Thread: A personal message (with the admin's permission, I hope)

Originally Posted by tryphon

Actually, a couple of months ago I offered to become a sponsor of SMF. I was told that, basically, they did not want me. Something about upsetting lots of members who are also members of B&B....

At the risk of playing with matches and gasoline...

I've followed what went on at B&B (but not SMF) - basically, what happened was that you attempted to use your involvement in the group to advance your personal commercial interests (outside of the vendor and buy/sell sections).

In addition, you made inaccurate statements about your products (specifically that the rose soap was all-natural, despite using artificial scenting agents). You were taken to task on this by Joel and reacted in a very hostile manner.

You also reacted in a very hostile way to a negative review of your soap. Part of your response included posting pictures of how well your soap lathered, but posted pictures showing a weak lather - which you then attempted to substitute with photos of better lather after several board members commented that the lather looked weak. This attempt to cover up the initial poor pictures was caught by the moderators and you were again taken to task regarding your marketing activities on the board.

In short, before being banned, you were warned on more than one occasion as to what type of behaviour was acceptable.

I believe the final straw came when you had words (PMs) with Joel and then used B&B to post ads for your rival/copycat site - at which point you were banned.

Clearly your conduct over at B&B has had repercussions for your attempts to become an SMF sponsor and I make no comment on what happened over at SMF. What I do object to is your attemps to downplay and feign shock/innocence that you might have offended B&B members. Whether you agree with the action taken by the folks who run B&B is one thing, to pretend not to understand what the fuss was all about.

With regard to your involvement here, I've scanned your posts and the majority of them relate to the promotion of your business interests. Unlike many other vendors, your non-commercial involvement in SRP is quite limited - which is fine, but does suggest that you view membership in SRP as primarily a way to advance your business interests.

I have no problem with vendors promoting their commercial interests on a site such as SRP, so long as it is done appropriately (all claims regarding products being accurate, reacting in a mature way to criticism, promotional activities being conducted in the vendors section, etc.).

I realize that this will likely spark a powder keg, but I thougt that Tryphon's attempts to minimize the reasons why he might have "upset" members of B&B should be clarified.

To be perfectly honest, I personally don't care about what's happened on other boards - so long as Tryphon is willing to comply with the rules and decorum that apply to membership in SRP, I'm happy to have him as a member and look forward to hearing about his company and products.

Let the flames begin!

Originally Posted by suzuki

At the risk of playing with matches and gasoline...

...

Let the flames begin!

Just goes to show you that there are (at least) two sides to every story. From personal experience the truth most always lies somewhere between.

Originally Posted by Jonedangerousli

Just goes to show you that there are (at least) two sides to every story. From personal experience the truth most always lies somewhere between.

Too true.

I drafted my post becuase I took issue with the tone of Tryphon's post that could be interpreted as suggesting he wasn't sure what the folks at SMF were getting at.

Tryphon may have a different view of how events unfolded over at B&B.

I had no involvment at all in what happened over at B&B and think it has no bearing on Tryphon's ability to be a member of SRP.

So long as he's willing to play by the SRP rules, he should be welcome as a member of this board.

Originally Posted by suzuki

Too true.

I drafted my post becuase I took issue with the tone of Tryphon's post that could be interpreted as suggesting he wasn't sure what the folks at SMF were getting at.

Tryphon may have a different view of how events unfolded over at B&B.

I had no involvment at all in what happened over at B&B and think it has no bearing on Tryphon's ability to be a member of SRP.

So long as he's willing to play by the SRP rules, he should be welcome as a member of this board.

Look, I don't want to start a diatribe. As far as my position at SMF, I posted my views, which I consider correct. I have not seen any posts by any SMF admins that contradict them.
As far as B&B, you only mention one side of the argument, since you have no access to the PMs that were exchanged. Suffice it to say: look at the review that was made of my Rosa soap (the one you mentioned in your Original Post). Look at the ratings given, the lowest on record, with a rating for lather that would probably be appropriate for a piece of marble, then decide if I had reasons to complain.
Here's the link:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...?ltr=T&t=11015
Peace,
Giovanni

I'm going to let the posts on B&B speak on this issue - this is the discussion thread regarding the soap review that Tryphon objected to:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...769#post138769

Posts 18 and 26 highlight the problematic conduct I mentioned my the first post.

I make no comment on Tryphon's products - as I have not tried them.

I make no comment on any private exchanges between Tryphon and the moderators of B&B - as I was obviously not a party to them.

Again, so long as Tryphon is willing to abide by the rules/decorum we expect here at SRP, so far as I'm concerned (FWIW) he should be welcome and be welcome to promote his business/products in the designated spaces.

I think Chris (suzuki) is showing how people should handle these issues - kudos to him. He has seen something, did not quite like it, and explained why in a mature and factual way, while keeping an open mind and extending courtesy to Giovanni. What more can one want?

Way to go Chris!
Ivo

Personally I read the posts you mentioned and the moderators seemed kind of prissy. From the two I read 18 and 26 I would have been pissed at the moderators. Sounded like a few of the guys who are no longer on this site.

Originally Posted by izlat

I think Chris (suzuki) is showing how people should handle these issues - kudos to him. He has seen something, did not quite like it, and explained why in a mature and factual way, while keeping an open mind and extending courtesy to Giovanni. What more can one want?

Way to go Chris!
Ivo

Thanks Ivo - good to know that at least one person thinks I got it right

Having checked out the thread referenced it's nice to know that there are whiny little biatchs everywhere, not just the ones that seem to surface around me on occasion. (I know, I can be one too, LOL.) J.

Originally Posted by RichZ

Personally I read the posts you mentioned and the moderators seemed kind of prissy. From the two I read 18 and 26 I would have been pissed at the moderators. Sounded like a few of the guys who are no longer on this site.

Perhaps they simply let their position go to their heads??



Terry