Something increadible happened on Autopia.org

[Calendyr]

Ok so here are the threads, my comments will be down bellow.

Message from what appears to be the moderator of Autopia.org:

A review of 3D Waterless Wash was removed because it wasn't stated that the product was part of the free product promotion:

"THREAD EDITED by Todd Helme-

We understand that 3D is currently offering free products in exchange for reviews. We have remained open, but asked repeatedly for anybody who is posting their review of 3D's products in order to prevent their credit card from being charged to please post this in the reviews. Back in the day, this forum of advertising was known as shilling, and was greatly looked down upon.
Please read this thread before using our forum as an opportunity for you to make money (in effect by getting free products).
Doing reviews in exchange for products..."


Response from the poster of the review:

That was my review that was closed down!! Now they are following every forum i posted on to report me and take my reviews down. Unbelievable.


What I think:

I am infuriated by this. I don't know why I care, I have only been on Autopia 3 times and did not find anything Worth staying on for more than a minute each time. But I guess injustice is something that gets my blood boiling.

So this guy takes the time to write a review about a product, something that will very likelly be useful to many of the members, and what does he get in return for his efforts: his post is deleted and the moderators go on a crusade against him on other forums? OH MY ####### GOD!

Has this kind of bullshit ever happened here? I see plenty of review here and I find most of them very useful. I think people who take what must take about an hour of their lives to give all the info they can about a product are a blessing for ANY forum. This is one of the main reason to be part of a community like this, the sharing of information. Why would they chastise someone on Autopia.org for doing this completelly beyond my ability to understand.

First of all who the hell cares if the product was free or not? Does not having to pay for something invalidates your experience using it?

Anyway, I am curious to know what you guys think about this. I rarelly get worked up about stuff on the internet but this just has me totally mad. I'm I missing something or are they totally stupid on Autopia.org?

[Wheelzntoys]

Do you have your forums correct?

Also, it has been stated many times to mention if product was free for posting a review.

Also, not sure about being followed but wherever I saw the waterless review, he would post a semi-negative review as a rinseless, I mentioned to OP to state he is experimenting as using that product outside the directions since it is not a rinseless.

I don't follow him, I only go to many forums and even though I told him, he kept using that same review and not mentioning it is not a rinseless product.

That is not fair for the product, I honestly started feeling forums were spammed and he didn't care to review properly ....only for a free product.

My post was removed from one forum when I asked for the rinseless directions (there is no rinseless directions).

Not sure if I'm one of the ones he is not happy with.

[VISITOR]

you've got the wrong forum, and the forum you're referring to is/should be AUTOPIAFORUMS.COM which is the sister site to
AUTOGEEK.NET/AUTOGEEKONLINE.NET here.

AUTOPIA.ORG (the web's original car care forum) has no affiliation with with the above sites!

[R4IDER]

what i get from this is they think the 3d brand its giving free stuff in exchange for good propaganda that will boost up sales. And they do not want them in their forum ,or at least if thats the case they want them to be upfront about it

(wondering how can they know)

[davey g-force]

OP - I don't know why you're getting so worked up about it.

Nobody is saying he can't post a review to help fellow members out. He just has to follow the rules that's all. If he got free product in exchange for his review, he should simply state that in his post. Easy really!

Rules are rules IMO... :)

*EDIT*
I agree it's not cool that he's being followed onto other forums. That's a bit much..

[Setec Astronomy]

What a strange, strange circle this is. This carrot-and-stick trick has been around for a long time, and I guess it depends on your perspective as to whether it's proper or not. I will say that sending your CC info by non-secure means where it will be held hostage until you post 4 satisfactory (I mean UNBIASED) reviews is a new twist.


First of all who the hell cares if the product was free or not? Does not having to pay for something invalidates your experience using it?

Yes, it does. It's about human nature, especially when completing the task entitles you to another "free" product.

[TroyScherer]

So instead of letting this die there where you saw it you brought it here to make it even bigger?!?!?!?!



I really think people should learn to find out all the facts before they start posting and creating drama... Keep Calm, Push away from the keyboard, and Detail on...

[Calendyr]

you've got the wrong forum, and the forum you're referring to is/should be AUTOPIAFORUMS.COM which is the sister site to
AUTOGEEK.NET/AUTOGEEKONLINE.NET here.

AUTOPIA.ORG (the web's original car care forum) has no affiliation with with the above sites!

Never said it did ;)

[Calendyr]

OP - I don't know why you're getting so worked up about it.

Nobody is saying he can't post a review to help fellow members out. He just has to follow the rules that's all. If he got free product in exchange for his review, he should simply state that in his post. Easy really!

Rules are rules IMO... :)

*EDIT*
I agree it's not cool that he's being followed onto other forums. That's a bit much..

I totally agree with following rules... that is not why it got me so worked up yesterday. My issues are that his post was deleted instead of the moderator asking him to modify it to follow the rules and that he was being stalked on other forums.

[Calendyr]

Do you have your forums correct?

Also, it has been stated many times to mention if product was free for posting a review.

Also, not sure about being followed but wherever I saw the waterless review, he would post a semi-negative review as a rinseless, I mentioned to OP to state he is experimenting as using that product outside the directions since it is not a rinseless.

I don't follow him, I only go to many forums and even though I told him, he kept using that same review and not mentioning it is not a rinseless product.

That is not fair for the product, I honestly started feeling forums were spammed and he didn't care to review properly ....only for a free product.

My post was removed from one forum when I asked for the rinseless directions (there is no rinseless directions).

Not sure if I'm one of the ones he is not happy with.

Don't know. I did not see the review since it was deleted. Now, if he has issues with one aspect of the product, that's one thing. But in my mind it doesn't justify deleting his post either.

As for using the same review for different forums, well at least he did not loose his work (time it took to write it) so to me that is a good thing. I can see him not wanting to re-write a review several times and simple copy/paste on the forums he visits.

[Calendyr]

What a strange, strange circle this is. This carrot-and-stick trick has been around for a long time, and I guess it depends on your perspective as to whether it's proper or not. I will say that sending your CC info by non-secure means where it will be held hostage until you post 4 satisfactory (I mean UNBIASED) reviews is a new twist.

Yes, it does. It's about human nature, especially when completing the task entitles you to another "free" product.

I don't know how that free product deal works. If what you are saying is true (sounds bizzare to me to say the least) then I can understand a little bit more why it should be frowned upon. On the other hand, freedom of expression is something I believe is a right that should not be removed for any reason in a free society. So if they have an issue with his post, why not simply make a follow up post saying that this review is very likelly biased for x and y reasons?

The only time I consider post deletion acceptable on a forum is when someone is trying to promote a competing service/product to the one the forum owner is offering. And if someone is being very offensive to someone else on the forum. But deleting posts because the information may not be correct or may be biased sets a very bad precedent.

[Calendyr]

So instead of letting this die there where you saw it you brought it here to make it even bigger?!?!?!?!

I really think people should learn to find out all the facts before they start posting and creating drama... Keep Calm, Push away from the keyboard, and Detail on...


Well this is something Worth discussing. No such thing of too much information in my mind. Someone here brought a good point, it still doesn't excuse the deletion but at least I can see a valid concern now.

Since I don't know anyone on that other forum I don't have much interest talking with them about it. I value the opinions of people here so that is why I brought it up here.

[JSFM35x]

Nothing incredible at all but it did get me to open your thread.

Well if you spent any time over there on autopia care care forums you'd know that this has been requested many times by Todd. If you just showed up to dump a review to get your free stuff they don't want that with out full disclosure. Really a small, fair request to make. In fact i am surprised they allow them at all.

If it were me moderating. I'd do the same thing at the least. These forums cost money to run. They are about sales and education. Make no mistake, this is a business. I wonder how you would feel if input an ad for my detailing business on your front lawn so you customers could see it while you were trying to sell them? All they ask is for you to be upfront. Not too much to ask. I learn a lot on them and have grown to appreciate the honest community. These reviews for free product are a great marketing idea and litter all the boards 3d reviews that I never know if they are legit or forced becasue of free product so they are ineffective to me.

I much prefer the review of someone who plunked down hard earned money on an item. My 2 cents.

[tuscarora dave]

Nothing incredible at all but it did get me to open your thread.

Well if you spent any time over there on autopia care care forums you'd know that this has been requested many times by Todd. If you just showed up to dump a review to get your free stuff they don't want that with out full disclosure. Really a small, fair request to make. In fact i am surprised they allow them at all.

If it were me moderating. I'd do the same thing at the least. These forums cost money to run. They are about sales and education. Make no mistake, this is a business. I wonder how you would feel if input an ad for my detailing business on your front lawn so you customers could see it while you were trying to sell them? All they ask is for you to be upfront. Not too much to ask. I learn a lot on them and have grown to appreciate the honest community. These reviews for free product are a great marketing idea and litter all the boards 3d reviews that I never know if they are legit or forced becasue of free product so they are ineffective to me.

I much prefer the review of someone who plunked down hard earned money on an item. My 2 cents.
Very well said Jeff!! This stuff is "old hat" nothing incredible at all. Just another person not thinking things through before taking action on something. The world is full of this.

[golliger]

... On the other hand, freedom of expression is something I believe is a right that should not be removed for any reason in a free society....

Freedom of expression has nothing to do with a private forum.