Decline of Marketplace activity/trading

[philipma1957]

Well the computer/mining goods section no longer has much action for a lot of reasons.

Gpus are unobtainable everywhere unless you over pay by a lot.

So when I listed a new sealed quality gpu at a 100 usd markup.
600 vs 500 no one wanted it.

This could be a sign of a larger issue with the availability of GPU equipment versus demand.
...

That would be nice to think. But the card is listing from 829 to 1129 on ebay.

A new sealed one with an invoice for six hundred should be jumped on. It was not.
Basically the buyers don’t come to the site like they used to do.

I actually thought I was being generous with the offer I made.

As I said I just mined with it for the last 20 days and have earned back 4 a day.

It will be paid off in around 105 days. Maybe I will sell it then.

[OgNasty]

It isn't about high prices or low availability or tight pocketed buyers.  We all likely have more money than ever and eBay is selling GPUs plenty fast at insane prices.  It is a very simple issue of atmosphere.  A very straightforward and simple example of this was given here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5313658.msg56243800#msg56243800

You can choose to ignore the problem and continue thinking everything is fine with this sort of behavior, or you can do something about it and watch as your reputation is destroyed, hence the problem.  Currently those who seek influence instead of honesty are succeeding in accelerating this place towards irrelevance and I fear it will be years before those engaging in the destructive behavior even realize they are the bad guys...

As for the honest traders trying to make a few bucks offering great deals for crypto, I'm sorry.  I guess you should have gotten here sooner.

Still don't believe me?  Silver demand is at insane levels globally and you'd be lucky to sell it at spot price here over the last year.  It isn't demand.  It isn't price.  It isn't cheap buyers.  It is atmosphere.

[andulolika]

There's less new people coming into the forum, older members, if they like, probably have all the collectibles they want.

And, again, some people been leaving the forum since a good bunch of years. I found nicer crypto communities for example.

[hilariousetc]

We have had bull markets in the past that has caused bitcoin to go up further than it has in the past several months. All of your other concerns have always been a problem with trading on this forum.

The value of bitcoin is higher now - doubly so - than it was back then so people are probably even more reluctant to spend their bitcoins.

I think the administration should care about how much trading goes on around the forum. I believe it is an indicator of the forum's influence, and an indicator of how many 'real' people are using bitcoin because of the forum.

It's a discussion forum primarily not a marketplace, but either way there's nothing the forum can do about it or promote it. What would you suggest? Offer to cover escrow fees or offer free shipping or something? There's nothing you can do if people don't want to trade here and the forum shouldn't get involved in that just like it doesn't get involved with many other things like scams and such. It's a niche market and always will be for numerous reasons.

Another reason is that forum trust has been diluted to a great extent. Previously, hero members could get no collateral loans easily, but now, even the highest ranking accounts will struggle to get any sizable loan without collateral. Perhaps lenders have matured and tightened their lending standards, but I think the abundance of high-ranking but not necessarily reputable users is to blame as well.

There should be another rank as many people got to Hero before the merit change. The new rank should require a large amount of merit to distinguish it from others and so it's hard to achieve, or maybe just make Legendary require it and fix the activity to 780.

[PrimeNumber7]

I offered BTC, LTC, DOGE, Lightning & BCH

I had suggested the forum do more to encourage LN use. It is good you are accepting LN (and other altcoins), but if few people have LNbtc to spend, few people will be able to pay you via LN. The same is also true with regards to the other altcoins you were offering -- some offer lower fees to use, but my guess is that very few people have dogecoin for reasons other than financial speculation.

Steady declining trading activity has been a thing since about 2013.  A big reason for it is the rising Bitcoin price and another would be the atmosphere that has been created due to the trust network's failure to act as a honest decentralized network.  Take a look at Rmcdermott927 for example.  He received negative DT1 trust just for offering to purchase a Nintendo Switch using a trusted escrow and was accused of being an alt and harassed until he decided to just leave the forum.  If you haven't been paying attention to how certain DT1 members have been hijacking the trust network and supporting harassment and exclusion of others they are threatened by but have no reason to distrust, you might not understand why this forum is turning into a one stop spam shop instead of a hub of Bitcoin blockchain activity.  I've tried to be the canary in the coal mine, but I think many more people will have to suffer from and eventually leave this forum due to the abuse that is so frequently occurring and supported by DT1 members before action is taken from the Administration.  Likely not even then unless advertising dollars stop coming in and expenditures rise.

What policies do you think should be changed to fix this problem? I know that theymos is very much opposed to implementing regulations, probably to a fault (moderate regulations can be a good thing, and can help ensure you don't have quazi-government like entities from doing bad things to the free market).

Well the computer/mining goods section no longer has much action for a lot of reasons.

Gpus are unobtainable everywhere unless you over pay by a lot.

So when I listed a new sealed quality gpu at a 100 usd markup.
600 vs 500 no one wanted it.

This could be a sign of a larger issue with the availability of GPU equipment versus demand.
...

That would be nice to think. But the card is listing from 829 to 1129 on ebay.

A new sealed one with an invoice for six hundred should be jumped on. It was not.
Basically the buyers don’t come to the site like they used to do.

I actually thought I was being generous with the offer I made.

<>

Interesting. Your experience seems to validate the point I was making in the OP. Do you have any suggestions that you believe may attract more buyers to the forum?

We have had bull markets in the past that has caused bitcoin to go up further than it has in the past several months. All of your other concerns have always been a problem with trading on this forum.

The value of bitcoin is higher now - doubly so - than it was back then so people are probably even more reluctant to spend their bitcoins.

When the price is high is exactly the best time to spend coin you have. The price being at ~$35k versus ~$14k a few months ago should make people with coin be able to afford more/expensive goods/services with their increased wealth.

I think the administration should care about how much trading goes on around the forum. I believe it is an indicator of the forum's influence, and an indicator of how many 'real' people are using bitcoin because of the forum.

It's a discussion forum primarily not a marketplace, but either way there's nothing the forum can do about it or promote it. What would you suggest? Offer to cover escrow fees or offer free shipping or something? There's nothing you can do if people don't want to trade here and the forum shouldn't get involved in that just like it doesn't get involved with many other things like scams and such. It's a niche market and always will be for numerous reasons.

The purpose of this thread was to solicit suggestions from forum members. I am stumped for suggestions.

Covering escrow fees or shipping is probably something that would end up getting abused. I don't think theymos wants to be involved in individual transactions.

[Vod]

It's a discussion forum primarily not a marketplace, but either way there's nothing the forum can do about it or promote it. What would you suggest? Offer to cover escrow fees or offer free shipping or something? There's nothing you can do if people don't want to trade here and the forum shouldn't get involved in that just like it doesn't get involved with many other things like scams and such. It's a niche market and always will be for numerous reasons.

Trades are simply moving to other platforms.  Theymos did an incredibly insane job of making so much out of this old forum software, but it doesn't have the infrastructure or stability for hundreds/thousands of trades per day.   As much as scammers will try to convince you that spreadsheets are just as safe as the blockchain, these spreadsheets tend to vanish when the scam is revealed.

Steady declining trading activity has been a thing since about 2013.  A big reason for it is the rising Bitcoin price and another would be the atmosphere that has been created due to the trust network's failure to act as a honest decentralized network.  Take a look at Rmcdermott927 for example.

Trading with your alt, leaving your alt a DT1 vote, escrow scamming and exchanging merit with your alt are the reason you are off DT again.  But hopefully this time your trust cannot be saved by returning 500btc.  Trading BTC is increasing (I'll have the data to prove this in about a week or so) and I have never been off DT.    

As I said I just mined with it for the last 20 days and have earned back 4 a day.

And you resealed it and tried to sell it as new?
(Edited to stroke out incorrect info)

[philipma1957]

It's a discussion forum primarily not a marketplace, but either way there's nothing the forum can do about it or promote it. What would you suggest? Offer to cover escrow fees or offer free shipping or something? There's nothing you can do if people don't want to trade here and the forum shouldn't get involved in that just like it doesn't get involved with many other things like scams and such. It's a niche market and always will be for numerous reasons.

Trades are simply moving to other platforms.  Theymos did an incredibly insane job of making so much out of this old forum software, but it doesn't have the infrastructure or stability for hundreds/thousands of trades per day.   As much as scammers will try to convince you that spreadsheets are just as safe as the blockchain, these spreadsheets tend to vanish when the scam is revealed.

Steady declining trading activity has been a thing since about 2013.  A big reason for it is the rising Bitcoin price and another would be the atmosphere that has been created due to the trust network's failure to act as a honest decentralized network.  Take a look at Rmcdermott927 for example.

Trading with your alt, leaving your alt a DT1 vote, escrow scamming and exchanging merit with your alt are the reason you are off DT again.  But hopefully this time your trust cannot be saved by returning 500btc.  Trading BTC is increasing (I'll have the data to prove this in about a week or so) and I have never been off DT.    

As I said I just mined with it for the last 20 days and have earned back 4 a day.

And you resealed it and tried to sell it as new?  

No .

There were No takers so I am mining with it . It is now day 23 I earned over 102 and since I held the coin it went up 🆙 to about 125 back against my cost of 500.

Please correct your mistake.

[Vod]

As I said I just mined with it for the last 20 days and have earned back 4 a day.

As long as the electricity and pollution have no cost.

Please correct your mistake.

I apologize for misreading.   I hope apologizing doesn't make you trust me less...  

[Philipma1957cellphone]

At vod thanks for the apology.

[Vod]

At vod thanks for the apology.

As per your signature, I cannot officially accept your thanks.   

[so98nn]

Since the time of forum, nothing has changed except the rules and regulations which were mostly focused on how a user will get upgraded to the next level.
We needed the merit system, trust feedbacks etc. so that one can understand how a user is performing or more or less his/her generosity was calculated with it.
What we missed is, we did not add any fun to it. The forum became far more stricter (it should be) but it has started to give out feeling of corporate world with bossy managers around.

There has to be more fun ways to work around here. People should consider this as escape room from the real world to crypto space.

All I see here people going after merits, trying to upgrade themselves. Nothing different than what we do at our jobs. LOLZ.

Is this the reason we see less activity? (Less discussion, more spurious ways of earning  )

I guess yes. Most of the users are drifting from the proper agenda of the forum. There should be learning with the fun stuff around here. There needs to miraculous debates on technology, modesty of crypto workflow, blockchain and much more.

With the use of Merit system (which is surely a success) we saw quality posters emerging out of the forum and downfall of the spammers! But what after that? Just because all the knowledgable people came one under one roof does not mean we will contribute to this forum.

They need proper direction, agenda's which will make them think in one direction and give coolest outputs for the forum and other people's who are exploring this forum for specific knowledge.

How this will help Marketplace activity/ trading? (More discussion, publicity of forum, quality projects  )

Well, such quality thinkers can create new projects for the forums. Make continuous changes in the forum UI, it's outlook. Attract new investors and developing projects who will advertise here.

Forum has no way of outward marketing. I mean there could be hundreds of projects around the globe which are quality one and do not know about the BitcoinTalk itself. We are missing out them.

If they don't get registered on the forum, then we don't get the business. Marketplace has "Mega-Moves" based on the advertisers.

There should be Forum Stats section easily accessible to the outside companies which will show them to how many people they could reach easily? This would add confidence to the people who could be new investors of the forum. 


Yet another strong everyone is talking is the following quote: Agree on this as well. If projects find it easier to publish on the other platforms as compared to the forum then we surely gonna loose the clients. They will just publish their social platforms here and flee once they get enough followers. Isn't it?

Telegram and Discord didn't exist back when this forum was created, I would bet a lot of crypto activity has moved towards those platforms. The vast majority of new crypto users simply don't care about Bitcoin, they care about making a buck, which means they aren't going to check these forums out and if they are, they likely won't be contributing.

Towards DaveF's point (how I saw this thread) -  I was going to participate until I saw BTC TX fees. All my LTC is tied up in long term storage and I wasn't about to pay Coinbase $2.99 to get some more. That essentially free raffle would have cost users over $150 in Bitcoin TX fees for a $30 silver piece.

Of course encouraging LN is not the way but it's an alternative.

   We are not using BTC Million Dollar Space!BTC   

We can easily publish the precious data in the space as shown in the SS. It is the first thing you see every-time you visit the Home / log in / Any Section or Board of the forum.

It could be literally used for anything from the Advertising of Projects to the Auctions or New releases. This will help direct the users to the specific target in no time. The space is completely useless at this point. One can publish hell lot of things here.

It could generate decent income for the forum and can also help advertisers to reach new level of audience.




For example, an auctioneer can decide to publish his Service Link in this space with the images to attract new buyers easily. They could share x% to the forum for using that space. Tell me if this won't help? It could be amazing way of publication and revenue generation.


Many ways are there to increase the activity and income on this forum. The only thing is we need an agenda, explorer team and developers for the same. 

[pooya87]

The value of bitcoin is higher now - doubly so - than it was back then so people are probably even more reluctant to spend their bitcoins.

In my observation incentive for spending bitcoin is very similar to incentive for selling bitcoin. It doesn't matter what the price is at any moment, how it got there is the important part. For example if the price were $100k now but it was reached by falling down from $400k then nobody would spend their bitcoin. Similarly if price was stuck at $100k and fluctuating wildly around that level. But if it was reached by jumping from $50k then everyone would be more than willing to spend their bitcoin.

We had that in 2017 when price shot up to $10k and it was 10x rise compared to the start of the year and people were spending their bitcoin 100x more. Then in 2018 when price fell spending stopped too.

Right now for once more price seems to be getting ready for a launch ergo people are hopeful for more profit so they hold on to their coins instead of spending/selling them.

[philipma1957]

Well I know this is Bitcointalk not cryptocoin talk.

But other coins 🪙 have purpose and value.

This forum has shown a lot of anger an disrespect toward  other coins.

Myself included.

This hurts the forum as a person into Eth may simply see the forum’s title and not look at it all.

[pooya87]

But other coins 🪙 have purpose and value.

99% of altcoins only have a price, they have neither purpose nor value. Unless you count being pumped and dumped as a purpose.

This forum has shown a lot of anger an disrespect toward  other coins.

Respect is earned not given.

This hurts the forum as a person into Eth may simply see the forum’s title and not look at it all.

Nobody is "into ETH" they are all interested in making bets on the newest scam token and see if they can win some money.

[hilariousetc]

It's a discussion forum primarily not a marketplace, but either way there's nothing the forum can do about it or promote it. What would you suggest? Offer to cover escrow fees or offer free shipping or something? There's nothing you can do if people don't want to trade here and the forum shouldn't get involved in that just like it doesn't get involved with many other things like scams and such. It's a niche market and always will be for numerous reasons.

To be honest I'd rather just use other such platforms. They have more of an audience unless it's some niche bitcoin thing, but if you want to sell regular goods there's many better sites and apps that you're likely going to have better success with.

   We are not using BTC Million Dollar Space!BTC   

We can easily publish the precious data in the space as shown in the SS. It is the first thing you see every-time you visit the Home / log in / Any Section or Board of the forum.

It could be literally used for anything from the Advertising of Projects to the Auctions or New releases. This will help direct the users to the specific target in no time. The space is completely useless at this point. One can publish hell lot of things here.

It could generate decent income for the forum and can also help advertisers to reach new level of audience.




For example, an auctioneer can decide to publish his Service Link in this space with the images to attract new buyers easily. They could share x% to the forum for using that space. Tell me if this won't help? It could be amazing way of publication and revenue generation.


Many ways are there to increase the activity and income on this forum. The only thing is we need an agenda, explorer team and developers for the same. 

I've suggested things like this in the past with people being able to buy banners at the top of certain sub boards so they can target their audience better ie a gambling site would advertise in the gambling section and so on, but theymos doesn't seem to care about it. In fact, he seems to be against more advertising or doesn't want banners everywhere, but I think they'd be better than sigs and even if people find them unsightly it can't be more unsightly that sig ads especially when they come along with spam. If he did want to generate more money - and that's not something he seems to be that bothered about right now - you could easily implement more donator ranks like I mentioned above and that would be a great source of passive income and one that doesn't involve unsightly banners or sigs.

[Laudanum]

Maybe you didnt notice the entire board is nearly dead? Even at a new ATH and what looks the start of a bullrun for alts?

So many contributing factors

 Merit was the sledgehammer that removed opportunity for new members.
Especially on the alt boards where all the traffic and volume was increasingly headed.
When you have a tiny tiny subs

Actually read these excellent and valuable posts lacking the swathes of merit they deserve to gain an understanding of how the forum operates and did operate before

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5276911.msg55248847#msg55248847

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5276911.msg55260532#msg55260532

I mean also when the trust system places proven scammers in DT and paints proven and tested scam hunters and those free of any peoven financially motivated wrongdoing who whilstblow on DT scammers as the bad guys..

Even the forum treasurer marked as a scammer and booted off DT by noob trash greedy proven scammer protecting and supporting scum?

Lol at people not trading or coming here anymore.

Actually for all the hate on alts they are the only future the forum has.
The forum works well as a hub. That is it's only future now that bitcoin has outgrown the place.

Bitcoin does not need bitcointalk. There will be some loyal enthusiasts that will stick around.
Bitcoin is now mainstream and everyone knows about it. They will all end up with some in their investment funds , pensions pots etc.

Bitcoin now has numerous outlets paypal, cards etc that be used to purchase stuff anywhere. Ebay amazon anywhere you can use visa or PayPal. No need to sell or buy here.

The forum works fantastic as a hub for alts. Much easier to use than reddit or twitter or any of that. Also has a huge advantage over them for allowing noobs to make a few bucks or it DID. Once that was removed the forum died.

You need newbies with the 50 bucks a week, their energy boasting to their pals about bct and making money, spamming their social media with links to bct from new projects that are launched here on the basis of them having that exact audience and launch energy.

The problem is the power was handed to a bunch of greedy self serving scumbags who simply want to milk the forum and cut off any competition via broken metrics they control. They are also either newbies who dont know shit or the most unsuccessful dreg loser elder members that still need to grovel around for btc dust due to being dumb fucks who could compete on a fair playing field for years with the successful members who are now multi millionaires and not going to put up with toeing the line to these turds.

Read. Understand. Agree.

Or debunk any of the points I've made.

This argument we dont want junior boards because it cuts of opportunity for new members is almost as dumb and bogus as merit and trust and sitting there wondering why nobody wants to join anymore lol.

Who wants to play monopoly when most of the property and land is sold already and then you're not even allowed to roll the dice unless we say so but we just keep passing the dice to each other whilst you get a slap for complaining it doesnt sound fair.

Lol you dumb shits. Hahah


Look it is simple

You bring new people in with opportunity to earn, they spread the word via WOM and social media spam, even their blabbering brings google traffic. They must be given fair and equal treatment immediately or wont stick around they have zero deference of gratification. They want to see instant opportunity.

All these people entice projects to launch here.

This all creates a synergy where it becomes a thriving hub.

Bitcoin and bitcoin investors have zero need to bct any more.

The forum did its job, it created a community around the project and took it mainstream.
It provided a place for people to buy and sell with this weird nerd money
Now these are not applicable.

Bitcointalk is altcoinhub or dead.

Bitcoin still gains because eventually most still want out to fait or bitcoin because as we know most alts have a short life cycle.  

Reddit Twitter all these can not compete with this forum if it plays to its strengths.. financial incentives.


Let's fixing it before it dies.

Transparent objective standards that ensure every member has a fair and equal chance at opportunity is the only way forward.

Strange how all the bitcoin maximalists mouthing off about shitcoins have no bitcoins either lol. Except a tiny handful.

Yet another of the most valuable posts made here ever that will receive zero merit.
Why because it demonstrates the status quo here is self destructive and only benefits a handful of people in meta who are afraid to compete on a fair transparent playing field.

Follow the gemz I provide and turn this place around. It almost looks like a deliberate attempt to kill the forum to me.
If so just get it over and turn the servers off, this spiral slow death with mini bumps of hope on bull runs on the way down to the eventual death rattle where all sponsorship leave then even the DT scum abandon it will just be too sad to watch.

[philipma1957]

But other coins 🪙 have purpose and value.

99% of altcoins only have a price, they have neither purpose nor value. Unless you count being pumped and dumped as a purpose.

This forum has shown a lot of anger an disrespect toward  other coins.

Respect is earned not given.

This hurts the forum as a person into Eth may simply see the forum’s title and not look at it all.

Nobody is "into ETH" they are all interested in making bets on the newest scam token and see if they can win some money.

Thank you for proving my point.

Maybe you didnt notice the entire board is nearly dead? Even at a new ATH and what looks the start of a bullrun for alts?

So many contributing factors

 Merit was the sledgehammer that removed opportunity for new members.
Especially on the alt boards where all the traffic and volume was increasingly headed.
When you have a tiny tiny subs

Actually read these excellent and valuable posts lacking the swathes of merit they deserve to gain an understanding of how the forum operates and did operate before

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5276911.msg55248847#msg55248847

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5276911.msg55260532#msg55260532

I mean also when the trust system places proven scammers in DT and paints proven and tested scam hunters and those free of any peoven financially motivated wrongdoing who whilstblow on DT scammers as the bad guys..

Even the forum treasurer marked as a scammer and booted off DT by noob trash greedy proven scammer protecting and supporting scum?

Lol at people not trading or coming here anymore.

Actually for all the hate on alts they are the only future the forum has.
The forum works well as a hub. That is it's only future now that bitcoin has outgrown the place.

Bitcoin does not need bitcointalk. There will be some loyal enthusiasts that will stick around.
Bitcoin is now mainstream and everyone knows about it. They will all end up with some in their investment funds , pensions pots etc.

Bitcoin now has numerous outlets paypal, cards etc that be used to purchase stuff anywhere. Ebay amazon anywhere you can use visa or PayPal. No need to sell or buy here.

The forum works fantastic as a hub for alts. Much easier to use than reddit or twitter or any of that. Also has a huge advantage over them for allowing noobs to make a few bucks or it DID. Once that was removed the forum died.

You need newbies with the 50 bucks a week, their energy boasting to their pals about bct and making money, spamming their social media with links to bct from new projects that are launched here on the basis of them having that exact audience and launch energy.

The problem is the power was handed to a bunch of greedy self serving scumbags who simply want to milk the forum and cut off any competition via broken metrics they control. They are also either newbies who dont know shit or the most unsuccessful dreg loser elder members that still need to grovel around for btc dust due to being dumb fucks who could compete on a fair playing field for years with the successful members who are now multi millionaires and not going to put up with toeing the line to these turds.

Read. Understand. Agree.

Or debunk any of the points I've made.

This argument we dont want junior boards because it cuts of opportunity for new members is almost as dumb and bogus as merit and trust and sitting there wondering why nobody wants to join anymore lol.

Who wants to play monopoly when most of the property and land is sold already and then you're not even allowed to roll the dice unless we say so but we just keep passing the dice to each other whilst you get a slap for complaining it doesnt sound fair.

Lol you dumb shits. Hahah


Look it is simple

You bring new people in with opportunity to earn, they spread the word via WOM and social media spam, even their blabbering brings google traffic. They must be given fair and equal treatment immediately or wont stick around they have zero deference of gratification. They want to see instant opportunity.

All these people entice projects to launch here.

This all creates a synergy where it becomes a thriving hub.

Bitcoin and bitcoin investors have zero need to bct any more.

The forum did its job, it created a community around the project and took it mainstream.
It provided a place for people to buy and sell with this weird nerd money
Now these are not applicable.

Bitcointalk is altcoinhub or dead.

Bitcoin still gains because eventually most still want out to fait or bitcoin because as we know most alts have a short life cycle.  

Reddit Twitter all these can not compete with this forum if it plays to its strengths.. financial incentives.


Let's fixing it before it dies.

Transparent objective standards that ensure every member has a fair and equal chance at opportunity is the only way forward.

Strange how all the bitcoin maximalists mouthing off about shitcoins have no bitcoins either lol. Except a tiny handful.

Yet another of the most valuable posts made here ever that will receive zero merit.
Why because it demonstrates the status quo here is self destructive and only benefits a handful of people in meta who are afraid to compete on a fair transparent playing field.

Follow the gemz I provide and turn this place around. It almost looks like a deliberate attempt to kill the forum to me.
If so just get it over and turn the servers off, this spiral slow death with mini bumps of hope on bull runs on the way down to the eventual death rattle where all sponsorship leave then even the DT scum abandon it will just be too sad to watch.

And for enforcing my point.

bitcoin maximalists  are the problem but I can see why they exist and of course stay here.

My signature has been there for years as it is what I believe in.

I don't have hatred towards BTC maxer's but they hurt the forum.

My thread  chains 1-9 in alts

 https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5144362.0

have many views.

I get grief from BTC maxers  the deal is alts are not   leaving accept the good ones.

Make a rating system whatever but "99% of alts are shit coins" turns off people.

[Welsh]

In my observation incentive for spending bitcoin is very similar to incentive for selling bitcoin. It doesn't matter what the price is at any moment, how it got there is the important part. For example if the price were $100k now but it was reached by falling down from $400k then nobody would spend their bitcoin. Similarly if price was stuck at $100k and fluctuating wildly around that level. But if it was reached by jumping from $50k then everyone would be more than willing to spend their bitcoin.

We had that in 2017 when price shot up to $10k and it was 10x rise compared to the start of the year and people were spending their bitcoin 100x more. Then in 2018 when price fell spending stopped too.

Right now for once more price seems to be getting ready for a launch ergo people are hopeful for more profit so they hold on to their coins instead of spending/selling them.

Although, I do agree with your observation I do  tend to think a little differently. I don't think the current price matters much at all, its the mindset of the people who are buying into Bitcoin. Most of the things you can buy with Bitcoin, you can buy with fiat. Fiat doesn't really have the potential to skyrocket like Bitcoin does. Evidence as suggested that many people have spent what was considered low value at the  time, but then given enough years, it would have been a better investment to purchase with fiat. Not everyone is exclusively into Bitcoin, and I would estimate that most people in Bitcoin treat it as a long term investment, that they set aside a certain amount of money each week/month, and invest based on that. They use their fiat currency to purchase goods.

The only difference would be the collectible section, as this tends to house things which aren't typically available for fiat.

[Harlot]

Well if the bull market has any connection into the forum's marketplace activity I think it affected the users in a sense that they are more inclined on hodling their Bitcoin rather than spending it at the moment that is why you will see a lower activity in this areas. People who may have recently joined the forum will most likely go in the speculation or trading discussion sections since the price of Bitcoin is what drive them to join and this new members will most likely buy their Bitcoin on an exchange rather than in the forum and maybe some of our older members here also have done that. So for me this might not be a forum related issue but maybe it has something to do with the price of Bitcoin.

[pooya87]

Thank you for proving my point.

I've been around for nearly 7 years and have been searching for a "good" altcoin for at least half of that time. Suffice it to say that I remain disappointed 99% of the time...
However, I would love to be proven wrong, obviously I haven't gone through tens of thousands of coins!
In order to not go off-topic any more than this here is a topic: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5315116.0