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Boards Deals scam

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    #32
    IITYWYBMAD
    Registered Users Posts: 1,035 ✭✭✭IITYWYBMAD


    tbh wrote: »
    It's a different site to boards fair enough, but it's using the boards population as a carrot in its business.

    On the boardsdeal website it says

    "Boards.ie is Ireland's biggest discussion forum. With 2.2 million visitors per month we rival national primetime television in terms of audience.
    Now, Boards.ie brings you BoardsDeals - amazing and exclusive deals from all around Ireland!"

    Obviously I don't know, but I assume that when boardsdeals is looking for people to do business with, they don't forget to point out that boards has tonnes of users, is a trusted brand, etc etc. Which is grand, I doubt anyone has a problem with the people behind boards making a bit of money off all the goodwill they've built up.

    Problem is, that goodwill will disappear rapid if boardsdeals are going to customers saying "we have all these people, you can flog 'em any aul shite" instead of saying "we want to ensure that the people who use our service are getting a good deal and if we can't ensure that, we're not interested".

    If the perception grows that it's the former rather than the latter, it damages boards as a whole. If boards.ie want to break the connect with boardsdeals - which they won't, because boards.ie is the USP here - then rename it irishdeals.ie, let them build up their customer base like any other deals site, and remove all refs to boards from the boardsdeals site.

    But I'm surprised anyone has to even ask "should boardsdeals be checking up on companies.." etc- of course they should - boardsdeals' first priority should be the people buying the deals, not the people selling them.
    Perfectly sums up everything that should have been done and why. I'm surprised the question was even asked in the first place.


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    #33
    _blank_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41,926 ✭✭✭✭_blank_


    tbh wrote: »
    It's a different site to boards fair enough, but it's using the boards population as a carrot in its business.

    On the boardsdeal website it says

    "Boards.ie is Ireland's biggest discussion forum. With 2.2 million visitors per month we rival national primetime television in terms of audience.
    Now, Boards.ie brings you BoardsDeals - amazing and exclusive deals from all around Ireland!"

    Obviously I don't know, but I assume that when boardsdeals is looking for people to do business with, they don't forget to point out that boards has tonnes of users, is a trusted brand, etc etc. Which is grand, I doubt anyone has a problem with the people behind boards making a bit of money off all the goodwill they've built up.

    Problem is, that goodwill will disappear rapid if boardsdeals are going to customers saying "we have all these people, you can flog 'em any aul shite" instead of saying "we want to ensure that the people who use our service are getting a good deal and if we can't ensure that, we're not interested".

    If the perception grows that it's the former rather than the latter, it damages boards as a whole. If boards.ie want to break the connect with boardsdeals - which they won't, because boards.ie is the USP here - then rename it irishdeals.ie, let them build up their customer base like any other deals site, and remove all refs to boards from the boardsdeals site.

    But I'm surprised anyone has to even ask "should boardsdeals be checking up on companies.." etc- of course they should - boardsdeals' first priority should be the people buying the deals, not the people selling them.

    You are, as usual, 100% correct.

    It's not the first time something similar has happened, and we were told by an admin the last time that Boardsdeals is nothing to do with Boards, that simply is not true.

    Boardsdeals uses Boards to get business, people like you and me who've spent a significant portion of our lives contributing to the Boards Community, not only with posts on the website, but with "extracurricular" stuff that gets the Boards.ie name more and more known, and drives people to the site.

    The name of the site is being tainted by dodgy deals like this, it's up to Boards/Boardsdeals to do the homework on business they are dealing with, and not rely on users to bring this kind of thing to their attention. When it IS brought to their attention by users, not to just brush it off.

    I would ask the Admins to stop the false claim that Boardsdeals.ie is not inherently linked to Boards.ie

    Change the name so.


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    #34
    nesf
    Registered Users Posts: 27,645 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    tbh wrote: »
    It's a different site to boards fair enough, but it's using the boards population as a carrot in its business.

    On the boardsdeal website it says

    "Boards.ie is Ireland's biggest discussion forum. With 2.2 million visitors per month we rival national primetime television in terms of audience.
    Now, Boards.ie brings you BoardsDeals - amazing and exclusive deals from all around Ireland!"

    Obviously I don't know, but I assume that when boardsdeals is looking for people to do business with, they don't forget to point out that boards has tonnes of users, is a trusted brand, etc etc. Which is grand, I doubt anyone has a problem with the people behind boards making a bit of money off all the goodwill they've built up.

    Problem is, that goodwill will disappear rapid if boardsdeals are going to customers saying "we have all these people, you can flog 'em any aul shite" instead of saying "we want to ensure that the people who use our service are getting a good deal and if we can't ensure that, we're not interested".

    If the perception grows that it's the former rather than the latter, it damages boards as a whole. If boards.ie want to break the connect with boardsdeals - which they won't, because boards.ie is the USP here - then rename it irishdeals.ie, let them build up their customer base like any other deals site, and remove all refs to boards from the boardsdeals site.

    But I'm surprised anyone has to even ask "should boardsdeals be checking up on companies.." etc- of course they should - boardsdeals' first priority should be the people buying the deals, not the people selling them.

    Boards Deals need to get their act together as a team. You don't get to **** up like this very often without ruining a brand and what goodwill you get from association with a site like this. This is real sales 101 stuff.


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    #35
    Cardinal Richelieu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,407 ✭✭✭Cardinal Richelieu


    Shouldn't Boards Deals code of practice cover this sort of sharp practice anyway? Reading the sales pitch Boards is quite a substantial brand these days not just a hobby of a few hairy guys living in a bedsit while playing PC games. I know some people have an allergy to paperwork especially when they hadn't to do that level before but unfortunately if you are to protect and preserve a major brand like Boards or Boards Deals you have to have the documented procedures to back it up. So do Boards Deals do any sort of quality check into deals offered? Or will the answer be that they have no connection with Boards Deals?


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    #36
    Morag
    Registered Users Posts: 8,423 ✭✭✭Morag


    The thread annoucing boards deals here in feedback in july 2010
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=66800651

    The thread from a mere month ago here in feedback about boards deals and lessons that should have been learned
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056474265


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    #37
    _blank_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41,926 ✭✭✭✭_blank_


    "Ionic balance band" and "Full Iridescent Crystal Shamballa Bracelet"


    Yeah.

    Why is Boardsdeals getting involved with selling that kind of absolute tat anyway?

    Quick buck?

    Is the name and brand of Boards.ie really that cheap?


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    #38
    Korvanica
    Registered Users Posts: 3,992 ✭✭✭Korvanica


    So basically i can set up a Website, mark some Junk for €100 on the site, and get onto boardsdeals and sell it for €20 when its really worth only €10.

    And it would be okay because its marked 100 on my site ?

    I thought the boardsdeals staff were better than that and actually did a little research into the deals.

    Stuff like this is damaging the Boards reputation...

    And the fact that you seem to be just fobbing it off with bad excuses instead of trying to help your users is doing even more damage.


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    #39
    Oryx
    Subscribers Posts: 19,425 ✭✭✭✭Oryx


    I had hoped that the earlier issue with the ionic band was a once off. But unfortunately not. What this says to me is that boards do not check the validity of deals they offer and when challenged, they use a very weak and unsubstantiated defence of the product, instead of saying, hang on, let me check that out.

    It taints the whole principle of the deals if you dont know if youre being sold a dud or not because the management of the site cant be bothered to check it out properly.

    Ive said before that groupon et al are getting enormous stick over similar issues, but at least they dont garner their customer base from a position of trust which boards do.


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    #40
    token56
    Registered Users Posts: 2,601 ✭✭✭token56


    Everything said by tbh and Des some up exactly how I feel really. Boards.ie and its user base is clearly being used to attract companies. As such we as the users should at least feel our integrity is not being impacted by the type of companies boardsdeals works with. This is now the second example in a recent time frame where some users rightly feel the integrity of the site and its user base is not being maintained. If boardsdeals wants to continue using us as a marketing ploy for attracting companies they really do need to be more careful and respectful.

    Otherwise if it doesn't want this hassle change its name and dont associate itself with boards. Problem with this is we are key to it attracting companies to advertise so I can't see this happening.


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    #41
    Tragedy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Tragedy


    Hullo!

    Why did I post a thread here? Because dudara instructed me to. It was either post here, or keep quiet.

    I didn't accuse boards deals of knowingly scamming customers, I said this boards deal was a scam.

    The reason I didn't PM or e-mail Boards Deals about the apparent scam is because of Niamhs disgraceful behaviour earlier on in the thread (and I've seen her act poorly in other threads where people questioned 'deals')

    Several users reported that this might not actually be a deal, and what was the response? It was a deal, and the exact same product from competitors was of lesser quality. Why would I privately get in touch with an organisation that behaves like that rather than bring it to the attention of users?

    The response should have been along the lines of "We take the quality of our deals extremely seriously. I'll look into this and get back to you later, for now I've put a hold on the deal until I can find out more".
    Not "It is a deal because this one website offers it for almost four times the price of every other website. All the other websites are inferior products based on no facts or evidence".

    Also, I'm through debating the 'may' bit fwiw.

    If you want to see another recent example of Boards Deals not giving a **** about the quality of their deals or their customers, http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056517253
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056518782


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    #42
    _blank_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41,926 ✭✭✭✭_blank_


    Tragedy wrote: »
    If you want to see another recent example of Boards Deals not giving a **** about the quality of their deals or their customers, http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056517253
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056518782

    Jesus.

    That's nothing short of terrible.

    Who is rubberstamping these "deals"?

    Whoever it is needs to re-assess their standards.

    How Boards.ie has become a base for such horrible companies is beyond me, integrity is being worn away here lads.


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    #43
    Cardinal Richelieu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,407 ✭✭✭Cardinal Richelieu


    Tragedy wrote: »
    Hullo!

    Why did I post a thread here? Because dudara instructed me to. It was either post here, or keep quiet.

    I didn't accuse boards deals of knowingly scamming customers, I said this boards deal was a scam.

    The reason I didn't PM or e-mail Boards Deals about the apparent scam is because of Niamhs disgraceful behaviour earlier on in the thread (and I've seen her act poorly in other threads where people questioned 'deals')

    Several users reported that this might not actually be a deal, and what was the response? It was a deal, and the exact same product from competitors was of lesser quality. Why would I privately get in touch with an organisation that behaves like that rather than bring it to the attention of users?

    The response should have been along the lines of "We take the quality of our deals extremely seriously. I'll look into this and get back to you later, for now I've put a hold on the deal until I can find out more".
    Not "It is a deal because this one website offers it for almost four times the price of every other website. All the other websites are inferior products based on no facts or evidence".

    Also, I'm through debating the 'may' bit fwiw.

    If you want to see another recent example of Boards Deals not giving a **** about the quality of their deals or their customers, http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056517253
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056518782

    The :) at the end of the Boards Deals Reps replies isn't exactly professional especially if your still waiting for your bean bag since ordering it in Oct 11. "Yes I know you had crap service and we are only dealing with it now but hey here is a :)"


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    #44
    darraghdoyle
    Registered Users Posts: 62 ✭✭darraghdoyle


    Just so you know, BoardsDeals is a completely different team to the Boards.ie one. It's operated seperately, albeit under the same management. So, the people who work only on Boards.ie (Dav and Nicola) wouldn't know what the deals are on a daily basis because Boards Deals are the ones looking after it. They're probably only aware of deals when there's a problem like this one - I know that's the only time I ever was!

    Yes, BoardsDeals is operating under the Boards.ie banner but that in turn is operating under Distilled Media so, I'd respectfully propose (bearing in mind they're ex employers of mine) that the responsibility lays with them and the processes to be put in place are theirs to do.

    AFAIK (and bear in mind I haven't worked there for a few months) the way a deal works is this:

    Company contacts sales team or is contacted by them.
    Deal is signed to a contract submitted by Boards Deals
    Deal is checked, passed and goes on site

    I don't know if there is a check whether the deal is exclusive or "appropriate" by the Boards Deals team (Sales Manager, Sales people and Customer Service people) but I'd imagine there's something in the terms and conditions about it.

    There's a number of deals going up, coming down, being agreed on and being redeemed every day. There's a huge number of customer service emails. There's (probably) ambitious sales targets to be reached. That's what business is.

    If you said to me "Well look, here's what I want you to do - when a deal comes in and is proposed and all that, you must perform diligent tests and prove, beyond all shadow of a doubt, that there's no problems with it before it goes live", I'll say, "Grand, that's all very well in principle, but I'll charge you extra for that, because that's business". It is the compromise that you have to accept as a customer of anywhere.

    You have to accept that Boards Deals are trying to get the best and most exclusive deal in the market for their customers (who aren't all Boards.ie members - back in my day it was less than half) in a crowded scene where they're competing with all the other sites. They have to keep costs low to maximise profits and provide an acceptable standard of service.

    I'm not excusing poor customer service or experience but I honestly don't believe that happened here - if I did, I'd say it. I think you have to accept that things like this will happen but blaming Boards.ie for it is neither accurate nor constructive.

    OP, having read this entire thread and the others, all I can suggest is that you have an understanding of how this happened and how they can prevent it happening again. It's not even a case of customer service here by the way, unless the customer service people are the ones who are agreeing the deals AND have the power to authorise taking them down which I sincerely doubt they do. All they can do is report it to Boards Deals management and wait for them to come back and say Yes or No.
    The reason I didn't PM or e-mail Boards Deals about the apparent scam is because of Niamhs disgraceful behaviour earlier on in the thread (and I've seen her act poorly in other threads where people questioned 'deals')

    Have you direct links to this? Have you reported these threads? That's a very serious allegation of poor customer service by an agent of a company. I hope you have back up because it's unfair if you don't. I'd hate to see that said about me.
    Several users reported that this might not actually be a deal, and what was the response? It was a deal, and the exact same product from competitors was of lesser quality. Why would I privately get in touch with an organisation that behaves like that rather than bring it to the attention of users?

    That wasn't my reading of your OP. My reading was "Several (but how many?) people had posted on the thread and Niamh had said that the product on the other website MAY be different to the one they're offering. She didn't say she knew it was, but, I'm afraid, Caveat Emptor applies here - YOU bought the deal that was on offer.
    The response should have been along the lines of "We take the quality of our deals extremely seriously. I'll look into this and get back to you later, for now I've put a hold on the deal until I can find out more".

    Probably the most constructive comment on this thread, but again, I doubt Customer Service reps have the authority to put a deal on hold.

    OP, what's the best case scenario/solution for you here?

    (PS the reason I'm posting is (a) to clarify the r/ship with Boards.ie for those who don't know, and (b) because I'm interested in seeing how this plays out. I think it will be a telling decision by those working on Boards Deals on how they handle it. Personal friendships with those working in Boards.ie or on Boards Deals are aside for this one).


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    #45
    Morag
    Registered Users Posts: 8,423 ✭✭✭Morag


    It seems most of the deals which have run on the site over the last year and half, have been successful. It's just that we have 3 now in a short space of time which seem to be clangers and issues arising could maybe have been dealt with in a better manner.

    And it's not like the users who have spotted the issues are forensic internet detectives,
    the info seems easy to get at via google. Is it too much to expect that those sale people putting together the deals take the time to check out the companies who want to place a deal and if it is a deal?

    Currently the boardsdeal forum is under the heading of bargain alerts and I really can't see how something which was been inflated in price on a site owned by the same company as to be sold at a 'knock down' price elsewhere is a bargain.


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    #46
    token56
    Registered Users Posts: 2,601 ✭✭✭token56


    darraghdoyle wrote: »
    You have to accept that Boards Deals are trying to get the best and most exclusive deal in the market for their customers (who aren't all Boards.ie members - back in my day it was less than half) in a crowded scene where they're competing with all the other sites. They have to keep costs low to maximise profits and provide an acceptable standard of service.

    I respect and accept that Boards Deals are trying their best with regards quality. But for me the crux of the matter is that while BoardsDeals and Boards are separate brands with their own customers BoadsDeals uses the Boards "customers", i.e. us the users, in selling the BoardsDeals "product" to companies but strictly speaking has no inherent obligations other than to its own customers (I imagine this is those you who use it and sign up to get emails), who I'd guess is probably a fraction of the actual boards users.

    I understand this is possible as the are both under the Distilled Media Label and are well within their rights to us whatever statistics they went to sell any of their brands. But I suppose to the majority of users here the Boards brand is a community of users and a community that always felt we could somewhat influence what direction boards was going in and how Boards was run. But that is not necessarily the case with BoardsDeals as it is a separate brand and the community here in all honesty it feels like is merely a statistic for them to sell their brand.(see edit). Now I know DeVore, the admins, the rest of the Boards team and I'm sure the team at BoardsDeals genuinely really care about the community here and are not trying to harm the community. But if the community here is to feel respected and continued to be used as a selling point for another brand, more care needs to be taken regarding some of the deals taking place.

    Edit: Just to say I know in the previous deal regarding the Bands, the boards community was listened to and that was great, so its not fair to say we are just a statistic and while the current boards team are in place I know the community will always be listened too as much as is possible.


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    #47
    nesf
    Registered Users Posts: 27,645 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    darraghdoyle wrote: »
    There's a number of deals going up, coming down, being agreed on and being redeemed every day. There's a huge number of customer service emails. There's (probably) ambitious sales targets to be reached. That's what business is.

    And the issue here is quality control. All of the above is a separate issue to the choice of which deals that are accepted by the company. If this deal was a tricky one to spot as a "scam"* I'd have sympathy for the team but a cursory Google shows the product as grossly overpriced in its claimed RRP.

    *I don't actually consider it a scam.


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    #48
    Tragedy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,057 ✭✭✭Tragedy


    darraghdoyle wrote: »
    AFAIK (and bear in mind I haven't worked there for a few months) the way a deal works is this:

    Company contacts sales team or is contacted by them.
    Deal is signed to a contract submitted by Boards Deals
    Deal is checked, passed and goes on site

    I don't know if there is a check whether the deal is exclusive or "appropriate" by the Boards Deals team (Sales Manager, Sales people and Customer Service people) but I'd imagine there's something in the terms and conditions about it.
    There's no evidence of checking though. Boards Deals didn't seem to know or care who they were doing business with in the bracelet case (as a cursory check of the company behind it would have thrown up seasonsonline.co.uk and the exact same product for 25% of the price). The beanbag shows either a complete disregard and disrespect of the boards community, or again, zero checking of the deal.

    And surely I'm not the only one to notice deals that fail to sell many vouchers being recycled and new 'deals' a month later?
    There's a number of deals going up, coming down, being agreed on and being redeemed every day. There's a huge number of customer service emails. There's (probably) ambitious sales targets to be reached. That's what business is.
    That doesn't excuse any of this. Boards Deals are responsible for what they sell, large numbers of e-mails and sales targets doesn't abrogate that responsibility.
    If you said to me "Well look, here's what I want you to do - when a deal comes in and is proposed and all that, you must perform diligent tests and prove, beyond all shadow of a doubt, that there's no problems with it before it goes live", I'll say, "Grand, that's all very well in principle, but I'll charge you extra for that, because that's business". It is the compromise that you have to accept as a customer of anywhere.
    No-one to the best of my knowledge has asked or proposed that, so my only supposition is that you're building an exaggerated position so it's easier for you to knock it down. Please don't, so far the posters on this thread have done so in good faith and it'd be nice for that to continue.
    You have to accept that Boards Deals are trying to get the best and most exclusive deal in the market for their customers (who aren't all Boards.ie members - back in my day it was less than half) in a crowded scene where they're competing with all the other sites. They have to keep costs low to maximise profits and provide an acceptable standard of service.
    One google search would have thrown up both the bean bags and the bracelet deal. You're talking less than 5 minutes between both deals.
    I'm not excusing poor customer service or experience
    You really, really are.
    but I honestly don't believe that happened here - if I did, I'd say it. I think you have to accept that things like this will happen but blaming Boards.ie for it is neither accurate nor constructive.
    No-one blamed boards.ie?
    It's not even a case of customer service here by the way, unless the customer service people are the ones who are agreeing the deals AND have the power to authorise taking them down which I sincerely doubt they do.
    How is it not customer service when a representative of Boards Deals response to it is to insinuate that competitors products are lesser quality? Instead of responding to peoples worries/complaints, she attempted to deflect attention away from it by making up claims based on no facts or evidence that the product in this deal was somehow superior to others.
    All they can do is report it to Boards Deals management and wait for them to come back and say Yes or No.
    Where does insinuating competitors products are inferior based on zero evidence or facts come into this?


    Have you direct links to this? Have you reported these threads? That's a very serious allegation of poor customer service by an agent of a company. I hope you have back up because it's unfair if you don't. I'd hate to see that said about me.
    Hysterical much?


    That wasn't my reading of your OP. My reading was "Several (but how many?) people had posted on the thread and Niamh had said that the product on the other website MAY be different to the one they're offering. She didn't say she knew it was,
    That doesn't wash. Adding 'may' to an otherwise unacceptable statement doesn't make it acceptable.

    I'm not allowed to go posting that DarraghDoyle may be a liar. Or may be a boards deal shill. Or may have been in prison for fraud. I'm also not allowed say Boards Deals may be acting illegally. Or may be defrauding customers. You can not post damaging statements about individuals or businesses and then add 'may' as an afterthought to make it acceptable.

    Also compare:
    "There may be cheaper, lower quality versions of these bracelets for sale elsewhere."
    with
    "The product on the other website MAY be different to the one we're offering".

    There's a huge difference between the two statements, with yours having spin attached to make it sound less damaging.


    I find it interesting that you haven't posted in a month, and your post on this thread amounts to you trying to excuse all of boards deals and Niamhs behaviour while getting hysterically offended by my saying I had seen Niamh acting 'poorly' in other threads.

    It's ok to claim competitors products are inferior.
    It's ok to ignore customers pointing out that the deal seems to not be a deal.
    It's ok to perform zero fact checking about a deal that Boards Deals is providing.
    It's ok to provide a deal from a company that has seriously let down(and still letting down) many boards.ie members

    But you get hysterically upset because I posted I had seen Niamh acting poorly in a few other threads(imho of course)?

    Something fishy here.


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    #49
    darraghdoyle
    Registered Users Posts: 62 ✭✭darraghdoyle


    Seriously? THAT'S what you come back with?

    I'm the ex Communications Manager of this site. I worked here over two years. I was one of the people who helped Boards Deals launch on the site. I helped them get up and running and worked with Dav and Niamh on the forum and how it would work. I worked with most of the admins and moderators to help get processes in place for dealing with things. For you to claim that there's something "fishy" about me posting in a thread about Boards.ie, about processes, about customer service (a passion of mine) and about ex-colleagues and friends of mine is not only strange, but a little bit sad.

    I now work on a different site - a start-up - and I don't often post on Boards.ie for two reasons - 1. I don't take the time to read it as much as I did when I worked there and 2. I don't often engage in conversations like these anyways because I'm sick and tired of them.

    Taking your points
    There's no evidence of checking though. Boards Deals didn't seem to know or care who they were doing business with in the bracelet case (as a cursory check of the company behind it would have thrown up seasonsonline.co.uk and the exact same product for 25% of the price). The beanbag shows either a complete disregard and disrespect of the boards community, or again, zero checking of the deal.

    I completely accept that. There should be checking, but by who? The sales person who sells the deal? The person who puts up the deal? Who? Say, for example, it's the person who posts the deal. So they get the deal to go live and then google and find there's a problem, so must go back to the sales person who has sold the deal and got the signed contract and say it can't happen who then has to go back to the client and say it's not happening, after they tell their manager that they'll do so.

    (I'm not making this up - it is what would happen)

    So the company then has to respond. Say, for example, with the Beanbag case the company was told and their response was "Ah yes, but we promise that we'll have everything done this month. We've hired a hundred extra people to help us" - what does the sales person do? Say "Ah no, no deal until it's sorted?"

    I agree the process is not helping in cases like these but I'm also interested in what the solution could be.
    Boards Deals are responsible for what they sell, large numbers of e-mails and sales targets doesn't abrogate that responsibility.

    Again, I agree
    No-one to the best of my knowledge has asked or proposed that

    But that's what you should ask for. I'm not exaggerating anything here - I've worked in the same office. I've seen deals go live from phonecall to redemption. I'm telling you what happens. As a customer it's what I would want to happen.

    To bring this back a second, my belief is that if you had asked for a refund on your purchase after pointing out the problem, you should have gotten one.
    You really, really are.

    Big difference between excusing something (which I'm really really not) and explaining something (which I'm trying to do). Don't shoot the messenger.
    How is it not customer service when a representative of Boards Deals response to it is to insinuate that competitors products are lesser quality? Instead of responding to peoples worries/complaints, she attempted to deflect attention away from it by making up claims based on no facts or evidence that the product in this deal was somehow superior to others.

    Again, I'm not excusing it. There should have been a better response.
    Hysterical much?

    Not even a little bit. If you had dealt with as many solicitors letters and emails as I did (I helped write the current Terms of Use, for example), or seen as many reported posts as I did, or dealt with the same problems, you'd know what the legal system in this country is like. No better link I can offer you than this news story from today, albeit about a different case and sites http://irishexaminer.com/ireland/injunctions-against-facebook-google-180520.html

    I'm regularly on the radio advising on cases like this and explaining how people need to be careful what they post. I keep very up to date with Irish legislation on it. So, am I being hysterical in suggesting that you should be careful about what you post about someone in case they lose their job or their reputation is damaged because of it - no. I'm telling you the truth.
    I'm not allowed to go posting that DarraghDoyle may be a liar.

    Why would you though? All of the above is easily checkable.
    Or may be a boards deal shill.

    Ha. I'm posting under my own name. Google me to see who I am or what I do. I'd be fairly well known by some people around these parts. I don't work for Boards Deals. I do know the people who worked there, because I worked there.
    Or may have been in prison for fraud.

    That was only that one time.
    I'm also not allowed say Boards Deals may be acting illegally. Or may be defrauding customers. You can not post damaging statements about individuals or businesses and then add 'may' as an afterthought to make it acceptable.

    You're not saying any of those though so that's fine.
    I find it interesting that you haven't posted in a month, and your post on this thread amounts to you trying to excuse all of boards deals and Niamhs behaviour while getting hysterically offended by my saying I had seen Niamh acting 'poorly' in other threads.

    See above for response. Hysterical? Ha. No.
    It's ok to claim competitors products are inferior.
    It's ok to ignore customers pointing out that the deal seems to not be a deal.
    It's ok to perform zero fact checking about a deal that Boards Deals is providing.
    It's ok to provide a deal from a company that has seriously let down(and still letting down) many boards.ie members

    I agree with none of those things. But here's the thing - this is a constructive way of pointing them out and offers a way of solving the problem or resolving the issue - something some of the other posts (not by you) didn't do.

    I did ask you in that post
    OP, what's the best case scenario/solution for you here?

    You didn't reply.
    But you get hysterically upset because I posted I had seen Niamh acting poorly in a few other threads(imho of course)?

    There you go with "hysterical" again. No.

    Your original statement was
    The reason I didn't PM or e-mail Boards Deals about the apparent scam is because of Niamhs disgraceful behaviour earlier on in the thread (and I've seen her act poorly in other threads where people questioned 'deals')

    There was no "imho". You stated it as fact. I asked you for evidence to back it up. You didn't supply it.


    You know, people often ask me if I miss working on this site. I just point them to threads like this as reply.


  • Options
    #50
    ToadVine
    Closed Accounts Posts: 659 ✭✭✭ToadVine


    @darraghdoyle ... methinks thou doth protest too much ...


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    #51
    darraghdoyle
    Registered Users Posts: 62 ✭✭darraghdoyle


    ToadVine wrote: »
    @darraghdoyle ... methinks thou doth protest too much ...

    No better defence than the truth.


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    #52
    ToadVine
    Closed Accounts Posts: 659 ✭✭✭ToadVine


    Not sure what your motives are here Darragh. You should be thanking the OP.


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    #53
    darraghdoyle
    Registered Users Posts: 62 ✭✭darraghdoyle


    For what though?

    My motive here is simple - I am explaining to people who suggest that Boards.ie is at fault here the actual set up of the operation. I worked on the site long enough to care about what happens. I hate seeing colleagues and friends of mine blamed for things that are not their fault.

    It's Boards Deals that should be thanking the OP, not me.


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    #54
    ToadVine
    Closed Accounts Posts: 659 ✭✭✭ToadVine


    I think we should all be thanking the OP to be honest.


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    #55
    RoundyMooney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭RoundyMooney


    darraghdoyle wrote: »

    I completely accept that. There should be checking, but by who? The sales person who sells the deal? The person who puts up the deal? Who? Say, for example, it's the person who posts the deal. So they get the deal to go live and then google and find there's a problem, so must go back to the sales person who has sold the deal and got the signed contract and say it can't happen who then has to go back to the client and say it's not happening, after they tell their manager that they'll do so.

    (Emphasis mine). If this were thrashed out at the sales stage-then the sorry example you relate wouldn't happen in the first place. Of course the person making the sale and posting up the invariably Dublin-centric deal may be one and the same.

    At the end of the day, the deals site needs to walk a tightrope of viability, while being mindful of the fact that it is trading on the boards.ie good name. It's what Daft/Distilled media paid good money for, it's what provides the cachet, and despite the information given that at one stage half the customers came from outside the boards.ie userbase, it is what provides the customer base as well-there are many more lurkers than posters on this site, and many others, as an example.
    darraghdoyle wrote: »
    (I'm not making this up - it is what would happen)

    I don't doubt it for a minute.
    darraghdoyle wrote: »
    So the company then has to respond. Say, for example, with the Beanbag case the company was told and their response was "Ah yes, but we promise that we'll have everything done this month. We've hired a hundred extra people to help us" - what does the sales person do? Say "Ah no, no deal until it's sorted?"

    Well, if the deal is started with what seems a reputable outfit, and they then drop the ball in gombeen fashion, as with restaurants not honouring the menus outlined etc., then that's a different matter. I'd be slow to blame boardsdeals for that-but I'd also be slow to deal with such a business entity as would give customers the runaround in such a manner, in the future :)
    darraghdoyle wrote: »
    You know, people often ask me if I miss working on this site. I just point them to threads like this as reply.

    It's to your credit that I've never seen such frustration colour any of your replies here which were always patient and well thought out.

    Whatever about the respondents here, I'd be pretty frustrated too, if I saw a site set up under the Boards brand falling into the trap of selling, basically back-pages-of-the-buyandsell type tat, and whatever about that (which is subjective) to be putting it forth that a higher price invariably means a better quality item, despite evidence to the contrary.

    I think it's better than that, I know you do too.


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    #56
    nesf
    Registered Users Posts: 27,645 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    darraghdoyle wrote: »
    I hate seeing colleagues and friends of mine blamed for things that are not their fault.

    We all do but jumping and getting into a fight with the OP with an account that identifies you as an ex-member of the overall team is not going to calm things. Too many people will view it as a circling of the Distilled Media office wagons despite this just being your personal opinion.


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    #57
    K-9
    Registered Users Posts: 43,311 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    Boards users have a certain amount of faith and trust in Boardsdeals and that certain checks and standards are undertaken when they post an offer. Boards.ie itself has pretty high standards as regards company accounts that can post here, banning shilling etc. Hell, part of posting on Boards is lively debate and sometimes the standard of debate and fact checking would put newspapers to shame!

    I suppose people also expect high standards of Boardsdeals or anything putting the Boards community name to it. As others have said, a quick Let me google that for you on the company name would have dug up a lot of this.

    Yeah its a business and has to make money, same as the dozens of hotel deals sites out there. Boardsdeals should be about a higher standard than those "other" sites or else just stop any pretense and the Boards name. It's about becoming just another deals site, dime a dozen, or a valued deals site.

    It's also in distilled media's interest to ensure that happens. Adverts.ie property is just like another Daft.ie, Boards deals is just another deals site or sets the standard.

    If not, the community aspect of Boards is long gone, just something to be sold.

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



  • Options
    #58
    darraghdoyle
    Registered Users Posts: 62 ✭✭darraghdoyle


    nesf wrote: »
    We all do but jumping and getting into a fight with the OP with an account that identifies you as an ex-member of the overall team is not going to calm things. Too many people will view it as a circling of the Distilled Media office wagons despite this just being your personal opinion.

    There's no fight. I agree with a huge amount of what the OP said but also trying to explain the circumstance of the situation so that things like this don't happen again and don't undo or damage the good work that was done and is being done on Boards.ie and by Boards.ie members, mods, admins and staff. As I said, I'm trying not to excuse, but to explain.

    I am however defending a friend's reputation who is being accused of "disgraceful behaviour". It's what I'd do for anyone I felt didn't deserve it.


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    #59
    Kur4mA
    Registered Users Posts: 2,215 ✭✭✭Kur4mA


    darraghdoyle wrote: »
    I completely accept that. There should be checking, but by who? The sales person who sells the deal? The person who puts up the deal? Who? Say, for example, it's the person who posts the deal. So they get the deal to go live and then google and find there's a problem, so must go back to the sales person who has sold the deal and got the signed contract and say it can't happen who then has to go back to the client and say it's not happening, after they tell their manager that they'll do so.

    As someone who has worked in Customer Service of some sort for the last 10+ years myself, this is all irrelevant in terms of the Customer. They don't care who should be checking as long as someone does, nor should they have to even consider that. They are paying for a product based on a 'deal' advertised by the Boards brand. There needs to be someone checking this, whether it's the sales person or the support person. If it can't be either of these then hire a quality person to oversee product quality and keep an eye on fulfilment control.

    Whatever processes are in place for quality and SLA's for fulfilment control need to be scrapped and looked at again, otherwise Boards Deals are going to find themselves in this situation quite often, guaranteed. If they can't do this, I'd personally advise that they scrap the entire thing and stick to what they know.


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    #60
    nesf
    Registered Users Posts: 27,645 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    darraghdoyle wrote: »
    There's no fight.

    I know you're not trying to start one or have one but it reads that way because of how defensive you're being.


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    #61
    darraghdoyle
    Registered Users Posts: 62 ✭✭darraghdoyle


    nesf wrote: »
    I know you're not trying to start one or have one but it reads that way because of how defensive you're being.

    Unintentional :)

    (I've forgotten how to be unemotional! :pac:)


This discussion has been closed.
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