I’m not sure I understand the slowtwitch policy on coments about retailers. First of all I would think you would want to inform your members as to which retailers are good, honest , … or dishonest. If my post about the horrible experience I had with bikesport michigan was removed… why then is the post regarding R&A cycles allowed? Is it because you only allow positive posts and negative posts are allowed in forum which no one goes to? Lavender RM?
you can do it in the retailer database
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Why then was the positive post about R&A cycles not moved to the same “retailer” database?
Why then was the positive post about R&A cycles not moved to the same “retailer” database?
the owner of this site is/was himself a retailer
as such he tends to view these things more from the eyes of a retailer, rather than a consumer.
he is more apt to pull a thread trashing a retailer than one praising it for this reason I imagine. or maybe he just hasn’t noticed the silly R&A post yet.
Why then was the positive post about R&A cycles not moved to the same “retailer” database?
Exactly. If the sole concern is cluttering up the forum you’d think the positive comments would likewise be removed. Allowing positive comments on the forum but not negative ones is misleading, if nothing else.
My bad…sorry Dan…
I didn’t mean for my Original R&A thread to be a bashing. I was just commenting on what I observed a fellow member of this forum going through. Am I forgiven? 
Again, sorry about that.
there is a special sort of dynamic that fuels trial-by-internet, and we just don’t allow that here. as you are new to our forum, i’ll just ask you to respect that.
as to the positive comments about retailers, i’ll allow those even if it seems incongruous to you that, for us, sauce for the goose seems not to be sauce for the gander. where we draw the line on positive posts is when they’re generated as a sort of guerilla market strategy, that is, when the commercial entity is praising itself. we generally know when that is happening and woe to you and your clever strategy if you be your own cheerleader.
to clear something up: i was never a retailer. i was a manufacturer. as such, i’ve enjoyed a 50 yard line seat as retailers and consumers work out their marriage. i believe it was barney frank who commented to the effect of: “yes, we politicians can be pains in the asses; but you voters are no walk in the park either.”
in that spirit may i say: retailers can be pains in the asses, but you consumers, well, were i to put up a database of fully-identified comsumers, so that retailers could comment anonymously about you, some of you would look like that renaissance painting of st. christopher (the bloody one with about 50 arrows in him).
so, why don’t we do this my way? if you have a gripe, i’ve got a place for it. my wife happens to be in germany now. she needed a hotel in berlin for a night, i had about 20 minutes today to find a place and make a reservation. what did i do? i read users’ reviews of each hotel. i made my selection largely based on that. we have a very slick utility for this. more of our readers rely on this than you might think.
“Am I forgiven?”
xxoo
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I understand consumers can be a pain in the a_ _ .. having worked in the retail industry myself. I do however feel it is very important to share information both good and bad so comsumers can be well informed prior to making a purchase. Ebay customers can read reviews and feedbacks for potential sellers simply by a click of a mouse. In addition, purchases are guaranteed by paypal. Amazon puts a retailers feedback on the main page prior to finalizing a purchase and they require retailers to maintain feedback standards to continue to market through amazon.
The point here is the information is up front... in the open... only then can potential customers i.e. slowtwitch members , make an informed decision. I had no idea the store which I had such a horrible experience with was listed in your retailers section.. After reading some of the coments.. they should have been listed in the "expelled retailers" list.
No Hard Feelings
David Biron
Bikesport Michigan - my experience is that they charge your credit card and don’t ship the product. This is the Worst experience I have had with any retailer.
If you don’t get your product and choose to cancel your order ; try to get them to process a refund. That is a whole other exercise in futility! Best thing is to just spread the word and avoid doing any business with those guys. They are obviously barely hanging on by a thread… and they need to go away.
I was just told by a insider at Bikesport that they are closing the doors. YAH.
I was just told by a insider at Bikesport that they are closing the doors. YAH.
I’m glad you find cause for celebration in the failure of another mans livelihood.
And yet again, the mere mention of the retailer database devolves into BSM bashing.
John
I was just told by a insider at Bikesport that they are closing the doors. YAH.
I’m glad you find cause for celebration in the failure of another mans livelihood.
And yet again, the mere mention of the retailer database devolves into BSM bashing.
John
One of these days you should get off that high horse of yours, bro. I don’t think he was celebrating the failure of a man’s livelihood. He was celebrating that honest customers will no longer be getting ripped off. Two different things.
Slappy – Not sure where you find the Joy in the BSM posts? No one here laments in another fellow bike enthusiasts demise. What was a concern was that other unsuspecting bike enthusiasts were unknowingly caught up in their struggle to survive. I personally was deceived and lied to … strung along waiting for merchandise that was never going to show up all while my cc was charged 11k. I’m still trying to recover nearly 3k from a June 11 transaction! So there is no Joy Here!!! Just trying to help other bike lovers looking for equipment. I’m sorry BSM will be the next victim of this failing economy.
" I’m sorry BSM will be the next victim of this failing economy. "
Why does everybody have to blame the economy for everything?
Probably because of the near 20% unemployment and lack of disposable income. Believe it or not … people just aren’t spending money like they were 4 yrs ago… and when people don’t spend money…small businesses will fail no matter how well they were managed.
You know what’s wrong with America… and I know we’re drifting off topic here and we should discuss this in the Lavendar Room…Here’s what’s wrong with America: Lack of Personal Responsibility.
Some people see themselves or others as victims, others see opportunity.
edit: and in response to
"and when people don’t spend money…small businesses will fail no matter how well they were managed. "
I think that’s a myth. Most businesses fail because they are mismanaged, not because they are victims of the economy. It’s just that in the good times their lack of business sense is not exposed. I’m sure the many, including the guy that dropped $11k on his order would disagree with you that they didn’t spend any money…
Slappy – Not sure where you find the Joy in the BSM posts? No one here laments in another fellow bike enthusiasts demise. What was a concern was that other unsuspecting bike enthusiasts were unknowingly caught up in their struggle to survive. I personally was deceived and lied to … strung along waiting for merchandise that was never going to show up all while my cc was charged 11k. I’m still trying to recover nearly 3k from a June 11 transaction! So there is no Joy Here!!! Just trying to help other bike lovers looking for equipment. I’m sorry BSM will be the next victim of this failing economy.
Hey, brother, I’m totally agreeing with you. We’re on the same page. I feel your pain. I’ve been there. I’m sorry if I wasn’t more clear in my post.
You know what’s wrong with America… and I know we’re drifting off topic here and we should discuss this in the Lavendar Room…Here’s what’s wrong with America: Lack of Personal Responsibility.
Some people see themselves or others as victims, others see opportunity.
You may feel different when opportunity comes your way.
-ssloth