MSE News: Ban for firms posing as happy customers online

JAG

Alan_M wrote: »

MSE has now grown to a level that it is a commercial enterprise.

The website is no longer what it was. MSE and Martin is now a fully fledge business.

You may want to read this article about GMTV getting a notice about promoting MSE.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a210081/gmtv-rapped-over-consumer-website-plug.html

I think his email newsletter goes out to 5 million readers so any business is going to try and get "listed" on the website. All those potential customers.

Trying to get the balance right with out falling for all the £££££ being thrown at Martin for all "his" articles and advice is not going to be an easy task.

Alan_M_2

BargainGalore wrote: »

Alan M you have also touted for buisness in the past and also previous promoted it via your signature which abuse removed

Its fine giving advice but its not fine when you then promote your buisness or post referrals as you have done below in 3 posts

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=23697249&postcount=2
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=23097795&postcount=5
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=19927709&postcount=7

http://www.extxxxxx.co.uk/index.php?a=atstone (your referral I believe)

PS reported those links to abuse

Actually it wasn't the link above I was I was reported for. It was openly recommending companies to help posters (not my own company).

The links you highlighted above are to a company with whom I gain no financial benefit, no link and I have no affiliate account whatsoever, I simply refer my customers to them on here as I do from my own website, in the same way Martin refers his "customers" to the best deals available for them. I actually buy from the company myself. So my links are entirely in the ethos of Martin, in so much as I gain nothing whatsoever for providing them.

If you actually followed the link you'll see that they have nothing to do with me other than my recommendation (for which I receive nothing whatsoever). Funny I thought that was actually what this site was for, you care to enlighten me if it's something different?



Consider this also, if these links did actually benefit me in some way (which they don't) by copy and collating them, then me quoting your post, you have propagated the links three fold for any search engine crawling this site. A bit dumb considering you actually consider them spam (which they aren't). Your actions have now actually tripled the initial number of links.....

Alan_M_2

poppy10 wrote: »

You don't have to mention any other company. Just don't spam a company that you own. You have a vested interest and cannot provide an impartial opinion.

If your company is as good as you say it is and it does indeed have the cheapest price and best service, then other consumers who have used it will be singing its praises for you.

When I am browsing MSE and looking for advice, I want to see what other consumers have used themselves and would recommend from their experience, not what a business owner thinks of his own business.

I was reported for "Abuse" for actually recommending companies other than my own.

I am open about who I am and what I do.

All the reports of abuse stemmed from the following thread and no previous posts I made:-

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1742805

Alan_M_2

poppy10 wrote: »

This isn't intended to be a forum for professional advice. It's primarily a consumer forum, by consumers for consumers.

On the Mortgages board, all professional mortgage brokers have to abide by the MSE code of conduct, and carry a disclaimer signature to all their posts:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=325378

Perhaps something similar could be instituted for other professionals wanting to offer advice?

Exactly, this is what I'm suggesting, would you prefer to know that the poster is a company with an inherent interest or would you like it to carry on as the spam fest that it currently is........

Want an example take a look at this thread:- http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1564505

Despite multiple reports of spam, all accounts are still registered and all posts remain....

This is not going to go away, this site is so large it now has to address the issue of commercial posters, so by offering a commercial account at Least I would be transparent about who I am and what I do - which I choose to do anyway and currently get penalised for it.

BargainGalore

I dont know what post got removed but if you dont gain by those links why does it say your web site at end of the link, why not post a direct link

If you dont gain then sure as hell looks like a referral to me as norm referral have a referral code and that code is exactly same as your web site

Alan_M wrote: »

Actually it wasn't the link above I was I was reported for. It was openly recommending companies to help posters (not my own company).

The links you highlighted above are to a company with whom I gain no financial benefit, no link and I have no affiliate account whatsoever, I simply refer my customers to them, in the same way Martin refers his "customers" to the best deals available for them. I actually buy from the company myself.

If you actually followed the link you'll see that they have nothing to do with me other than my recommendation (for which I receive nothing whatsoever). Funny I thought that was actually what this site was for, you care to enlighten me if it's something different?

Alan_M_2

BargainGalore wrote: »

I dont know what post got removed but if you dont gain by those links why does it say your web site at end of the link, why not post a direct link

If you dont gain then sure as hell looks like a referral to me as norm referral have a referral code and that code is exactly same as your web site

Eh posts removed? What posts removed? I've never had a posts removed, MSE have actually stated they value my contribution to the site.

If you're so bothered about my links to third party companies that are nothing to do with me, ring Extensive and ask them if I earn anything from any link or recommendation, then feel free to post your findings on the open forum for all to read.

BargainGalore

The 3 links you posted contains a code which is exactly same as your web site, if that isnt a referal then blow me but sure as hell looks like one

Again why post these links with your web site at end if you dont gain

Why should I ring that company, you only have to look at those links to see it contains a astone which is you, is it not, its your web site at end of that company

This is what you posted 3 times

http://www.extensive. co. uk/index.php?a=atstone astone is YOU (edited direct link) is your web site n your profile

Why just not post http://www.extensive.co.uk then

Alan_M wrote: »

Eh posts removed? What posts removed? I've never had a posts removed, MSE have actually stated they value my contribution to the site.

If you're so bothered about my links to third party companies that are nothing to do with me, ring Extensive and ask them if I earn anything from any link or recommendation, then feel free to post your findings on the open forum for all to read.

Antispam

Alan you disguise your referral links in 2nd picture but goes to the web site in picture 3

Picture 1

Your profile to your web site

<====== Alans profile

3 links Alan posted show hidden links

Picture 2



This link goes to here below it shows that you have some connection despite claiming otherwise. Alan you might fool some on here but not others. Try harder and stop pretending otherwise



Lets hope abuse remove your referral links

Alan_M_2

BargainGalore wrote: »

The 3 links you posted contains a code which is exactly same as your web site, if that isnt a referal then blow me but sure as hell looks like one

Again why post these links with your web site at end if you dont gain

Why should I ring that company, you only have to look at those links to see it contains a astone which is you, is it not, its your web site at end of that company

This is what you posted 3 times

http://www.extensive. co. uk/index.php?a=atstone astone is YOU (edited direct link) is your web site n your profile

Why just not post http://www.extensive.co.uk then

It does the same thing and makes absolutely no difference, it's just convenient for me as I have the link to hand.

I'm sure extensive (a company with whom I have no affilliation or agreement for anything) will be delighted at the 10 or so links you managed so far in this thread (for which I'll not earn a penny as I'm simply refering people to another company that has nothing to do with mine)...maybe you should approach them for an affilliate deal you seem to be doing a damn good job for them?

So lets get back to the thread question shall we.

Should MSE, the gargantuan money making website that it's now grown into, actually offer commercial accounts or should we continue with the spamfest that we're currently wading through.

I realise I've openend myself up as a target for overzealous button pushers by being transparent about who I am and what I do.

Would you prefer I pretend to not be in business, have a private account and post the links you've so delightfully replicated as though I were someone who as a member of the public simply bought something from them, or would you prefer to know I'm in the industry and as such have a vested interest in the subject on which I post?

Ahh I hear you say...we'd know you're a spammer it would be obvious!

Would it? The very fact I've got thousands of posts and all those thanks gives me credibility. What do I have to gain by sticking my head above the parapet and opening myself up to the forum crusaders like you?

Nothing is the answer, nothing except being vilified for being honest about who I am.

I ask this...Financial advisors on here advertise who they are in their signature. You don't seem to be offended by that.....I have no doubt it drums up a bit of business for them via PM......

So take yourself outside of your little world for a moment and consider the question I'm posing that is it so bad that business people be transaparent?

Or of course you could continue to live in the ingorant bliss of assuming everyone who posts ans joins MSE is nothing more than a member of the public with no inherent interest in anything else whatsoever.

Alan_M_2

Antispam wrote: »

Alan you disguise your referral links in 2nd picture but goes to the web site in picture 3

Picture 1

Your profile to your web site

<====== Alans profile

3 links Alan posted show hidden links

Picture 2



This link goes to here below it shows that you have some connection despite claiming otherwise. Alan you might fool some on here but not others. Try harder and stop pretending otherwise



Lets hope abuse remove your referral links

Yup, I've run them all past MSE multiple times and they've been cleared as acceptable, My home page is listed in the correct place on my profile, which states who I am and what I do in the fields provided for such by MSE.

And the two links above provide a route to other companies WITH WHOM I HAVE NO AFFILLIATION AND HAVE NOTHING TO GAIN FORM THE LINK IN ANY FINANCIAL OR REFERAL WAY WHATSOEVER.

My word, I've posed a reasonable question to a problem that exists on this site and you people can't see past the end of your nose.

I am the very example of what I am asking the question about. Are you so thick you can't comprehend that?