Anybody notice that some vendors are basically spamming the forums??
They post the same info on EVERY forum....
I know vendors and advertising "pay the bills" but if this keeps up...
Time to move on..
Heck seems like 2 vendors in particular are nearly in a post TIT FOR TAT on EVERY new post solicitationing for business....often adding nothing other than a link...
Seems to be going down hill quick...

Anybody else flagging these posts as "vendor spam"?
Maybe IB will take note if they get enough complaints and enforce their own vendor rules...

 

Doesn't bother me, they did 'pay to play'. I imagine it does cost some serious coin to run a forum like NAM. My only complaint would be the site seems to be on autopilot, not much moderator activity..

As you posted, a few vendors have been more active of late. I get a kick when three of them post in the same thread selling product..

 

Does it really matter? May be they're selling stuff you may not know you want yet? At least it's not some BS video that you have to wait to load and play before you can click through to what you want...The ability to scroll past a vendor past is not too hard; I use it all the time! As my wife says, I have mad skills, and chicks dig guys with mad skills!

 

Zippy, I'm always in the same mind as you, and always look to you for guidance and sage advice.

In this case, I actually think that the vendors you are talking about are pretty helpful, and when they toss in a good link, it makes it easier than searching their page. It is somewhat comical when they respond directly after the other vendor with their own links though. They're really starting to figure out their nich though - one has a beautiful and easy site, the other has fantastic tech articles (and now, starting into videos). At the end of the day they both know what they're talking about too.

What I don't like; is when they SPAM (as you mentioned) across multiple forum sections the same add. I'm fine with that in the vendor announcement section - I visit it daily. But it's painful when reading the site on the iPad app seeing their SPAM across so many sections.

 

I have almost the opposite problem. I am trying to get an answer from a vendor regarding one of their products. Very simple question I think and I can't get anything. I posted in a thread that was specifically discussing the product and that the vendor is involved in the thread. It is a pleasant thread, no bashing or complaining.
I finally called the vendor directly and left a message asking for a call back to ask if said part would fit the new F55 and still nothing...

Annette

 

There's a lot going on behind the scenes, Zippy, and I've had a bit of a change of mind over the last few months. The post-a-link-n-pic-in-every-thread is annoying, but it's done for a reason: it improves Google ranking. My initial reaction to this marketing technique was 'well, that'll never work, it's not bringing value to the community'. How wrong I was. It works swimmingly, and I've changed how I post here as well. I pledge not to be completely shameless, and try to bring value to a thread when I post, but this is how the bills are paid.

 

Thanks for your honesty, and insight to the back-end reasons/logic.

I could be wrong, but, I don't think that responding to threads with educational info/help (like you often do) and links is so much an issue as much as spamming the various sections with the identical ad like some vendors have a habit of doing.

Lets just hope they listen and keep the ads to where they should be: the vendor section(s) (or perhaps there's a limit to how many announcements they can make?).

Maybe they need to add their own vendor pages to the "Dealers and Aftermarket Vendors" subcategory where they can post their newest and greatest wares - or is that a different level of sponsorship?

But it's sad because there's even a "Vendor Talk" section where they can do just what they want.

 

Keeping them contained to the vendor talk section wouldn't work. Not too many people go there.

The ads posted by vendors don't bother me and I don't consider it spam. If I'm not interested in the product I ignore it.

 

I'm new to MINIs...but not to auto lists and forums. I personally like how the dealers step up and answer questions and present their newest products. The vendors seem to try and put forward 'quality' parts in a niche market. Sure they are trying to make money to feed their families...what's wrong with that? Support them and they will support you.

 

It is nice to have the pictures and part #s when you have a problem. It also gives you an idea who has the part and where to go for pricing. I have learned a lot from their info posted on the threads. It saves me time from going to Real OEM and looking for the right part.

 

I agree completely. It's great to have them so involved and helpful in the individual postings/threads.

But as Zippy says...

I don't think that their involvement is a problem at all. (My problem at least is) It's the insistence on SPAMMING the forums with the same add for their product across many sub-forums.

 

Good info and an honest answer!! Sounds very reasonable.
Thank you!!

 

well I pay, see my RED name. Maybe I should get a spam filter for being a supporting member.

But the LOOK we SELL that ITEM with LINKS and PICS is getting out of hand.

 

It doesn't bother me to much I have gotten info. with out have to go searching. Being new to Mini it is nice getting it. I can also where it can be a PITA as I see a lot that clutters up some threads that I have now interest in. The Mods can do something about it if the choose. Other sites I belong to Non Mini have special vendor area and all so links in the signatures of member who are also vendors. That way they participate in the discussions with out being intrusive.

Tom

 

I want to state that if a vendor has something too add, I love it!!
But when a post is simply "look at 'our' forum" for more info, or a listing for a part, no advise or info, it is disenginous IMO..sometimes feels slimy ..
Or more annoying, posting 6-10 new threads for the same sale, no specialization to the specific forum it is tied too....we get the fact a vendor has a sale...
But in the news section, say all stuff I'd 10% off is fair,
But then to say it again in 6 other forums... Kinda reduces the value...
Kinds like you might see the first banner add, but you start to ignore more, and after the 25th, you get adblock.....

I love the fact a vendor was kind enough to come on and say, to paraphrase, I know what you are saying, but Google has tweaked it ratings, and we need to change how we act to game the system to stay competitive to get the best bang for the $$ and time we spend here.
Let's face it....dealing with an ethical vendor is important, and I love a frank and honest vendor.
Extra point to you helix!!

 

Since I'm a paying member I think I should have the option to block vendor , maybe I can but have not felt the need to look yet but may soon if this keeps up. It's bad when a vendor posts all those pictures, I mean I like ECS but please chill on the pics, and Pelican is just spamming posts. And when this counter posting by vendors start going it's difficult to even read the good info in the post.

 

I was just going to pass and spectate, but since you're wanting more input Zippy, I'll join in.

Helix made a great statement and is very true by saying there is a lot going on behind the scenes. What I don't think a lot of you know is the type of thing that is sent to a vendor about what benefit we get for posting on specific forums. We are given specific guidelines as to where we are allowed to post "sales" threads. Some companies have guides to what posts need to be made each day and in order to reach out to most of the consumers we must post across the areas in which we are allowed to post said threads. When using the "new posts" button, I can definitely see the feeling of it seeming like "spam." That is not at all any vendors intention, but to rather post in each section with the thought that not everyone checks every single specific sales area of the forum. This way if one person checks the "news" section and never checks the "announcement" section, our reach is greater.

Besides the sales threads, I love interacting with individuals on here to help troubleshoot problems they may be having. Yes, a vendor could have already posted a product for an idea to the fix. Sometimes it gets redundant, but it allows the consumer to have options. I actually learn a lot from other vendors on here as well so I like to read up on their opinions on issues and fixes. Edit: and I apologize if any of you feel my posts are spam, I will work harder to make it better for you.

-Luccia

 

Eh, I think it's hard to complain about vendor advertising when it's free to register and once registered, you don't see banner ads and non-MINI-related advertising. It's a pretty small price to pay having to see a few vendor "product placements" when the majority of us pay nothing for a great place to interact with a large population of MINI owners and even buy/sell/trade parts. I get that sometimes it seems shameless, but at the same time, I can see how it could be very helpful for OP's who ask whether a part exists and then BAM, a professional studio shot of the part, the part number and a direct link to the product being sold. And no one ever said you have to buy the part from them, since the part number is often the most important bit of info. Plus, vendors like ECS are very active in the forums, even when they aren't posting links to their products. I think it's great that they interact with members on a personal level while running their day to day business operations.

 

I agree so much. I've been a vendor on the site for 11yrs now and always tried to actually bring value. Sometimes its hard as you want to help, but you can't diag a car by seeing a pic of a check engine light.

I can't complain about vendors responding in threads and don't have an issue with that. But the spamming is annoying vendor or not. I know customers will continue to support me even without seeing me post 100 times a day. I can bring value to the customer because I'm a real MINI performance expert with over 13 years doing nothing but MINI.

With the new NAM we have a hard time competing with businesses that are online only. We don't have an employee to sit on the forum all day long. We actually work on MINIs everyday so we are busy fixing and building mods for them during the day. But that's the nature of two different style businesses. I tried to stoop to the level of posting the same exact post across multiple sections, and even did it a few times. It just wasn't in my heart. I even thought maybe doing it would bring attention to how bad it makes the forum look and bumps down actual useful threads. It's sad that the news section on the home page is no longer news and just an ad. (I didn't even know I could pay to have my ad there)

Insert pic and link here

 

I look at it this way, if the vendors stopped multiple postings and the business they did here fell, eventually the vendors will leave and the site will cease to be. Since I don't pay anything to belong, I can certainly tolerate a little bit of the spam. Kind of gives me a chuckle when they jump all over each other to say the same thing.

I figure eventually I will buy something from all of them and then I can rate them all. Don't hold your breathe however for that review, going to take a bit of time.

 

I think this can illustrate our frustration... anyone care to count?



Wait everyone... I think there's something important going on at M7!!

 

Yup....
Seems like there should be a limit of some type....
And some times the louder you yell, the FEWER FOLKS LISTEN.....
think everybody gets the point that a vendor has a "special sale"....
But when they post 15+ times....the sane basic info...
It wastes my time....
And makes me AVOID THAT SELLER....
Good vendors have no problem getting folks to give them $$...sure never as much as some would like, but GOOD PRODUCTS SELL...especially with good service and a reasonable price...
Crap does not, no matter the $$...look at Yugo...err..FIAT (same factory for some models, just have to point that out)...
No vendor is perfect, but the annoying ones are killing this place...
It's like walking past a bar in Thailand..." Hey big boy, I got girl for you!! My sister, she is single for the night!! Don't want that, we got cold beer too, cone on in...you don't want that? We got ladyboy in the back" as they grab your arm and try to drag you into a bar....

I frankly find myself on other MINI sites more and more...
It seems NAM is getting marginalized....more and more..

 

an M7 good announcement would be they are dropping their prices to fair nit over priced