Why don't members leave reviews?

[Andy Monroe]

I've read estimates of the number of members here (10K??), and wonder why we don't see more information on vendor delivery (and quality) performance.  There are a relative handful of regular contributors that provide this core source of value for us all, but so many only post only when there is an issue they need feedback on - or mostly not at all.  Is it:

- concern over privacy.....

- laziness

Can't think of any other reasons, and the mods (and "core" members) certainly reinforce the importance of this.  It would be great if we could somehow address this and create an even more informative community here.

 

[Toker]

Hi there @Andy Monroe

My experience with most of these sites is 90% Privacy concerns & 10& Laziness

I agree 100% it would be great to see more but hey, that's the nature of the beast..

Regards T.

 

[Dissolve]

I'm guessing the number of members vs active members is a part of it too. Im assuming the members list is comprised of anyone who's ever registered. There's a lot of old threads (like this one) and not a ton of new stuff. You'd think with Corona having everybody stuck at home or whatever there would be more new content.

 

[Kalsima]

@Dissolve I thought the same exact thing. But some threads are back to life like Jukebox and Best Album ever .

I wish 5 letter game would get staretd again under jokes and fun.

And yea the importance of reviews is so important. Follow active members that have a lot of post or look at their reputation. I never have gone wong with them!

 

[rifter]

Giving props is a tricky thing.  There's a few folks i've relied upon and feel its important to continue to publicly thank them for another job well done.  Their are several reasons  I shy  away these days from endorsing anyone i dont know to well.  My primary one out of fear/selfishness in the fact that endorsements never can only hurt me.  One vendor i had placed several small, wonderful orders with, changed suddenly after sending a large sum of money and attempted to extort me after keeping that cash for himself.   I was and still and am slightly concerned of what he might do. I'm a family man after all.  Who would believe me if i told them that?  After all, my previous comments about him were glowing.  BTW, admins are aware, so if becomes systematic i'm sure he'll be tossed, but it's me saying "I sent him a bunch of cash and hes threatened me.  Sure, I have have emails, which I could have easily faked.  It's pretty damn hard to prove that someone didn't send you something when the whole exchange is created from the get-go in secrecy.   So, if I say anything, all i can do is lose, i can be be kicked off the board, lose all my vendors trust etc   If i publicly attack him theres plenty of evidence to dress me as the aggressor, the scammer and I gain nothing and lose a lot more than ive lost.  As mentioned, some of the DBG team is aware of my side of the situation, but his story is equally convincing. So, if happens to others, hes screwed, if not, great, the buyer and seller both walk away happy.  Ultimately , i provide a simple "yes, mags arrived, tested authentic" or not until i know them well enough to where they are already ingrained enough that they are already known as trustworthy or have been shut down.  Good vendors succeed (or thats my assumption at least) and bad ones go down.  I've been ripped a more than a few times, its the name of the game.  A board like this creates an environment where at least that person is shut down after minimal amount of loss and positive relationships can be established. 

Apologies on the excessive whining, planned a 2 sentence post and some this happens.   

I very much agree with the nature of the post, but just wanted to share there are many underlying reasons...i wish i hadnt lost thousands, but everyone can expect to.   Like mentioned, its the very nature of the beast.  

Also, expect to meet some great people!

Much Love

 

[Kalsima]

@rifter I totallyunderstand I had the same thing happen to me and was banned by a vendor for doing nothing wrong. And another vendor said he never received my money but I had statements and a copy of transaction.  This was years ago when using and acted insane on here. Thankfully @PTFC (love you RIP) and @2earls and @Admin deleted all my nonsensical posts and I learned a lot. Don't sweat the small stuff and don't stay angry. There are plenty of awesome vendors here that are honest and I believe they deserve reviews. Just letting go of the whole situation made me feel so much better and I moved on. Just don't let it eat you up you will drive yourself crazy! I know losing a large sum hurts but I am a much more content happier person for letting it go. I do think that reviews do help our members and if the day comes if that ever happened again leave a review like this vendor is shady to help other members. Our new vendors are great so far and until they mess up I will continue writing reviews. I can commiserate with you but life is too short to let a vendor hurt you. He obviously doesn't care so why should you? Hope this helps and good luck to you.

Nice meeting you

Heavenlee

 

[ZGreeneyesZ]

I hesitate to leave reviews as well, unless I’ve had SEVERAL good orders. Plus, the paranoia factor is real. Lol I’d like to get to 500 comments, but’s let’s be for real, I don’t like putting myself out there like that. This is not the place to get a bunch of attention. (Although I have once) lol! Corona does have me bored tho... back to my puzzle. Lol

 

[2earls]

I don't think a review has to be a glowing endorsement or condemnation. If you are not at the point of being conformable recommending someone then just post a bare bones factual review. Ordered 10/10

TN rec'd 10/11

Delivery 10/13

Mix of percolators and Zanzibars (or whatever nonsense comes to mind). Quality is what I expect it to be.

This is still a helpful review without anything that could be controversial. 

And once your email is on a vendor list I really don't see how posting a review under a screen name could be perceived as dangerous. So I guess I disagree with the poster who thought it was 90% safety concerns and 10% laziness. I would switch that around. Most people just don't want to take the time to bother with it.

 

[GertBFrobe]

I’ve been with the forum for quite a while meow, and although I admit a bit of laziness does creep in every now and then, I do feel like the fear is sometimes more pervasive. And, @2earls has been more than understanding and level-headed and somewhat aware. But, the other side is that mods can only be so aware, when the fear of a reprisal, one way or another, is also a very real and viable threat...and that applies in a couple ways, I think. Personally, I have shied away from leaving reviews for both, but the other one for me, is that I’ve left some very positive reviews for vendors that are, for whatever reason (and I’m not discounting possibly valid ones) Blacklisted.... Yet, I still subscribe monthly as I have for years, and have never had a single issue to this day. So leaving positive reviews for, in my case, literally the prototype of the ideal vendor, I sometimes feel could almost certainly ruin any reputation I have built. Some people are afraid for other reasons, also I’m sure. But I generally have good experiences with the vendors I subscribe to for my needs, but get by without some publications I really like, because if I leave an honest review about the wrong vendor, there’s a certain fear of losing preference, and therefore access. The upper hand, in the wrong hands, can be dangerous to start smacking at. Anyway, that’s just another perspective or speculation, if nothing else.

 

[AnnaSofia]

Hey all,

Had no idea where I was allowed to post this but this seems far enough away and kind of on topic. I guess I once started a new thread somewhere I wasn’t allowed to. I don’t know. If I could mass email a bunch of people I’d do that instead.

So anyway I’m going on hiatus for a bit. I feel the need to announce it because I know I’ve worried when I don’t see someone around for a while. And just wanted to (try to) briefly explain why.

If there is something important like a new vend did a great job, I will certainly post to help that person out. But i probably won’t post otherwise. Unless it’s really serious.

I’ve found the board to be a great source of information. Do I feel free to share my experiences? Yes. Do I feel free to share my experiences without fear of consequences? Absolutely not. But I still do. Because there are real people behind these user names that put a lot of weight on reviews from long-time members.

I’m not too proud to say that I AM AN ADDICT. For a long time I was so scared to be cut off by vends based on reviews or even messaging them to say something didn’t look right. But that fear dissipated a while ago. I post honest and fair reviews, but I don’t get nit picky if stuff goes wrong - unless it’s a pretty serious instance. Like giving me fakes, refusing to believe me despite having proof, no compensation when I lost 4 digits )when all I did was ask for 20% back). Bc i knew this person did not take kindly to this type of problem. And I didn’t push at all when I was turned down. I was nice the whole time. I wrote a review but I didn’t get anyone else involved or try to solve it. Why? Bc I was SCARED. I was desperate to get cut off because he had something else I needed. This is just one example of being scared to be honest. I’m not that way anymore.

But I’ve continued to use almost all of those guys - giving second and third chances - bc shit happens, and I need stuff.

That said, I don’t judge people who don’t air the dirty details after a bad experience. It’s a seller’s world. People are scared. But because I have been sharing my full experiences I don’t want to be the one that stands out in the forums just because I say things publicly that are commonly understood and communicated privately.

Im a good customer who supports good vendors and I always make sure to leave a good review after a good time, promote good people, have kept my cool and been understanding more times than I can count, and have helped build vends up who have taken a hit that wasn’t their fault. Again, my choice.

I am fair. I don’t just take to the boards to bash them. I am an understanding person. But when I see things that really just aren’t right, I speak up. More people want to speak up but feel powerless. It would be nice to incentivize publishers to do right by good customers.

Wow. This wasn’t meant to be so damn dramatic. Had to get this off my chest. And also blame it on my ADD. Anyway, I will be lurking here and there and will be back when the water warms up.

Be safe! Test! Trust your gut!

And be on m-done watch for me, will ya @alixjones2018
-AS

 

[rcchem66]

Hey all,

Had no idea where I was allowed to post this but this seems far enough away and kind of on topic. I guess I once started a new thread somewhere I wasn’t allowed to. I don’t know. If I could mass email a bunch of people I’d do that instead.

So anyway I’m going on hiatus for a bit. I feel the need to announce it because I know I’ve worried when I don’t see someone around for a while. And just wanted to (try to) briefly explain why.

If there is something important like a new vend did a great job, I will certainly post to help that person out. But i probably won’t post otherwise. Unless it’s really serious.

I’ve found the board to be a great source of information. Do I feel free to share my experiences? Yes. Do I feel free to share my experiences without fear of consequences? Absolutely not. But I still do. Because there are real people behind these user names that put a lot of weight on reviews from long-time members.

I’m not too proud to say that I AM AN ADDICT. For a long time I was so scared to be cut off by vends based on reviews or even messaging them to say something didn’t look right. But that fear dissipated a while ago. I post honest and fair reviews, but I don’t get nit picky if stuff goes wrong - unless it’s a pretty serious instance. Like giving me fakes, refusing to believe me despite having proof, no compensation when I lost 4 digits )when all I did was ask for 20% back). Bc i knew this person did not take kindly to this type of problem. And I didn’t push at all when I was turned down. I was nice the whole time. I wrote a review but I didn’t get anyone else involved or try to solve it. Why? Bc I was SCARED. I was desperate to get cut off because he had something else I needed. This is just one example of being scared to be honest. I’m not that way anymore.

But I’ve continued to use almost all of those guys - giving second and third chances - bc shit happens, and I need stuff.

That said, I don’t judge people who don’t air the dirty details after a bad experience. It’s a seller’s world. People are scared. But because I have been sharing my full experiences I don’t want to be the one that stands out in the forums just because I say things publicly that are commonly understood and communicated privately.

Im a good customer who supports good vendors and I always make sure to leave a good review after a good time, promote good people, have kept my cool and been understanding more times than I can count, and have helped build vends up who have taken a hit that wasn’t their fault. Again, my choice.

I am fair. I don’t just take to the boards to bash them. I am an understanding person. But when I see things that really just aren’t right, I speak up. More people want to speak up but feel powerless. It would be nice to incentivize publishers to do right by good customers.

Wow. This wasn’t meant to be so damn dramatic. Had to get this off my chest. And also blame it on my ADD. Anyway, I will be lurking here and there and will be back when the water warms up.

Be safe! Test! Trust your gut!

And be on m-done watch for me, will ya @alixjones2018
-AS

You are important

 

[AnnaSofia]

You are important

Aww you’re a sweetheart thank you.

 

[timyboy]

My take on all this is that once people receive their orders they are not that keen on leaving a review.
But once problems arise they will post immediately.