Has your decision to do business with a vendor

[Kaleigh]

I don't see it as a moot point. If you saw the pic , it was disturbing.

Many are trying to have a baby, so he's speaking to the wrong audience. And lacks compassion to those who tried hard to have a baby and lost one . Or those that tried and never concieved...

He's targeting the wrong people. People here are fighting to have a kid...And are going to great lengths to achieve this goal...

Many adopt, so I think this is off the mark.

I think the best thing would be if this vendor apologizes for putting up that pic..

After all, it's that pic that is so disturbing. Peace to all...

 

[Octavia]

I never really thought about it before, but I would now say yes. Even before social media became so popular, I have avoided certain companies because the political/moral leanings of their leaders became public knowledge and were contrary to my own ethics and values. I guess social media just puts it even more "in your face" than it used to be, when it was mainly large corporations who were deemed newsworthy that were targeted. Now, vendors can choose to "out" themselves if they want...which may not lead to desirable results. As thing2 said, why alienate half your customer base?

This is one of the times when I actually subscribe to a "tickle-down theory," in that I think if I were to support one of those vendors, my hard-earned money would eventually be filtered to politicians or organizations I wholeheartedly disagree with. I'm sure it already is, given that I don't know the views of every stockholder, partner, owner, etc of every business I patronize...but it's different when you KNOW about it and can make a conscious decision to spend there or not.

Concerning the vendor who seems to have touched off this thread, it definitely has influenced me not to shop there. I'm selfishly sorry, as I had been planning to purchase one of their unique items at some point in the near-ish future, but now I will either search for viable alternatives or keep my eye on the secondary market to see if one pops up there.

 

[monarch64]

It doesn't have to be a moot point. Separate accounts for personal and business use can be maintained. As far as "potentially unprofessional," both of the scenarios I presented in this thread were about the same vendor. I would not feel good about doing business with them based solely on their behavior on other sites, that's all.

So ignorance is bliss? If you would have purchased from said vendor prior to the offensive behavior and then saw the offensive behavior, would it color how you feel about the jewelry you purchased from him? Not trying to be argumentative, I am really interested in this phenomena of total access to info we have and its repercussions on us personally and professionally. There are a few vendors here I wouldn't do business with because they are, IMHO, buttheads of a malicious nature. Then there are buttheads of a nonmalicious nature that I would do business with. But it took a few years of reading posts here for their true nature to manifest. As with other forms of instant communication, there seems to be less common sense exercised about what is appropriate for public consumption. Seems like we have no boundaries or self-filtering anymore. I suppose the good that comes from that is instantaneous identification of buttheads.

I think basically ignorance IS bliss, for me. I look at PS as a helpful site where I can locate reputable online vendors. I look at social networking sites as social/personal relationships, and some I've developed with other members (not vendors) of PS. I guess I would rather form my opinion of vendors from their posts here on PS than on a much less formal basis on social networking sites...if I want to shoot the breeze and socialize with my jeweler, well, I'll go to my local brick and mortar. If I'm trying to get the best deal/best work online, all I am interested in is how well you can do the job and at what cost. That's just me, though. It doesn't surprise me that vendors who didn't start out as online presences find it hard to separate professional from personal, after all they are in sales and part of making the sale is developing a rapport and relationship with your customer.

 

[Nocciolata]

Yes, my decision to do business with a vendor would absolutely be influenced by this kind of behavior. It's unprofessional for so many reasons, but among others, if I decide to connect with a vendor through a social media site, I would do so expecting updates about products. I would also absolutely decline to do business with a vendor whose professional page is the same as their personal page. That level of familiarity would make me uncomfortable.

 

[movie zombie]

Yes, my decision to do business with a vendor would absolutely be influenced by this kind of behavior. It's unprofessional for so many reasons, but among others, if I decide to connect with a vendor through a social media site, I would do so expecting updates about products. I would also absolutely decline to do business with a vendor whose professional page is the same as their personal page. That level of familiarity would make me uncomfortable.

ditto. i would expect a vendor to be have enough business savvy to have a business page as well as a personal page.

 

[onedrop]

Yes, my decision to do business with a vendor would absolutely be influenced by this kind of behavior. It's unprofessional for so many reasons, but among others, if I decide to connect with a vendor through a social media site, I would do so expecting updates about products. I would also absolutely decline to do business with a vendor whose professional page is the same as their personal page. That level of familiarity would make me uncomfortable.

Nocciolata: As I understand the situation, the posts in question were made on the vendor's personal page, and not via vendor's FB page. So in other words there ARE two different pages. The problem is that the vendor added clients as friends on his personal page, so there is a gray area in which the vendors personal views negatively affected clients who are not actual "friends" with this vendor.

Having not seen the picture or the ensuing dialogue, I can't comment on the specific issue(s) in the original post, but yeah I think in general my view would definitely be "colored" if the vendor acted unprofessionally even in a social media network. Sure this and every other vendor has the right to his opinions and beliefs, but mixing the two has to have its consequences. On the other hand, I am not necessarily sure that "ignorance is bliss" because as Octavia said, I wouldn't want to knowingly be contributing to any organizations, groups, or campaigns that I am in opposition of. In this particular matter, while I don't agree with or condone the actions of the vendor, but at least I now know where he stands and can make decisions about patronizing this vendor in the future.

 

[kenny]

So if the vendor opposes abortion perhaps customers who also oppose abortion will be MORE likely to give this vendor their business.

Perhaps the vendor does not even want your money if you are pro-abortion, (Opps, pro-choice).

 

[Snow_Miser]

Knowing what the picture was (in theory), I can say that it would absolutely affect whether or not I would make a purchase from this vendor.

I find it hard to support a company, with any kind of extreme beliefs. For that matter, I find it hard to tolerate people with extreme beliefs about things... I get tired of hearing their agenda in everything they say.

As someone who is pro-choice (I guess, more pro-I don't care what you do) and pro-gay marriage, and most other things for that matter, I don't want another person throwing what they believe to be moral and ethical in my face. I don't persuade people to believe what I believe, and I don't appreciate it when someone does that to me.

A little off topic, so I'm sorry, but stuff like that irks me. Again, not sure who the vendor is, but I might have an idea.

 

[TravelingGal]

If the vendor uses his personal FB page to friend clients, that's potentially risky (and stupid).

But if the client accepts the personal FB friend request (or was the one who reached out) then, hello! It's a personal page...you can't expect business all the time!

Vendors (and PSers) actually seem to try to cultivate that lovey dovely personal buddy buddy feeling around here. I see it happen all the time and lots of PSers lap it up. Well, if you get close to someone, you'll often find out that you don't agree on a lot of things. That's life. So either don't be friends, stop patronizing their business if means that much to you, and get over it.

I would never ask someone who believed in something to apologize for it if he posted on his PERSONAL page. If *I* had an issue with it, then I would figure out my own course of actions and go from there. I wouldn't apologize for anything I strongly believed in either.

Would it affect my business/patronage, or has my business been affected by dealing with them on a social network site? Well, if you're asking me personally - I wouldn't get in that situation solely because I don't do the buddy buddy thing with vendors around here and just leave it freaking business. I don't "like" or get involved with vendors business FB pages either.

 

[Nocciolata]

Nocciolata: As I understand the situation, the posts in question were made on the vendor's personal page, and not via vendor's FB page. So in other words there ARE two different pages. The problem is that the vendor added clients as friends on his personal page, so there is a gray area in which the vendors personal views negatively affected clients who are not actual "friends" with this vendor.

Having not seen the picture or the ensuing dialogue, I can't comment on the specific issue(s) in the original post, but yeah I think in general my view would definitely be "colored" if the vendor acted unprofessionally even in a social media network. Sure this and every other vendor has the right to his opinions and beliefs, but mixing the two has to have its consequences. On the other hand, I am not necessarily sure that "ignorance is bliss" because as Octavia said, I wouldn't want to knowingly be contributing to any organizations, groups, or campaigns that I am in opposition of. In this particular matter, while I don't agree with or condone the actions of the vendor, but at least I now know where he stands and can make decisions about patronizing this vendor in the future.

Thanks so much for the clarification, onedrop.

So we're talking about potentially insensitive behavior and unwise business decisions, rather than really offensive business practices (IMO, needless to add). Of course, there are so many grey areas on FB, which can function as a networking site after all: for example, are there so many clients added as friends that this page de facto a second business page as well? I still stand by my opinion that a division between the two networks is highly desirable.

 

[LAJennifer]

.

 

[missydebby]

My 2 cents:

Whatever influences your buying decisions is fine. Could be the vendors political persuasions. Could also be the cut of his or her jib. Totally fine.

But I just want to say something here that might only pertain to me... I mean, it shouldn't necessarily sway anyone from their decision.

I am basically a left leaning independent athiest with certain snarky tendencies. I am FB friends with the above mentioned person and we have had, I think, a 2 year ongoing discussion on all things religious, social, political, et al. We disagree on I think everything. And these have been some of the best, most civil, and interesting discussions I have had the fortune to engage in. I completely disagree with this vendor and this vendor with me, but said vendor has always been sincere, forthright and kind, has always taken the time to listen fully to my points, with honesty and humor.

Like I said, we are basically matter and anti matter. Yet I truly like this person and respect this person even though I think he's utterly wrong, lol. Because, maybe what I'm seeing is that the same qualities that make this person so utterly wrong in my opinion also make this person wonderful: sincerity, loyalty, forthrightness, and steadfastness to name a few.

Anywho... this communist pinko still is happy to be a client

 

[Karl_K]

This is a real problem for a business person.
At first my FB page was going to be for family only, then many friends/acquaintances/peers from here sent friend requests so I made the decision to accept them because I did not want to appear rude and honestly I enjoy the iteration and many have become close friends.
On the other hand it limits what I can post as too not offend someone.
I am willing to accept that and it has been a worth while tradeoff I think :}
If a group of my friends want to discuss something controversial it is not hard to set up a private group to do so and invite only those people to it.
I think a business person who accepts clients on their personal page has to make that tradeoff.
Your personal page becomes an extension of your business page.
Many companies now ban their employees from friending clients on their personal accounts and set up a personal business account for them to do so. A client of mine recently fired an employee because they friended a client who mentioned an offensive to them post on the persons personal page to the CEO.

I have thought of doing a second account for just family and very close friends but haven't seen the need.

 

[Maisie]

I actually share the beliefs of this vendor. I just wish I could have had the choice whether I looked at this photo or not. I am all for a discussion about abortion, but not with images. Its just too painful after losing a child in pregnancy. It was unexpected and shocked me (and my young son). Its still very painful, 7 years on. I choose when to think about it. I have a memory box and I only get it out when I feel strong enough to spend time thinking about my baby. Seeing that image forced me to remember when I just wasn't in the right frame of mind. But maybe thats my issue and not anyone elses?

The vendor did apologise to me privately and on his wall and I have no bad feeling towards him. It wouldn't stop me from working with him.

 

[Circe]

I think I know who the vendor is, though I'm guessing, because I've only seen one vendor on here talk about his relationship with God - and I could be tarring him unfairly because of it.

But it ABSOLUTELY affects my decision to never to business with him, because I didn't even see the damned pic, and I am shaking with rage, here.

A) Posting propaganda on a professional page is unprofessional.

B) Most abortions? Would show roughly what one might find on a menstrual pad. Most abortions are performed in the first trimester. The gruesome graphic pictures the antis use, which show fetuses with limbs? Those are pretty much always somebody's tragedy - a stillbirth, or the termination of a very-much-wanted child for medical reasons. It's exploitative, dishonest, gross, and - and this is a word I scoff at because of its overuse - triggering. I lost a pregnancy in the second trimester, and coming across something like that unexpectedly from a source I trusted I could look at would be deeply jarring. Oh, hai, expecting a diamond? Decomposing baby! Yours probably looked like that!

Words actually can't describe how offended I am right now.

 

[bee*]

If the vendor uses his personal FB page to friend clients, that's potentially risky (and stupid).

But if the client accepts the personal FB friend request (or was the one who reached out) then, hello! It's a personal page...you can't expect business all the time!

Vendors (and PSers) actually seem to try to cultivate that lovey dovely personal buddy buddy feeling around here. I see it happen all the time and lots of PSers lap it up. Well, if you get close to someone, you'll often find out that you don't agree on a lot of things. That's life. So either don't be friends, stop patronizing their business if means that much to you, and get over it.

I would never ask someone who believed in something to apologize for it if he posted on his PERSONAL page. If *I* had an issue with it, then I would figure out my own course of actions and go from there. I wouldn't apologize for anything I strongly believed in either.

Would it affect my business/patronage, or has my business been affected by dealing with them on a social network site? Well, if you're asking me personally - I wouldn't get in that situation solely because I don't do the buddy buddy thing with vendors around here and just leave it freaking business. I don't "like" or get involved with vendors business FB pages either.

I agree with most of this. I'm FB friends with a lot of PSers but have declined friend invites from vendors. I'd like to leave any future business transactions as solely business. I do think if it was posted on a personal FB page then it is separate to business, but that is where it becomes difficult if you have potential clients as your friends.

 

[rosetta]

I'm pro-choice, but I would still do business with those who weren't. It's business and I spend all day not judging other people's beliefs and choices in my daily job. It's not an issue for me.

 

[Maisie]

The photo in question wasn't one of the really gory graphic abortion photos. It was of a perfectly formed baby (apparently a model - not real) in a human hand. There seemed to be the opinion that if just one baby is saved from abortion its worth upsetting people with the photo.

 

[Circe]

Ah. Then allow me to modify my opinion (I hear "anti-abortion pic," the images that spring to mind ... well, you can guess).

I still think something like that is infuriating, because I don't agree with those beliefs, and think more along the lines that it's a way to browbeat women into toeing a certain line behaviorally ... but it wouldn't say, have kept me awake for an hour fuming. Still strikes me as unprofessional, though. While it won't keep me from evereverever buying from him the way the other type of pic might have, for anything other than a product that he and he alone carries that I need to make my life complete, it'll probably have me seeking out other vendors.

Thanks for clarifying, Maisie.

 

[packrat]

I was under the impression it was a model used to show what a baby in the womb looks like at 12 weeks (I can't remember the specific age now that it was supposed to be), a perfectly formed baby, to dissuade those that say "It's ok to have an abortion at that trimester b/c it's not a real baby that early on, it's just a mass of cells" or whatever, to make people stop and think.

I dunno..I believe in God, but that wouldn't stop me from doing business w/someone who didn't, and it doesn't stop me from being friends w/people who don't. None of the things that I believe, taken separately, define me as a person wholly and completely anyway.

 

[OUpearlgirl]

What would more likely stop me from choosing this vendor is the discussing of problems with a customer via FB. It felt very middle school, sneaky, and unprofessional. I prefer to do business with a vendor that will not disclose an issue with others on FB, twitter, e-mail, etc.

 

[Circe]

I was under the impression it was a model used to show what a baby in the womb looks like at 12 weeks (I can't remember the specific age now that it was supposed to be), a perfectly formed baby, to dissuade those that say "It's ok to have an abortion at that trimester b/c it's not a real baby that early on, it's just a mass of cells" or whatever, to make people stop and think.

I dunno..I believe in God, but that wouldn't stop me from doing business w/someone who didn't, and it doesn't stop me from being friends w/people who don't. None of the things that I believe, taken separately, define me as a person wholly and completely anyway.

Okay. And in the face of the big picture, I abandon my righteous indignation, as this is v. different from what I thought it was at first. I'm thinking their model wasn't that scientific ('cause a fetus at 12 weeks isn't a ball of cells, but it isn't a human-looking infant, either), and I'm thinking maybe somebody needs to explain to them that it's a tiny percentage of women who pursue abortion that late in the process, and almost always for the aformentioned discovery of birth defects. But for that, I wouldn't refuse to let their name pass my lips ever again - that turns it, I guess, into more of an agree-to-disagree in general thing ... and an un-friend them on FB for the sake of my blood pressure thing.

The customer thing keeps making me scratch my head, though. Was it a jokey "how do you deal with the customer-is-always-right types?" or ...?

 

[packrat]

I was under the impression it was a model used to show what a baby in the womb looks like at 12 weeks (I can't remember the specific age now that it was supposed to be), a perfectly formed baby, to dissuade those that say "It's ok to have an abortion at that trimester b/c it's not a real baby that early on, it's just a mass of cells" or whatever, to make people stop and think.

I dunno..I believe in God, but that wouldn't stop me from doing business w/someone who didn't, and it doesn't stop me from being friends w/people who don't. None of the things that I believe, taken separately, define me as a person wholly and completely anyway.

Okay. And in the face of the big picture, I abandon my righteous indignation, as this is v. different from what I thought it was at first. I'm thinking their model wasn't that scientific ('cause a fetus at 12 weeks isn't a ball of cells, but it isn't a human-looking infant, either), and I'm thinking maybe somebody needs to explain to them that it's a tiny percentage of women who pursue abortion that late in the process, and almost always for the aformentioned discovery of birth defects. But for that, I wouldn't refuse to let their name pass my lips ever again - that turns it, I guess, into more of an agree-to-disagree in general thing ... and an un-friend them on FB for the sake of my blood pressure thing.

The customer thing keeps making me scratch my head, though. Was it a jokey "how do you deal with the customer-is-always-right types?" or ...?

I didn't think it was very scientific either-when I was pg I had a book that gave you a week by week account of what was going on w/your body and the fetus, and it had drawings and compared it to whatever was roughly that size..I thought at 12 weeks we were still calling it "the grape" b/c it was the size of a grape but it's been so long I don't remember..maybe by then it was the baseball. Regardless, yeah, I thought it was way later before it looked like a baby.

The customer thing was more like a...."this is what happened, how should we handle this in the future to make sure it doesn't happen again" type deal.

 

[steph72276]

Here's the thing, no one is forced to friend him on his personal page. Just because he's a vendor doesn't mean that's his entire life. If you don't want to get to know someone on a personal level, then go straight through their business page. As far as it being stupid for him to friend his clients, I disagree. Would you be more likely to buy something from a friend than a stranger? Maybe not in all cases, but all things being equal, I know I would. So developing personal relationships could be a very good business strategy. He seems like a smart guy, I'm sure he knew it would offend some, but felt it was more important to him to share the message he wanted. Lots of my friends post political statements I don't agree with. I have the choice to ignore it and go about my day or unfriend them, pretty simple.

 

[Maisie]

I was under the impression it was a model used to show what a baby in the womb looks like at 12 weeks (I can't remember the specific age now that it was supposed to be), a perfectly formed baby, to dissuade those that say "It's ok to have an abortion at that trimester b/c it's not a real baby that early on, it's just a mass of cells" or whatever, to make people stop and think.

I dunno..I believe in God, but that wouldn't stop me from doing business w/someone who didn't, and it doesn't stop me from being friends w/people who don't. None of the things that I believe, taken separately, define me as a person wholly and completely anyway.

Okay. And in the face of the big picture, I abandon my righteous indignation, as this is v. different from what I thought it was at first. I'm thinking their model wasn't that scientific ('cause a fetus at 12 weeks isn't a ball of cells, but it isn't a human-looking infant, either), and I'm thinking maybe somebody needs to explain to them that it's a tiny percentage of women who pursue abortion that late in the process, and almost always for the aformentioned discovery of birth defects. But for that, I wouldn't refuse to let their name pass my lips ever again - that turns it, I guess, into more of an agree-to-disagree in general thing ... and an un-friend them on FB for the sake of my blood pressure thing.

The customer thing keeps making me scratch my head, though. Was it a jokey "how do you deal with the customer-is-always-right types?" or ...?

The model in question showed a perfectly formed human looking baby. It was asked on the status whether that was actually more like a 20 week baby. It was far too big to be 12 weeks gestation.

 

[packrat]

Ohhh 20 weeks..well..I got the 2 right anyway.

 

[missydebby]

Points of clarification for what it's worth:

Abortion Vendor posted on his personal page not the Biz page

and

Talk About Client Vendor posted in a FB PS group

 

[ame]

Ok I missed this. I am only friends with a few vendors as friends and not just business pages, and I didn't see anything of this sort. So it must be a vendor Im not personal friends with...

 

[princesss]

What would more likely stop me from choosing this vendor is the discussing of problems with a customer via FB. It felt very middle school, sneaky, and unprofessional. I prefer to do business with a vendor that will not disclose an issue with others on FB, twitter, e-mail, etc.

That is much more likely to make me not want to work with a vendor. If I got the feeling that they were going around to other people to drum up support for their "side" of a contentious transaction, I would be furious.

I think social media is a blessing and a curse for small businesses. It can help get the word out about your business and it can be a good way to connect with a larger audience, but because it's so prevalent, it's easy to forget that you need to have your game face on. When you are addressing a group of potential clients, unfortunately you cannot treat them as friends. It's hard, but I expect a vendor to give his clients more respect than something like that would show, and even more respect than I expect a client to give a vendor. At the end of the day, the client's livelihood does not depend on their behaviour during the transaction (and I don't mean to excuse people from being civil, but I have far less of a problem with a customer saying, "I have an issue with vendor X and I'm totally exasperated, what do you think?" than I have with a vendor saying, "I'm having a problem with customer Y and I'm totally exasperated, what do you think?"

 

[Matata]

If the vendor uses his personal FB page to friend clients, that's potentially risky (and stupid).

But if the client accepts the personal FB friend request (or was the one who reached out) then, hello! It's a personal page...you can't expect business all the time!

Vendors (and PSers) actually seem to try to cultivate that lovey dovely personal buddy buddy feeling around here. I see it happen all the time and lots of PSers lap it up. Well, if you get close to someone, you'll often find out that you don't agree on a lot of things. That's life. So either don't be friends, stop patronizing their business if means that much to you, and get over it.

I would never ask someone who believed in something to apologize for it if he posted on his PERSONAL page. If *I* had an issue with it, then I would figure out my own course of actions and go from there. I wouldn't apologize for anything I strongly believed in either.

Would it affect my business/patronage, or has my business been affected by dealing with them on a social network site? Well, if you're asking me personally - I wouldn't get in that situation solely because I don't do the buddy buddy thing with vendors around here and just leave it freaking business. I don't "like" or get involved with vendors business FB pages either.

TGal thank you. And thank you MissDebby for bringing another perspective to the discussion.