Writing in competitors sales threads shouldn´t be allowed

[SweTech]

I think that you shouldn´t be allowed to write in competitors sales threads if you sell a similar product or promote one in your donor sig even if you actually buy your competitors product.

The reason is pretty simple. Your "review" will of course be biased and any support questions you might have doesn´t belong in a sales thread anyway. Hence, you really doesn´t belong there since you will not contribute with any unbiased or useful info - all you do is to indirectly promote your own product or bash down on your competitor on their expense in their own sales thread and I don´t think that´s fair.

Any thoughts?

[big_steve_mac]

It's underhand, transparent and desperate. Still it wouldn't affect my purchasing decisions in favour of the saboteur.

[jimbobo2779]

It's underhand, transparent and desperate. Still it wouldn't affect my purchasing decisions in favour of the saboteur.

not everyone fully researches a product before buying and it could easily affect sales imo.I think this is a good idea but im sure a mod would remove any obviously biased remarls if asked.

[BassTrackerBoats]

That is a good suggestion as I have seen a guy with a banner sig promoting a service posting in every competing service thread; I'm sure it is so he can get his service in front of people that are considering buying in that thread.

Hes been called out a couple of times; I ignored him in my thread.

[wowhaxor]

I also agree. I don't sell anything here but I do in other forums and people do this all the time. Write some random question, etc. just so they're in there with their sig.

[davids355]

It's hard to police though.
As you'll see, I have a sig, BUT I am active user of lots of services here, and I'm not biased. I write honest reviews and I never post purely for sig... Some people might operate differently, but how do you differentiate?

[BassTrackerBoats]

It's hard to police though.
As you'll see, I have a sig, BUT I am active user of lots of services here, and I'm not biased. I write honest reviews and I never post purely for sig... Some people might operate differently, but how do you differentiate?

Your deal is a little different as you do not own that service; it's the guys that own a competing service that I think should show some respect.

[spankythepyro]

I'd agree. Its not completely unethical but it is rude. The person needs to find some other way to advertise and not just try to steal other peoples customer base.

[davids355]

Yea that's a fair point. Guess you just got to point it out if someone's clearing taking the piss.

[Johnnyfox]

Agree. That is just being petty and greedy. Have some class. There are many other places on the internet to get customers besides here.

Not sure how aggressively mods can go after this... But I think the majority of us can see when this shit is happening and call it what it is, which should deter some of these low lives.

If your service is good it can stand on its own without pissing on someone else's dinner table.

[balsagoth007]

I remember a good example:
http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackha...ml#post3173456
Post #59
Loved the response from entri3

[BassTrackerBoats]

I remember a good example:
http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackha...ml#post3173456
Post #59
Loved the response from entri3

The guy that entri3 responds to is one of the most blatant of the "drop my competing sig in your sales thread" guys.

[Spawn]

Swetech I think this is hilarious that you of ALL people would make this thread. Doing so the promotion you did for venom lol

[ExtraWinner]

I would suggest:

-removing signatures from BST section all together

This would make things much better.

[balsagoth007]

The guy that entri3 responds to is one of the most blatant of the "drop my competing sig in your sales thread" guys.

Do You remember when he said to you
Is blasting your MNS With a linkpush makes it a MNS+ ?

[SweTech]

Swetech I think this is hilarious that you of ALL people would make this thread. Doing so the promotion you did for venom lol

In what competitor sales thread have I been promoting venom?

[BassTrackerBoats]

Do You remember when he said to you
Is blasting your MNS With a linkpush makes it a MNS+ ?

It was something like that; I would never do something like that as I think that shows a lack of respect.

@Spawn, the OP does not own Venom so that is a tad different in my opinion.

[Scripteen]

Is this thread by chance inspired by a recent post from someone in a competitor thread?

I'm asking because I have read this 2 hours ago or so and def don't like it.

It's like:-

"I bought your software and mine is 100 times better than yours and all your sales should go to my software"

I consider this pure hijacking which leads to a ban according to this thread.

[Paper-Boy]

The guy that entri3 responds to is one of the most blatant of the "drop my competing sig in your sales thread" guys.

From what I can recall, he's just a teenager - nothing more

[ScrapeBoss]

Agreed. Thanks for bringing up the issue.

I think that you shouldn´t be allowed to write in competitors sales threads if you sell a similar product or promote one in your donor sig even if you actually buy your competitors product.

The reason is pretty simple. Your "review" will of course be biased and any support questions you might have doesn´t belong in a sales thread anyway. Hence, you really doesn´t belong there since you will not contribute with any unbiased or useful info - all you do is to indirectly promote your own product or bash down on your competitor on their expense in their own sales thread and I don´t think that´s fair.

Any thoughts?

[bk071]

Also, that rating system should be disabled in BST threads. There's a lot of trolls that rate the thread 1-star not even realizing there's positive reviews from real buyers.
I know it doesn't affect the sales that much but I've had a few PMs asking me "Hey, why is your thread rated x-stars"

[BigBuddy]

I remember a good example:
http://www.blackhatworld.com/blackha...ml#post3173456
Post #59
Loved the response from entri3

This is what we call karma. Now clade posted same thing in macdonjo's thread. But he reported to remove it. It was removed.

If any shit happens like this, report to mods and we will take care of this..

[Silverion]

Very rightly said.We shouldn't write on competitors sales threads.It should be banned infact cause most of the people would share a negative view letting the others sales go down.Biasing should n't be allowed

[WizGizmo]

Is this thread by chance inspired by a recent post from someone in a competitor thread?

I'm asking because I have read this 2 hours ago or so and def don't like it.

It's like:-

"I bought your software and mine is 100 times better than yours and all your sales should go to my software"

I consider this pure hijacking which leads to a ban according to this thread.

I deleted all of those posts and gave a stern
warning to the individual who posted them.

"Wiz"

[WizGizmo]

"clade" is now banned for one month after I repeatedly
warned him about causing any further trouble.

Some people don't take warnings seriously . . .

"Wiz"

[thinkdevoid]

"clade" is now banned for one month after I repeatedly
warned him about causing any further trouble.

Some people don't take warnings seriously . . .

"Wiz"

Ouch. I wondered why he went all red all of a sudden. He also has a service on the forum too.

[BigBuddy]

Some people don't take warnings seriously . . .

True...

[WizGizmo]

Ouch. I wondered why he went all red all of a sudden. He also has a service on the forum too.

That is true, but he still has to abide by the same rules
as everyone else. Being a seller does not make him immune
nor does it reward him with any kind of preferential treatment.

He was hell-bent on destroying macdonjo's sales thread
and I warned him several times to back off and take up
any issues with macdonjo in private, via PM, but he
insisted on pressing forward with his mission to discredit
macdonjo's product.

[The Captain]

That is a good suggestion as I have seen a guy with a banner sig promoting a service posting in every competing service thread; I'm sure it is so he can get his service in front of people that are considering buying in that thread.

Hes been called out a couple of times; I ignored him in my thread.

I doubt anyone would be so low as to do something like that

click here for BassTrackerCaptain's linkpushing deals

[extremephp]

Well, I can vouch the response of mods here against sales thread hijacking. When I had a competitor here, coming out of blue, I replied in his thread telling like "Ah, I got a competitor now, and I should be reducing my prices soon or else I will be thrown out".(Yeah, I was stupid, but never really meant to hijack his sales.)

It was just few mins, I was given a rest for 7 days Just feeling so bad because you people arent so strict now and are just deleting the posts

So, I am pretty much satisfied about the reponse of mods on to this, because I experienced it myself . They have been always helpful in case of my service threads too.

+1 for mods

[wowhaxor]

Well, I can vouch the response of mods here against sales thread hijacking. When I had a competitor here, coming out of blue, I replied in his thread telling like "Ah, I got a competitor now, and I should be reducing my prices soon or else I will be thrown out".(Yeah, I was stupid, but never really meant to hijack his sales.)

It was just few mins, I was given a rest for 7 days Just feeling so bad because you people arent so strict now and are just deleting the posts

So, I am pretty much satisfied about the reponse of mods on to this, because I experienced it myself . They have been always helpful in case of my service threads too.

+1 for mods

I agree fully the mods are top notch especially if you take into consideration how huge this forum has gotten in the last few years. However some people are more smooth/subtle about it and may only do it once in a blue moon. A couple of months back on WF they removed all sigs from the WSO sub forum and I think it was a good move.

This is one of the few good and yet still easy to implement suggestions I've seen in a while without a real downside. I'd vote yes for removing all sigs from the BST area of the forum or perhaps to allow just the thread starter's sig as it may contain a coupon or something more easily than having to browse the whole sales post to find it.

[Spawn]

In what competitor sales thread have I been promoting venom?

you popped into all the senuke and many "promotional software" threads promoting your JV or affiliate link for Venom, stating your opinion about said program and why venom is better. and I remember for a fact you said you were working with venom, to what extent I dont know, Either way I could care less, its just funny that you made this thread. I have no problem with you, Im just stating the facts,.

[oxonbeef]

I would suggest:

-removing signatures from BST section all together

This would make things much better.

I like the above idea.
Banners are not static, what if I don't have a sig banner when I post
or have an unrelated banner.
If tomorrow I decide to display one or change the one I have it will
then display in the thread therefore making it impossible to manage
besides asking the mods to review the threads everyday looking for
more posts to remove.
Anyone blatantly trying to devalue a competing product is soon exposed
and duly dealt with by the mods.
Everyone is entitled to opinions and if someone gives a bad review then
they should be able to provide evidence to the fact of their review.
I know we are not all adults here but I see no reason to curtail freedom
of speech.

I carry this sig yet I am partners with a member who supplies a competing service. I have posted positive reviews in Big Buddys BSTs.
I don't see why I should be judged as not being able to give an honest opinion
or observation just because I display a banner.

[thedon23]

Agreed, well said SweTech. I'm not sure if anyone else has mentioned this, but possibly look into a way that people who have sales threads up are unable to vote on anything in the sales threads. I think everyone knows people are knocking down their competitors ratings, which definitely isn't fair.

Edit: Looks like a few people already mentioned it