New members aren’t really welcomed here.
The old guard is very entrenched and set in their ways.
Sure- a lot of new people come here to get info on the value of their cards- but instead of being dismissive… wouldn’t it be better for the long term growth of Pokémon and the hobby to teach the new folks about all the cool cards that Pokémon has to offfer? All the sets? All the cool artwork?
It’s hard to break into the inner circle and I have already spoken to many new members here who have specifically said they are going to just sell everything because it’s harder to get “in” the community here than it is in the rest of the card world.
I know there are a lot of new “flippers” and money men moving in on your lifelong hobby - but do the long time members here have to
Make it so hard to be part of the community?
Just a sour grapes post- but you guys have so much awesome info- but sometimes seem angry when new folks come in.
I don’t know what You know. That’s why I came here to learn. I don’t need heat- I don’t need attitude. And I don’t need every post to be critiqued and turned into an argument. I know you are protective of your world and your community- but take it from me- you are scaring some good people away.
And I don’t just mean Logan Paul. .
To the many members here who have helped me- thanks! To the folks who read this and got mad… ask yourself why? And maybe you will understand why I posted it…
I don’t think necessarily it is being dismissive as it is not having time for generic questions by newer members.
You are correct – there is a lot of information on this site, with a lot of knowledgeable members here. When people ask questions that are easier answered on google or ebay you can see why people get frustrated with the newer members.
As you learn and lurk more you will realize it isn’t that we are being dismissive, we are all so busy with our own lives, collections and ebays that answering questions like “HOW MUCH IS ___ WORTH” and “WILL THIS GET A 10” become repetitive, urking and quite frankly a waste of time.
Wanna talk to me about some niche sets or artwork? I’d be open to discuss and have fun sharing and learning alongside you. But when it comes to those “new member” questions… 9 times out of 10 it is something that can be answered by a simple google search.
You are correct – We need new members to keep this forum going. To bring new perspectives and experiences.
But we don’t need people who are in it for just the hype and trying to flip on a quick buck. You won’t be pulling wool over anyone’s eyes here.
Almost all of your posts have been in the PSA 10 1st ed price tracking thread and other “Market” threads.
If that’s where you live, then that’s the information you will find.
You seem upset that you don’t have the “right” to state your opinions in those threads without having your opinion challenged by people who may have different opinions.
But there are literally thousands of other threads on here with a ton of information about various aspects of the Pokemon hobby that are not simply market watching. Immerse yourself what E4 has to offer. And ask questions that indicate an interest in learning about what else the hobby has to offer besides price tracking Base Set. You’ll find a friendly community that’s very happy to discuss just about anything.
It isn’t that we or myself don’t like new members, I have made many friends on the discord that only recently joined a few months ago. I’m relatively new comparatively to other members who have been here since the early 2000s and I am fitting in just fine. Most new members (not necessarily you) don’t give their due diligence and do sufficient research for their own question.
Seeing the same question over and over and answering it can be very bland when the answer can easily be searched online.
For example: How do I pack my cards to PSA?
It isn’t about veterans setting in their old ways, free financial advice and free grading evaluations can get boring after a while. You can join the discord if you want a more casual type of style conversation. As long as you pass the trial of DN.
@pokemontrader really hit the nail on the head here. I will note that pinned on the General Board is a reminder to be courteous to new members and the moderation team frequently removes posts which are argumentative, condescending, or unhelpful. There are some cases where that isn’t caught, but of course people do tend to look for the exceptions over the norm.
Your post seems to go in multiple different directions. First you seem annoyed that longtime members don’t take very basic questions from new members seriously, so let’s address that.
From the beginning, when E4 was UPCCC, it was never designed to be someone’s first stop in the hobby. E4 was, and still is, the main place for serious collectors. Now, what you define serious collectors as is a fruitless debate in and of itself, but let’s just call it someone who’s sincerely interested in the Pokemon hobby and wants to grow their knowledge base. Now, does that mean E4 can’t evolve and become a different place? No, but I’d be fairly certain the vast majority of members would like E4 to stay the way it has been.
As Michael noted, “how much is this binder I found in my basement worth” and “will this get a PSA 10” or “whatshouldibuy” is not the kind of discussion E4 was designed for. These are things that anyone with a general knowledge base in Pokemon should be able to answer. So when people respond in a less than friendly manner, it is simply because E4 is not the best place to ask these questions, just like I am not going to go to r/pkmntcgdeals to have a nuanced conversation about EX Series artwork styles.
Second, you seem to be annoyed that people are not being friendly to you specifically in debates. I really don’t know what to say to this other than welcome to the internet. The same pinned thread I cited above also notes that spirited debates are welcomed and encouraged. As @hyruleguardian noted, if you are posting exclusively in market-related threads, get ready to have your “hot takes” roasted. You are on a forum with the most experienced collectors in the world with centuries of combined experience. That’s not to toot our own horn, it’s just a fact. If you are looking for more cordial discussion, it’s more than within your power to find it.
I would say that I am a relatively new member and have had a great experience on the forum! Along with what people stated above, I think another problem is other new members want to try to be a part of the conversation even if they have nothing really to add in terms of value. Sometimes threads can get turned into an echo chamber of people just repeating the same things because they want to be included.
As for what you said about people selling off their collections completely because of E4, I find that absolutely ridiculous. Why let someone else affect your joy of something to the point of you wanting to exit completely? If you aren’t having a good experience then why are you still here? There are lots of pokemon communities across the web. Just because you don’t fit into one doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try and find a place somewhere else
Communicating with some of the most knowledgeable and passionate collectors in the hobby is intimidating. I’ve been here 3 years and I still feel left out half the time because I know very little compared to most.
I also don’t think what you are experiencing is exclusive to efour. It’s just a dynamic of being new anywhere. Go to a new school, new workplace, new town, new country, new community, etc., and you’ll
experience the same thing. There will be welcoming people and there will be rude people, like any community; and efour is just a community of people.
I’m not as active on E4 as I am on the Discord but I haven’t found what you’ve said to be true at all. Look at my post count, I’m still a very new member here, but even I already understand how quickly conversations can become dull if everyday it’s just another new “my friend’s selling this collection, how much should I pay for it?” or “do you think X price for Y card is worth it?”.
Those are questions easily answered with a bit of research, but instead of doing the research themselves, some people want someone else to spit out the answer for them.
I think it’s best to understand that time is a limited resource for everyone, and it’s best to know what you’re asking of people when you ask something of them.
I understand both sides of the argument here but in general as someone who was openly entering the hobby as an investor (although slowly being converted) and possibly being a bit abrasive at times I’ve seen the community in general here be extremely welcoming, helpful, and already consider some of the members friends. I’ve asked a lot of questions that could have been met with hate, had some threads locked, had some go unanswered but all in a general quest to catch up in the space as quickly as possible and in general people have been willing to help me at every step of the way (and I’ve tried to return the favor in any way I can).
So as a new person who came in as a total outsider, general give E4 a 9/10 experience so far
I started my account here back in 2017 to enter a giveaway . Going through my posts, I found many of my threads are completely worthless and I’m lucky I got any responses if I did. In fact to this day I think I might only have 2 threads that are unique and provide any helpful info.
Getting into the community takes time and knowledge. Recognition of your name and identity are also big factors.
I hope you find e4 a reasonable place to spend you time like I have.
I have an idea then- since this thread seems to prove my point.
I am an old man- not tech savvy… and I didn’t even know how to change my profile pic ffs…
EB finds a way to jump on me here too.
Everyone is very defensive.
But the newer folks do mirror my sentiment
Most see it both ways. So how do we get some of that information in the hands of newer folks like myself- while not annoying you all…and at the same time allowing soemeone like me to learn more and become a more contributing member of efour.
My thought? How about something for new folks beyond a welcome thread that gets buried.
How about a new member discussion thread. Where the more experienced members don’t have to go- if questions that are repetitive and mundane or beneath them are frequently asked. Perhaps new members can learn from each other there. A frequently asked new member category with threads that allows new members to learn the stuff that many of you already know.
You guys have been doing this for a while- but the prices are going up… because new blood is coming in. Maybe you build out what you have a little to accommodate those new folks. ( and put it in a place that members who don’t want to be bothered with it/ don’t have to be…).
If I am off base- let me know. But it seems like a pretty easy thing to do.
Efour isn’t the only forum for pokemon. I think people are a bit defensive because they like the forum as is. I think there are some subreddits that will be more forgiving about questions from new members that are always asked.
Instead of asking questions that have been answered 1000 times you can try the “search” option and read by yourself most of the answers you are looking for instead of spamming new threads. There are tons of info there. I did that when I joined the community and I never took anything personal if someone was salty to me. Welcome and good luck
I think a frequently asked questions thread is a great idea but your idea is also segregating new members from older members.
I think the whole experience on this forum is outdated. I check e4 on my laptop perhaps 1/20th of the time I do on my phone.
Because of this I’m only ever browsing the most recent threads as it’s easier to scroll through. Lots of threads get buried because I’m assuming the majority of people do this as well.
Also, side note… the search function on efour is terrible. Your best bet to search something is on Google with efour in the search.
.
. Going through my posts, I found many of my threads are completely worthless and I’m lucky I got any responses if I did. In fact to this day I think I might only have 2 threads that are unique and provide any helpful info.