Sponsored Builder's Forum Ethics

Chris Martino · 12-30-06, 08:23 PM

My $0.02 from an ethical standpoint-

Just recently, someone posted a request for information on one of the paid sponsor forums about that manufacturers product. Instead, I was appalled to read the amount of cross postings made under that forum banner to purchase products by other builders on this forum.

So this is how it works now - someone on a paid sponsors forum asks a manufacturer for info and it's a free for all for others to pitch their products?

They can make the argument that information is all they are providing but I don't think anyone other than the forum sponsor is flippin' the bill, especially those who don't sponsor their own product.

Brutal...

Chris

chuck smith · 12-30-06, 10:29 PM

I agree Chris it is disgusting. I also hate it when you ask a question about a product and 2 or 3 other producers chime in how their product is better ect...

Brian Magee · 12-31-06, 05:06 AM

I also hate it when people use the ALL GT40 area to advertise their products.

Brian.

Chris Melia · 12-31-06, 06:27 AM

That's rich Chris "ethic's" Ha.
How do you feel about manufacturers that steels moulds of other peoples work, when they could have purchased a licence to produce that work and then pass it off as their own?

Happy new year
regards
Chris Melia.

Dean Lampe · 12-31-06, 09:17 AM

Nobody move, I have to get up and get another cup of coffee!

This getting good!

MartinGough · 12-31-06, 10:33 AM

Now. Now girls.

Steve Briscoe · 12-31-06, 11:22 AM

A simple point from my 30-year business perspective is that if I have incurred great expense to create a forum\dialog for client interaction and another business owner inserts themselves unfairly, it's interference. Can you imagine your reaction if you sat down with a client in a coffee shop and another business person pulled up a chair and started pitching their product? I'll bend over backwards immediately to resolve disagreement or conflict and continue doing so for a long time but it's amazing how ethical interpretations are bent and twisted in the context of making a buck. All too often, when that buck is made, the business mission is damaged and it's time to resist.

Ron Earp · 12-31-06, 01:18 PM

Interesting "Your Feedback" thread and I'll throw in my 0.02 cents as an opinion, but not judgment.

Chris I'm not sure what to tell you. This is a forum by the people for the people and the members make the decisions on how they will behave or what is acceptable. About the only way to control what is posted on a particular forum is to close the forum and only allow certain people to view it, or, to have 100% moderation on the forum for all posts. The CAV forum could be closed at Roy's request and then only CAV members that he selects could read there and post there. Superformance has exactly this sort of situation with their Superformance Owners Group (another website) and I think you have the same with the MDA forum, they are closed to non-members or the general public.

I think this is a more complicated situation than just what you bring up. It goes beyond the manufacturers and extends to owners of cars as well, in addition to would be owners and folks that are members of the forum.

About once a month someone asks a question such as "I might get a XYZ GT40, what do you think?" and invariably that post will get numerous replies. Some replies come from folks who have been around many GT40s for years and have driven many different types. Some posts come from owners of the XYZ GT40 proclaiming the XYZ to be the best car out there. Some posts come from the manufactuer of XYZ and say XYZ is a prime product. And some posts from from competitors of XYZ telling the fellow to buy ABC. Some posts come from folks that have only been around GT40s for six days but claim to have driven them all and XYZ is #1. Anyone that owns an XYZ car is naturally going to want to affirm their decision to purchase XYZ and tell others about it. Probably a psychological term for this sort of phenomenon, but I don't know what it is. But in the end do you think the fellow asking the question is going to get a cut and dried answer? Of course not.

Advertisers and agents post on the forum is various places. Some contribute very useful information about their products or technical knowledge of a general nature. Some put up a picture of their car in every third post to promote their product. Some only post when the topic of buying a car comes up. Some contribute only when their car is mentioned and at no other time. Every manufactuer has a signature line that provides exposure for their products in every post. Are all these things forms of advertising? Sure. It is allowed? That really isn't a fair question because we can't control what people do on an open forum.

GT40s.com is a 100% free (ok, not 100% free if you want to sell a car on the Cars For Sale Forum, that costs a minimum of $25), open, public, and uncensored forum that is not dedicated to one particular make of GT40. And GT40s.com is un-moderated in the sense that nobody will censor, police, or alter posts made by members of the forum. I do move posts from time to time when people can't quite take the time to think about where one belongs, and I delete spam, but that is about it for "moderation" on the site.

The entire advertising issue on the forum is a tricky one. The forum must have support from advertisers to continue (I'm far beyond paying for the forum out of pocket, I love you guys but not that much!) to exist. And contact with the manufacturers on a forum like this is invaluable for users, perspective buyers, or interested parties as well as the manufactuer. I see the things you are concerned about (however I think it involves manufactuers and owners) but I don't think any sweeping changes are needed in policy. If the membership wants to stop the sort of behavior that you cited, manufacturers posting on other manufacturer's forums, they can do it on their own. I could read every post on the forum and moderate such things closely, but I do not have the time nor do I like the idea of a single person policing a forum and deciding what is accepted. I think the forum can police itself in this regard and they can simply let those contributing to the behavior that it is not appreciated. That will probably take care of it with no further issues.

In the end I think people want to be helpful and I don't see a malicious intent in the posts. Manufactuers and excited owners certainly all have some skin in the game and we have many different personalities on the forum. Some folks might think a post is too agressive, while another might be completely okay with it. We're all from different backgrounds but have a common interest. I'm sure we can all get along just fine.

That was longer than I expected. There were some other things I was going to discuss, factory forums etc., but for another day. Sorry.

R