I think having it in one place with moderation would be a huge start. The previous one that was let run it's course started with a coherent message explaining the problem. I thought it was handled perfectly here and not so much at other sites it came up on.

I could think of 10 ways to extend the voting concept, but I'd really like it if I could just click something in one of these threads to support the vendors side since sometimes we see some pretty unreasonable and incoherent feedback where it's clearly not the vendors fault.

The whole concept of a vendor feedback section is to provide those that are thinking of working with said company the information they will need in making that decision along with giving a voice to those that feel that they are not being treated fairly and have tried to resolve the issue but haven't had any success in taking care of it with said company. I think it's also an excellent place for vendors to demonstrate the level of customer service that they can/will provide both to the OP and any future customers that are considering working with them.

Whatever issue the OP has needs to be confined to ONLY he/her and the company that they are having issue with. No one else needs to comment. It's for them to work out. The fact that the locked discussion is able to be viewed publicly should be enough info for those that need to make a determination as to what really is the root of the problem and whether they want to work with that company or not. To let others in on the ongoing issue is only going to egg on those that enjoy bashing for bashings sake. Let's keep the crybaby/dumbass quotient to a minimum.

Whatever comments anyone outside of the thread may have can be addressed in PM to the respective party. Again, this will keep the crybaby/dumbass quotient to a minimum and won't clutter up the thread with useless storytelling and thread jacking.

Each party in the discussion will post not only their reasoning for their position in the argument but they will need to back it up with documentation, i.e. emails, invoices, etc. This way ONLY the facts are being presented and emotion and outside influences stay out of it.

I'd also like to suggest that a sticky be created at the top of the section with an outline of suggestions about working with companies from the onset and the documentation that one should keep in case an issue arises along with a procedural check list for resolution one should use prior to posting on sites like this.

JMO

John

Whatever we do, IF we do it, will only be done after a lot of thought. This is only being considered because of all the melt down as of late.

The reason to have a feedback section is purely to protect all of us, the community, from being ripped off. It won't be a place to complain about how a member thinks they could have gotten another .250" of backspacing in a set of wheels or any of that kind of stuff.

We recently booted a vendor for messing with peoples money. For example, one of our members ordered an LS motor in January, and as of Columbus, they still didnt have it, couldnt get a refund, or even a phone call returned. THAT's what we need to have protection from. THAT is the reason we're considering it.

You guys should check out how this site handles and moderates feedback. Read the guidelines and look at some of the threads there to note that it does not get out of hand. It's simple and effective IMO.

Only members with direct experience are allowed to post.

http://www.cherokeesrt8.com/forums/f...splay.php?f=95

and in case anyone is wondering, the motor was in stock on the shelf at the engine builders, and had been throughout the several month period that the customer had paid for it. Problem is, the vendor (who has the customers money) had not ordered it, apparently using the money for something else.

After writing the above post, and reading some of the posts from vendors on both this site and over at PT, I must change my mind about how I feel on this topic.

It seems that no matter how you can administer a feedback forum, it will never be fair to the vendors or the moderators. The bottom line is that we as the readers will NEVER know if the original poster is telling 100% of the truth. We simply weren't involved in every conversation, phone call or email. Every single time one of these "Bad Experience" threads pops up, the vendor and customer have completley different stories. It is virtually imposible for us as a third party reader to determine where the truth lies, and as popular as these forums are, these types of threads can literally ruin someones business. It is not fair that the monitors should have to spend extra time babysitting this type of feedback forum, and it is certainly not fair to any vendor to have to spend thier valuable work time to come on and defend themselves about something which may or may not be true.

I say that if a member has that big of a negative experience with the vendor they should start a thread that says "I have had a bad experience with a vendor from this site, if you want the details please PM me and I will provide them to you" At least this way the original poster can spend their valuable personal time explaining what may or may not have happened.

I am not sure but I think it was Jon from Drivers Inc. that brought up a valuable point, most people who use this forum will use it for negative experiences, and unless we know how many customers, or how many phone calls, or emails the vendor responds to on a daily basis, we have no way true way to gauge this vendors business habits. If they get one complaint a month but they handle 500 customers per month, I would say that is pretty good customer service. If they get one complaint a month and only handle 5 customers, then that's pretty bad.

To me the bottom line is this, it is still up to the customer to do their homework on who they want to purchase their products from, or who they want to build thier car. I to have been guilty of jumping on the "piling on bandwagon" in the past and after going back and reading those threads, I sometimes wish I never posted anything at all.

OR:unibrow: Forget this whole vendor feedback deal and create a 3,6,9 etc. strikes you're out policy with all your sponsors. If you come to the conclusion that the plantiff is in the right and it deserves real attention, strike one. (Pick up the phone if needed) If the sponsor becomes to much work and it's clearly a trend, you're gone.

I just see the vendor feedback forum being a real burden on the moderators.(Jody):lol:

Scott & Jody,

Regardless of how or when you put a feedback section on the site I would like to say thanks for a couple of things.
1 for recognizing there is a real problem with the complaints.

2 for being open minded to finding a solution and asking for input on how to handle the problem in the first place.

3 for caring enough about all of us to give us the option for a formal public forum to try and get issues resolved in a mature way. Including the vendors. I am sure more than one vendor has been burned by a customer, yet do we ever hear about that?

These complaints tend to come from the consumer. But what about the vendors? What about cheap ass thieves? Stop payments/bad checks? CC disputes after parts are received? Real money issues, not just everyone working some angle to get "sponsored" or "include shipping". Those guys are bad enough. The vendors have to make a living. Why beat them up over a few bucks when in the scope of the project it will never matter that you saved a bit here and there. The projects are "toys" on the customer end. But its how the vendors earn a living. Would you like it if you had to take a pay cut at work just because some customer had thier panties in a knot over a few bucks? No. Do you negotiate prices at the checkout counter at the grocery store? No. Home Depot? No.
With your utilities, cable, gas for your car, clothes......
You get the point. Why beat up our vendors who bend over backwards to give us free advice, free design consults, free tech info we can't get elsewhere or as easy?
These guys take really good care of us, right here on this FREE site.
I like a good deal as much as the next guy. But I also know what it's like having to give all those "freebies" out and how it affects the bottom line.
Next time you ask for that deal to include shipping, ask yourself if you are willing to take that amount from your bank account and throw it out the window. Because that is exactly what you're asking our vendors to do with discounts, deals, sponsorship.......
On the note of sponsorship, I get it if the publicity the finished car will get is worth it to the vendor. And if the vendor actually asks to be involved in the first place. Sponsorship has been a huge part of the automotive/motorsports industries. I get it. But a 5 year garage build, never published, local show only, never raced kind of build.....why even ask? Thats just taking food off the plate of that vendors family.
If you are building a 20k, 50k, 250k project, does the tax, shipping or 10% discount you are asking for really make a difference to you?
It does to that vendor that you just put on the spot by asking for discounts. Being offered to you is one thing. Asking for it is just like asking them to hand you cash from thier pocket. How do you react when someone asks you for money? Kind of uncomfortable huh? You might say yes just to get out of the situation, or to be a "nice guy".
Being a nice guy in business does not keep the door open and the lights on.
We are all equal. None of us are special. Let's treat the guys who take care of our project needs a little better huh?

Sorry, rant over.

Thats a good one Todd nice and simple.......

I agree we need a "Yelp" of sorts for the vendors. Im the guilty one of posting about Frank but after numerous contacts for months he still never responded. I made a post and Voila! I have a check in hand next day for my credit.