Society classifieds: WhatsApp groups vs Plinth
| WhatsApp group | Plinth Marketplace | |
|---|---|---|
| Post format | Free-text message + photos | Structured listing: type, title, description, price, category |
| Listing types | Informal tags in text | sell, buy, rent out, rent wanted, service offered, service wanted |
| Find an old ad | Scroll or search chat | Filter active listings by type and category |
| Deal done | "SOLD" reply buried in thread | Owner marks sold — status visible to all |
| Inappropriate ad | Admin deletes message manually | report_listing → pending_review queue |
| Moderation | Reactive, no audit trail | moderate_listing approve/remove; actions logged |
| Who can post | Anyone in the group (incl. forwards) | Verified society members with claimed flats |
| Mix with governance | Same channel as AGM and outages | Separate from notices and polls |
WhatsApp is fine for a one-off favour; use Plinth when the committee wants neighbour-to-neighbour trade without spamming governance channels. Part of the Community tier — see pricing.