A word to all webmasters about text links.

I'm really angry about this, and I decided to start a separate thread so people can read it and understand.

Late last night I came in this forum and offered sitewide text links on my site www.supernaturalminds.com which is a pr 5 for 5 bucks a month.

A member of this forum named obenix came in and said that my site was a pr 4, when in fact it is a pr 5.

What makes me angry is that a giant debate started, and even though everyone now agrees that my site is in fact a pr 5, now I have gotten NO PMs from anyone interested, when any other time I would have. By obenix coming in and starting a debate, he basically cost me money.

I don't appreciate it at all. From now on, before you post a reply on someone's thread questioning their site stats or integrity, can you please check the stats at more than one source other than the google toolbar?

You make people look bad when you don't. It should be easy to see why I'm upset. I don't want to believe that obenix or anyone else would do this on purpose, but it upsets me because it makes me look incompetent.

 

Totally agree! Negative comments by people who are not interested in the product at all can ruin any business! Happened to me before on loads of forums. That's why I'm not selling anything through forums anymore! It just makes me pissed this is still going on!!

 

I am with you. There are people who are around here to make garbage of other's sales threads !!

 

last few weeks google toolbar shows some werid PR results. surely webmasters should not depending on single source of inforamtion.

 

well if you need a place to check PR or to see if a domain is using any sneaky tactics just go here.

http://www.database-search.com/sys/pre-check-en.php

It has been the best resource for me.

 

Or the member could PM the seller first and explain his findings and get more info before saying anything publicly.

Sorry this happened.

 

Cool Site!
Thanks for that Link!

Mark
Lost Crafts
Book Binding

 

It was never my intention to have caused this. If you read your original offer thread, I was the very first person to post in that thread. I was comtemplating to purchase links from your site.

I was merely clarifying that I saw a PR4 on my toolbar and other members said they saw 5. Cool, I thought. Probably, it was my mistake that I keyed in the wrong URL or some other mistake on my end. Believe me, I checked, double checked and triple checked your site's URL and I still see a PR4 but all those who responded in your thread said it was 5.

The reason I posted a screenshot is to confirm whether the the URL is correct or otherwise. That screenshot was what I saw on my screen.

It was never my intention to ruin your sales or potential sales with DP members.

 

Of course, you are assuming that people would have bought those site-wide text links if it weren't for the controversy.

Bear in (1) mind that many people think site-wide text links have limited value and (2) that you're posting this in a forum that hosts the free Coop Ad Network. Perhaps those factors had something to do with it.

 

I actually don't sympatize as I find it perfectly OK for people to ask questions or for clarification on a sale. If someone is interested in making a purchase and the toolbar conflicts with the posted information, why shouldn't they be able to ask.

There have been plenty of people posting fake or incorrect PR's so I'm not sure why its so bad. In the end the true PR was posted.

I just don't see Obenix purposely trying to ruin a sale, especially when there actually was a discrepency at the time.

Personally, I think it would be horrible if people were disallowed form asking questions in a sale, whether its for $5 or $500. I find it more unnerving when people selling things go on the attack instead of just seeing it as an extension of customer service and answer the questions.

 

I'm with you yfs1.

I think people should ask questions and help validate services. Now, if someone were to post in your thread something like "$5 is way to high for those lousy links, they aren't worth more than $3", then I would agree that is just trolling and of no use.

But, honestly questioning the validity of something if you have good reason to do so I think is perfectly fine.

 

Had he been purposely trying to ruin your sales thread there are much easier ways then saying your a PR4, like saying that he had bought links from you and you took the money and never put up the link, or that maybe you have "faked" your PR. By posting this thread you have now made me question the validity of your site. If you get defensive and shit people will think your up to something, answer the concerns and move on, it's easier that way.

 

I agree. If you can't answer questions about your sale, maybe you shouldn't be selling.

 

I do understand what tesla is saying though. It is annoying sometimes when someone comes in without any interest and starts throwing things at you (especially when they are wrong). but if you get thrown off that easily, you need to work on your sales skills a little bit.

 

Plus if the seller wants a clean thread they can repost, acknowledging the PR toolbar fluctuation (not their fault) and a link to the discussion.

This wouldn't deter me from buying in the least.

What I have seen is some defensive people telling others to "mind their own business" and then in the end it ended up being a scam...I am of course not saying thats the case here but those that do well selling links are those that have no problem asnwering questions and I believe their sales do better because of it. Not to mention the exposure of the thread getting bumped for discussion.

If you want no public questions, eBay is probably your best bet (and you can see what that does for honest sales )

 

But Obenix said he asked because he WAS interested in links Mike, it's not like Obenix went and started throwing libel statements around, he merely said what the toolbar showed, and then went so far as to post a screenshot asking if he got the right URL, I personally don't see anything wrong with his questions, had I been Tesla I would have answered the best I could, maybe posted links to a thread about the PR being wonky and left it at that.

 

Oh ok, I missed that - nah, then I really don't see what the complaint is about. Customers (or potential customers) should be expected to get things wrong from time to time

 

Here is a link to the original thread:

http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=43968

Its hardly an attack and certainly doesn't merit the rant on obenix.

Then notice mysticmedia still wanted to buy some links so basically Teslas theory really doesn't hold water.

If its an actual attack (not a question or concern), use the "Report Post" feature

 

I don't think he (Obenix) was doing anything wrong or intentionally malicous. I too replied in that thread and I will reiterate my point - if you're selling the link solely on your PR value and someone sees something different, that's to be expected.

Worse case scenario, it gives you the opportunity to respond and further validate your selling points and even bumps up your thread for higher visibility - if anything, he did you a favor that you failed to capitalize upon.

Further, I think some of the more senior members here have a tacit social obligation to clarify, even question, some threads; it helps the thread starter more oft than not hone their points, while it also sometimes helps other members from falling prey to bad posts.

It's not WHAT you ask for, but HOW you ask for it. That's easily twisted into: It's not WHAT you say, but HOW you say it. Before you get your feelings hurt, take a step back and evaluate the situation.

Just as colleen pointed out, someone could always PM a member - to wit you could've done the same thing versus airing this publically before sending the member a note for clarification.

Just my .02 ...

 

If people have questions, that means you didn't give them enough info to close the sale, or there need to be reiteration of the facts.

Some general tips

• Give a link to a third party tool that shows PR
• Discole Traffic stats up front
• If you don't want to disclose the URL, at least say what industry it is in.
• Discole any limitations that would limit potential buyer
• Be open, even if the question isn't the best. No one wants to buy from someone who is anything but open.

You are in control of the tone of your sales thread, keep it honest and turn any negative questions into a positive response. No one cares if the question is legitimate or worth while. Once it is asked, all they want is to hear the answer and see how you respond to adversity.

If you are not open and honest, you will not create a safe environment for your potential client to make their decision.