Since this thread has several parallel tracks going, I will offer my viewpoints. Ignore at your pleasure.
1. Currently 99% of my web browsing is with a cell phone (Blackberry Curve, no Flash page functionality) so anything that gets too involved bumps me out.
2. The Google spreadsheet deal requires a Google membership. Free or not, that log-in requirement adds another hurdle, not counting the editing issue. I also don't know how viewable it is on my phone, but that's a personal matter.
3. Location of the item would be nice to know. Crossing country borders adds a level of complexity as well. It could be a good deal for someone in Somalia swapping with someone on the Island of Sodor, but it's probably a nice thing to know the respective locations up front.
I know that if I see something local or even semi-local then I'd be more motivated than to hassle with shipping.
4. The grading levels does nothing for me because I'd have to refer back to the grading scale and then factor in interpretive adjustments. Reading that the paint has nicks and dings tells me more than saying the paint is a B. YMMV. 8)
5. I would request that people go back and edit their posts, since this site allows that without a time limit, once a deal is done. I personally will use this like the local CL and assume anything more than a few days or pages old is potentially gone. If interested I'll still inquire, but I suspect I'll just check the newest page and quick scan for local deals, and also for special items I'm willing to ship for.
6. I'll check the basement and garage to see what I have and what I haven't gotten around to working on. And I'm thinking of the Lotus, hanging there frozen in time, having been left outside by the previous owner, seatpost came out with hefty effort, haven't done anything else to it yet, has decent potential but realistically a great unknown until it is fully disassembled with what will probably be a great amount of effort, and even if it is a fair fit I just haven't been motivated to mess with it yet. Maybe I'll offer it up, or maybe I'll just let it hang like a side of beef in the garage until next summer. Or maybe I'll offer up the bullmoosed bar Ross MTB instead, or something else.
Anyways, just some rambling personal view points. Ignore or not at your choosing.
Back to browsing on a 2" screen.