Gearbest Forum

Lovely Bloke

The rep posting selfies is a new approach, I have to say.

JaMarcusHustle

Why, when I try to access the GearBest forum, am I taken to GearBest's website after being routed through an affiliate/referral link on ShareASale.com?

Who's getting a cut of my business on that referral link? Aren't referrals banned?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3wZT98A090

dunworth1

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

The rep posting selfies is a new approach, I have to say.

not a bad approach either

Chorus_suck

This post has been deleted.

Gordon

Selfies/backheadies, jeez, they sure do have a different approach than some Talk To forums! No stock/robot responses there.

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

Why, when I try to access the GearBest forum, am I taken to GearBest's website after being routed through an affiliate/referral link on ShareASale.com?

Who's getting a cut of my business on that referral link? Aren't referrals banned?

See here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057430725

JaMarcusHustle

Gordon wrote:

See here:

But why is it being applied to a forum link?

Kenjataimu

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

Why, when I try to access the GearBest forum, am I taken to GearBest's website after being routed through an affiliate/referral link on ShareASale.com?

Who's getting a cut of my business on that referral link? Aren't referrals banned?

I've noticed when using the touch site, that threads/forums that have a url in the title will take you to that site... I don't think it's intentional. The sports direct thread is the same as it's titled sportsdirect.com.


Boards have had that referral route for all external links for a while now , not just for gearbest. EDIT: see Gordons post.

Gordon

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

But why is it being applied to a forum link?

Ah right, sorry, misunderstood. I dunno, it doesn't look like it should eb doing that (doesn't do it on the desktop site). I'll flag this to the office, cheers.

Kenjataimu, I think you're right, it sees a url type text and converts naturally, don't think that should happen.

Gordon

Kenjataimu wrote: »

I've noticed when using the touch site, that threads/forums that have a url in the title will take you to that site... I don't think it's intentional. The sports direct thread is the same as it's titled sportsdirect.com.

Not getting that with a thread with that title, what thread do you mean?

The Gearbest forum is this link incidentally: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1757

Kenjataimu

Gordon wrote: »

Not getting that with a thread with that title, what thread do you mean?

The Gearbest forum is this link incidentally: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1757

I'll see if I can find it.

Tesco voucher thread has an element of it http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2055678367/11/#post99936626 but only when you already viewing the thread. The tesco.ie is clickable in the title .

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056519317/256/#post99914666 sportsdirect thread

Taltos

I think I fixed it - for the moment until HQ can have a look I've inserted a space either side of the dot in the forum name.
Found on touch trying to navigate there I was being redirected. Please shout if you see this elsewhere.

Thanks

_Tombstone_

Taltos wrote: »

I think I fixed it - for the moment until HQ can have a look I've inserted a space either side of the dot in the forum name.
Found on touch trying to navigate there I was being redirected. Please shout if you see this elsewhere.

Thanks

Pretty sure all this was mentioned back in the skin links thread and left that way.

Boards.ie: Niamh

JaMarcusHustle wrote: »

But why is it being applied to a forum link?

As Gordon and Taltos have said, this shouldn't be happening. Taltos' temporary fix is stopping this from happening for now but we will look into it with the guys here. Thanks

RasTa

Why is this in the bargain forum, thought it was going somewhere else.

Boards.ie: Niamh

RasTa wrote: »

Why is this in the bargain forum, thought it was going somewhere else.

No, it was always destined for the Bargain Alerts forum.

hullaballoo

In the forum view on the desktop site, clicking on usernames always brings you to the user profile.

Except for Gearbest: Lindell, where clicking on the "Gearbest" in her username brings you to the gearbest website.

Shnakey af.

Chorus_suck

This post has been deleted.

Kenjataimu

hullaballoo wrote: »

In the forum view on the desktop site, clicking on usernames always brings you to the user profile.

Except for Gearbest: Lindell, where clicking on the "Gearbest" in her username brings you to the gearbest website.

Shnakey af.

There is an issue with urls in a title, its automatically changing into a link. Its not supposed to be that way on usernames either, I'm guessing.

Taltos did a quick fix with the url in the thread titles. Looks like it happens with anything with a .com or .ie etc

If you click on the 'lindell' part of the username you get their profile.

dunworth1

I'm a little bit confused as to what the forum is actually for?

As there's no special offers or anything.
I thought it would be similar to the Richersounds.ie forum

Digital Solitude

Kenjataimu wrote: »

There is an issue with urls in a title, its automatically changing into a link. Its not supposed to be that way on usernames either, I'm guessing.

Taltos did a quick fix with the url in the thread titles. Looks like it happens with anything with a .com or .ie etc

If you click on the 'lindell' part of the username you get their profile.

*edit* Misunderstood you

Chorus_suck

This post has been deleted.

Penn

Chorus_suck wrote: »

Why?

Why not in the talk-to forums?

It's a Sponsored Forum, not a Talk-To Forum. Different types of forums with different requirements. Talk-To forums cost more than a Sponsored Forum.

Dav explains the purpose of Sponsored Forums here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057322563

NyOmnishambles

Penn wrote: »

It's a Sponsored Forum, not a Talk-To Forum. Different types of forums with different requirements. Talk-To forums cost more than a Sponsored Forum.

Dav explains the purpose of Sponsored Forums here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057322563

Fair enough but has anyone told gearbest this because currently it is being treated by them as a customer service forum with them asking people about issues and offering help

There has been nothing in it so far to indicate it deserves to be in bargain alerts, if you were setting up a new forum surely you would have some bargains ready to promote it

If I was Richer Sounds (a company that offer genuine deals and offers to Boardsies) I would be having a hissyfit about now seeing as they are paying a lot more for their forum and deserve access to Bargain Alerts more

Boards.ie: Niamh

hullaballoo wrote: »

In the forum view on the desktop site, clicking on usernames always brings you to the user profile.

Except for Gearbest: Lindell, where clicking on the "Gearbest" in her username brings you to the gearbest website.

Shnakey af.

That shouldn't be happening either, it sounds similar to the issue above where clicking on the forum name on touch brought you to their website instead of the forum. We will see what we can do to rectify this one, thanks hullaballoo.

Chorus_suck wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

As Penn has pointed out, it's not suitable for a Talk To forum; Sponsored forums are for smaller companies, similar to the previous Sponsored Forums we've had.

dunworth1 wrote: »

I'm a little bit confused as to what the forum is actually for?

As there's no special offers or anything.
I thought it would be similar to the Richersounds.ie forum

I've asked if there are going to be any Boards-specific bargains/discounts so will let you know as soon as I hear something. Aside from that, companies can use a sponsored forum to engage with current customers (customer service), potential customers (questions about products/delivery) and let people know about any special offers/new products that they might have. Hope that helps.

Barry Badrinath

Boards.ie: Niamh wrote: »

I've asked if there are going to be any Boards-specific bargains/discounts so will let you know. Aside from that, companies can use a sponsored forum to engage with current customers (customer service), potential customers (questions about products/delivery) as well as the special offers/new products that they might have. Hope that helps.

Well, Bargain Alerts is where people post up, well, bargains of all descriptions.

Gearbest is just a cheap goods website. I see what Boards.ie is getting out of it. I see what Gearbest is getting out of it.

However, I don't see what Boards users are getting out of it.....don't say access to cheap goods! We can access that ourselves without the need to go through Boards.ie.

Sure, you might as well headhunt a €2 shop for a sponsored forum and post it in BA.

The Gearbest sub forum seems to function like a restricted Talk To forum. What are the differences between a Talk To forum and a Sponsored Forum, for the client, not for us?

It'a not a bargain alert, it's not a Talk To forum.....stick it into the Gadgets forum in Consumer Electronics or somewhere.

I suppose the traffic that BA creates is the reason for having it here....moar punters.

Boards.ie: Niamh

Aside from a direct line to a customer service rep, there should be some discounts in it for the users.
For the client, a Sponsored Forum has a restriction on how many threads they can have live at once. They usually only have one rep answering all of the questions.
As I said, I have asked the question (via our sales person) about them doing discounts and/or special offers. I know that was the intention at the start so hopefully there will be something up soon. It is in their own interests to do so to encourage more uses to their forum and website.

Barry Badrinath

Boards.ie: Niamh wrote: »

Aside from a direct line to a customer service rep, there should be some discounts in it for the users.
For the client, a Sponsored Forum has a restriction on how many threads they can have live at once. They usually only have one rep answering all of the questions.
As I said, I have asked the question (via our sales person) about them doing discounts and/or special offers. I know that was the intention at the start so hopefully there will be something up soon. It is in their own interests to do so to encourage more uses to their forum and website.

Ok,

So a sponsored forum is a restricted TTF.

Deals might come.

But it's placement in the BA forum is negating the purpose of the BA forum.

Am I going mad or wha'?

Thanks Niamh

Brendan Flowers

Hi Niamh, I was wondering will it be possible to get an answer to this question? This isnt me being against Boards for "selling out". I fully agree with the need to monitise the site but in this situation I think it'd be good to clarify the situation to the Boards community.

Boards.ie: Niamh wrote: »

Banned users
Regarding users previously banned for shilling Gearbest - I already answered this earlier in the thread but I'll repeat myself - those people were members of Boards who violated on of the rules of boards. Ergo, they were banned and will remain so. Gearbest were not members of the site, they did not agree to any Terms of Use and they have now both apologised for their part in it and asked to work with us and the boards community.

Brendan Flowers wrote: »

Hi Niamh, that's a fair point. But I was wondering could you clarify 1 thing? If there was proof that Gearbest had actually set up fake accounts on Boards in the past that were ultimately banned, would that affect them being part of the Boards community now?

_Tombstone_

What an utter turd of a forum you let on the site.

Lovely Bloke

no offers for users after a week of having the forum.

Is there a minimum number or value of offers that these guys have to offer to the Boards.ie users, or are the users an afterthought after the lucre has come into the coffers?

uck51js9zml2yt

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

no offers for users after a week of having the forum.

Is there a minimum number or value of offers that these guys have to offer to the Boards.ie users, or are the users an afterthought after the lucre has come into the coffers?

All they need to do is have a direct debit to digit media's bank account.

Boards.ie: Niamh

Brendan Flowers wrote: »

Hi Niamh, I was wondering will it be possible to get an answer to this question? This isnt me being against Boards for "selling out". I fully agree with the need to monitise the site but in this situation I think it'd be good to clarify the situation to the Boards community.

Hi Brendan,
Sorry I'm only getting to this now.

Any accounts that might have been registered by GB would have been banned for shilling and remain so. However, many companies have started out this way on the site. They sign up to the site to tell us how great their products are, we ban them and offer to work with them for a price and let them openly tell everyone about their great products. Most of them say 'No thanks, you're grand'. A small number of them hold their hands up, say fair enough and talk to us about the options available. We already know they are interested in Boards and the community, we try to work with them to make their engagement transparent and official, and yes to also make money for the site. I hope that answers your question

_Tombstone_

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

no offers for users after a week of having the forum.

Is there a minimum number or value of offers that these guys have to offer to the Boards.ie users, or are the users an afterthought after the lucre has come into the coffers?

Coming up on 2 weeks, i see folk looking for discount codes...whatever about that. GB are not even throwing up promotional crap offers made outta sturdy stuff like cardboard and bailing twine....people lap that kinda sh1te up....€30 projectors, god luv 'em, ah shure it keeps the world turning.

When them Forums started their was a load of hot air about holding them to a high standard, that lasted for about 3 days and then it turned into, its their forum they can do what they want and now they've sunk so low you get nasty PMs if you ask the company's a tough question and responses are coming in broken English.

What's next, how crap can it all get...stay tuned!

Pelvis Parsley

It would be funny if it wasn't so ridiculous.

_Tombstone_

Another gearbest . com title being linked to gearbest site in their say hello thread...on the touch site.

This stuff was brought up in that skimlinks thread months ago.

Penny Tration

I'm not usually one to argue against site and mod decisions, but surely Niamh's response is an insult to those of us who actually follow the rules?


Originally, it was "gearbest didn't shill. they weren't a member of boards and therefore broke no rules, so the shills are banned and gearbest are allowed here."


Now, even if Gearbest themselves shilled, rather than getting a permanent ban like other shills, they were permitted to buy their way out of the ban?


So if I call someone a cnut, can I pay to get out of the resultant 1 month site ban? Can re-regs pay to have themselves unbanned, like gearbest?

dunworth1

_Tombstone_ wrote:

they've sunk so low you get nasty PMs if you ask the company's a tough question and responses are coming in broken English.

Wait is this actually happening? Are Gb sending nasty PMs to people now?

Fr_Dougal

Boards.ie: Niamh wrote: »

Hi Brendan,
Sorry I'm only getting to this now.

Any accounts that might have been registered by GB would have been banned for shilling and remain so. However, many companies have started out this way on the site. They sign up to the site to tell us how great their products are, we ban them and offer to work with them for a price and let them openly tell everyone about their great products. Most of them say 'No thanks, you're grand'. A small number of them hold their hands up, say fair enough and talk to us about the options available. We already know they are interested in Boards and the community, we try to work with them to make their engagement transparent and official, and yes to also make money for the site. I hope that answers your question

No, Niamh.

Many companies have started out advertising their own company on boards, been banned and offered advertising rates.

Shills like Gearbest have always been dealt with swiftly and banished for good.

What has happened here is, users were offered money to shill for Gearbest and they have been rightly banned. Then Gearbest have offered boards money, and they have been welcomed with open arms.

Complete double standards.

_Tombstone_

dunworth1 wrote: »

Wait is this actually happening? Are Gb sending nasty PMs to people now?

Feck.

No.

Its worse. Boards are. A few users mentioned it over in the ghost town thread (?).

gandalf

Boards.ie: Niamh wrote: »

Hi Brendan,
Sorry I'm only getting to this now.

Any accounts that might have been registered by GB would have been banned for shilling and remain so. However, many companies have started out this way on the site. They sign up to the site to tell us how great their products are, we ban them and offer to work with them for a price and let them openly tell everyone about their great products. Most of them say 'No thanks, you're grand'. A small number of them hold their hands up, say fair enough and talk to us about the options available. We already know they are interested in Boards and the community, we try to work with them to make their engagement transparent and official, and yes to also make money for the site. I hope that answers your question

So by this logic if any users were site banned because they sinned (shilled for Gearbest) in boards eyes they could also buy their way out of the ban.

Out of curiosity what would they have to pay to expunge their records?

Again what I am reading STINKS of double standards. Surely if you are giving Gearbest a reprieve you have to give the people banned because of them one also.

Again I believe you have severely diminished the Bargain Alerts forum and Community allowing a company that was so vilified that their very name was banned on boards and applied to the sites swear filter.

Pelvis Parsley

Not only that, gandalf, but the GB presence on the site is pointless, without substance, and utterly hamfisted. They seem to have handed the wheel to one of their junior staff, and given them no further instruction. One can only assume that their negotiations behind the scenes were no better, which says little about the people who pulled the trigger, and said they could come back.

The whole talk to/sponsored forum model seems to have moved from reputable (if not popular) firms, such as Irish Water, various broadband providers etc., to Anyone What Gives Us Cash.

I'd take a wager with anyone, that GB's presence here will be as short lived, as it was ill-advised. They'll default on the old direct debit, or else dirty their bib in some other way, and that will be that. All this grief, for nothing. Silly, silly carry on. As I say, there'd be humour in it, if it wasn't so pathetic.

Maireadio

gandalf wrote: »

So by this logic if any users were site banned because they sinned (shilled for Gearbest) in boards eyes they could also buy their way out of the ban.

Apparently it's different because Gearbest themselves weren't signed up to boards.ie, so didn't agree to the T&Cs. (unless of course if they did set up accounts that were banned, but that was just a hypothetical question, I thought, there was no confirmation that that happened).

This isn't a defence of the whole thing on my part, by the way, just shorthanding LoLth's long post on the subject as boards.ie sees it.

Penny Tration

Maireadio wrote: »

Apparently it's different because Gearbest themselves weren't signed up to boards.ie, so didn't agree to the T&Cs. (unless of course if they did set up accounts that were banned, but that was just a hypothetical question, I thought, there was no confirmation that that happened).

This isn't a defence of the whole thing on my part, by the way, just shorthanding LoLth's long post on the subject as boards.ie sees it.

Yep, but what's been said now is that IF Gearbest did indeed sign up themselves (rather than have boards members do it) to shill, they're above the lifetime ban rule for shilling because they paid.

So even if they themselves broke the rules and were sitebanned, it's overturned because they gave boards money.



Off topic but I feel sorry for their rep. It must be very difficult to deal with the posters, especially without having a very good grasp of English. Gearbest seem to have gotten some inexperienced young girl to deal with boards.

Turtyturd

Pelvis Parsley wrote: »

I'd take a wager with anyone, that GB's presence here will be as short lived, as it was ill-advised. They'll default on the old direct debit, or else dirty their bib in some other way, and that will be that. All this grief, for nothing. Silly, silly carry on. As I say, there'd be humour in it, if it wasn't so pathetic.

And it will be spun that boards removed them because they listen to the 'community' not the actual reason.

Barry Badrinath

Penny Tration wrote: »

Yep, but what's been said now is that IF Gearbest did indeed sign up themselves (rather than have boards members do it) to shill, they're above the lifetime ban rule for shilling because they paid.

So even if they themselves broke the rules and were sitebanned, it's overturned because they gave boards money.



Off topic but I feel sorry for their rep. It must be very difficult to deal with the posters, especially without having a very good grasp of English. Gearbest seem to have gotten some inexperienced young girl to deal with boards.

To me, a regular boards user. It is immaterial if Gearpest created accounts to shill on here or not.

The boards users who did shill, did it at Gearpests request. The company knew what they were doing and used the users to do their dirty work.

Boards.ie may be strapped for cash but they are certaintly strapped for dignity, honour and respect for their content creators, the regular user.

There is no justification for their decision. None.

_Kaiser_

I somehow missed all the drama with this company the first time round, but I've caught up on the history over the last fortnight and as with so many of the other recent decisions and directions taken by Boards, it leaves a pretty sour taste to be honest.

It dilutes the value of the BA forum, it makes a mockery of the previous stance taken by Boards, and I genuinely don't see what we are supposed to get out of it - yay cheaper deals on already bargain basement kit and a dedicated forum that reminds me of Bebo. :rolleyes:

It's yet another sign that those pulling the strings these days haven't a clue about the site they own, what the users come here for and value, and how to take it forward.

But just as with the rest of the feedback in the other thread, this too will be ignored or given some from-the-script answer that doesn't address the concerns of the people who generate the content this site is trying to monetise.

Cienciano

McGruber wrote: »

To me, a regular boards user. It is immaterial if Gearpest created accounts to shill on here or not.

The boards users who did shill, did it at Gearpests request. The company knew what they were doing and used the users to do their dirty work.

Boards.ie may be strapped for cash but they are certaintly strapped for dignity, honour and respect for their content creators, the regular user.

There is no justification for their decision. None.

Boards have justified it. To themselves. No one is buying it except a few mods and usual suspects towing the company line.
"We know what we're doing, we're taking the money, now kindly fúck off" seems to be the reply to the boards users.

_Tombstone_

Cienciano wrote: »

Boards have justified it. To themselves. No one is buying it except a few mods and usual suspects towing the company line.
"We know what we're doing, we're taking the money, now kindly fúck off" seems to be the reply to the boards users.

Hold on....they replied?!!!!!!!!!

markupmales

Offering good odds on this thread getting nuked by a staffer just like the Ghost Town one.
And 30 people who have seemingly never been near the thread before just coincidentally appearing withing seconds to thank the post announcing the nuke.

markupmales

markupmales wrote: »

Offering good odds on this thread getting nuked by a staffer just like the Ghost Town one.
And 30 people who have seemingly never been near the thread before just coincidentally appearing withing seconds to thank the post announcing the nuke.

Would you have preferred the other thread to run on and on in to infinity? Five thousand posts of differing opinions, nitpicking, axe grinding, etc aren't really going to help the Boards team tackle the important and helpful points that were raised. The thread would have gone around in circles.

Also what difference does it make if the post was thanked by less active people on that thread? Does it mean their opinion is less valid?