Accepted backpack.tf backpack pricing community

1. Please list the URL/IP of each server in your community that runs the SteamRep plugin and how many days each has been running it.
backpack.tf does not operate any servers, but the website shows SteamRep status on every backpack loaded.

2. Have you made any modifications or changes to the SteamRep plugin? If so, please list.
I am not using the SteamRep plugin, simply using the http link to query the status.

3. Please list the URL of your community's Steam group.
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/meetthestats

4. Please list the URL of your admins Steam group.
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/meetthestatsadmins - This is a one man show right now, but will be adding moderators in the future to help with price voting.

5. Please list ALL admins (not in the above group) and/or moderators of your community below with links to their SteamRep profile (e.g. HelenAngel -http://steamrep.com/profiles/76561197977521239)
None

6. What are your community's policies on scamming & scamming-related activities?
Since we don't do actual trading on the site, this doesn't really apply. But scammer's backpacks are clearly identified and we believe the site is helping others avoid scammers by showing the tag instantly as they're looking at a backpack.

7. Why does your community wish to be affiliated with SteamRep?
I think it's important that community sites get involved into keeping trading clean. I've added the steamrep status in the early days without asking anyone (sorry!) because I thought it was important and made a difference. I'm still surprised nobody else has had the idea before me (hehe) to use the plugin info! If the backpack site prevents even only 1 person from getting scammed, we've succeeded.

Thanks for your time!

Realized I didn't put the URL in clickable format: http://backpack.tf -- you can check HelenAngel's backpack for an example at http://backpack.tf/id/76561197977521239

Well, we researched some stuff, and we like to ask:
- http://steamrep.com/profiles/76561198028282446 "Happy Parazit" was involved in some way? And know his relation to Strut Sec, if you even are aware of what it really is?
- Does anyone but you have access to the database, as in able to search for specific items of certain properties to find the owner of it? ie: sharking database. That this isn't mentioned on the site, doesn't mean that its not used for this.

Happy Parazit was involved in the beginning, before the new version of the site went live. He added me randomly and offered to help pricing unusuals and actually manually went through a special page I had created for him to set these unusual prices. I only discovered his tag after I added the steamrep feature on the new version of the site, and quite frankly wasn't sure what to do with this new information. He did spend MANY hours pricing these hats, so that the site would provide much more accurate information to the users. I probably should've researched earlier, but at the time I didn't even think about it.

Eventually, the new version of the site went live with unusual prices and there were still (and there is still!) many unpriced effects/hats. He had disappeared for a period of time, I tried to price a few myself but not being very knowledgable with this, it led me to create the voting system that now exists. From that point on, Parazit hasn't had any special access to the site, he's just a regular user with a special mention in the FAQ for helping with the original data.

As for your second question, nobody other than me has ever had access to the database. The only access Parazit has had, was to set prices on a special page. The data contained is not shared with anyone. In the FAQ of http://stats.tf I have a section that covers this:

Please let me know if you require any additional details or if you have any other questions.

The fact you have Happy Parazit removed now is a massive plus point! Keeping scammers out of your community (no matter if you're friends or not) is important not only for you, but members of your community. Safety is key!

Here's a banner, it'll be there if I get approved

Yeah I see nothing untoward with having SR profile info display for users here, nothing but a positive imho.

We are temporarily experiencing extremely heavy report load in both scam reports and appeals. Because this is an essential and primary function for us within the community, it takes precedence over Community Applications. At this time, Community Applications may take 90 days or longer to process. We sincerely apologize for the wait but hope you understand and appreciate that reports must come first. Thank you for your patience!

Scammers are using your site to obtain reputation.

i.e.
http://backpack.tf/id/GoldP
http://backpack.tf/id/76561198043995704

This is a topic that keeps coming once in a while. It's a topic I try to stay away from because when it comes to scammers, people often get emotionally involved. There are a couple reasons why scammers are still able to use the site.

1. I prefer to see a suggestion from a known scammer, fully knowing that he is a scammer, than him using an alt account.
2. The site still facilitates the identification of scammers with bright red "SCAMMER" tag on their profile so anyone looking at their backpack to trade will be fully informed, even if they have some "rep" on the site.

Also, don't forget some reputation might have been accumulated before being tagged as a Scammer. I realize most trading websites ban these known scammers from using their site entirely, and rightfully so. On the other hand, backpack.tf is not a trading site, it provides a much different service - if some "known scammers" wish to spend time helping with suggestions or voting, I don't see any problems with it. They're no different than anyone else when it comes to pricing..

1. Normal users submit over-priced suggestions for items that they own and wish to sell
2. Normal users submit under-priced suggestions items that they do not own wish to purchase

It all comes down to community voting and moderating the suggestions. It doesn't really matter who suggests them. The only difference is we know they're scammers and their suggestion could have other motives. Again, I much prefer to see the suggestion from a known scammer than that scammer using an alt account. I feel more informed about the suggestion itself and take a closer look at the suggestion.
The only exception is trade-banned players. They can't create suggestions since they can't trade and I don't believe they can bring anything good without personal experience.
This may change in the future, but for now this is the current policy on the site. I do ban some users myself, if I see their behaviour is in no way helping with the site. In all fairness, I've seen A LOT more non-tagged people try to pull s✿✿✿ than tagged people.

I'm not entirely familiar with the points system on backpack.tf, but as a overview I see it as points for provided information on prices. Its more about reputation on being knowledgeable about prices. Tbh, I've never even considered that to be a reputation to be upholding their trades. Trust in trading and morality etc is some entirely different. And at times, those 2 don't go hand in hand.

Fair enough, thanks for the clear response! It was just concerning me. If you ever apply for affiliation, you'll be forced to ban scammers though, just saying ahead of time incase you do.

Not entirely true. Affiliation has way more to do with a admin system where trading is involved. As Backpack.tf isn't a trading community, but a price establishing entity, having scammers there isn't really a concern yet. We on SR don't want Scammers to gain "trust" on any affiliated. As backpack.tf doesn't host trading servers, or is a trading website like tf2tp, tf2op, tf2wh etc. Banning of scammers has a direct correlation for us to trading ability on a affiliated community.

As affiliated communities need trade admins that handle reports themselves etc, this is directly related to affiliation. Those help us out in keeping the communities clean.

If the owner decides to change or add functionality on / about trading then we would maybe have to talk again. For now, that isn't a concern.

After internal communication, I am going to recommend that tagged scammers do not get their "rep" publically shown.

I wasn't aware that exceptions could be made, I was under the impression that it was standard protocol. Sorry.

Is this a recommendation or a requirement?

After some discussion and realizations on my part, I have decided to go ahead and implement the recommendation and additionally prevent steamrep tagged scammers to post new price suggestions. You can read the full announcement here:
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/meetthestats#announcements/detail/974156675171142577

Please add 76561197967159739 (Chancellor Puddinghead) to the list of admins. He will be helping with the moderation of prices on backpack.tf -- I have added him to the admins group.
http://steamcommunity.com/id/youcanhas/

Excellent!

While I see the merit in the site not being a "trading site", my view is scammers should be shunned everywhere (actually if it were up to me they would have their genitals removed repeatedly), so kudos for stopping their input

Congratulations- your site is now a SteamRep affiliate site. Your banner will be added as soon as we are able to do so (usually within a week).