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New sponsored sub forum for Bargain Alerts

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Comments

  • #122
    StupidLikeAFox
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,784 ✭✭✭StupidLikeAFox


    gimmick wrote: »
    I love how despite almost universal disapproval from its users (and those defending are in general sycophantic types who thanks every post made by admins anyway), boards decide to plough ahead anyway.

    I see it as a big meh to be honest. Its a sub forum which can be easily ignored. Sure its a huge u-turn based on Dav's over-reaction which was posted earlier - but so what? BA hasn't changed, it will continue as it has always done. Not sure if having this opinion makes me sycophantic or not, but Im off to thank all of Niamhs posts just in case.


  • #123
    JakeBell
    Closed Accounts Posts: 268 ✭✭JakeBell


    StupidLikeAFox wrote: »
    I see it as a big meh to be honest. Its a sub forum which can be easily ignored. Sure its a huge u-turn based on Dav's over-reaction which was posted earlier - but so what? BA hasn't changed, it will continue as it has always done. Not sure if having this opinion makes me sycophantic or not, but Im off to thank all of Niamhs posts just in case.

    GearBest is the first but who's next? How many Sponsored forums will there be in a year? In two years?

    Bargain Alerts has always been for specific bargains. How an entire company can just buy some space in it just makes no sense (show Boards some money and it doesn't have to make sense). Can Apple buy a space in Bargain Alerts? Of course they could if they passed Boards a few quid. Why aren't RicherSounds in here instead of in the 'Talk To' section?


  • #124
    Kenjataimu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,429 ✭✭✭Kenjataimu


    JakeBell wrote: »
    GearBest is the first but who's next? How many Sponsored forums will there be in a year? In two years?

    Bargain Alerts has always been for specific bargains. How an entire company can just buy some space in it just makes no sense (show Boards some money and it doesn't have to make sense). Can Apple buy a space in Bargain Alerts? Of course they could if they passed Boards a few quid. Why aren't RicherSounds in here instead of in the 'Talk To' section?
    Gearbest are far from being the first sponsored forum on boards.

    Sponsored forums are different to Talk to forums.

    Sponsored forums are pretty much adverts in my opinion.
    Most of them I didn't even know existed until I searched for the forum, easily ignored.

    'Talk to' forums are more like a customer care presence online for that company.


  • #125
    Ghost Train
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 30,811 ✭✭✭✭Ghost Train


    Doesnt seem like a good idea to try fit this into bargain alerts
    Its just not a bargain alert, its an annoying waste of space having to load and scroll past it every page load. Obviously a fair bit of bad feeling given the history for a few users too.

    Surely would be be better to make it section of adverts or set up seperate forum for sellers pushing their wares with an ad link or something


  • #126
    Muahahaha
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,760 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    If Gearbest were willing to pay for a sub-forum I'm sure other companies such as Richer Sounds would have too. Perhaps Boards should have approached other companies rather than just jumping right into bed with the first option that came along?


    Also Dav has been very quiet on this and thats not characteristic of him IMO. Some posters have said that his earlier proclamation calling Gearbest evil was OTT. Maybe it was but in fairness to him at least Dav, as a community manager, was taking a stand for the BA community.

    #Je suis Dav :o


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  • #127
    Curb Your Enthusiasm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,497 ✭✭✭Curb Your Enthusiasm


    The funny thing is I seem to remember at least one or two accounts were banned as being shills for Gearbest, back when all this nonsense was going on, and AFAIK they were found out to actually be employees of the company.

    If this was indeed the case, then Gearbest did break the T's and C's of the site when joining, making Niamh's reasoning for allowing them back and not the other 'Irish' shills nonsense.

    So I don't know why Boards are working with them now. Obviously just for the money. Ridiculous.


  • #128
    CantGetNoSleep
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,337 ✭✭✭CantGetNoSleep


    Is there any other Irish alternative to Bargain Alerts? Or is it time for a HotIEDeals?


  • #129
    00sully
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,267 ✭✭✭00sully


    CantGetNoSleep wrote: »
    Is there any other Irish alternative to Bargain Alerts? Or is it time for a HotIEDeals?

    We need an alternative to the entire boards at this stage :-(


  • #130
    dunworth1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,389 ✭✭✭dunworth1


    CantGetNoSleep wrote:
    Is there any other Irish alternative to Bargain Alerts? Or is it time for a HotIEDeals?

    There was a hot deals ireland alright but it died


  • #131
    JakeBell
    Closed Accounts Posts: 268 ✭✭JakeBell


    Muahahaha wrote: »
    If Gearbest were willing to pay for a sub-forum I'm sure other companies such as Richer Sounds would have too.

    That's the thing though. Will we have ten of them in a years time? More maybe?

    And as I mentioned earlier who qualifies for a place in 'Bargain Alerts'? Can Apple open a sub-forum here too? Sony? Mercedes?


    There has been a massively negative reaction to it by a very large number of users but as Niamh's awful reply suggests, they genuinely do not give a damn. Like Dav's post I'd be surprised if Niamh's post doesn't get deleted in time. It's just all been handled so poorly.

    It's obvious that some users really care about this forum which is being forgotten or ignored now.


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  • #132
    Pim Pictus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 95 ✭✭Pim Pictus


    I understand why people are upset at the row back with regards to Gearbest. At the time I had never had any dealings with them and their tactics were undoubtedly underhanded.

    However since January I have had 5 different transactions with them and all have been good experiences. They have all been vaping products. All genuine items at a 30% to 70% discount to anywhere in Ireland or the EU.

    I have seen them attacked consistently on vaping Facebook groups by retailers and the level of vehement opposition to their presence here would lead me to be very suspicious to the motives of the attackers.

    I find it hard to believe people are so upset over the actions of two or three shills a couple of years ago. I think there are some vested interests at play here.


  • #133
    Esel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,875 ✭✭✭✭Esel
    Not Your Ornery Onager


    Pim Pictus wrote: »
    I understand why people are upset at the row back with regards to Gearbest. At the time I had never had any dealings with them and their tactics were undoubtedly underhanded.

    However since January I have had 5 different transactions with them and all have been good experiences. They have all been vaping products. All genuine items at a 30% to 70% discount to anywhere in Ireland or the EU.

    I have seen them attacked consistently on vaping Facebook groups by retailers and the level of vehement opposition to their presence here would lead me to be very suspicious to the motives of the attackers.

    I find it hard to believe people are so upset over the actions of two or three shills a couple of years ago. I think there are some vested interests at play here.
    Welcome to Boards.

    Not your ornery onager



  • #134
    Pim Pictus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 95 ✭✭Pim Pictus


    Esel wrote: »
    Welcome to Boards.

    Been here for about 14 years, back when it was all Phantom fm. Thanks anyway though.


  • #135
    Tell me how
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,026 ✭✭✭✭Tell me how


    Pim Pictus wrote:
    Been here for about 14 years, back when it was all Phantom fm. Thanks anyway though.

    3 posts in 14 years? Prolific.


  • #136
    o1s1n
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,369 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Pim Pictus wrote: »
    I understand why people are upset at the row back with regards to Gearbest. At the time I had never had any dealings with them and their tactics were undoubtedly underhanded.

    However since January I have had 5 different transactions with them and all have been good experiences. They have all been vaping products. All genuine items at a 30% to 70% discount to anywhere in Ireland or the EU.

    I have seen them attacked consistently on vaping Facebook groups by retailers and the level of vehement opposition to their presence here would lead me to be very suspicious to the motives of the attackers.

    I find it hard to believe people are so upset over the actions of two or three shills a couple of years ago. I think there are some vested interests at play here.

    Vested interests you say? 0_o


  • #137
    Pim Pictus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 95 ✭✭Pim Pictus


    Everyone on boards is a rereg of a rereg of a rereg if they've been around for any length of time.

    Enjoy the paranoia.


  • #138
    uck51js9zml2yt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,268 ✭✭✭✭uck51js9zml2yt


    Pim Pictus wrote: »
    Everyone on boards is a rereg of a rereg of a rereg if they've been around for any length of time.

    Enjoy the paranoia.

    I'm paranoid that I could be a re reg and not know it;)


  • #139
    magentis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,249 ✭✭✭magentis


    Pim Pictus wrote: »
    Everyone on boards is a rereg of a rereg of a rereg if they've been around for any length of time.

    Enjoy the paranoia.

    Not really.


  • #140
    o1s1n
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,369 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Julien Some Abscess wrote: »
    I'm paranoid that I could be a re reg and not know it;)

    My current 2001 account is a rereg from my original account from 1965.


  • #141
    Akrasia
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,213 ✭✭✭✭Akrasia


    o1s1n wrote: »
    My current 2001 account is a rereg from my original account from 1965.

    I first registered in 19dikity3

    Chomsky(2017) on the Republican party

    "Has there ever been an organisation in human history that is dedicated, with such commitment, to the destruction of organised human life on Earth?"



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  • #142
    LuckyLloyd
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,577 ✭✭✭✭LuckyLloyd


    Pim Pictus wrote: »
    I think there are some vested interests at play here.

    Yeah the vaping council guy got to us all.


  • #143
    1hnr79jr65
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 916 ✭✭✭1hnr79jr65


    dr-nick-meme-generator-the-most-rewarding-part-was-when-they-gave-me-my-money-952024.png

    This must be the part when gearbest handed over some monies... :)


  • #144
    Pim Pictus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 95 ✭✭Pim Pictus


    It's also quite funny that the vast majority of people joining in the witch hunt are not and have never been subscribers yet think they have a God given right to **** the bed over a business decision from a site that are famously not doing well financially.

    Luckily I'm wiping my arse with Yen so have no worries there.


  • #145
    JakeBell
    Closed Accounts Posts: 268 ✭✭JakeBell


    Pim Pictus wrote: »
    It's also quite funny that the vast majority of people joining in the witch hunt are not and have never been subscribers yet think they have a God given right to **** the bed over a business decision from a site that are famously not doing well financially.

    Aw bollocks. Do subscribers have more of a say? And how do you know they were never subscribers?

    The users make the site. End of story. And the users are going out of their way to provide feedback and say 'Hold on, this really doesn't feel right'. It's Boards decision not to listen.

    Boards will benefit financially (slightly) from decisions like these but it's at the expense of the user experience and that's a dangerous enough game. It seems they're already losing members to sites like Reddit.
    If it all eventually goes to sh1t will they look back on decisions like these and say 'Yeah that was a good move. I'd do that again.'?


    Anyway it won't be long before the "Thanks guys for all your messages. We really do listen. This thread has run it's course and we're locking it (deleting it soon) but if you'd like to contact us....... "

    Users have made it clear they're not happy with it and Boards are aware so there's probably not much more to say anyway.


  • #146
    Boards.ie: Niamh
    Boards.ie Employee, Boards Employee 2, Boards Employee 3 Posts: 12,599 ✭✭✭✭✭Boards.ie: Niamh
    Boards.ie Community Manager


    I don't want to go on the defensive here because it just annoys all concerned - me in writing it and you reading it. I may not have worded my reply as carefully as I should have yesterday. Sometimes I don't get things exactly right. As far as I can see, we are all starting out at the same point but going in different directions. We are all posting here because we care about Boards but we're obviously looking at this from two different perspectives.

    I want to answer your questions as fully as I can.

    To answer the question about how many other sponsored forums there will be in Bargain Alerts, we actually sell very, very few of these forums. There is no danger of being overrun by them any time soon (or ever).

    "How an entire company can just buy some space in it just makes no sense" Companies pay money to us for advertising spaces of many varieties all of the time. Sometimes a company will buy all of the advertising space in one forum for a particular amount of time fo rexample. Banner advertising is one of the types of advertising we can offer; promoted posts, sponsored threads, sponsored forums and Talk to forums are others.

    "Surely would be be better to make it section of adverts or set up seperate forum for sellers pushing their wares with an ad link or something"
    We are no longer in the same company group as Adverts.ie. There is still an Adverts.ie link on the header of the legacy site, however it no longer exists on the new site and will not be added so if any company wants to buy some advertising space on Adverts.ie, they will need to speak to the Adverts team about it.
    I understand what you are saying about the separate forum idea - lumping them all in together however would be both confusing for users to find what they wanted and useless for the brands involved - it would dilute the experience and effectiveness for both users and companies.

    Gearbest are far from the first sponsored forum we've ever had. We have had or currently have the following other sponsored forums: Regarding Gearbest shilling; many companies have started out this way on the site. They sign up to the site to tell us how great their products are, we ban them and offer to work with them for a price and let them openly tell everyone about their great products. Most of them say 'No thanks, you're grand'. A small number of them hold their hands up, say fair enough and talk to us about the options available.
    There is a big difference in our eyes between that ^^ (which is still a pain to deal with and still earns them a ban) and an established member of our own community choosing to shill posts and dupe fellow users with whom they may have built up a rapport. We reacted quite strongly to it because they were our own users, part of this community.

    Dav is working on other things at the moment and it doesn't make sense for both of us to be looking after the same thing :)

    How can I? User's guide to some features on the new site



  • #147
    Cathmandooo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,324 ✭✭✭✭Cathmandooo


    I think it's fair enough that Gearbest have a financial agreement with Boards HQ, it helps to keep the site running and I myself have banned companies shilling with a message to them saying 'Email Boards HQ for sales', it's a standard practice by mods on boards. The level things hit with Gearbest shilling and the users getting permanently sitebanned is easy to see why Gearbest being on board now is leaving a sour taste in users mouths. But here we are and it doesn't look like they'll be kicked out so I see no point in discussing that.

    The problem I see is with the sponsored sub forum being attached to bargain alerts. By your own links there Niamh you see a handful are attached to forums. Bespoke Diamonds attached to the Wedding forum, yep, you definitely have diamonds at an overwhelming majority of weddings, perfect spot for it. Currencies Direct attached to Living Abroad, again yep, Living Abroad would have a decent enough link to currencies, it could be very helpful to users. If Dumbledore wanted a sponsored forum for Hogwarts then attaching it to the Harry Potter forum would work. If Bloom wanted a sponsored forum I'm sure Gardening might be the right spot for it. But then we have Gearbest, are they always a bargain? are the most of the time a bargain? From reports on boards the quality of their products is questionable at best. A hit and miss sort of site. I don't see how you can justify attaching it to Bargain Alerts. It just smacks of being attached to a forum with a high footfall of users without having much to do with the community there.


  • #148
    JakeBell
    Closed Accounts Posts: 268 ✭✭JakeBell


    Exactly my thoughts Cathmandooo. Can Apple and Mercedes buy a sub-forum in here too? It just goes against the nature of this forum. It's very different to the other examples.
    Their willingness to pay money overrides the nature of this forum. Why not just give them a sub-forum in After Hours if they have the cash?


  • #149
    Digital Solitude
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,397 ✭✭✭✭Digital Solitude


    Cathmandooo wrote: »
    The problem I see is with the sponsored sub forum being attached to bargain alerts. By your own links there Niamh you see a handful are attached to forums. Bespoke Diamonds attached to the Wedding forum, yep, you definitely have diamonds at an overwhelming majority of weddings, perfect spot for it. Currencies Direct attached to Living Abroad, again yep, Living Abroad would have a decent enough link to currencies, it could be very helpful to users. If Dumbledore wanted a sponsored forum for Hogwarts then attaching it to the Harry Potter forum would work. If Bloom wanted a sponsored forum I'm sure Gardening might be the right spot for it. But then we have Gearbest, are they always a bargain? are the most of the time a bargain? From reports on boards the quality of their products is questionable at best. A hit and miss sort of site. I don't see how you can justify attaching it to Bargain Alerts. It just smacks of being attached to a forum with a high footfall of users without having much to do with the community there.

    I'm not BAs biggest user or contributer but from what I know, its where bargains and sales on items are listed. New Samsug phone is 20% off, head for BA to tell about it, 18 cans of coke for €6, BA is your spot. Looking for the best price on a tin of Roses at Christmas? See what BA has to say.

    Some crowd selling a €60 projector for €60, a crap smartphone case for €5 or a smartphone for the same price as literally hundreds of other websites or aliexpress sellers isn't a crowd selling bargains, its a store advertising wares at standard prices.

    No one starts a thread because the local Centra is selling cans of coke for 99c, because that's what they generally cost. That's all that GB sell their items for, the general price. Sure some things are good value, they're the same value on banggood, merimobiles, ibuygou and many more sites.

    If someone is looking for a projector for €60, someone from the projector forum is definitely more qualified to tell them what projector is best for that money, instead of whatever GB has for €60 because boards says they sell bargains.

    Trying to add onto your post, not direct this at you cathman, its the reason I and many others are against them being in BA


  • #150
    marcbrophy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,662 ✭✭✭marcbrophy


    That's the most eloquent arguement against the sub forum yet DS. Well said!


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  • #151
    Heraldoffreeent
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,468 ✭✭✭Heraldoffreeent


    Pim Pictus wrote: »
    It's also quite funny that the vast majority of people joining in the witch hunt are not and have never been subscribers yet think they have a God given right to **** the bed over a business decision from a site that are famously not doing well financially.

    Luckily I'm wiping my arse with Yen so have no worries there.

    Surely you mean Yuan?


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