Proper Promotions

[DiamondOptics]

Hi All,


When is promoting a product or service
going to far?

I would like to get a feed back on the
consumers opinion concerning vendors or
people in the diamond trade providing
information on pricescope, whether it be
publically or privately received by the
consumer?

Is it appropriate for a vendor or seller
to promote themselves when posting on
pricescope?

Is it also appropriate for a vendor or
seller to provide active pictures or
links to their products?

What should happen when a consumer finds
a diamond from one source, and a vendor
or seller on pricescope feels that they
could give the consumer a better product
for a better price or greater incentives?

I feel that the opinions on this thread
will go a long way in improving the forum
rules and regulations, and generally provide
a more enjoyable consumer diamond shopping
experience.


Kirk

 

[pricescope]

I suggested Kirk to ask people opinions about receiving unsolicited emails and private messages to the forum members since he actively started to exploit it and there wasn’t any special policy about it.

.

I would like to offer some comments then.----------------
Is it appropriate for a vendor or seller to promote themselves when posting on pricescope?
----------------That is against forum policy because this forum is, above all, to assist and educate consumers. When different vendors try to promote their goods or services it often causes arguments and controversies which we want to avoid here. ----------------
Is it also appropriate for a vendor or seller to provide active pictures or links to their products?
----------------Yes you can if it is education or you’ve been asked by a consumer. ----------------
What should happen when a consumer finds a diamond from one source, and a vendor or seller on pricescope feels that they could give the consumer a better product for a better price or greater incentives?
----------------Nothing. Forum is not a place for advertisement. See explanation above. ----------------
I feel that the opinions on this thread will go a long way in improving the forum rules and regulations, and generally provide a more enjoyable consumer diamond shopping experience.
-------------- We feel very strongly about using public forums for any type of self promotions. Discussion about any forum advertising policies on welcome in email, but will not be discussed on the forum.

I tried to be fair and suggested to discuss the issue with unsolicited emails because it wasn’t mentioned in the policies.

IMPO, forum should protect people from unsolicited offers, adverting, etc. unless somebody is asking to send him/her better offers.[/u]

 

[sawbonze]

I must agree with Leonid that this forum is not the place to directly advertise. Rather it is a place to educate, and through this process you will 'advertise' your expertise. I also realize that the motivation of many sellers to post is just that: To sell. I strongly believe that retailers who post good advice and educational materials will experience positive sales feedback. Over the past months I have found a few sellers and appraisers whose integrity stand out (to me) above the rest, and I will try to spend my money with them. In fact, I spent a fair amount of money yesterday with one of these vendors on a somewhat unplanned set of earrings. See? It works!

I stumbled across this site while trying to educate myself, and in the process I have developed an even greater curiosity to know more. While I am still very much a beginner, I have developed a decent knowledge base thanks to this forum. Linking to your own website is great as long as the intent is educational and not simply to make a sell. It saddens me when I see blatant advertising for products or services and quite honestly it turns me against those persons. I name no names, but other frequent readers may feel the same.

As far as unsolicited emails go, my feelings are simple. If I get unsolicited email, I will mark that seller off my list. If it becomes too much of problem I will unsubscribe to the forum. Please do not make me do that because I am enjoying the learning process too much.

One more thing: Thanks to Leonid and all of the frequent posters who make this site so awesome. It is a great service.

 

[DiamondOptics]

Hi sawbonze,

Excellent Reply!


Maintaining a level of integrity,
must be the forefront of any vendor
posting on this forum.

I include myself in this observation.
Getting consumer feed-back and input
is at the heart of this discussion.
How else can the consumer truly
acknowlegde and respect the content
of the seller whom is giving diamond advise.

When we as vendors, and or, people of the
trade must "EQUALLY" heed the words and advise
from those consumers, whose respect and trust we must
earn.


Kirk

 

[justme]

Is it appropriate for a vendor or seller
to promote themselves when posting on
pricescope?

As a consumer - it's very helpful to know who's promoting what and from which side of the fence they bring information from. As far as soliciting directly to me – No I will find you if I’m interested in your services / merchandise.

I think that a vendor having a special icon to distinguish him/her would be helpful. I also think that a vendor providing a link to their site is helpful.

I came to this forum to learn and ask questions to / from “experts” so that I could make an informed decision when I was ready to purchase. Not to find a eloan type site where I could put my specs out for bids. Although this could be an interesting option available!

Ie: I would like a 20 carat H&A D and all vendors welcome to bid for my purchase!


Is it also appropriate for a vendor or
seller to provide active pictures or
links to their products?

Again I came to learn – if that means a picture or link to a diamond that I can learn from GREAT link away!


see page 2 of post

 

[justme]

What should happen when a consumer finds
a diamond from one source, and a vendor
or seller on pricescope feels that they
could give the consumer a better product
for a better price or greater incentives?

If your asking should you try to woo that buyer from the deal they’re looking at with another vendor – consider this how many times do you think that this will happen before NO “experts” (vendors) show up here to help educate the public/consumer? I think this would potentially be the demise of a great forum. Again see bid suggestion above as an alternative.


General comments:

I found that following the forum discussions with knowledge of who was a consumer and who was a vendor allowed me to form an opinion about the poster with regard to his/her knowledge base. And get a general opinion (based on post content and light in which it was offered) of the type of person they were (if a vendor) and if they would be someone that I would want to work with. An icon identifying vendors that also acted as a link to their site would be helpful

Thanks for reading this diatribe certainly hope I’ve helped in someway.


Just my 2 cents!

 

[lawmax]

----------------
On 12/21/2002 3:14:37 PM

I think that a vendor having a special icon to distinguish him/her would be helpful.

I came to this forum to learn and ask questions to / from “experts” so that I could make an informed decision when I was ready to purchase. Not to find a eloan type site where I could put my specs out for bids. Although this could be an interesting option available!

Ie: I would like a 20 carat H&A D and all vendors welcome to bid for my purchase!


----------------


I agree that we should know who is a vendor and who is a consumer.

You may want to check this out if it's still an active service on pricescope:

https://www.pricescope.com/catcher.asp

 

[Rhino]

Excellent feedback.

Kirk I know what you're talking about when you see people come on the forum and their looking at a diamond we know is disatrous and it's in us to want to hop in there and help them out. It's imperative that we refrain. In the past and currently on other forums this was the norm (although I would try to avoid this in most circumstances). On the dt forum I was frequently embarassed by an old supplier, who when a consumer would post their positive experience with another vendor this other one would post pictures of their product in an attempt to sway them and it would make me want to vomit.

I am participating in greater frequency on this forum now because it is more geared towards educational content rather than an advertising circus of one of trying to steal clients from others who perhaps are already doing a fine job in servicing others. I, for one appreciate the effort that Leonid is making in tightening the reigns of the content being offered on this forum and I am trying to be sensitive in both my advice and links I provide as I don't want to come off in the wrong manner.

I do appreciate the fact that I can link people to educational content on our website that deals with and answers the subject at hand as I have many pictures and graphic examples that answer many of the questions people here ask.

Ex/Ex,
Rhino

 

[Sierra Nevada]

Please, No. I do not wish to get private messages and e-mails from vendors.

I would like to maintain my privacy and have the choice be mine about whether to contact a vendor if I wish to do that. It's too pushy and would make me uncomfortable to get unsolicited messages. I would feel pressured to respond to any vendor who contacted me, even though I did not initiate the contact, and I would feel inhibited from asking questions since I would not want to encourage people to try and actively sell to me.

If a vendor wants to point something out to me about their prices and products I would prefer that they post it on the forum and invite me to contact them if I would like more information.

 

[Rhino]

I agree Sierra. This is why Leonid is tightening the reigns here. We do not want people to feel intimidated or under any kind of pressure from ANY vendor including myself. I say let the consumer contact whom they feel comfortable contacting and let it go at that. If I were a consumer seeking advice and came onto the forum I would not want to be hawked either. If I were sent pm's or emails I would also feel some kind of obligation to contact back a person whom I may not want to be in contact with. It's like those stinking phone sales people except in email and I can't stand either as I get phone salesmen trying to call us all the time not to mention email spam. It all stinks.

Peace,
Rhino

 

[Sierra Nevada]

Exactly.

I just rented "Minority Report" and there is a scene in there where Tom Cruise's character is running through a public space and all the billboards are calling his name and tailoring their pitches to him as he goes by.

In a later scene, he enters a Gap store and the billboard/greeter knows each person's name and last purchase which it announces to everyone as you enter.

This would be a perfect nightmare to my mind. No privacy in general, and no private space at all in public. I don't want billboards calling my name.

Perhaps here the button/link would be a nice compromise. Or the Bid for My Business option. Both approaches respect individual privacy and leave the power to choose with the user.