yes - I'm sorry echosonic, the man in the jar is correct. Forum users can't discuss competitors service etc.

But -I can say that iMuso is constantly trying to bring the best prices to its customers

you can't blame them for not wanting us to say that lots of things are cheaper at <forum censored)

to be fair, imuso prices are pretty good.

...and yet no competitor name was mentioned. In fact, the question was posed as to whether iMuso would be considering price matching, so the post was not, in fact, about a competitor's service or whatever, but, in fact, about iMuso's.

A warning here - companies which do not consider where their customers are going, and why, are doomed to failure. Research has shown that the reasons customers go elsewhere are as follows:

1% die

5% move away

15% simply make no further purchases anywhere

10% follow price

69% leave due to apathy and neglect on the part of the sales and customer satisfaction forces.

In that 69% you'll find that price negotiations are particularly important - and, in fact, price matching is an essential part of customer satisfaction. It's even more important when a business is web-based, since the sales experience for a customer is, essentially, impersonal.

Most people, when buying from a Web site, will look at price first - they have to, as, generally, they're "shopping" alone. Sure, they may get pointers from friends saying "such and such a site got me sorted dead quick and dead cheap", but, with the advent of Froogle, pricing will be a lynch-pin of web commerce.

So, to counter an honest enquiry with "You can't discuss that here" seems to be somewhat of an own-goal.

Just a thought.

Bestest

Dave

But -I can say that iMuso is constantly trying to bring the best prices to its customers

That probably answered the question adequately in general terms and more specific enquiries on the telephone are usually dealt with positively following certain checks.

The fact that the competitor wasn't mentioned by name is not really important, enough information was given to identify them. Indeed they were identified in a subsequent post which was then censored.

You must remember that in the eyes of the law we are actually engaged in publishing here. That puts us under the shadow of the libel laws. Hence the strictness concerning named (or heavily implied) individuals or organisations. In fact we'd rather be heavy-handed in this one area than risk getting it wrong.

There is also the other side of the coin. The organisation or individual being criticised may not even know of the existence of the forum so therefore has no chance to reply to what might be spurious allegations. Imagine if a disgruntled former employee of yours went around all the forums slagging off your studio....

I welcome your comment and the chance to explain the reasons behind the censorship. We certainly don't want to turn this forum into an autocratic iMuso fan club, but we do have to enforce certain rules without exception.  

I understand your concern re what you regard as the act of publishing - although it's more likely that you'd be considered a common carrier. (This from an editor of 21 years standing, fully trained in publishing and libel.)

I also agree that the forum should not become a soapbox for slanging matches - if a user has a gripe with another company, then they should seek redress via their mechanisms.

However, simple enquiries re price matching, where other concerns are named, are not in any way likely to be the subject of libel suits. It may not suit a company to have  it announced that such and such a company's widgets are three quid cheaper than theirs. That, I'm afraid, is life - on open forums not attached to e-commerce sites, such matters are routinely discussed, openly, and often.

Obviously, it's up to iMuso to be the final arbit4er of what does and does not continue to see the light of day - but please, please, don't make the mistake that many other sites have and begin censoring posts. Either delete outright and invite the poster to re-submit or let it stand.

Bestest

Dave