I don't like when posts or prices are deleted personally. I think it is best when the OP is updated to reflect the item is SOLD, but price information should be retained so we can get an idea of prices over time or to compare to see what kind of deal we're getting.
For how long? There is a lot of ways to see current pricing. You still don't know if the price asked was the price paid.
I hate searching for a part only to find its gone.
So put a time limit on the classified posts, some of these are years old!
For forever? If you search and the post isn't from the last month or so...it is likely sold. I don't see how that's an issue. The search results tell you when the last post was so if you see last post from January or earlier, don't open the thread.
Maybe they could do a sold items subforum but who knows.
[MENTION=1]Jarstang[/MENTION], thoughts?
It should be a courtesy. Sellers post things with the expectation that others will visit and perhaps express an interest VIA PERSONAL MESSAGE. And then -- hopefully -- somebody will buy the item(s). It then seems more than reasonable that the seller -- having successfully orchestrated a mutually-beneficial transaction -- will be courteous enough to PUBLICIZE his success by announcing it in the same thread.
This satisfies several objectives; it informs everyone that the item(s) sold...it implies gratitude...and it puts an end to the stream of PM's that the seller has been receiving.
The seller should then LOCK the thread, which emphasizes the "sale ended" aspect of the scenario...and eliminates the possibility of an artificial bump [which unfairly depresses other still-active threads.