They’re running their annual giveaway right now, and they tell everyone that all they have to do is copy and paste a message onto the right thread and they’ll be automatically entered into this crazy awesome giveaway. What they don’t do is point to the fine print. You have to be a premium member in order for your copy and paste to work. Otherwise you have to snail mail your entry.
I wouldn’t be bothered too much by this too much but for the fact that they deleted both of the threads that I tried to create informing non-premium members of this fine print. This clearly means they are okay with dooping their general non-paying community into excitedly following the sweepstakes to up their online traffic (this time of the year comes with mass e-mail reminders that memberships are on discount).
Yeah, the fine print is there and they should read it. But, even I didn’t notice it until late last night. I just think this is unacceptable behavior especially in the brewing community which has always been trustworthy, supportive, and forthright in all of my experiences. Tsk tsk.
I do use HBT, but won’t ever pay. Forums like that can make money off advertising. Why would I pay? So HBT can double up by charging users and advertisers? No thank you.
This is just really disappointing. The fact that they banned me for “trolling” only further proves that they’re out after the cash more than the craft. I only used their site for maybe 6 threads in the past year… so I guess it showed in the first place. All I can say is that I love coming to this forum where the service and company is premium, and I never have to doubt the motives. Thanks NB!
Of course they’re out of it to get the cash. Does that really surprise anyone? Because it doesn’t surprise me. And just think of all the other threads bashing Northern Brewer for eliminating flat rate shipping and selling all these silly trinkets with ridiculous “specials”. Why? Because they’re in it for the cash too.
I don’t know, there membership is a joke and the only thing you get is a chance to win these things. I don’t see why they should open it up to everyone on the internet who uses their site six times a year (if that for most people) but maybe that’s just me. Sorry if I come off as argumentative but I’ve already thought about this after I tried to sign up for that and came to this conclusion.
The thing is there’s a lot of good insight and discussion at HBT, though I’ve never really understood the pay for play thing, I just lurk there.
At the end of the day it’s not much different than getting the email: “Like us on Facebook to be entered in our drawing.” Why should I have to sign up for FB when I’m already a customer with an account?
I too noticed that I couldn’t enter the sweepstakes. Although I didn’t see the fine print cause I use the iPhone app. I do like the forum for a couple reasons, but I’ll agree, the people here are definitely kinder and not as “snobish”
Of course they’re out of it to get the cash. Does that really surprise anyone? Because it doesn’t surprise me. And just think of all the other threads bashing Northern Brewer for eliminating flat rate shipping and selling all these silly trinkets with ridiculous “specials”. Why? Because they’re in it for the cash too.
I don’t know, there membership is a joke and the only thing you get is a chance to win these things. I don’t see why they should open it up to everyone on the internet who uses their site six times a year (if that for most people) but maybe that’s just me. Sorry if I come off as argumentative but I’ve already thought about this after I tried to sign up for that and came to this conclusion.[/quote]
No need to apologize. I’m not at all opposed to people out to make a buck. You have to supplement the life you want to live and your business, and people have the right to pursue any life they want. I would never expect NB to just make these things available at their expense (which they often do, to their credit, which is exemplary of their passion and involvement in the craft). What really pissed me off is that HBT is very much willing and happy to take advantage of people for their gain. I would have been merely suspicious of this had they not actively censored my posts and then banned me. All this does is demonstrate their level of awareness when it comes to their intentions. NB never once has censored anyone who is posting a reasonable complaint (to my knowledge). Regardless of your use of the website (6 times a year to 6 times a day) there’s an ethical issue here. If you’re willing to manipulate people to gain hits per day for your advertisers, or spam them with requests for donations to the site you so generously make available to the public then you’re just another skeezy commercial scheme.
But, that’s not the biggest point: they are injuring the homebrew community which is something that I’ve been otherwise very, very happy with. Everyone is willing to help. Yes, LHBS are businesses so they will be, at some point, needing to generate some profit. But, they believe in the community and healthy competition. I might be extrapolating this whole ordeal too much, but this atmosphere of this community has become sacred to me. Little pretense and embracing, helpful craftsmen. Kind of a model for the communities of the world.
[quote=“Hoppenheimer”]But, that’s not the biggest point: they are injuring the homebrew community which is something that I’ve been otherwise very, very happy with. [/quote]What am I missing here - how are they injuring the community?
Every contest has rules. If you want to win, follow them.
[quote=“Hoppenheimer”]You have to be a premium member in order for your copy and paste to work. Otherwise you have to snail mail your entry.
I wouldn’t be bothered too much by this too much…[/quote]
But you obviously are
Their house, their rules.
[quote=“Hoppenheimer”]This clearly means they are okay with dooping their general non-paying community into excitedly following the sweepstakes to up their online traffic (this time of the year comes with mass e-mail reminders that memberships are on discount).
Yeah, the fine print is there and they should read it.[/quote]
Yep. Then maybe folks wouldn’t get bent out of shape when they learn they can’t win because they didn’t follow the rules. The homebrewer doth protest too much, methinks
Tsk, tsk indeed. If you don’t like their site, don’t visit it. 'Nuff said.
