MSE Discussion: MoneySavingExpert.com to join the MoneySupermarket.com group

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Lotus-eater wrote: »

I joined in 2004 with one of my old names.

I knew it was a bit of taking idea off the posters, when a MSE employee asked about a particular subject in a new thread, then my ideas went into a book by Martin. My words exactly.
Was I ever thanked for my thoughts, no, not once by anyone from MSE on the thread or off it.

I knew then he was milking the forum, but I didn't think he'd sell it to someone like MS....

I'm still in two minds about it. I can't blame him, we all would be happy to get the sort of money he was offered, but he said once that he would never sell MSE out as it went against his ethics. Or something very similar. He never said he wouldn't sell it, just not go against his ethics.

The three years is a time where he wants everything to stay the same, otherwise his money won't be there at the end, so I don't think it will change that much.

I knew my posts and help were in a small way profiting Martin (but I didn't realise how much!), but now they will profit MS and Martins shares and 3 year bonus.

I really do love MSE, it's got the sort of wide community that takes a long time to build up and I've met some great people through here. But it's just taken a big leap into just being about money and it leaves a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.

<sigh>

Spot on thats how I feel, i also joined early in 2004 and lost my first identity due to an upgrade, it does feel to me that ML has milked us all

Ken68

This forum site for community spirit, HUKD for clarity and just taken a look at Moneysupermarket, dire, dire, they need help

PaulW1965

MSE has now completely trashed its brand. It'll be interesting to see if it survives.

Le73Uq86Uv

It will be interesting to see what Martins viewer stats are like in the near future, he may have also sold out his TV and radio career.

marleyboy

ML did not just sell off the site, the site itself was just an independent comparison site with no affiliates, one of thousands available. ML sold its members, NONE of us agreed to be sold to MS but ML decided we were commodity.

This site was always bigger than ML and a few geeks in a tower, it was community, a community that put MSE on the map. MS will find it impossible to get that community back, ML just isnt interested now, his loyalty to his community went the moment he signed that sheet of paper and he knows it. But it really isn't his problem anymore, hes a rich man now.

That he could sell MSE is not the issue, as anyone in his shoes would have done the same with those pound signs. That he could sell the community like this, in such a discrete and candid way, is what the majority of us will never get over.

I vow just one email from MS as a result of my contract with MSE, I will see as a breach of the T&C that we all signed up to. Enjoy your wealth Martin, just dont expect it to buy back your loyalty or indeed OUR loyalty.

CopperPlate_2

Le73Uq86Uv wrote: »

It will be interesting to see what Martins viewer stats are like in the near future, he may have also sold out his TV and radio career.

Yeah, but with upwards of £70 million in the bank (after the charity donation and distribution to staff, etc) you wouldn't really have to worry about the future, would you

Martin is obviously a very, very astute individual. For all his television and radio fury at banks trousering huge profits, and other companies ripping people off, he has demonstrated a very good example of capitalism at its finest. He has made his money through building brand and personal loyalty, fighting the corner of the under-dog and apparently disadvantaged, and has used the huge groundswell of popular affection and opinion towards him to generate the fortune that has now crystallised on selling MSE.com. Had he said, way back in 2003, that less than 10 years later he was going to have made this amount of money (and how it was going to be done) through the website, there would've been much more likelihood of the site never getting to the size it has or being nearly as popular.

People don't like feeling that they've been used. It appears that it is just business.

Having been around here since 2004, but not the last couple of years (!), it has changed a lot and will definitely change beyond recognition once MS really take control. Totally agree regarding content being biased in the future - direct competitors to MS won't get a look-in.

Shame, but at the end of the day Martin Lewis has been involved in this for years and has obviously decided to call it a day.

Time to move on!

ebyard

Reading all these comments make me laugh. No wonder Britain's economy is doing so badly when people lack basic commercial skills.

Martin is not going to get £87m. He/MSE will get a cash payment upfront (normally 10% to 30%) and the rest is an EARN OUT and SHARES - the value of which can rise as well as fall (remember lastminute.com, or more recently, Facebook?). In a buy-out, normally you cannot sell your share for 3/5 years after issue.

You meet targets over 3 years to get the rest of the money. But you know what? Those targets are very tough (on purpose) - if you DON'T meet them, not only do you get £0.00, you also lose your company (as if MoneySupermarket are intelligent enough, they'd have put an ownership on earn-out fail clause).

Well done to Martin and MSE team for their success but now the real hard work begins - as a businessman I know just how hard it is to build and run a successful company. It is 24/7 and all consuming. I have no doubt about his integrity and am sure the site will be as good, or better, than it ever has.

Many of the comments on here are about one thing only: JEALOUSY.

You want to make money? Give up your job, tip your life savings into a business venture with no guarantee of success, worry 24/7 for years, deal with more problems than you'd believe could exist, and at the end of it you might make a few million. Then have the taxman take a massive chunk.

Martin/MSE team, if you read this: WELL DONE - ENJOY

lic

over the years you have saved me and many others a fortune!
From simply money to mse, i have followed your advice and saved money.
I wish you well in the future, and will continue to use this site, and trust your advice.
I do not think you have cashed in as others say,but wisely made money, as people do.
Good luck and thank you.

DelBoyPhil

Le73Uq86Uv wrote: »

It will be interesting to see what Martins viewer stats are like in the near future, he may have also sold out his TV and radio career.

If he continues to be on the BBC i will be sending lots of letters. He surely cant do watchgog now. hes a company now.

Penny-Pincher!!

DelBoyPhil wrote: »

If he continues to be on the BBC i will be sending lots of letters. He surely cant do watchgog now. hes a company now.

Don't you have anything better to do with your time then?

Hows he a company now?

These posts are getting ridiculous! If any of you are unhappy, stop posting and move on.

This is just purely business and not personal to everyone.