What are the REAL RULES on self promoting?
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free skin care · Mon Jan 08, 2007 12:30 pm

I am very confused, just yesterday, a new member and owner of a body shop was helping people with questions regarding his products and pushing himself over the line by offering free samples on the thread, so a few of us, posted that it prob was not ok. But after reading thru tons of posts last nite, even I am confused. Some on here work very hard to help out where they can and not self promote, ie. Darren of PSF and Candy of Candessence, while others just throw caution to the wind and sell away!! I feel its very unfair of any of us to slap one and not the others. So are there really any rules regarding this? So Justin, I apologize if I told you, you couldn't post something that seems to be ok. This entire place is getting awfully confusing and I am more than sure I've contributed to this, so I am taking a break from all this.

free skin care · Mon Jan 08, 2007 1:43 pm

manslayerliz wrote:

For that matter, what of entrepreneurs who come to this forum and then tell members who ask unwelcome questions that they are not allowed to buy their product? They are free to sell to whomever they please, but I'd prefer if the discrimination were kept off of the forum...

I normally don't get too bugged by the selfpromotion as the Mods usually step in before things get really hairy, but the threads that Liz and MelissaMarie refer to really rubbed me the wrong way.

I understand that it's almost impossible for entrepreneurs to separate themselves from their products and that it's hard to not take criticism of their products personally. But...if there's someone who really can't take the heat, they really should stay out of the fire, KWIM?

One of the things that I love about this forum is that we're free to ask questions, rave or rant about a certain product. I feel that 99% of the time, this is done with respect and humor. I don't recall anybody on those threads *bashing* a product, but I do recall the owners/creators get really defensive about some questions/comments.

It's really sad when the claws come out when a few people ask for an ingredients list, ask for the science behind a product or state that they had problems with a product -- all perfectly valid requests or statements.

After all, there's ALWAYS going to be that GREAT product that everybody loves but *my* skin HATES.

Why the fighting???

Marla Crying or Very sad

free skin care · Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:15 pm

I think it's tough...I mean...it's nice to ask people questions about their products, like CareKate, Candessence, Best Bath Store, etc. I like get my answers "directly from the source."
It's rather obnoxious, however, when skincare people who sell products join the forum solely to push their own products. But if someone who is active in the forum in other ways happens to sell skincare/body care/etc. I don't see the harm in them being allowed to talk about their products.

I think where people get defensive is when someone comes on here, claims that their product will be effective for everyone, buy my stuff, "if my product can't help you, nothing can" approach, it really turns everyone off because THAT is what we want to stay away from...hype.

Perhaps it's come time for moderators to lay down some rules...now that more and more people are finding the forum and it is growing by leaps and bounds by the day, there might need to be rules...

What it all comes down to, IMHO, is spam. We do NOT want the boards spammed by marketers, promoters, and companies. If I opened up one of the forums and all I saw were product endorsements, sales pitches, etc. it would get annoying, and I know we all don't want this.

Le sigh.

I heart you all.

free skin care · Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:35 pm

Some vendors you like, some vendors you don't....it will always be that way...In addition to that, I'm sure that there are silent members who ARE vendors and who are here to promote (however delicately) a specific product. I think everyone including vendors should be allowed on the Board (I, however, would hope that they would be honest enough to identify themselves accordingly - which I think is one of the EDS rules). I would have a HUGE problem with banning/scolding/giving the gears to XX individual because some people consider him/her to be shamelessly self-promotional. If someone is offensive or crossing the line, the moderators will take care of it. If I thought someone was breaking a rule - I wouldn't send them a message telling them so(I'm not the moderator)- and you'll just get yourself into a kafuffle (is that a word?! Laughing

) and who needs that?. I'd just send a note to the moderator. If the person is breaking EDS rules we'll find out soon enough - (I've never known EDS moderators to go slack on these things - I'm sure you all remember Mabsy's last "announcement" Shock

). Personally, I'd be ECSTATIC to get a rep from, lets say, Cellex C AND another from Skinceuticals on the Board to battle out the Vitamin C stability question (WUHOOOOO!)...Lets face it, we'd be diving all over that thread! (the server would probably crash! Laughing

)I don't think we should limit anyone. If someone works for a company and they recommend their product through the course of a legitimate thread - great! If the moderator thinks that the thread is unacceptable it will likely get reported and then zapped, The End. Anyways, we know that they represent the company and so we take the recommendation with that understanding in mind, right?. The more info I can get my mitts on, the merrier I am! Bring on the vendors!! (just no advertising Shock

- but I'll take coupons any day!! Laughing

)
Pudoodles

free skin care · Tue Jan 09, 2007 9:38 am

After thinking on this I might actually have a pretty simple solution.

1. If your a member and are inviting a vendor to participate in an existing thread regarding their product, explain to them that there is a thin line in self promoting and advise they read the rules before posting.

2. If your an existing memeber and sell a product(s), re-read the rules and just follow them.

Sounds easy enough to me and that way, we don't need to personally bash any vendor for not knowing the rules, if they cross the line, we do have power in just ignoring the posts and or not buying the product.

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