Vendor Relations Corner - RULES: READ BEFORE POSTING HERE

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fechter

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Endless Sphere is a public forum driven solely by member content. We value free speech and the open contribution of all our members. However, "Your right to swing your arm ends where another man's body begins". Free speech does not mean you may post content which is defamatory or otherwise is likely to cause harm to another person or organization.

From time to time a member may have difficulty with a vendor or its products. We understand that as a community, there is a desire to seek help in resolving conflict or technical problems, as well as warn other users. While this is permitted, Endless Sphere has a code of conduct that all members are required to abide by as well as rights we reserve.

We require members to consider the following points when posting regarding a vendor, whether positive or negative:

1. Always contact the vendor directly first to attempt to resolve any issues before posting an issue here

2. Clearly state any personal, family, business or other relationships (or ex-relationships) with the vendor, or any competing vendor.

3. State the conditions and circumstances of the procurement - how the product was obtained (new, used, direct or indirect, etc)

4. Include relevant history - did the issue occur out of the box, or did it work for a period of time, did it sit in the box or elsewhere for some tme before being deployed, was the packaging damaged or show any signs of shipping abuse. Did any event/circumstance possibly cause damage to the product which may affect it's continued performance? Tell the whole story the first time, don't leave possibly important information out or leak it out over many postings. Get the complete issue out there in the first place.

5. Understand that when money is involved, emotions may run high on both sides. If you are frustrated or angry, consider drafting a response elsewhere, reviewing it with a friend, and delay posting until you are calm.

6. Understand that mistakes happen, both on the vendor and the customer side. The English language is naturally ambiguous, and many vendors are not native English speakers. If your first attempt to resolve the issue with the vendor is aggressive or public, you are less likely to get the result you desire than if you assume an honest mistake was made and earnestly seek a resolution.

7. You may not post any opinions which may result in a reasonable person to have a lowered opinion of another person or organization. Be aware that in most countries, stating an opinion which would cause a reasonable person to have a lowered opinion of another person or organization can result in civil or criminal charges. Is what you're about to post worth potentially going to jail for?

8. You may state facts, including facts which may result in a reasonable person to have a lowered opinion of another person or organization, provided that these facts can be substantiated. As an example you may not state "This vendor is very slow in shipping products". You may state "I placed the order on the 1st of this month. They did not ship the product until the 30th of this month" only if you can substantiate that claim. Be aware that an omission can be considered misleading - if the vendor contacted you on the 2nd to advise you that they would not ship until the 30th, omitting that fact can be considered misleading.

9. If you are not party to the dispute, consider whether your post inflames or defuses the situation before contributing.

10. It is not permissible to provide either positive or negative reviews of vendors within your signature. All vendor reviews must stay in the vendor area.

Endless Sphere does not monitor the content of all posts, and it is not possible to prevent defamatory materials being posted, nor remove it instantly. However, Endless Sphere commits to removing defamatory materials as quickly as practical, once we are made aware of the content. To report content you believe is defamatory, use the reporting function within the forum software.

Endless Sphere reserves the right to edit, remove, or restrict access to any post, for any reason, without notifying you, or obtaining permission from you.
 
Spot on!
 
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