This was originally a post made in The Shop Federation. Please read about this here first. As my post was first made on page 108, you may read more responses there. Thanks!

My thoughts have been, and still are that the Requests forum shouldn't be a forum. It should be seperate, and linked to the front page directly. It should also be in the editor (tips menu?) and suggested when a New Scratcher joins. What is this place? My thoughts are that it would be a list of a few shops, 20ish? There would be a quick blurb, and quick example of work. A banner might be optional? Anyway, Scratchers will quickly know what a shop is about, and the work they do. If they like a shop, and it will work for them, they can click on it, and there will be the author's name and link to profile, how long the shop has been open, completed orders, etc. There will also be the front page, which will be very detailed. It will list their services and past examples. If they like what they see, they can order, by going to the top and clicking a button. They will fill out a form, if one was made, and they will click submit. Maybe a characted min.? After that, any workers may either claim it, or pass. If they claim it, the order will be added to an order list for that worker, and they must complete it, or else it will be passed to someone else. But if they originally passed it, it will still be open for someone else. If somebody wants to take an order, but it's already been taken, they may still take it, but the original person has priority. If nobody takes it, it's up to the shop owner to either accept it, or decline it. If it's declined, the person who placed the order will be notified with a reason, and a note saying they can order elsewhere. BTW, if a member has a question about an order, they can ask a question and the person who requested the order will be notified. Orders may be pulled at any time. Instead of repeatedly bumping a shop, the shop with the most orders completed in a certain time period or something would be at the top, but the way it's layed out wouldn't be nessescary…

What if somebody has similar skills and wants to join a shop? They may press a button, and they can fill out a detailed reason why they would like to join, along with one or two examples. The shop owner may then accept them, in which case they're notified an added to a member list, or reject them, in which case they'll get a reason. There will also be a “staff discussion forum” for that shop, but it is to stay about 90% ontopic, and a member may be removed for too much chatter. Then again, what if somebody wants to start a new shop? They are to design a banner, other example, and detailed front page. They may invite up to two scratchers to join the shop as founding members. After being submitted, the ST will review over it, in which case the shop is either open for buisiness, or not.

That's the way the Requests should work. But of course, this is for the Shop Federation, so how would that be a part of it?

After a person has recieved a completed order (or not) the person may review the shop, and the review will go on a Yelp style page. People will be able to see past reviews about all the shops. The Shop Federation (or whatever the ST chooses to call it) will also be one of those “sticky” style pages. Whenever a new shop is created, they have the option to join or not. If not, they can always join later. If they join, they will be on the TSF front page, and will be able to make proper deals with each other, and an official member can hold discussion and debates. There will obviously be discussion (deals will be kept seperately) but it is too to stay about 90%. How can it be reformed? That's how, by this huge, brand new Requests section.

Please give very detailed responses and questions about this, I want to see how other people feel about this and how it can improve. I will frown at any posts that aren't satisfactory, thanks!

Support, I guess. I mean, Scratch isn't all about shops, so this shouldn't be on the top of the Scratch Team's priorities. I think the requests forum should still be a forum, though.

The only thing I don't like about this (though I may have misunderstood), is that to create a shop you effectively just fill out a ‘create a shop’ form. I like that you make a shop in a regular forum, which lets you be as creative as you like with the BBcode etc.

This brings me onto another point, would the shop be located in a forum, but with better accessibility?

I like the idea of literally submitting an order; order management is what some shops struggle with.

Overall, I support.

Sigton

I support, I feel like the requests forum has a lot of potential, but needs to be managed by the ST.

Sigton wrote:

The only thing I don't like about this (though I may have misunderstood), is that to create a shop you effectively just fill out a ‘create a shop’ form. I like that you make a shop in a regular forum, which lets you be as creative as you like with the BBcode etc.

This brings me onto another point, would the shop be located in a forum, but with better accessibility?

I like the idea of literally submitting an order; order management is what some shops struggle with.

Overall, I support.

Sigton

I agree with Sigton. What if you want to edit your FP?

Yes, order management is a problem.

Same.

dolphin_24 wrote:

Sigton wrote:

The only thing I don't like about this (though I may have misunderstood), is that to create a shop you effectively just fill out a ‘create a shop’ form. I like that you make a shop in a regular forum, which lets you be as creative as you like with the BBcode etc.

This brings me onto another point, would the shop be located in a forum, but with better accessibility?

I like the idea of literally submitting an order; order management is what some shops struggle with.

Overall, I support.

Sigton

I agree with Sigton. What if you want to edit your FP?

Yes, order management is a problem.

Same.

Same here.

Half support, I agree with Sigton, but I also agree with you.

MegaByteCorporations wrote:

Half support, I agree with Sigton, but I also agree with you.

Same

Sheep_tester wrote:

Support, I guess. I mean, Scratch isn't all about shops, so this shouldn't be on the top of the Scratch Team's priorities. I think the requests forum should still be a forum, though.

I see.

Sigton wrote:

The only thing I don't like about this (though I may have misunderstood), is that to create a shop you effectively just fill out a ‘create a shop’ form. I like that you make a shop in a regular forum, which lets you be as creative as you like with the BBcode etc.

This brings me onto another point, would the shop be located in a forum, but with better accessibility?

I like the idea of literally submitting an order; order management is what some shops struggle with.

Overall, I support.

Sigton

You can still use BBCode, heck maybe you could use Markdown and HTML as well…

I'm not sure. It would be similar to a forum, but different. I'll see if I can get some mockups soon.

Remember, if the Requests forum wasn't a forum, people would have to “move” their shops. I support this!

Ritz1125 wrote:

Remember, if the Requests forum wasn't a forum, people would have to “move” their shops. I support this!

What do you mean by move?

rollercoasterfan wrote:

Ritz1125 wrote:

Remember, if the Requests forum wasn't a forum, people would have to “move” their shops. I support this!

What do you mean by move?

They'd have to close the old shop, and move to the newer, larger Requests forum.

Ritz1125 wrote:

rollercoasterfan wrote:

Ritz1125 wrote:

Remember, if the Requests forum wasn't a forum, people would have to “move” their shops. I support this!

What do you mean by move?

They'd have to close the old shop, and move to the newer, larger Requests forum.

Some shops might be relocated if they're allowed to the new Requests page.

rollercoasterfan wrote:

Some shops might be relocated if they're allowed to the new Requests page.

???

rollercoasterfan wrote:

Ritz1125 wrote:

rollercoasterfan wrote:

Ritz1125 wrote:

Remember, if the Requests forum wasn't a forum, people would have to “move” their shops. I support this!

What do you mean by move?

They'd have to close the old shop, and move to the newer, larger Requests forum.

Some shops might be relocated if they're allowed to the new Requests page.

Correct. Some, but not all.

I agree that shop should be in a separate forum form requests (Although they might go to the requests forum for recruiting or to fulfill an order) However this phrase is a Major drawback from this proposal for me.

What if somebody wants to start a new shop? They are to design a banner,

You see I have a physical disability that prevents me from being capable of doing and kind of art but my shop (Blossom and Adder Writing and Reviews) deals only in writing so that is not an issue for me in regards to my shop. I simply ordered a banner from another shop and gave them credit. From the sound of this proposal it seems like should this measure go into effect I, and others like me, would not be allowed to open a shop because we would not be capable of designing a banner even though we have other skills, like writing, that we are very good at and would like to offer to the Scratch community.

Overall I think that this proposal is sound with the omission of the point I have mentioned above

This is kind of a big thing. I'd support this but it just doesn't sound realistic for the ST to take this idea.

blossombreeze wrote:

I agree that shop should be in a separate forum form requests (Although they might go to the requests forum for recruiting or to fulfill an order) However this phrase is a Major drawback from this proposal for me.

What if somebody wants to start a new shop? They are to design a banner,

You see I have a physical disability that prevents me from being capable of doing and kind of art but my shop (Blossom and Adder Writing and Reviews) deals only in writing so that is not an issue for me in regards to my shop. I simply ordered a banner from another shop and gave them credit. From the sound of this proposal it seems like should this measure go into effect I, and others like me, would not be allowed to open a shop because we would not be capable of designing a banner even though we have other skills, like writing, that we are very good at and would like to offer to the Scratch community.

Overall I think that this proposal is sound with the omission of the point I have mentioned above

Sorry that wasn't clear. A banner isn't required, however if one does not have an art shop, they may have one made. If they are an art shop, it would not make any sense to get a banner from elsewhere.

blossombreeze wrote:

I agree that shop should be in a separate forum form requests (Although they might go to the requests forum for recruiting or to fulfill an order) However this phrase is a Major drawback from this proposal for me.

What if somebody wants to start a new shop? They are to design a banner,

You see I have a physical disability that prevents me from being capable of doing and kind of art but my shop (Blossom and Adder Writing and Reviews) deals only in writing so that is not an issue for me in regards to my shop. I simply ordered a banner from another shop and gave them credit. From the sound of this proposal it seems like should this measure go into effect I, and others like me, would not be allowed to open a shop because we would not be capable of designing a banner even though we have other skills, like writing, that we are very good at and would like to offer to the Scratch community.

Overall I think that this proposal is sound with the omission of the point I have mentioned above

Sorry that wasn't clear. A banner isn't required, however if one does not have an art shop, they may have one made. If they are an art shop, it would not make any sense to get a banner from elsewhere.

I Support this idea. It would be VERY useful. Maybe even make it easier to check ALL THE SHOPS I'VE JOINED!!