I've had a few inquiries, mostly from stakers, looking for further options to increase their profile, and subsequently their likelihood of getting more horses and/or shares. We could easily create some different options and pricing, but I think we'll come up with the best model by seeking some of your opinions.

At least at this time, I don't believe there's a desire to make this some kind of paid forum. Instead, I'm thinking of some different premium options we could offer up. Some of these ideas are my own, and some were suggested:

• One option already exists - a thread in the Commercial Marketplace
• A separate forum for stakers. This could be a paid forum, or a regular forum with an option to pay to get a higher-profile thread, like a sticky.
• An option to allow some stakers to have the first shot at shares sales. I'm not sure exactly how this would look, or if it would even be possible.
• Custom undertitles. "PM me for stakes", "See my Commercial Marketplace thread", "See my Stakers Forum thread", etc.

Also open to other suggestions.

Horrible.

Others seem reasonable but unnecessary. Everyone should have to sell themselves as much as the horses sell themselves. You earn your way to the top and fight to stay there. Thats what creates the 'market' in the Marketplace.

If ever, 2p2 decides that there is money to be made here (which they should have years ago because they would take over this spectrum of online poker) it needs to be full blown implementation of a system like... you know what site.

Unless this is all being done in a hidden forum or PM's, the interest generated so far seems to say its not needed anyways.

Please please please just don't turn this into anything like PTP. Your ideas sound mostly geared towards backers and since I'm not a backer at this time I don't have much opinion on that, but your BAP section is perfect IMO so would hope that wouldn't go "premium".

I do think you should allow and even give some sort of avenue for donations to MP mods though. I don't think I need to mention names but the work done has been outstanding and we are all so blessed to have the team of mods we do in this forum.

Oh **** it, Rainbow Warrior is so sick he deserves to be singled out and get mentioned. Not to take anything away from all of you obv, you all are fantastic. I just wish there was a way we could reward the work as it's almost wrong the way it is though. As someone who's donated his own time to only benefit others, I do understand why and how we have what we have but the level shown lately is so great that It just feels weird not being able to do anything beyond a TY.

Key word being donation though, not like PTP's mandatory rake. What happens is, you wind up with mods like PTP's and an atmosphere like PTP. Sorry to anyone who feels it's a great place and admittedly I've never used it but that's just my personal opinion from what I have seen and 2+2 is worlds better.

As NOFX suggested why not create a sticky thread where people can post that they donated money to the MODS fund. (obviously we'd need a SN to send on Pstars and FT). This could be primarily used by horses or backers who just hit a big score and would like to donate.

man speaks the truth.

As for the ideas, like you said the commercial market place option already exists. I understand that it doesn't give the kind of exposure some might want because its in another forum essentially.

I think the custom under title is probably the best service that could be given that doesn't create hassles.

I'm pretty opposed to selling shares to people chosen by 2+2 before others. (Am I understanding the idea correctly?) But I understand that at the same time those of us who put up packages are using a great forum at no cost to do this, I'd just rather pay a subscription fee than that alternative.

If investors want better access to shares I don't get why they aren't making private arrangements with those that they want to invest with. I don't think that there's anything shady about an investor working out certain reserves or considerations via other forms of communication.

But yeah 2+2 isn't PTP, and it seems that it's a good thing.

I'm open to PMs on this as well.

Something is likely coming; I'd prefer to have the input of those who it will affect most.

Unlikely that we'd go down the road of some stakers having early access to shares, but I wanted it out there for input.

i would be all for the custom undertitles. not sure how much i would pay for it, and would be interesting to see what price 2p2/MP mods put on it.

What about adding a custom field in your profile where a link to your staking thread is displayed in every post like the location field. That is something I would pay for as well as a undertitle, the rest, not so much.

Can you elaborate on the bolded at all at this time? Thanks.

+1

Hi

Sorry I have come into this discussion a bit late.

With respect to the commercial forum, my personal experience is that while it was (and is) excellent for promoting a website, getting your company name known etc it didn't create a lot of ongoing staking applications. This forum is the place for that, it is where people who are looking for a stake, are looking for a stake!

For a reasonable monthly fee I would like to see the following:

1) The ability to post external links. Maybe just in the OP, maybe just a small number, perhaps three or so.
2) To be able to mention coaching etc
3) A custom Sig that links to your staking thread

I am not sure how I feel about sticky threads. Though in all honesty I don't think they will offer a benefit which is worth paying for. I'd have to think on that one

Obviously the above would be limited to a single forum. Hopefully the same staking forum that we have now? I don't think a separate commercial staking forum would be beneficial to anyone to be honest.

David

This

is this mainly due to a desire in increased money for 2p2? or did a number of people approach you with ideas similar to these?

if you begin charging money for certain services then i would expect an increase in mod reliability and response time, as well as keeping all parts of the marketplace less gunked up with crap, you guys up for that? lots more work will be made for the mods

i dont see whats so broken about the current ways that fixes need to be made, but im open to hearing why these changes will benefit the marketplace

I'm pretty happy with the current system fwiw. Still interested in what changes are being considered and would really appreciate it if the changes were discussed prior to just implementing.

Ideally, big changes won't be put into place without having been put up for discussion among the community.....

I signed up for PTP at some point but, I gotta say, it really turned me off. Would definitely be disappointed if steps are taken to make 2+2 more like PTP.

The possibilities are in the OP, and that's what this thread's about.

Right, which is why we have...this thread.

It mostly comes from a couple of emails/PMs we got from people looking to do a little more here. That said, the Marketplace was always designed more with individuals buying from/selling to other individuals in mind. As time goes on, things have evolved, and there's no question we look at that once in a while.

Is it that bad now? Open to suggestions.

I think you guys are reading too much into this, but admittedly I haven't given a lot of information yet. I had hoped the "Premium Services" would give some indication of what I had in mind here.

The main idea, at least for now, is to add some possible extras for our "pro stakers". As well, since these forums aren't meant for companies, there are some people that can't identify themselves properly in the forums. And there might be a few people we should be having a look at, that are basically running a staking company but not saying so in their threads so as to avoid breaking the rules and/or being booted to the CM. David raises some good points about the CM not being the best solution for stakers, but I think it could work if it came with an accompanying undertitle and/or regular staking forum thread.

Hi Bobo

I think the issue partly is that there isn't even going to be a clear definition of what constitutes a staking company or 'pro staking'. If we define 'pro staking', as staking in order to attempt to generate income, them I would imagine that everyone who posts a thread could be defined as a 'pro staker' since all people are backing other people in order to make a profit. The usual definition of a professional is essentially someone who does something to make money. "following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain"

Even if you don't define backers as a company, or 'pro' without other factors, what are those other factors to be? If someone stakes with a partner? Has a website? Has x number of horses? Makes x amount of money? Even if you set those rules up, they are going to be very abitatry, and they will come with a lot of grey areas which are bound to cause issues for everyone.

I think the best approach is exactly along the lines you are looking. People who consider themselves 'pro' will have the oppurtunity to benefit from a wider range of forum privileges, in return for paying a reasonable fee. People who do not consider themselves pro, even if they are incorrect by your definition, will still be able to post, but with the current, more limited posting options.

I do strongly feel that any paid for posting should happen within the current staking threads though. I do not feel subdividing would be positive for any party involved, twoplustwo included.

TwoplusTwo is a commercial enterprise, so making money this has to come into it somewhere for sure. However for the vast majority of users they provide a great and totally free service. And while I don't think anyone would say the mods do a perfect job at any forum, I feel the the current marketplace is already very well modded, even though very few of us are expected to pay anything at all.

A lot of marketplace users are here to make money, and are not paying the forum that provides them at least some of that income, nor are they paying the mods that manage that space for them. So I think it is totally understandable that they would be looking at monitizing it in some way, and if that comes with additional oppurtunities for people looking to generate income here I don't see why not either.

I don't want to have to spend money, but if I get further oppurtunities by doing so, and can at the same time support the forum/mods that help provide those oppurtunities, then I am more than fine with it.

Again, decent priveliges, at a reasonable price, and with the ability to continue to access the main staking forum at least as much as at present please

Was mostly responding to this, as it was mildly cryptic.

I was one of the people who approached bobo (and maybe other mods, i cant remember) about possibly having undertitles. I am not sure what they should be, but people who coach have "see my coaching listing" and i was thinking of something similiar to that.

I am not sure how much i would actually pay for that, as i dont think it would "make or break" my business. but, it would be nice to have the option.


If it were up to me,(in a perfect world) i would have "see my staking thread in the Marketplace" and maybe a link right under that as well.

I'm close to being a full time backer now,really don't see much need for any big changes.What Zima said above would be a small change ,but very welcome imo.

Keep up the good work 2+2,wp.

Yeah, basically agree with all of this....

Ya i think certain features might be beneficial, undertitles/profile links etc. I would appreciate more info from Bobo so I dont have to do so much speculating on what these changes would be.

I also think the mods do a good job, but once it becomes a fee based service, their excuses of "oh we are just volunteers" wont quite cut it. As far as suggestions? Be on the computer more. I think you guys do a good job but always room for improvement.

If you guys have dealt with PTP and their mods, you can see why I would be a bit hesitant to want to go that route.

Oh and a step stool to reach Gonso on his high horse would be nice, have a gr8 afternoon!

I agree. Undertitle seems easy and not very obtrusive.

Allowing people that pay a certain fee to have their staking threads stickied sounds like a good idea.

You can even adjust the fee based on demand so that there aren't more than 6-12 sticky threads at any given time (so if there's two, then lower the price, if there's 12 then increase the price).

That shouldn't infringe on non paid people but should give paid people an advantage that they seek and are willing to pay for.

By the way, this isn't a "here's how you make a ton of money" suggestion. A lot of people all over twoplustwo seem to be clamoring for more business/exposure options and I think that is one good idea.

The under title suggestion also seems appropriate, the coaches in the coaching listings love them.