Be Aware if posting reviews on Autopia Forums---

[pwaug]

I think you are confused--this is Autopia.ORG--it is autopiaforums.com that is deleting reviews and there are some members over there who are contacting other non detailing websites to have their reviews deleted.



Here on autopia.ORG you can discuss or review any product you like, even 3D/HD products if you`re not satisfied with their performance.

Wow this is completelly ridiculous! If the only issue with posting a review is that the reviewer must say when he received the product free to test, why not just ask him to change his post to include the info. Or the mod could do it for him. Deleting the review (which can take quite a while to write) and then going after the poster on other forums as some kind of crusade show a total lack of respect for members.



People come here to get information. So far I have been here about a week and not only don`t I see many posts (maybe 3-5 per day) but the posts are not that interesting. Maybe the reason for that is people don`t want to get shut down for saying things that might not be acceptable here.



Well, I am heading back to Autogeek. Discussions there are very productive and not a day goes by when there isn`t at least 3 to 4 pages of good stuff to read.



I find this very sad, was really hoping to be able to join an other great forum, but this is just too much.

[David Fermani]

Wow, ridicule someone for their review, delete it, follow them to other forums and try to do the same thing and have him banned? Just because they didn’t mention that he received the product as part of a promotion which everyone was already quite aware of. Sounds like a witch hunt to me. Sure is a lot of hatred for 3D on that board. Not surprising seeing that it’s owned/operated by AutoGeek. And they claim that it’s an unbiased forum. :whistle:



It’s always been clear that this promotion was to get the word out about 3D/HD. They wanted only 100% honest reviews. If the product is terrible....post it. If it`s great....post it. If you can`t handle it, don`t be a part of it. I think everyone has done a great job of this so far and pretty much everyone has had very favorable things to say. That in itself speaks volumes about the quality of their products. I guess this just makes people on the other side of the fence mad. :har:

[Calendyr]

Ok so now I am quite confused. So if the post was not deleted on this forum, why warn members here not to post reviews?



I opened a thread regarding this on Autogeek and someone mentionned that in order for the product to be free 4 reviews must be approved by the manufacturer. I do not know if this is true or not, but if it is, how can you call that unbiased reviews when the manufacturer has final say on what is acceptable or not. Sounds to me like they would only accept positive reviews.



This thing really got my blood boiling yesterday, I despise censorship and that witch hunt that was done is simply unacceptable.

[brownbob06]

Wow this is completelly ridiculous! If the only issue with posting a review is that the reviewer must say when he received the product free to test, why not just ask him to change his post to include the info. Or the mod could do it for him. Deleting the review (which can take quite a while to write) and then going after the poster on other forums as some kind of crusade show a total lack of respect for members.



People come here to get information. So far I have been here about a week and not only don`t I see many posts (maybe 3-5 per day) but the posts are not that interesting. Maybe the reason for that is people don`t want to get shut down for saying things that might not be acceptable here.



Well, I am heading back to Autogeek. Discussions there are very productive and not a day goes by when there isn`t at least 3 to 4 pages of good stuff to read.



I find this very sad, was really hoping to be able to join an other great forum, but this is just too much.

We could fill the boards with meaningless crap and answer the same questions over and over and over again if we wanted to. But we don`t, this is my favorite forum because pointless crap isn`t rehashed over and over again.



Did you stop to think that maybe you should be taking your advice from people who are too busy detailing to post up 3-4 pages of stuff everyday....

[David Fermani]

Ok so now I am quite confused. So if the post was not deleted on this forum, why warn members here not to post reviews?



I opened a thread regarding this on Autogeek and someone mentionned that in order for the product to be free 4 reviews must be approved by the manufacturer. I do not know if this is true or not, but if it is, how can you call that unbiased reviews when the manufacturer has final say on what is acceptable or not. Sounds to me like they would only accept positive reviews.



This thing really got my blood boiling yesterday, I despise censorship and that witch hunt that was done is simply unacceptable.

Let me make this clearer for you.....



Autopia.org (the original Autopia) has NEVER deleted or edited a single review. Here is the member`s review on our forum: http://www.autopia.org/forum/product...-car-wash.html



AutopiaForums (the copycat forum) is the one that has been deleting/editing people`s review threads. Case in point: Review: 3D Waterless Car Wash - Autopia Forums - Auto Detailing & Car Care Discussion Forum



AutopiaForums is owned AND operated by AutoGeek. Several people have posted reviews on AG and quickly gets deleted which is totally understandable seeing that they only want discussions of products that they sell/profit from. AutopiaForum is allegedly supposed to allow free discussion of all products (but guess not).



NO REVIEWS HAVE EVER NEEDED TO BE APPROVED/AUTHORIZED BY ANYONE. 3D/HD/AUTOPIA/MYSELF. People can post anything they wish in their reviews. I can assure you that it will not be edited, deleted, censored or require any kind of authorization. They info you were give was incorrect. Here is the offer that I and several others placed on various forums: http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-det...-everyone.html

[pwaug]

Ok so now I am quite confused. So if the post was not deleted on this forum, why warn members here not to post reviews?

The reason I started this thread is so those who have taken advantage of the Free Promotion and who were posting their reviews on AUTOPIA FORUMS (not here on autopia.org) would start their review by noting that they recieved thier product as part of the promotion so their review would not be removed.



Perhaps they should also add a statement that they were not required to post a positive review as part of the promotion, but just an unbiased evaluation of the product so that they will not be dubbed a "shill."

[Nth Degree]

I see both sides of the coin.



I think a review of a product by a known and respected detailer who has provided fair reviews in the past would probably be more acceptable, even if it is in exchange for receiving the product for free. The problem stems from a person who has a post count of 4 posting reviews without disclosing the facts. It becomes a little obvious what the reason for their review/post is.



I despise a lack of integrity just as much, if not more than censorship. Todd did not just delete the post out of blue with no warning. He respectfully asked that people simply disclose the facts. I so no problem with that.

[David Fermani]

The problem stems from a person who has a post count of 4 posting reviews without disclosing the facts. It becomes a little obvious what the reason for their review/post is.

Not that obvious to me? They referred to the OP as a "shill". He`s far from that. He hasn`t been paid or forced to do anything. He took the offer to unbiasedly review a product of his choice and that is what he did. Dozens of people have done so already too. Does that make them obvious shills for doing basically what the OP has done? If anyone is an obvious shill it would be XXXXX@AutoGeek for doing nothing but positive reviews of their own products. I have yet to see one of their reviews that actually gave unbiased feedback. The 3D/HD reviews are real reviews, by real people giving their real feedback.

[Nth Degree]

My point is; would they be bothering to post a review of the product if they weren`t obligated or to avoid a charge?



There is a lot of mis-information on the internet. In our industry we know this well. It is up to the reader to discern what is fact and what is not. The problem is the uninformed doesn`t know the difference between someone who has real world experience and someone who has an agenda. All that is being asked is that the agenda be disclosed. If the person gives a product an 8 out of 10 it can probably be trusted. When someone gives a product a 10 out of 10 and they were given the product for free in exchange for a review and they have only ever used Turtle Wax to compare it to the credibility isn`t there. When you get 50 such reviews it begins to reflect on the company more than the individual posting the review.

[TroyScherer]

I think a review of a product by a known and respected detailer who has provided fair reviews in the past would probably be more acceptable, even if it is in exchange for receiving the product for free. The problem stems from a person who has a post count of 4 posting reviews without disclosing the facts. It becomes a little obvious what the reason for their review/post is.



I despise a lack of integrity just as much, if not more than censorship. Todd did not just delete the post out of blue with no warning. He respectfully asked that people simply disclose the facts. I so no problem with that.

Not that obvious to me? They referred to the OP as a "shill". He`s far from that. He hasn`t been paid or forced to do anything. He took the offer to unbiasedly review a product of his choice and that is what he did. Dozens of people have done so already too. Does that make them obvious shills for doing basically what the OP has done? If anyone is an obvious shill it would be XXXXX@AutoGeek for doing nothing but positive reviews of their own products. I have yet to see one of their reviews that actually gave unbiased feedback. The 3D/HD reviews are real reviews, by real people giving their real feedback.

David,



I will add a little more info here about how and why the post was deleted. This persons very first and only post was the review. So some initially called it out as shilling. The same as others have done on other sites. He then posted that is was in fact part of this current deal. At that point I think everything was fine. I read his original review on AutopiaForums, but had not posted to it before it turned for the worse. I simply choose to stay out of it.



In the past there have been quite a few reviews based on this current deal. Todd has asked multiple times to simply not if they were or not. More simply because of the flood of them and nothing more.



I know I have a few 3D/HD reviews that are on AutopiaForums. But they are their because of my continued and upstanding membership. I would like to think my reviews stand on their own, no matter if products were free or not.







As for him being followed to other forums, I have no idea and nothing in that. But it is interesting to me that on a Honda forum this review is his first and only post as well. I am not saying a newbie can`t do a good review, but most people want a little context and interaction before they accept the opinions and views of the poster.







On a side note I have had my HD reviews deleted on AG. So I know the frustration....

[ec90]

I agree with distaste for someone who purely joins a forum or so it appears to post a review. Perception is reality, but the hatred for the reviews which is what it shows now is absolutely ridiculous, to follow someone and bash them on other forums is much worse. AGO has always said they don`t allow reviews on products that they don`t sell (Although AMMO is okay so it seems) but the elitism stemming from these reviews is ridiculous (by those against them), and the coupon codes for certain members, cough cough, PM me for info.



Although the latest post got to me which got me posting here which said PBMG does not support reviews in exchange for products yet they post a giveaway in exchange for reviews the same day specifically stating to enter is that you will a post a review is hypocritical to say the least. No wonder I am fading away even though it is the most popular forum for detailing for the most part.

[Deep Gloss Auto Salon]

Who needs reality TV with the drama on detailing forums...lol

[RaskyR1]

Who needs reality TV with the drama on detailing forums...lol

Facebook has way more drama.

[C. Charles Hahn]

Who needs reality TV with the drama on detailing forums...lol

Next time on "As The Coating Cures..."

[6SuperSport7]

I tried nitro seal as part of the review deal. One of the forums I posted on was MOL as I was not aware it was going to be a problem. A few people got upset. With that said, Mr. Stoops simply asked if it was part of the free/review deal and was perfectly fine with the review being on the forum. Not sure why other forums can not handle this the same way.