is a vendor clampdown in order

vendors, there's plenty that can be done to stop the ever present growing commercial creep of vendor driven posting, lets be honest here 99% of a vendors posts are designed to get noticed and to spread the word of their wares.

the site guidelines are strong but are hampered by issues. to sort it out the mess and in no particular order-

1. cut the head off the chicken and decouple homepage linking from the vendor badge. this would at a stroke cut down the ridiculous amount of vendors posting for the sake of just that! posting to get their mug in every thread going, in the hope someone will click their vendor badge. yes, you know who you are. lets get rid.

2. ban any and all linking via signatures. this was discussed a long time ago behind the curtain. it is technically possible to do away with it, so it can be done. this action alone would free up mod time by an enormous amount, they'll then have more free time to to uphold the rest of the guidelines, rather than wasting their valuable time on this particular vendor gravy train. no agreement was reached as to what to do about it a while back. it's time to look at that again. lets get rid.

3. ban commercial linking via homepage. lets get rid.

4. ban commercial links, messages and hooks in profile descriptions. this is an admin area, if admin don't want, or have the time, to deal with it, give mods the task. lets get rid.

5. members that run threads to build a good board reputation, then turn vendor. ban them, they will only hang around to juice members via pm on the back of any rep they've built up. lets get rid.

just those 5 points alone will help give the site back to the membership at large.

discuss

Lightning McQueen said:

5. members that run threads to build a good board reputation, then turn vendor. ban them, they will only hang around to juice members via pm on the back of any rep they've built up. lets get rid.

Click to expand...

I can think of two of those ongoing at the minute but its like trying to get people out of a cult. So yes ban them.

Whack a poll up LM.

Idea:

To become a vendor, you have to agree that, if the mods are of the opinion (maybe they vote, I dunno) that you are/will have a negative effect on the membership at large, they are free to ban you at will.

Agree this "hint : PM me" thing is disgusting , ban them all , or let them to post in a commercial section ...

tar said:

Agree this "hint : PM me" thing is disgusting , ban them all , or let them to post in a commercial section ...

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Just get rid of them. Those vendors are useless so why keep them around at all.

Peter

I think...

Vendors should be allowed to post in their own forums under vendors category. They should not be able to post in any other forum full stop. Anyone breaking the rules gets an instant ban.

time for a commercial section, long overdue.

wackypete2 said:

Just get rid of them. Those vendors are useless so why keep them around at all.

Peter

Click to expand...

Well we do get the odd laugh at their expense, but of course you're right ban them all.

Yeah ban them.. or atleast give them their own vendor cess pit section.

But haven't certain vendor threads and vendors members consistently been voted the best/favourite by the membership at large?

Newbs will always be attracted to vendors like flies to turds. And its newbs who click on the most ad links on trade2win

donaldduke said:

Yeah ban them.. or atleast give them their own vendor cess pit section.

But haven't certain vendor threads and vendors members consistently been voted the best/favourite by the membership at large?

Newbs will always be attracted to vendors like flies to turds. And its newbs who click on the most ad links on trade2win

Click to expand...

Oh yes - them newbies:

donaldduke said:

But haven't certain vendor threads and vendors members consistently been voted the best/favourite by the membership at large?

n

Click to expand...

Yes but the 'elections' were about as transparent as one of Mugabe's. They wouldn't even say how many votes each of them got.

Hoggums said:

I think...

Vendors should be allowed to post in their own forums under vendors category. They should not be able to post in any other forum full stop. Anyone breaking the rules gets an instant ban.

Click to expand...

+1

1. I don't think they should be banned. They should have their own section

2. We should remove vendor badge. This is because to newbies T2W Vendor badge may seem like lending them credibility.


I'm sure there are good and bad Vendors but separating the good the bad and damn right ugly costs good money.

Having said that, haven't we all regretted buying something which didn't meet our expectations.

I concur with sentiment to review/improve management of Vendors.

Hoggums said:

I think...

Vendors should be allowed to post in their own forums under vendors category. They should not be able to post in any other forum full stop. Anyone breaking the rules gets an instant ban.

Click to expand...

Good call Hoggums. Anyone that views their posts is then clear about them promoting their
own systems as they will be in the Snake Oil Sales part of the forum.

Ged

Atilla said:

+1

1. I don't think they should be banned. They should have their own section

2. We should remove vendor badge. This is because to newbies T2W Vendor badge may seem like lending them credibility.


I'm sure there are good and bad Vendors but separating the good the bad and damn right ugly costs good money.

Having said that, haven't we all regretted buying something which didn't meet our expectations.

I concur with sentiment to review/improve management of Vendors.

Click to expand...

There is something so obvious about what you write that I suspect that T2W have a reason for not having done so years ago.

Christ - the anti vendor thread gets spammed!

Hoggums said:

Christ - the anti vendor thread gets spammed!

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not for long

Yes, but he was flogging building material. Fat chance of any of you lot buying any of that!

Still, you've got to give him credit. He covers all possibilities.

Splitlink said:

There is something so obvious about what you write that I suspect that T2W have a reason for not having done so years ago.

Click to expand...

Around the time i first joined one vendor used to promote his 1-1 seminars on the trade2win home page. And Trade2win used to get a cut of every seminar sold through the site.

I also remember around the time i joined, two of the Mods were toying with the idea of doing a paid seminar to the members themselves.. but not enough showed interest and the idea was dropped.

Trade2win still re-sells trading software on the homepage, so is technically still a vendor itself.

The problem with vendors

I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with vendoring. The problem is that anyone who's honest can't compete with the claims of the scams.

I think there are 2 good options.

1- Ban all vendors. I don't think any of the half measures would work.

2- "Reviewer" members or some such (read: Pboyles :clap. People can submit their systems/coaching (or I guess Sharky could stump up the cash if the membership is really interested), then an honest review can be made. There are a couple of seemingly legit review sites (among the thousands of crap), but they're one man jobs and can't really sort through all the **** out there, and of course, they don't have any recognition.

We did that with mr. spreadbetting, and it worked