Please don't just join and post an advert here!

[Steve]

Hi all,

Just a line to state the obvious.. those who register at ukexpert and then simply post an advert in this area should note:

1) No ukexpert members will see your advert - our systems automatically see to that

2) Your ID will be banned from further access for posting SPAM - that is unwanted advertising posted without permission or at anyones request

3) You are wasting your time, if you are in business the last thing you should be doing with your time is wasting it

4) Please learn not to alienate your potential customers by posting SPAM all over their Web sites

How should this area be used? Well ukexpert members and viewers no doubt spend millions a year on high tech items - and it is fine for members to tell others here what they do for a living and how they might be able to help them.

However, you don't do that by joining and posting an advert.. you do that by joining and taking part in things.. discussions, sharing photos, or whatever interests you.. and then along the way perhaps mentioning what you could offer to others here.

This message was prompted by yet another soul joining then posting a message that simply advertised bluetooth headsets, the one before that was for underfloor heating.. what on earth do they teach these folks that makes them think this sort of marketing makes any sense at all...

Steve

[Touchwood]

I'm afraid this sort of thing is always going to happen, Steve. Part of my chequered career was as a salesman; and I was told repeatedly that quantity was the only real requirement for advertising - the belief being that you can't have too much, regardless of the quality or lack of proper targetting. I'm not saying I agreed with that assessment, I hasten to add.

I guess it's just too easy in this electronic age to reach any and all markets, regardless of their appropriateness, with a few button clicks which are virtually free. We are so inundated nowadays with advertising I believe it will eventually become almost useless, unless at a subliminal level.

[Steve]

Mike,

It is that sort of thinking I guess... place a thousand SPAM adverts and maybe one sucker will be drawn in etc. If we all ensure we never go look or buy anything based on SPAM adverts it will help ensure it dies out in the end.

Sadly those who do it just don't seem very bright to me..

That we all also get oodles of averts via the normal post, that we then have to shred or recycle, also makes no sense really. We perhaps need some laws to ban both ways of working.

Steve

[Touchwood]

Steve,

I share your aversion to unsolicited advertising; however, I'm not sure I agree that we need laws to make it illegal. I believe we live in an overlegislated age anyway, and in this specific case I think it would be difficult to discriminate between the honest tradesman, maybe just starting a new venture, slogging round on foot popping flyers advertising his services through people's doors, and the large scale mail shots we're all fed up of. Advertising is getting a bad name; but in fact anyone who buys goods and services needs to know where to go to get them, so advertising does serve a need - we don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water.

[Steve]

Mike,

It would have to be carefully worded. A simple opt in or opt out option with anyone who already supplies you would be neat, and with them HAVING to give an option to turn it on or off via the Web.

Who wouldn't turn off the water company writing every 6 months offering to charge a fortune on a regular basis incase there is a one in a zillion case of your pipe bursting on your few feet of it...

Likewise all those pay us £68 a year to cover risks on each of your £200 appliances, and don't notice you could buy more than one new one each and every year with less money!

The cons should be stopped...they really should.

Steve