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

D

DragonCharm

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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.
 
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.
 
:rofl: 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.
 
We're new guys on the scene but I still wouldn't want to do that. I just hope that eventually someone who frequents Fauna were to purchase an animal and report their experience whether they found it to be good or bad.
 
Matt Haines said:
We're new guys on the scene but I still wouldn't want to do that. I just hope that eventually someone who frequents Fauna were to purchase an animal and report their experience whether they found it to be good or bad.
Click to expand...
Same here.
 
Matt and Richard, your approach is perfectly fine.

If though, you guys were to steer a few, as in 3 to 5, customers over here this season to help get your name known I wouldn't be perturbed by it.

If you're still doing it a year or two from now and it's all the time, then I'd be annoyed and wonder what lack you have that you must have so many pats on the back from others.

I'd also try to avoid doing business with such an attention whore as a person described above would appear to be.
 
I have had transactions with quite a few members who don't use the feedback system, which is fine with me. I would not think of asking them, if they did not do it on their own.

I believe it unprofessional and not becoming of a " Good Guy" here to go begging for ratings.

I have also left feedback for members and they opted not to do the same. I would not think of asking someone to, they would have done it if they wanted.
I will usually tell the person if I left them feedback and that would be it. If they decide to leave feedback also that is their choice.

I have directed people I have done business with on other sites to Fauna only to check out my favorite site. I would never ask them to give me a positive.
 
Matt Haines said:
We're new guys on the scene but I still wouldn't want to do that. I just hope that eventually someone who frequents Fauna were to purchase an animal and report their experience whether they found it to be good or bad.
Click to expand...


I agree and eventually they will.

Out of my first six or so transactions, I believe only one person gave feedback somewhere. I still would not suggest anyone to do so. It would be uncomfortable for me.
 
For the older people it tends to come off wrong.

The new generation that grew up with Ebay (and the associated internet culture) it's perfectly fine.

Just a minor change in culture.

Also on ebay certain selling functions open up to you with a certain number of positive feedbacks.
 
I think that someone directly asking a customer to leave them feedback would be in poor taste. HOWEVER, I think that having a notation on your website or an invoice regarding Fauna's 3 feedback systems is perfectly acceptable. There's always exceptions though... for example, what if someone I've known for a long time and consider a friend buys something from me, and I ask them to leave feedback? Then I'd be asking for a favor from a friend, not just a customer.
 
I have a link to the BOI from our website. It is there for the potential customer to check up on us(which at the moment will result in nothing) or other people. Then again not that it wouldn't help if they were to find a bad thread about some competition and they just happened to be deciding between us and them for a dragon.

Whether they buy or not I want them to have the best arsenal against being scammed or ripped off. Too many people give up after being screwed by some scum bag and hopefully people who do not know of this site will utilize my link.
 
Matt, that is just the way I think it should be used.

Make it available and let your buyer decide what to do and when.
 
What's your opinion on pushing your buyers to the BOI?

People like that have low to non-existent self esteem. In order for them to feel good about themselves they need to do things like that. If you are all that then there isn't any reason to call attention to it. Like yourself and the hell with what everyone else thinks about you.
 
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