I am wanting to ask about this after seeing a few posts where people are against seeing long wishlists on a profile and this really surprised me. I probably have quite a long list on my profile but I did this because this is what I would want to see on another profile, as I find it really helps. I feel like a longer list gives a lot more options if the sender wants to find something you may like, as short lists can be too narrow to actually find something matching. Wishlists are just that, wishes. As demands are against the rules, I try to make it as clear as possible on my profile that I am happy to receive cards not mentioned too - and I mean this. Why would a sender want to have fewer ideas as to what a recipient may enjoy? I assume that if they don’t care or don’t want to follow a list of ideas, they simply will skip that part of the profile.
P.S. I hope this has not already been discussed, I could not find it when searching.
Whether they are short or long, I tended to treat profiles with a grain of salt. Only my opinion, but a significant number of people don’t bother reading profiles. I know this because of the large number of unsuitable cards I received over the years.
I enjoy reading long wishlists (and profiles)…they reflect something of the member and gives me more insight into the name I have drawn. It also increases my chances of having cards & stamps that the recipient will enjoy seeing in their mailbox.
A “please don’t send” section in the profile is dangerous, because people may pass over the “don’t” part and think you like to receive those kind of cards. A couple of times I almost did that mistake myself, and stopped just in time. It’s not malice or laziness, but only psychology. For example, if I tell you “don’t think of a purple elephant”, what is the first thing you think of?
Personally I like profiles with long wishlists, because they give me clues of which kind of cards the receiver would like. The important is the tone of the profile, and not to have too specific requests
I have a very, very long profile. I try not to make wishes but rather suggestions! I would rather have a profile with the max amount of characters than one with just a few sentences since I love picking out the perfect card and personalizing everything I send to the best of my ability. I do have a tiny list of cards I’m not a fan of, but it’s at the bottom of my page, so I could understand if someone missed it. I’ve yet to receive a card I did not like!
I love profiles with long wish lists. It makes it so much easier to choose a card and I prefer to send a card I think they’ll be happy with.
I dislike drawing an address with no ideas in the profile for what they might like.
Long wishlists on Postcrossing profiles are fine with me only when I can seem to fulfill their wishes. If I cannot fulfill any of their wishes, honestly I do not know what kind of cards I should send to them…
I like profiles that list at least a few generic preferences (e.g. view cards, sea views, illustrations) that most postcrossers can try to satisfy.
But if a profile lists a lot of unusual postcard types or topics, I scroll down, and I may end up sending a postcard of my choice.
Anyway, I still find profiles with long lists better than empty profiles.
Also, I think the translator users might get wrong translation.
I had a Hurray where the translation said; I really didn’t like this card.
They favourited it, so someone advised to read the Hurray in English, and it said, I really liked your card.
One profile had something like “I don’t like postcards but all else.”
They had meant, I only like postcards, nothing else.
So if they don’t understand English, the translator might give things like that wrong.
To me, long wishlist makes things easier. They seem to like many things, so even if I didn’t have any of there, they don’t seem “only this type” -collectors.
Only one or two wishes seems more demanding to me. And if I don’t have these, I think they won’t like it
Tone is of course something, but I would be very accepting. Some are using English that is not something they know well.
(Recently I wrote here something that is very normal to me and other places I write, it was nothing special, and I got a message " few hours later: Americans still open-mouthed thinking did she really write that" I’m thinking, no one will know what I want, unless I tell it wish is wish, I can wish to have what I like, of course.)
I think a wishlist is ok as long as it’s helpful and accessible and used as a general guide to your interests and themes you might enjoy. I don’t approve of the very specific shopping lists many users have.
Your profile needs to be about you. No one cares what blue cat or Inge Löök you are still missing. But you like tea and puppies? That I can work with.
some people like endless lists so they can send a very specific card they are sure the receiver will like, some people just want to send a nice card and not worry about it (too much).
you can’t do it right for everyone . as long as you don’t sound demanding it’s all fine.
this definitely works for me though, absolutely. i have to admit i mostly send my tausendschon cards to people who don’t ask for the brand but for something that happens to be on it (like birds, for example), as i reaaaally don’t feel like checking numbers on cards and 382 folders of received cards.
but if someone just mentions they like birds i will just pick out my prettiest bird card.
This!
Looking at the number of postcards from German postcrossers in English although I am German living in France, they clearly didn’t read my profile since I mention it in the first sentence. For the non-speaking Germans, it’s less obvious.
I am perfectly fine with long wishlists, as others stated, it’s the tone that counts. However when it comes to collectors posting their links to albums with hundreds of postcards or stamps, I’m out and I just send a nice card that fullfills their wishes.
I think the attitude to wishlists comes from how individual people perceive them. Even if they are not formulated as demands, for some people wishlist means they have to find a postcard that suits the list or otherwise the receiver will be disappointed. To me personally a (long) wishlist is not an issue, even very specific ones. I just run through it and if there is something I have - great, if not - I just pick something else. But I understood to those people it feels like they are presented with a shopping list and they have to deliver. Some people like empty profiles because they feel like only then they can choose a card without pressure.
Some people solve it by saying in their profile that they will like every card, even if it isn’t on the list. Some people add a “card you like/you would like to receive”. I have something similar in my list. I feel that it is a gentle compromise of still having a list but hopefully making it comfortable for people who feel pressure to deliver wishes by having there something that literally everyone can fulfill.
I do forget that quite often. Happened in my last batch again I think (but not sure) someone wrote something about practicing german and until I had decided on card and stamp and put the address on it I forgot it again (draw 2 addresses at that time). It did work for a card where the receiver had a very german name (with umlaut) and because that was a country I never had before. But that other person now has an english card because although reading every sentence of the profile I just forgot.
edit: and as I have deactivated my own country I’m so used to writing in english that I actually do think english before starting to write the card and once started with writing I’d not change back to german even if I would realize it during writing as that feels odd.
I am not saying it is the case with your profile but sometimes it is really hard to avoid the don’ts. When someone says “no: landscapes, cityviews, drawings”, they basically just described my whole collection in three words
Lists are useful as it gives me ideas of not only what to paint but to a style. As a previous commenter said, it’s not the list it’s the tone. You can instantly tell if the list is a genuine request for something particular or an instruction because they are collectors. There is, of course, an element of “lost in translation” and I find that really interesting and even raises a smile
And please don’t ask me to look at your favourites. Some collectors have hundreds of pages!!
Well I even might but certainly not by number for example because that would not be something that is in any way relevant to me and I would not know which numbers I have.
I would care more it if’s something like “the Inge Löök with the ladies on the coffee table is the only one missing” (I have very few of them as I only once found a place to buy them offline)
For Tausendschön I would only care if an album is sorted alphabetically so I can just move to my city and check if the 3 motifs I have (not even sure if they are still sold, took long until I was able to buy them) are already there. Otherwise I’d rather pick a very different card to send.
I’m thinking, no one will know what I want, unless I tell it 
wish is wish, I can wish to have what I like, of course.)
