actual or future ratings. Otherwise even if a user makes an effort to send better lots he will still get the same lower rating due to the past! Then he will give up on his efforts to get better! (and I say this due to personal experience; I gave up on trying to go for 5*, now I just run for 4* - I will not make efforts to send a 5* lot, and then only get a 3* - I know it was with our "well know" urindianfriend, so I think I must be glad he even registered the stamps!)

Greetings

@edvasc
There where many torn and damaged stamps in lot IT-148.

Take a look at this person's last 10 ratings:
4 x 2 star rating and
5 x 3 star rating

If you want the lot IT-148 I am glad to send it to you.
Please give me your address in a DM and make you happy with it.

I have a suggestion to make.
Danubius would it be possible to add a title to the images we upload, so that there could be a little explanation/description of the reasons for the rating or the problem with the stamps?
For example, in a recent registered exchange, Exchange IT-148, which has a rating of 2*, I don't see anything wrong. For me it should have had 4*.

I encourage to all members to upload pictures on what they receive, regardless the rating is 1 or 5.
I know that sometimes it takes a little bit more time, but it is very useful in terms of transparency.
I always upload my last receptions.

I have made some changes to the automatic banning system.

A member is temporary banned if it receives 2 negative reviews in the last 10 exchanges.
Also the limit for giving negative ratings is 2.

2 out of 10 exchanges means 20%. The club average is much lower then this. So this limits should be reasonable.

I hope that this will not be taken personally. A ban is something temporary. The ratings can be changed for 6 months after registration. So, a resend can be done and the ratings received can be improved.

Hello,
When i saw the last swaps of today, I was very upset and i wanted to share it with the club members. To see a new member from Japan receiving 2 such poor selections is a shame for the whole club.
It is visible that these members are just maintaining them above the limit of ban.
Honestly, I am used to swap stamps with german people with a great succes but these 2 are really not good. I was myself dissapointed by a lot received from one of them, and it is visible that i won't be the last one.
Is it possible to have a strong look on the history of these members? They can just generate frustration on new participants and make them leave despite the fact that many others are nice and honest.

@alexisslay I think that a swap with damaged, duplicates and many definitives should not even be rated a 3. It doesn't fulfill the requirements of this club and should be rated a 2 or 1.

I know that Danubius is also considered about our concerns.

Yesterday I got the address of a person who got two ratings. A 3 and 1 star. I was really in doubt what to send.
I always tend to send something I want to receive myself. So I did try my best.

I definitely agree. I am trying to send the nicest stamps to please my swap partner. But what a deception when you send him a letter with a rating 5 and you receive from the same person a letter which i rated hardly 3 ( duplicate, damaged stamps, many definitives, the rest was a majority of DDR and Poland which are not attractive on the swap market ). I will probably slow down my sendings because members are not following the simple rules written on the site. I would probably prefer to make direct private swap with the members who have the highest rating, i will be sure to have a fair swap.
For the interest of the club, people not playing the game should have penalties. With just warnings, it will not work. I would even not have issue to send back the stamps and put a rating : REJECTED. Thus the member cannot have any benefit of having one letter sent even if it is crap.
For me, a letter which is not following an rules ( duplicates, damaged etc.. ) has to be rejected.

...and what about the members who send many duplicates? we can all see the photos now that someone has sent several duplicates -this is clearly against the rules and should not be allowed. even if stamps are not damaged, duplicates should not be sent. of course by mistake a couple may slip in but not that many... and if i receive broken stamps from someone and then get this member´s address and rather return the stamps -i will also get a low rating then ...it seems a better option not to send anything at all in such case :( why would someone send great stamps in exchange for someone who sent crap?

i wonder if some members are already banned as i´ve seen them have 2 or more low ratings (1 or 2) and we can also see some photos that many damaged stamps and duplicates have been sent ...i feel so bad for the sincere members who send 100 different good condition stamps and then receive broken and duplicate stamps which is totally against the rules as well :( at least those members should be reminded of the rules and warned that if they continue to send broken stamps and duplicates they will be banned from the club ...and all the other members should see a red flag or something in their profile that nobody with good intentions agrees to swap with them by mistake ^^

Thank you!
I intend to add later more statistics.

Yes, you are taking a big assignment here, trying to run together cats, dogs, sheeps, whales and so on. stamp collectors are a very mixed group. But I think I like the idea of this group better and better every day.
Maybe it would interesting to have an information site.
general information's, total of sent letters, average travelling time, 1 within continent, 2 between continents, and may be longest and shortest time to. that would help people to calculate their letters, I saw someone asking when he should expect the first letter

I personally want to express my gratitude to you Danubius for manage all this.
Than you very much.

So receiving too many low ratings is a problem, but probably also a problem is if you give too many low ratings.

How about if we limit the number of low ratings you can give to only one for your last 10 exchanges received. A low rating is a exception. A low rating is for someone that could be banned, so that decision should not be taken too easily.

For the automatic system only the last 10 exchanges are considered. 2 out of 10 means 20% low ratings. At 2 low ratings you only see a warning message. This warning should not be taken personally. It should only help those that know they can improve their exchanges.

Now, the actual banning is at 5 meaning 50%. Nobody is in this situation now. I set it like this for now but I can change it if necessary. I wanted to try it like this and see how it works.

I will also try to review the low ratings if the automatic system is not working.

that is strange to see when someone that always get high rating suddenly gets 2 stars? And sometimes when you wake up, you just know that day you will never rate 5 stars :)
so I really think that instead of banning, cut one letter of, if we make a reward system as well, that lost letter would go to someone always sending good stamps or a very active member.
The member that lost his letter, can try to send better stamps and gain that lost letter again.

i think a suspicious case (got a rating 1 more than once) should be reviewed before banning. Danubius should ask the member who gave the rating that was was received. and then contact the sender and ask for explanation and willingness to re-send. if the sender refuses to re-send and seems to make excuses, or re-sent stamps do not arrive or are no better -then should be banned. i think i got myself also a rating 2 twice ! so am i nearly banned already? ^^ i assure i did not send broken stamps -it might be a couple by mistake- as i´ve also received in several envelopes and a couple of damaged stamps do not automatically make me give low rating if majority of stamps are ok. it is clear the rating is given very personally as people naturally have different standards, likes and dislikes ...advise how to rate can be given but eventually it´s impossible to make it completely unified :) it is good to take/show a picture of a bad reception ! with this Danubius, or everyone here, could see for themselves what was sent and the crucial evaluation of whether to ban someone would be more objective.

I agree with Jess18877 that the stars for rating should be clearly explained. I still favor banning users who do not meet the criteria of exchanging 100 stamps!

50 stamps are clear 1 star rating.
1 star is very negative rating as you will see if you go to ratings

Hello, I also received 50 stamps in my exchange (and not so I will send 50 stamps the other user, I think that's what's going on), and would like to make a suggestion, add a note 0, it would be for letter under 100 stamps, and would not score or releasing another exchange, until the note is reviewed.
It would be an immediate punishment for that matter.

improvements on rating system looks good, you can add "very" before 1 and 5 stars and have the letters bold, you know some us do not see as well as others.
now we see if the ratings change, meanwhile we can start tho think positive, should not be a reward system? for example milestones and reward for high ratings? that would mean when someone reach 50 letters sent, then rewarded with an extra letter sent to him/her as if 50 stars reseived last 10 letters for example or last 15 letters sent 4,5+ star average. Or something you think is fair, as for second warning could be loosing a letter, this are only my opinion how to improve this club.

I have implemented the banning system like this:

First stage will be this warning message in the "Send stamps" page if you have at least 2 negative ratings (1 or 2 stars): "You have received some low ratings recently. Please improve your next exchanges."

Second stage will be the actual banning if you have at least 5 low ratings. Now, nobody has that many low ratings, so nobody is banned now. For now, I hope that the first warning message will be enough.
I can change this later if necessary.

I don't think that there is a member with a bad intention now that needs to be banned.

I think that what must be made very clear is that "1 star" and "2 stars" are negative, which means the partner/user did not fulfill the rules of the group (of the GROUP, not the suggestions on the partner's profile). Less that 100 stamps, duplicate or damaged stamps.

This is important and it seems to me that it is not yet clear to all users. "1" and "2" are NEGATIVE!

"3 stars", "4 stars", "5 stars" (which for me don't care, because they are very subjective) will be to rate how happy we got with the exchange. Personally I think I have sent "5 stars" selection and those got "3 stars" by the partner, I have also sent some "3/4 stars" selections that got "5 stars" by the partner, ...

When you want to ban users you must be really clear on what the stars stand for. I have the feeling that now everybody has a different feeling about what the stars stand for.

What for one person is a low rating because many definitives can be a nice swap for another person who collects different colors of definitives.

I think there must be a difference between low, normal and extra special.
It is to personal now. Everyone had a different view.

I agree with Sveinn that banning users is not the best way.
Is it possible to do a re-send and get a better rating?

Anybody here familiair with the rating system on swapbot? I think that that system is very clear.

I think it would be good that under Register stamps are information about that 3 stars are neutral and 1-2 stars are negative (maybe written in red letters).
I am not sure everyone understand that 3 is actually 0

Exchanges in the last 90 days:
Total exchanges: 712
5 stars: 359 exchanges - 50.42%
4 stars: 218 exchanges - 30.62%
3 stars: 102 exchanges - 14.33%
2 stars: 27 exchanges - 3.79%
1 stars: 6 exchanges - 0.84%

Active members in the last 90 days. Considering last 10 exchanges of each member.
104 total members

6 members with at least 2 negative exchanges (1 or 2 stars) from which one member has 3 and one has 4
no members with at least 2 one star exchanges

Its good news that you have received the remaining stamps.

I also believe that members should learn from their mistakes. And this is happening. This is why I believe that the message you send with the feedback is more important then the stars. The stars should not be used as a punishment.

I don't like the banning. This should be an exception. It should not be done easily.

I got second 50(49) stamp letter in post today

1 and 2 stars are negative 3 is neutral

A case of sending 100 low-quality but undamaged stamps, which is frowned upon but technically within the current rules of the site, should be differentiated from a blatant disregard for them which is sending less than half of the required amount.

Therefore, I'd suggest that if both 1 and 2 were to be considered "negative" ratings, they should carry different consequences.

I am not sure it is right to ban members. It would be better that average high rating give higher chance of getting more letters than sent and low average rating will mean that you wont get as many letters back as you sent.
Do you think this is possible to do Danubis?
some New collectors have to learn by their mistakes, banning them will not help, this would also give us the more advanced collectors reason to try for higher rating.

the stamps I got where okay, no damaged, if he would have filled it up with 50 definitives I would probable have rated him 5 stars. I in the other hand collect stamps so I collect definitives to. I am not collecting pictures. :) He say he sent 2 letters with 50stamps to me ? ok if I get the second letter I will change my rating.

It is not acceptable to send 50 stamps.
This is not a matter on the quality of the stamps, it is a deliberate action.
It is a good idea your proposal, specially in this case.
It is not a good idea if the two stars have been given just because you dont send, lets say, stamps from Japan, as the wishlist say. So maybe should be one one star, and three two stars.
If a one star is given is because the sender deliberately sends 50 stamps, or the stamps are damaged, or thing like that.

Danubius, I think it is a good idea to have an user banned with 2 low ratings below 3 stars in the last 10 swaps.

I'm thinking about a automated system for banning members that don’t follow the rules.
A member will automatically be banned from sending if it receives 2 low ratings bellow 3 stars in the last 10 exchanges.

A rating for an exchange can be changed, so if that member is resending and the rating is changed, the ban will be removed.

Also members wont be able to rate bellow 3 stars more then once in the last 10 exchanges.
In this way, two different members can ban someone but a particular member wont be able to constantly give low ratings.

Do you thing that this will work?