Honest question on what is considered "unecessary vendor bashing"

[CFster]

The vendor review system is a great idea. These days anybody with a computer can produce a professional looking site even though they're working out of their garage and drop shipping everything. Got to be a way to keep these guys honest.

I can say that for me in the past the only way to get results from a certain vendor was to "get their attention" on a message board. To be more specific (without being too specific), I had a major Tremec transmission problem in a '64 Dodge I was building and the vendor simply wouldn't answer the phone or return calls. That just goes up one side of me and down the other. If I've spent, or am going to spend thousands of dollars then the least a vendor can do is answer the phone or reply to emails. The excuse that they're too busy doesn't work for me. If business is that good then staff appropriately. I run a repair facility at one of the biggest wholesale auto auctions in the country - we close a good 350 work orders a week and I find time to at least reply to the emails I get. Perhaps I haven't solved the senders problem, but at least they got an update or more information then they had before.

Anyway, since this particular transmission vendor I was speaking of relied heavily on message boards such as Moparts, a couple posts by me detailing my problems for the entire community to view got some attention real fast. The owner of the company called me up and offered to rectify the situation. He even asked me to post a message on the board afterwards stating how helpful he had been. I had no problem doing it, as he really did go out of his way (though other problems sprang up as a result of it - but that's a story for a different time).

[THE TECH]

The vendor review system is a great idea. These days anybody with a computer can produce a professional looking site even though they're working out of their garage and drop shipping everything. Got to be a way to keep these guys honest.

I agree with most of what you've said except for the above. Everyone starts somewhere and just because someone might be working out of their house and/or drop shipping does not make them a bad vendor or untrustworthy.

[67zo6Camaro]

I think this is a great issue that needs some sorting out. I have recently noticed some post concerning venders business behavior. I also noticed a comparison was made about postings negative feedback on this site is not allowed and was compared to how Magazines would handle negative feedback or lack of it. Personally this is not a valid debate, as the magazines typically stop at the end user with one way communication.

The reality here is this is the techno age and internet forums are the place for people to communicate. Part of the communication includes debates, opinions and even negative feedback about a vendor. If you start controlling the input of the user, forum members, then you start to water down the back bone of this site.... I agree that some rules need to be set forth about complaints and/or negative opinions reguardless if they are directed at a vendor and/or even a member.

I was also taken back slightly by the zero tolarence that was conveyed...and I'm also in support of working on this issue in order for members to discuss freely positive and even negative expreiences associated with this hobby. Vender issues will not go away and they are not for bad business only. It is important for this site to consider a little more freedom concerning negative input and/or opinions in order for this sites validity to be upheld in the highest standard.

Brett