Proposal on thread formats to allow effective use of this forum

Ok, so this forum is going to be a change for us all (I've been following the coupon thread since about a week after tirrabella posted).

I was thinking that something along the following might work:

Suggestion # 1
Sticky thread # 1
This contains guides, how to's, links to advice, tips & tricks etc etc. This would serve as a resource thread for couponing newbs.

Suggestion # 2
Sticky thread # 2
Active coupons thread. First post of this thread should be a living post updated according to posts in the thread from other users. This would look something like the following:

PIGSBACK

Restrictions:
- Must be a member to print coupons
- Even though you can print the same coupon multiple times, you must reselect each time to ensure coupon barcode is different on each coupon otherwise you run the risk of being refused

Current Offerings: (copied from rameire for purposes of providing this example)

€1 off Dee's Wholefoods range (exp 29 Mar )
60c on Plenty 2R white standard only ( exp 29 Mar )
€1 off JOHNSON’S® Baby 2in1 Bubble Bath & Wash™ ( exp 31 Jul )
70c off any product within the CAREFREE® range ( exp 31 Oct )
€1.50 off Dr. Oetker Casa di Mama Pizza ( exp 30 Apr )
50c OFF Selected Capri-Sun 10 packs ( exp 31 Mar )
€1 Off John West No Drain Tuna 3 X 60g ( exp 29 Mar )
€2 off any Persil Bio product ( exp 29 Jul )
€1 off any Comfort product ( exp 29 Mar )
60c off Butterkrust ( exp 29 Mar )
60c off McCambridge's Irish Stoneground Wholewheat Bread ( exp 29 Feb )
€1 off Ribena 1 litre Range ( exp 31 July )

Love Irish Food

Restrictions:
- Must be a member of pigsback to print any coupons on offer on this site

Current Offerings:
None

and so on, you get the idea.

Suggestion # 3
Anyone who has used coupons over the last few months knows that they are at their most effective when used with a special offer (BOGOF, half-prince etc).

What I am thinking is we need to look at the main threads in the forum being alert threads which would contain the following:

Thread title =
[MATCH-UP] PRODUCT - LOCATION - OFFER

so this would look like this

[MATCH-UP] Persil - Tesco - Half-price

Thread content would be simple, just expand on the details in the thread title.....

PRODUCT - Persil
LOCATION - Tesco
OFFER - Half-price (now €3.50)
COUPON - Use Pigsback €2 off coupon to get a 28 wash bottle for €1.50
VALID UNTIL - Insert date or put unknown

It would be up to users of the forums to point out when a match-up is no longer available/expired. Thread title would then need to be changed.

I see the pre-fix option is enabled on this forum (showing [EXPIRED]) so I'm hoping its possible to add an additional pre-fix to make this work easier.

Anyway, these are just suggestions that I think would make the forum extremely effective in terms of providing savings to all who use it because at the moment I can see it becoming a mess in a very short time unless some structure is put in place.

If there is an issue in terms of the level of moderation needed to make this work then I will willing offer to manage some of this as I am on boards several times a day and would not be opposed to helping make this forum work effectively for everyone.

Helium

I can see it becoming a mess in a very short time unless some structure is put in place.

Have to disagree with you, maybe a sticky for Pigsback but nothing else.

Remember the couponing thread was a complete mess before it got its own sub-forum.

Like it the way it is now.

mysteries1984

I mostly lurk (haven't even taken advantage of a lot of these great coupons here) but that seems too regimented to me...I can't see everyone abiding by the rules. I quite like the way it is now.

Just my two cents.

slave1

Don't believe in stickys apart from rules, all threads should self survive through popularity and recentness, as a coupon expires then that thread will naturally fall down from the first page, and so on

Soarer

I'd like if the coupons were attached to the posts as opposed to being linked to an external website, where possible.
It's usually in work where I check this forum, and a lot of the other sites are blocked from there. Whereas everything from here is easily downloaded.

Bobby1984

slave1 wrote: »

Don't believe in stickys apart from rules, all threads should self survive through popularity and recentness, as a coupon expires then that thread will naturally fall down from the first page, and so on

What happens if a thread is put up for a coupon which is valid for 9 months. People will not be able to find it unless people comment on it constantly. Would it work if all current valid coupons were put on the thread like suggestion 2 and then deleted as they expire.