Commercial members usernames

[Drew]

Mark/Admin
On another forum I frequent they have a convention:
Commercial Members have a UserName that clearly indicates their Company
eg Fred@CoName etc.

These users are (politely) advised that they shouldn't blatantly advertise in posts but can reply to queries with "commercial hat on".

Any obvious spamming etc (at the discretion of Mods/Admin is deleted and wrists slapped (even so far as banning).

Members who "just happen to be commercial" but use the forum as themselves don't identify themselves in this way - but word of mouth etc does over time allow regular users to establish they have either special knowledge (sometimes very useful) or a vested interest.

Seems to work.

Drew

PS - As far as I am aware Hivemaker (and Rooftops in the past) have never crossed any lines into advertising on this forum - quite the opposite I have seen threads directly asking "Where/Who could I contact to get a hive made/supplied" and (as far as I know) both of them are conspicuous by their absence!!

 

[johnandyrob]

If the op created so much of a problem why wasnt it just removed?!

 

[itma]

Really struggling to see what is wrong with a post about a course going in the 2011 courses forum.
... Furthermore I very much doubt the OP is going to give up the day job and rely on its income to retire with as it doesn't seem overy expensive and the market is somewhat limited. ...

Ummm.
I think that here, running classes (and farming bees) IS 'the day job'.
Which is where the problem arises.
Google that username and you get ---

Beginner's tasters course: a full afternoon class, which includes a one2one lesson with my gentle bees, at a time to suit you. Email for more information on dates and times. This is also available as a gift voucher.
... Most people have busy working lives and find it difficult to find time to go to bee meetings; I can be completely flexible for teaching, working when you are free, weather permitting of course! ...

Running 'classes' and 'courses' for reward IS the day job in this specific case.

The username itself is advertising. (The point of Admin's poll.)



Personally, I'd like to know who is who.
I don't like those who sail (and sell) under false colours.
So I'm actually relaxed about the username.
BUT being allowed to use a trade-username should carry an ultra-strict anti-spam obligation.
Stricter than for 'personal' usernames.

Abuse the no-advertising ethos and you should risk losing that precious identity and also risk having 'informative' posts (astroturf) about your services being deleted for ever after at the merest hint of spam.
Play nicely and you are very welcome.
Get a reputation as a spammer and it will stick better than prop.

/my 2p's worth

 

[greatbritishhoney]

I'd be more than happy to change my user name.
Please bear in mind though that I will be even more annoying (is that possible?!?) when I don't have to worry about my comments being construed as being connected with my business

I think the forum is a better place for the fact that we are not bombarded by advertising.

I do think we need to cut people a bit of slack sometimes though. I think we are often very ascerbic with new members who have made a 'commercial' post as their first post. In most cases, including my first post, it is simply a case of someone not reading the forum rules properly.

 

[itma]

Mark/Admin
On another forum I frequent they have a convention:
Commercial Members have a UserName that clearly indicates their Company
eg Fred@CoName etc.

These users are (politely) advised that they shouldn't blatantly advertise in posts but can reply to queries with "commercial hat on".

Any obvious spamming etc (at the discretion of Mods/Admin is deleted and wrists slapped (even so far as banning).
...

 

[plumber rob]

I picked my username to say im a p*****r and i love to keep bees so not for reward at all and will change it willingly so i can keep learning from this fantastic forum, so i will go with the majority vote.

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

For me, the conflict is out in the world too: there are people who are 'good' at self-promoting and selling themselves and their products or services, and there are those who are modest and quiet and trade on the hopes that word of mouth will advertise them sufficiently to get by.

Good for those selling quality everyday products, especially when Mark's supplier list is up and running, but how would you get to know about something as unusual as a bee farming course? Don't you agree that this is potentially of interest to members?

Ummm.
I think that here, running classes (and farming bees) IS 'the day job'.
Which is where the problem arises.

I would suspect the bee farming bit is possibly more important than running an afternoon course for £45 - but even if it isn't I would still assert that knowing about it is more helpful than not knowing about it

 

[Headnavigator]

And if you wanted a 'bee farming course' what would there be to stop you from posting "Has anyone been on a bee farming course that has been helpful?", though frankly I would think that anyone who had sufficient experience to even consider bee farming would probably have researched the subject exhaustively already, and probably been shadowing bee farmers in their own local assoc as well.
If I wanted to search out adverts I'd google for websites, and run through the journals for paying advertisers.

 

[itma]

...I would suspect the bee farming bit is possibly more important than running an afternoon course for £45 ...

£45 times how many punters would it require to make a "nice little earner"?
Remember, it lasts just one afternoon. Ten at £45 each would be a worthwhile afternoon from where I'm sitting.
What are the costs? Zilch if the advertising is free! (And one common factor about the advertising that this trader does seems to be that its wherever its free...)
But anyway, isn't a "course" supposed to be more than one of something?


Personally, I think £55 is a bit steep for showing a newb the inside of a hive ...
http://www.holisticlocal.co.uk/market/view/1837/BEE+KEEPING+PRIVATE+LESSONS {You can advertise there for free, natch!)
Lots of folk would open their hive for free for an interested individual... but if you don't advertise, the punters won't know that you are ready to take their money.

 

[greatbritishhoney]

I think a distinction needs to be made between disliking overt advertising and accusing people of ripping others off.

 

[Poly Hive]

Personally I dinna see the nick "Hivemaker" as an advert. It could be used by any person who has ever assembled a hive. It is not an advert in my view, more a description of that they like to do.

I chose my nick as I like my style of hive material. I stand then I suppose in the same spot as Pete does.

PH

 

[For want of a better word]

Personally I dinna see the nick "Hivemaker" as an advert. It could be used by any person who has ever assembled a hive. It is not an advert in my view, more a description of that they like to do.

I chose my nick as I like my style of hive material. I stand then I suppose in the same spot as Pete does.

PH

PH... I thought it was because you were into parrots...............​

 

[Nose Ma]

Do we wish to extend this to sigs?

Mine shows I am an accountant, I have no issues with changing it. BUT I am in no way touting for business here - I deal with big corporates, not farmers, not bee farmers, not personal tax, and not VAT etc.

NM

 

[victor meldrew]

Personally I dinna see the nick "Hivemaker" as an advert. It could be used by any person who has ever assembled a hive. It is not an advert in my view, more a description of that they like to do.

I chose my nick as I like my style of hive material. I stand then I suppose in the same spot as Pete does.

PH

Mine is a personality thing
VM

 

[Norton]

Admin:
If the no vote wins can I change my username to the name of the product I sell?

 

[drstitson]

you mean you don't sell classic british motorbikes into the cypriot market?

 

[Norton]

No! The name was used in memory of a small town in Rhodesia..........

 

[madasafish]

Change your name to "whenwe".. If you are an ex Zim.

That;s what Zims are called in South Africa..

("When we were in Rhodesia..".)

 

[madasafish]

Change your name to "whenwe".. If you are an ex Zim.

That's what Zims are called in South Africa..

("When we were in Rhodesia..".)

 

[Norton]

Yes I know - I try to to think too much about it all!