Disallowing "Grab Bags"

I wouldn't be surprised a few Shiny hunters would use this in an attempt to "finally sell" their extra Shinies, when they wouldn't normally sell off~ :o I think it's not that terrible, as it offers something nice from the bags~ x3 Tho I totally agree on bigger visibility of what's in the bags, I feel this is what gives the sellers a chance to scam... :/ (And I agree on Gladion on the suspicious amount of 300GP for a Lucky Egg, it's not encouraging... >-<)

Honestly, I think restricting Grab Bags to S/A/M/Exclusive/Legendary Pokémon only might be the way to go (not that I'm displeased about getting a Cookie and Medium Gem along with my Houndour). I'm seeing a discouraging amount of Berries and Lucky Eggs...

I feel the abuse could be minimized though. I mean, heck people get ripped off all the time just in normal trades/trade shops. And if you factor in that people aren't going to be able to sell at high prices if buyers know that 8/10 items being offered in the bag aren't worth the money, then you have a driving force to give out bags worth their price. The key is just letting people know before hand what's in the bags. I do get the gambling problem though, and if the staff feel that the grab bags encroach too much onto the gambling aspect of transactions, and shut it down for that reason, then I'd be ok with that.

I've been conducting a bit if reaearch on my own. I've deduced that more often than not Grab Bags are a waste of your money anyways. Adding on the scam potential, I do think these should be disallowed.

I did a quick comb through of the grab bag data collecting thread and it doesn't seem like there's many if at all any 'spectacular' prizes in there. I don't really mind if grab bags go to be honest but if they stay, there definitely needs to be tigher regulation as everyone was saying. The only thing I can think of is selling them in limited numbers at once and posting the trade histories with each user to verify that everything that could possibly be in the grab bags was given out. It sounds like a pain and a butt ton of work but it keeps people coming back to buy from you knowing that you're actually trustworthy and not giving only (quite frankly) garbage prizes out. I saw someone suggest a random number generator to be built in this thread and I did that suggest that a few (?) months back but it was rejected on the basis of not having enough functionality. I'm not sure that grab bags would warrant enough function for its implmentation either but it could be easier than posting trade histories with multiple people (that's a lot of screen shots to make!) I guess that it's also complicated in that you want to perhaps lessen chances for rarer prizes (ie. 87% chance of getting common shiny Y vs 13% chance of receiving rare shiny X) and I don't know how you would code that into an in site RNG.

To be blunt, sunnelion, anything that is effectively a buy-in raffle, a "lucky dip" or a "grab bag" are always geared towards what could be constituted as a scam. You buy in and the chances are pretty much always against you. Sure there's that tiny chance you can win but. Eh. This is why I don't play the national lottery. It's an 18+ thing for a reason (in the UK) - because it's gambling. I, personally, don't understand why they're allowed when a buy-in is needed unless it's a lottery with lots of small buy-ins (and 1-3 big pay-outs, depending on how it's done) or something not dissimilar. But these are always regulated by the gambling commission - we are not. And neither is each individual user.

even IF sellers posted a list of things you could possibly win and IF they posted screenshots of each trade and IF they posted screenshots of the RNG used to choose the prizes they could still potentially be scams. for example. you pay 300gp for a grab bag, the seller uses the RNG to determine what you win. it comes up as you won an albino and a high tier summon. seller shrugs, uses the RNG again, this time comes up with a box and a forme change item, they screenshot it and post it in the thread as your prize. "but they'd have to give out the top prize eventually" -not necessarily, if they lock/delete the thread before all the prizes are bought. i just don't see any way to regulate it, at all.

ovo; Just missed one thing I was saying Mouse, that you could only sell them in *limited* numbers at a time. As in. You sell can only sell like let's say 30 at a time. And by default, you have to list what you could win (and the % rates if you so choose to do that.) Once they're all sold, you have to post your proof of RNG/trades. That way that ensures that the prizes are all distributed. Unless I'm misunderstanding? Ah one more thing I guess you'd have to do it in a shop thread to prevent from deletion. I don't think it'd be hard to sell 30 bags before 2 weeks are up though in the temporary trade forum. Even then, if you're going to be making grab bags a long term thing, you'd have to put it into a trade shop anyway. EDIT: FORGOT A THING, you'd be obligated to not delete your thread too before all bags are sold but I'm not sure how enforceable that is.

that's kind of the heart of the problem it's only enforceable if people bother to report it, or even realise something being done is against the rules. even double posting, one of the most basic and widely known rules, goes unreported a lot, and people don't even realise they're not supposed to do it. not just newer users either. you could regulate it, put rules up for it, but it'd still be impossible to ensure no one gets scammed

Okay, say a user suddenly has to leave for a few months after they make a grab bag thread. They have, say, 5 bags left. Because rules/regulations say the thread can't be deleted, where does that leave staff? Do they leave the thread or go against their own rules/regulations and delete it? Also, about showing proof of rng.. even if a code/feature is made on site for this, unless each roll can be recorded even when not used in the post there's no way to prove that is the actual number they rolled. Honestly, if it is able to be made 'fair' and regulated, then I'm fine with it staying.