On our site, we’ve plenty of shared vouchers from time to time. All of them, are shared from one user, to another. However, it’s a bit odd that every user needs to make the standard “Hi. PM me, if you want the voucher”, cause (the voucher/code) is unique (a one-time code, or so).
I would love to see a feature, where:
A can post a voucher, which will be hidden, if it’s not claimed by another user
B can Claim/Reserve that voucher
B can (at any time), select to Unclaim/unreserve the claimed voucher
A+B+C can see who claimed the shared voucher
Where: A = The person who shares the code/voucher B = The person who claims/reserve the code/voucher C = Is the other persons in the thread, which found the claimed/reserved voucher, but maybe want’s to ask person B, if the voucher is really used. This could even be a tool-tip or so, so the user won’t communicate directly in the thread, but in a PM. It will also allow people to track if there’s lurkers who just reading and grapping vouchers - nothing else.
Is there anything like that out there? Else i really think it would be a good thing to implement, if not as a standard-feature, so at least as a plugin.
Extra things to keep in mind:
Allow the user to mark the vouched as “unlimited”, so all can claim it, and will be listed next to the voucher. Just to track/see who actually used the code, instead of all the “Thanks” replies in the topic. The wording could also be something like “Thanks. Let me see the voucher.”, if the voucher is marked as “unlimited”.
Where’s (sadly) no budget. However, i could see some companies using the for other things - that’s for sure. Our staff-team are all volunteers (and the community itself is not a business, nor anything close to it).
And you’re right about the plugin. I just couldn’t post in the plugin-category section, and it sounds like the #plugin section is limited to plugins (and not requests), but looking at the “plugin”-role
I don’t really understand this “voucher” scenario, can you provide some real world examples of why you would do this, what it is for, what the goal is and what it accomplishes?
A have a voucher for a free game, which he would like to donate to another user. (We’ve a “Free Digital Stuff”-topic).
A is sharing the voucher with the new feature
B would like to have the voucher, and triggering the “Claim/Reserve” button. The voucher is now pushed to the GUI, so B can use it.
Both A, B and C (other persons in the topic), can now see that the voucher is claimed, and who claimed it.
In this scenario, B doesn’t have to write to A, and ask for the voucher - and all other people are able to see that the voucher is already claimed by B - so they doesn’t have to send a PM to person A.
Scenario 2 (almost like Scenario 1)
A has a 15% discount code for some junk-food, and are sharing it in a topic for “discountcodes”. It’s unique, so it’s “on time”-use only.
B is ordering some Pizza, and is claiming the code. It’s now pushed to his GUI, and we can use it.
A can now see who claimed the discount code, and C (other persons in the topic), doesn’t have to contact A, cause the code is showed as claimed to B.
Scenario 3
A has an code which allows user to cut 10% of the price at checkout (in some random store). He’s sharing it, with the coupon feature and marking it as “Not unique/Can be used multiple times”.
Other persons can now press “Thanks, get the voucher”. The voucher is now showing (can be hidden i the dom, i guess - cause it’s not limited to one-time use), and the user can use it at checkout.
A, B & C are able to see who claimed the voucher (or maybe just the count - it depends on how the solution can be designed).
In all three scenarios, the private message can be saved for another time. All other users are able to see, if the code is claimed (and who claimed it?). In the perfect scenario, the data could be used in other ways, on the comunity - like… Maybe listing unclaimed vouchers on a page, or in the first post of the topic. (But this is way off the original idea). Another good thing could be to add an expire date, and maybe even a title/whatever.
In the above what’s to stop B harvesting lots of vouchers? Abuse is rife within communities where such codes are distributed, with bots and bad actors grabbing codes for sale and redistribution.
The human element usually prevents such vectors, wouldn’t this reopen the door?
Well, harvesting will be a lot easier for bots - that’s right. But, we can’t really limit that kind of actions anyway. Most of the vouchers shared on our site, is in the same topic, and a bot could easily harvesting them, if someone wanted to do this.
But, by enabling all people to see who used to code, we can at least see who keeps claiming the codes.
Currently it’s not a big problem, but from time to time, people are using the vouchers, and not informing A and C about it. With the new solution, it would be clear, if the vouchers is given to someone. And A who has a voucher, doesn’t have to do direct contact with B anymore - that will be handled by the Claim-system, so other users won’t see the voucher.
