UPDATE To Our Social Sites Post - Deception & The Truth

We are very disappointed in an administrator of one site who is writing untruths in emails to their members. For a site administrator to do such a thing rather than to deal with a situation straight up, openly and honestly, is very unprofessional.

We have learned that an administrator of one particular site found out about our blog. This administrator removed any and all threads that the sites' members posted to their forums that had our blog link in it. (There is a comment on the below original post about social sites that talks about the thread removals on one site.) The same administrator also sent emails telling those members who originated the threads to stop posting the link to this blog.
Fine, it is their site - no biggy.

But this is where they stepped over the line from administrator to Pinocchio:

Pinocchio also wrote in an email to at least one member who had posted the blog link that - get this, it is funny:

It was insinuated that those that have been hurt on that site by the gangs, goons and other nasties deserved it and it was stated that these victims were the cause of the problems on that site. The administrator basically said that it was the victims fault that they were ganged up on. (These are not the administrators' exact words but it is the basis of what was said.)

Told you it was funny! haha

But what is really funny about what Pinocchio said - is that they sent that comment to someone who had been a victim of that sites' forum abuse on several occasions. We know that they were abused and that the site administration did nothing about it. We can guarantee anyone reading this, the person who received this email did not ask to be bothered when they were attacked nor was there anything in any of their posts that could have even remotely been considered inciting trouble. What brought on the attacks is still a mystery to those of us who have seen the evidence of the abuse. (And no, the evidence had not been tampered with.)

Needless to say, the above member dumped that site after the administrators ridiculous email because of the deception and mishandling of the above noted situation and because they no longer wanted to be associated with a site that they felt to be a detriment to their online business.
Everything we wrote in our blog post, Online Marketplaces, Social Aspects - Help Or Hurt Your Business And Reputation?, is 100% true. We have no reason to make any of it up since we went to the various sites and set up stores in hopes of seriously finding a new home. Once on certain sites, we found some of the communities polluted and tolerated as much as we could before writing the blog post. (We waited about 11.75 months before writing that blog post - plenty of time to see if the communities were always tainted or if it was only once in awhile.)

At least one site must see a picture of their site painted from what was written because they have become quite hostile about our blog. There would be no hostility if their site was not having issues similar to what was written about. We listed absolutely no site names so they are assuming that what is written is about them rather than knowing if it is or not. Since their hostility seems to be due to an assumed familiarity of what was posted, maybe they should be cleaning up their backyard rather than sending emails containing untruths.

Our goals in writing the blog post that caused such a stir were to honestly share our experience with other online sellers looking for an alternative marketplace and the second goal was that we had hoped to wake up some sites as to what was going on so that they might do something constructive to correct the issues rather than to try to cover them up and / or ignore them. The idea was to get the site owners to make their sites enjoyable for all who visit them... not just for them to be enjoyable for a few. We felt the blog post necessary since emails to administrators fell on deaf ears and were simply ignored or made light of.

* The above mentioned email proves that the site that authored the email knows that they have issues with gangs and other types of mean people;

* it also all but proves everything we said in our blog about some social sites not handling the misdeeds of their members

* it further proves that the site does not handle bad forum behavior in an appropriate manner because they blame it on the victims of the abuse;

* it absolutely proves that the site will make up BS to cover their back sides rather than do the right thing for the health of the entire site;

* it somewhat proves that there are site favorites who can do no wrong on their site;

* it proves without a doubt that the administrator who wrote the email doesn't plan to do anything to correct the situation.

Furthermore:

* There really are thugs on some sites and they get great pleasure from hurting people.

* No one ever deserves to be abused no matter what.

* No one who is serious about running an online business goes to a forum looking to be treated like a piece of crap and they most certainly would not pay the site so that they can be treated that way.

* Most of the people who have been victims to the misbehavior have done absolutely nothing wrong but to have the nerve to post something besides meaningless drivel on the forums. (Some members have even been abused for posting drivel.)

* No matter what, the behavior that has hurt so many people should never be allowed on any site but more so on a selling site because it can hurt every business on the site.

* Site administrators should want to improve their site rather than to degrade it or to allow their members to degrade it.

* If a member does post something that is unacceptable, the site administration should handle it - not the gangs, goons and hecklers.

* Most of all, site administrators should be truthful.
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** For those members of the various sites who claim not to approve of our blog post, you object because you do not understand for you have not suffered the vicious attacks of others. You have been accepted into one of the many cliques that thrive on the these sites. Some of you are the same attackers spoken of. This is not about you. This is about how people have been mistreated and hurt and how some sites allow illegal activities that need to be cleaned up. It is about maliciously taking another persons' dignity and respect away from them. It's about things that are so very much bigger than you... we do not seek nor want your approval, thank you very much.