Hello! I’ve just signed up to efour (after lurking for a while) in order to ask help in buying a very specific pokemon card. I don’t want to break any rules, does this mean I need to post 49 more times (after this, being my first) somewhere in the forums before I can create a thread? I’m a serious buyer and I’m struggling to find this card anywhere 
Yes, you need 50 posts regardless.
@fiery, Righto. I’ll err… make some memes or something.
1 Like
@philip Congrats on no longer being a lurker and engaging in the forum. Keep in mind, efour is not a marketplace. It’s a place for collectors to come together and share their hobby knowledge and experiences regardless of tenure.
Imagine going to the Corvette club on the weekend & immediately trying to buy a Corvette. Keep in mind, there are many dealers and platforms willing to sell Corvettes outside of the club. It suggests that person may not be there for the love of Corvettes, but rather to take advantage of the opportunity. Not everyone is nefarious. Requiring a 50 post minimum dissuades most from taking advantage.
Buy threads are great and they are a nice perk for active members. Hang in there and don’t make all 50 posts in one day. Haha.
13 Likes
Yeah that makes perfect sense. It’s been an age since I’ve been active on any forum (is it possible to be an online introvert?) so I’ll try my best! 
I feel that 50 posts to create a buy thread kinds of deter new collectors here trying to kick start their collection imo.
If your only contribution to E4 is a buy thread, we do not want you here.
14 Likes
I think ive made 2-3 buy threads here in my 2 years of being on the forum and maybe 1 time i was able to source something from them. Point here is, theres so many opinions beyond here (as PFM stated in that now locked thread) that not being able to make such a thread really doesnt matter.
The main focus of here (to my knowledge) has always been to come together as collectors with passion and interest in order to share in what we love. By doing so, bigger relationships are then established and through those is where youll actually find the biggest help along the way. Hell, if it werent for the friends ive made here I wouldnt have even half the collection I do now, and its all because i actively put myself out there in order to partake in what this place has to offer.
If thats not of interest to you and you just want to buy things, just visit a store or other places of that sort instead and save yourself the hassle of people coming in to meme dunk on ya.
6 Likes
Damn, that was blunt, but I kind of love that this is the message to new users.
IMO E4 is probably one of (if not) the best communities for the hobby – I’m totally with you on this
2 Likes
@fourthstartcg, I have a question. Do we allow “bounty” threads in the buy section advertising a willingness to buy something that’s very hard to find or may not even exist? For example, a card in a certain grade?
1 Like
Yes, this is totally fine, as long as you follow all the other rules (e.g. listing a price you are willing to pay)
1 Like
I understand the need to have 50 posts, but do you think at some point though that it incentivizes new accounts to just spam post to reach that 50 mark?
We occasionally get this, however the rule notes that spamming to reach the 50 post threshold is not allowed:
5.1. Members must have 50 posts in order to create a buy thread. You may view or respond to buy threads no matter your post count. Spamming (e.g. making many short/unengaged posts in a short period of time) to reach this threshold is prohibited.
50 posts is a very low threshold, so it is not difficult to reach in a couple days just by engaging normally on the forum.
1 Like
Gotcha, makes sense!