What's your opinion on pushing your buyers to the BOI?

What is the general consensus on asking your buyers to post positively on the BOI about you? This was sparked by a guy that I know of that seems to do it. It's pretty easy to see that they joined the site just to make one post about this vendor. I'm not a huge fan of asking people to kiss my backside and I especially would have a hard time stomaching asking a CUSTOMER to put up $10 to kiss my backside. My theory is that if they are a member I'd hope they'd post something good, if they aren't so be it. If they have something good to share great, if not so be it. Now most people won't spend the extra $10, heck they just bought an animal and paid to have it shipped to them. Maybe the vendor offers to pay the fee just to get some good feedback? Is someone doing this morally bankrupt or simply trying to build their rep? /start devil's advocate/ After all whether they asked them to post or not they were a happy customer just sharing their experience right? \end devil's advocate\

Now please, if you know of someone doing it please don't post names here. If they are doing it take it to the BOI or something like that, this is general business discussions and I'd like to keep this thread open to general ethical discussion of this topic.

It's one of those things, to me at any rate, that is sort of uncool but still within reasonable bounds. You need to have good things said about you to grow your business and this is the place for that.

I think it would be better to steer your customers here first, prior to your sale, so that they could check you out, THEN buy from you, THEN post because they had already been here and sort of knew how it worked.

It's not something I would do, not that I'm the proper rod to measure by, but I wouldn't call someone a bad guy for doing it. Unless of course he already was a bad guy.

I do look down my nose though when I see it used repeatedly by some folks.

I think it's rude.

As another point of view, most eBay sellers remind you to leave them feedback when a transaction is completed. Of course leaving feedback is free. And of course if the person buying didn't buy through this site it would be odd to leave feedback here, maybe on the originating site but on another site? It's like giving an ebay seller feedback on Yahoo auctions. It's a sticky situation with 100 ways to look at it. I think I'm inclined to agree with Kelli.

I agree that there are 100 ways to look at it. In general it is a bit "grubby" to request it but on the other hand, as Wes pointed out, it can be a way to establish one's reputation. I can see where a seller *might* encourage a buyer to check them out here (for free) and as an inducement to buy from them *offer* to buy a $10 membership here for the buyer after the sale was completed. This won't work for a $40-$50 purchase but might for a larger one. Having been bought a membership, the buyer might then be inclined to post, especially if a good guy thread is initiated about him/her and a link provided when the membership is bought.

On another note, both here and at eBay, I find it rude for the seller to ask for feedback from the buyer before leaving it for the buyer. After all, if the transaction went well and the buyer paid, then the buyer did everything right and feedback should be left. If the seller waits, all that can be gained is the right to leave a retaliatory negative for what might later be a deserved negative.

I agree with Wes...

Wait, what? Did I say that?

Originally Posted by jglass38

I agree with Wes...

Wait, what? Did I say that?

I heard nothing....

(intentionally quoted......now you can't edit your post to hide your shame)

Thats just wrong.

Gotcha!

I am also in agreement. There is nothing inherently wrong with the action but regardless, it is not something I would do.

If a new guy came on the sceen, all gangbusters and excited and was really doing a good job, I could see where asking the first few folks he did business with to leave a positive record of the transaction.

Note the third word in the previous paragraph.

If it doesn't apply to you and you're shoving your clients on the BOI, THAT ain't cool.