Yuku free message boards

Yeah, it's a strange rule, but as long as it exists, C4S links won't work here either. Store owners that have a 'Pad link can push to a C4S hub or a direct domain if they own one, though, and on the plus side, with all the spammers cleared away only the cream of the crop will be promoting themselves here.

Yeah I responded to the PM. Emailing to the address I used is the best way, though, since it becomes impossible to sort through Yuku pm's easily.


Simple answer is:

We've asked every vendor to provide a link back to this board for years now.

C4S instituted a terms of service policy to not let their store owners post links to other sites, which they enforce to some degree.

= Therefore, we can't allow C4S stores to post their links here anymore.


If you've got a domain that pushes to your C4S store, or use some kind of update hub, awesome, you can link to that without problem if it has a 'Pad link or banner on it. But the general C4S/Store/# links will no longer work for anyone.


The overwhelming majority of vendors have been really cooperative and terrific to deal with since we've had to come down on this, so thanks everyone. If you've dropped me a note to the email address provided and haven't heard back, please try again or bare with me. I think I'm responding to everyone as I get them, but I don't want anyone to be waiting on me because I missed a Yuku PM or an email got spam-blocked.

Best,
M

You aren't wrong.

Here's the thing though: this isn't some pissing match against C4S. If, for example, you have your own domain name that forwards to your C4S store and you put a 'Pad link or banner on it, you're perfectly welcome to link to it here and notify everyone of updates with samples.

Unfortunately though, there is no selective barring of the links for only some posters. And since there are far more Hit-and-Run spammers -- yes, that's what they are, which I'll address in a moment -- than cool vendors participating on the board, in this instance the babies gets tossed with the bathwater.

This is a *Community* first and foremost. That's the primary reason paysite owners come, let's not kid ourselves: you make more money selling snowboards in Colorado than Arizona. And we don't begrudge anyone that.

But they need to actually participate in this community to do so. Folks here aren't fish in a barrel waiting to be speared. And yes, sadly, the majority of vendors posting their links here ONLY do that: post a link and leave. You might not think it's as problematic as it is because the Mods are on top of it, but they still come looking for a quick buck with little else to offer anyone. In that sense, they are absolutely spamming, and are no different than these Chinese sneaker counterfeiters posting their crap here because some BabelFish search makes them think the 'Pad must be perfect marketing.

And for the record, this "retaliation" was in play before C4S started enforcing their policy. We first asked for link/banner reciprocation very kindly years ago and were ignored by more people than cooperated -- especially insulting when you visit them and see they *have* acquiesced to other places.

I mean, think about that. This is the oldest board of it's kind on the web. New members cycle in and out, but almost no one ever leaves permanently -- the retention rate, just in terms of lurkers, is insane. And yet we've never taken a penny in advertising revenue, despite many opportunities to, even as entrepreneurs that hang out here go on to open model/fetish/paysites of their own. Seems like the very least they could do is point back here, especially if they're using samples to mooch our traffic.

I agree with you about competition, and I want the cool people to succeed. Longtime participants like Danumedia and Good Guy Neighbor, who actually venture out to other areas of the board to share opinions, send their models here to hang out, etc, *should* rise to the top over the type of multi-site franchise owners you might have noticed don't have the right to post here anymore.

That kind of leveling of the playing field can only be good for the "Little Guys" with C4S stores in an economy forcing people to be more selective with how they spend their hard-earned money.