Cash for Comment???

[Davros Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Davros]

Just wondering if many, if any Pradopoint members have been approached to promote particular brands of products in return for cash or free goods.

Today, a rep from a fairly large and well known machinery manufacturer and supplier approached me by email wanting positive comment on their products in return for cash or favours. (This is not connected to PP in any way. I was approached through another forum connected with one of my jobs)

The deal was put to me as follows.

I start a thread mentioning "product A" in a positive manner, and get paid $0.25c for each page view. When the chest builds up to $100.00, they either pay out cash via PayPal, or give me "store credit" of $120.00

Personally, I hate that sort of crap, and told the guy to shove it.
It did get my wondering though..... Is this a common practice? Are all views on forums such as PP unbiased?

Might be worthy of discussion.

Steve

[Guest Close Guest]

Matt Moran got caught out recently
http://www.dailylife.com.au/dl-food/...425-1xkxg.html

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I have bought a product that has a thread going on it on this forum, and many many other PP members have bought the same product. I found it to be a total piece of crap and posted saying as much. I recieved an email from the company owner offering the following bribe

What would it take (if anything) for you to remove all of your negative posts about our product?

I haven't removed my posts and in fact have added comments (negative) re his product in my rig build.

I have started a thread on my Ostrich Wing awning, and amongst other reasons I was offered a discount on the purchase price partly because of my profile on PP and the number of people that follow my rig build. I did however mention the discount I recieved, and regardless; If it was no good I would have said so, but its brilliant, so thats what I said.

No doubt some of the posts on this forum are made for reasons that may not be entirely honest. I might even be tempted at 25c for each page hit, that could be a pretty good cash cow:twisted:

Cheers Andrew

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

Brown paper bags are the best means for receiving bribes - cos nobody would ever know what was in the bag!!!

[Greigrob Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Greigrob]

May be a slight difference..........But when I had my service done the dealer said that I would receive an survey via email and if i filled it out and returned it I would get a $50 fuel voucher. I got the email and for a laugh filled it in and emailed it back. Amazingly yesterday in the mail I got a $50 fuel card!!

[kav Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close kav]

i wish those brilliant producers of TOOHEYS NEW would approach me to promote their sensational beer . or maybe the mothers milk of rums the superb , the one the only BUNDY RUM , there is no other . hows that ? any freebies ? any takers ? oh yeah my email is [email protected]. oow

[Emj Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Emj]

I've recently found out that some of my friends are being paid to put products and websites on facebook. It then appears in my newsfeed as advertising and they get paid per hit. Apparently the money is rubbish but one friend put it as being "fun".

I have made many of my decisions on what I am/have put on my Prado by recommendations and photos posted on the forum, and I would be mighty pissed if my decision was made because of some crap that someone was being paid to say. I'm sure most other people are in the same boat as me - we come here for honest and unbiased opinions - so we can get what is good and don't get dazzled by the marketing jargon when something is rubbish.

[Jeff and Cel 120 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jeff and Cel 120]

I have seen similar things on other forums through my work where negative comments about product/service "A" were actually removed by the forum admin so that all that remains is a thread full of glowing recommendations of product/service "A". To me this is just free advertising. I have chosen many of the current and future mods on the Prado based on PP members opinions and would hate to find out down the track that the product is crap and someone is filling their beer fridge by selling it as the greatest.

I would also gladly take brown paper bags from Mr Toyota for saying how absolutely, incredibly great the Prado model in general is.

Jeff

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

Oh Dear!
Does this really happen (shocked face). I would simply cry my way through a box of KLEENEX EUCALYPTUS SCENTED tissues that I bought from WOOLWORTHS the FRESH FOOD PEOPLE for $1:95 if this were true.

I refuse to believe its true and even in my old age when I may need to use TENOR ADULT NAPPIES and VIAGRA(tm) I suspect I would hold true to those beliefs.

Anyway, I don't think Aaron from PRADOPOINT.COM would tolerate this sort of undehanded promotion on his respectable website.

That's my 2 cents worth which I saved at WOOLWORTHS and have wisely invested as a paid member of PRADOPOINT. I'm so happy I cold cry into my KLEENEX until I wet myself but show no sign thanks to my TENOR ADULT NAPPIES.

mlc

[Matty80 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Matty80]

As always MLC - Gold!!!

[Madkore Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Madkore]

I would have to agree with most comments made - I know I have based a number of decisions on what product to buy (or convince myself to buy) because of comments on here, believing that they are in the main or at least intend to be unbiased. Maybe I should treat Pradopoint like a magazine (4wd Action?) and think that those products which get the best reviews are those that sponsor the magazine. What ever did happen to Don from TJM?

[Madkore Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Madkore]

I have bought a product that has a thread going on it on this forum, and many many other PP members have bought the same product. I found it to be a total piece of crap and posted saying as much. I recieved an email from the company owner offering the following bribe

Cheers Andrew

Come on Andrew - we are all friends on here - what product are you talking about? You haven't sold out on us have you?

Funny though, no one has ever offered me $$$... Probably because all my posts are basically talking crap.

[Madkore Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Madkore]

Double post!

[JoshF Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoshF]

It happened to all the radio jocks like Jones et al and now they have to say whether they are paid to plug something rather than extolling its virtues because they believe in it.

I only wish 4WD magazines would also stop calling editorial or review pieces when using an advertisers own words as a proper review...it is an advertorial and nothing more. If labelled as such I am happy

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Come on Andrew - we are all friends on here - what product are you talking about? You haven't sold out on us have you?

Funny though, no one has ever offered me $$$... Probably because all my posts are basically talking crap.

No I haven't sold out, I agree with others that giving an honest opinion on products I have bought and used is essential to the forum being a valuable resource.

You might find a post or 2 in this thread http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...830-DigOptions that I was encouraged to delete, I do wonder how much I might have been able to ask for if I had been willing to delete them.

Cheers Andrew