Why Bots Fail (Part 4 of 5)

Please join us as we continue our series on why bots fail.

[7] Fine tune your classified message.

The classified message is your first chance to make an impression towards a perspective customer.  So having a well thought out, well defined message with a nice graphic will help pull that browser into your store where you then have an opportunity to convince this person to become a customer.

MTGO Library has a section where you can edit the message directly and through the website, you can even remotely administer this message..  There is no need to advertise specific cards.  Of course, MTGO Library can randomly change the cards which are listed in the classified window, it is not particularly necessary. 

The main thing to remember is to have a classified message that looks more professional than the simple default message or a hastily typed message that makes the bot look amateurish than professional.

[8] Name a bot with a consistent name.

This is not going to apply for those who use the bot to fill their personal collections or run the bot part time.  But for those of us who run the bot more professionally, having a consistent name is desired.  For those who run a full fledged bot chain, having a consistent name is required.

What do I mean by a consistent name?  For chain bots, something like Adambot, Adambot2, Adambot3 would indicate that all three of these bots are part of a larger collective and if one bot is busy, another one is probably available, with shared credits and a shared inventory.

For those who only run one bot full time, I recommend having BOT be part of the name.  The reason for this is to distinguish yourself as a bot for those may have a classified message but a customer may not know if a bot or a human will handle the trade.  Many people may moan and complain about having to deal with a bot over a human, but there are times when a bot is preferable.  And shouldn’t it be your bot?