A few 1:6 brands BLOCKED me from posting on their Facebook page . . .

See subject.

I checked the Facebook page of four (4) 1:6 brands.

I discovered I've been apparently blocked from posting by three of the four of 1:6 brands.

The three (3) brands I cannot post on their Facebook page?

Big Chief Studios
Star Ace Toys Ltd
Toys-Era

WHY?

I posted very harsh, but factual and honest criticisms of their offerings that failed in design and quality along with pics in the past. I guess they didn't appreciate it.

BCS . . . the last time I posted on their page was when they unveiled pics of their 007 "Solitaire" figure. I posted how dreadful it was and an insult to the actress Jane Seymour.

Star Ace Toys Ltd . . . pretty much everything they produced and released as far as I can remember.

Toys-Era . . . the last time I posted on their page was the issues with the poor packaging of the Magtant 1.0, quality issues with the Magtant 2.0, and nose rub issues with The Steel. I guess they got annoyed.

The only 1:6 brand that I can still apparently post to (if inclined) is . . . you will not believe this . . . Molecule8.  I'm surprised Molecule8 didn't block me . . . yet. I guess I'm still under their radar . . . for now?

No. I'm not upset. Why should I be?

We should all be very direct, factual, and truthfully when any 1:6 brand fails with regards to design and quality. It's our hard earned $. Some may be more diplomatic and that's fine, but in this hobby being diplomatic doesn't always yield a favorable outcome.

WHY?

You already spent $ on a product with design and/or quality problems. You really think most 1:6 brands will "care"? A few do, but they're the exceptions.

#discussion

Any 1/6 brand worth their salt is going to regularly monitor both their own page and the general collector groups as well . Some brands don’t want criticism on their pages, and they rightly control this as part of their marketing. This extends to all products and isn’t unique to 1/6th. Take it as a compliment. They know that your opinion carries weight with collectors, and you have your own brand as a critic. Your opinion can very well impact their bottom line and business model. A thumbs down from DFC is bad news. You can always make a second less recognisable profile.

MarkEl wrote:Any 1/6 brand worth their salt is going to regularly monitor both their own page and the general collector groups as well . Some brands don’t want criticism on their pages, and they rightly control this as part of their marketing.  This extends to all products and isn’t unique to 1/6th.  Take it as a compliment.  They know that your opinion carries weight with collectors, and you have your own brand as a critic.  Your opinion can very well impact their bottom line and business model. A thumbs down from DFC is bad news.   You can always make a second less recognisable profile.  

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I've been told over the years to consider/to create an alternate profile, but then again WHY? That would be contrary to my belief of being "truthful". I do understand the necessity for such, but I'd hate to end up being a hypocrite. I do try and am at times in being less confrontational (i.e. discretion) about things. Sometimes it goes well. Sometimes it doesn't.

I have doubts at times that my views carry "weight" when it comes to 1:6 due to my online reputation. I've received various views over the years by others in the 1:6 hobby (i.e. friends, fellow hobbyists, vendors, etc.). I avoid (try to) the whole "ego" aspect because I see it with some within the 1:6 hobby.

Sorry to hear that these manufacturers have seen fit to censure you DFC.  Its their loss at the end of the day.

I like a quote from an old British actor Bill Maynard who passed away last year sadly.  

He was once asked why he had not achieved a peerage or other official recognition for his work as an actor as others had.  He said:

"If you tell a lie, you make people angry.  If you tell the truth, you make people bloody furious!!"

I think the only language any of the 1/6 manufacturers understand these days is a loss of income.
 
Criticism in any form, but especially if it is expressed aggressively or in a forthright manner (even though it is truthful) will bring this sort of response, they simply won't listen to any reasoning. With todays technology they can simply just switch you off.

If I get a poor product from a manufacturer then as far as possible I simply don't buy their products any more (easier with the smaller manufacturers than the bigger ones). It says more to them than words ever could.

They set those pages up to help promote their products. They are not going to let people like you interfere with their marketing strategies. There is no right to free speech on those sites.

I guess Shazzdan is right, they only like loyalists on their official pages. I get away with knocking stuff on OSR and OSS, but then, a lot of people knock stuff that deserves it on there. BCS come under the most heavy fire, as of course do Molecule8.

Pick your targets and watch where you aim

CHEERS!

I can understand why these companies do block negative comments, it’s just unfortunate their not willing to take that negative criticism (even if removed) and try to improve. But, then why should they... look at the Azkaban Hermione over at the Freaks. How many people saw just what a piece of junk that thing was, bought it anyway, and then practically every one of them went and bought a boot-leg head to replace that POS that looked more like George Washington rather than Emma Watson? As long as people keep buying, there’s no reason for them to improve.

BCS and Star Ace should just go out of business. I hate that BCS has The Who and Bond licenses... Take a look at their latest Rose/Billie Piper figure (sheesh!); granted, I don’t have a problem with the way overall face sculpt as much as some (Billie’s a cute girl, but yeah... she could bite through a chain link fence with those chompers), but the consistently bad paint apps, that horrible hair piece and terrible body.... The only thing we can do is stop giving them our money.

Posting criticism online is no different then going into a corporate meeting and pointing out to the boss that there’s a better way to do something (you get blocked by the one, fired by the other); all everyone seems to want are boot-licking morons.

I don't know what the situation is with Star Ace, but, BCS are in the UK and their factories are in China. I don't think there's anyone from BCS in those factories monitoring QC and it could be likely that all the UK lot do is take orders and leave it to China to do all the rest. HT are in the same country and likely own the factories they use.

CHEERS!

Provided your criticism was both justified and sufficiently politely presented, it seems underhanded that they would ban you. Of course, as others have noted, they set up these pages to promote their products. This is the age-old conflict between free speech and business.

There is no right to free speech on the internet. Any owner of any site can block you for any reason they like. They own the sandpit, we have to play by their rules, even if those rules are arbitrary.

There may be a right to it in general, but no guarantee of it on web sites owned by anyone who sees it as detrimental or controversial.

GubernatorFan wrote:There may be a right to it in general, but no guarantee of it on web sites owned by anyone who sees it as detrimental or controversial.

As far as I know, the United States is one of the few countries that has a right to free speech. We certainly don't have one in Australia. We don't even have a Bill of Rights.

shazzdan wrote:

GubernatorFan wrote:There may be a right to it in general, but no guarantee of it on web sites owned by anyone who sees it as detrimental or controversial.

As far as I know, the United States is one of the few countries that has a right to free speech. We certainly don't have one in Australia. We don't even have a Bill of Rights.

We do... and we don’t. But to explain that is getting into politics, so ...

Stryker2011 wrote:

shazzdan wrote:

GubernatorFan wrote:There may be a right to it in general, but no guarantee of it on web sites owned by anyone who sees it as detrimental or controversial.

As far as I know, the United States is one of the few countries that has a right to free speech. We certainly don't have one in Australia. We don't even have a Bill of Rights.

We do... and we don’t. But to explain that is getting into politics, so ...

Doesn't help when your profile doesn't tell us where you are located.

shazzdan wrote:

Stryker2011 wrote:

shazzdan wrote:

GubernatorFan wrote:There may be a right to it in general, but no guarantee of it on web sites owned by anyone who sees it as detrimental or controversial.

As far as I know, the United States is one of the few countries that has a right to free speech. We certainly don't have one in Australia. We don't even have a Bill of Rights.

We do... and we don’t. But to explain that is getting into politics, so ...

Doesn't help when your profile doesn't tell us where you are located.

Wisconsin USA

Stryker2011 wrote:

shazzdan wrote:

Stryker2011 wrote:

shazzdan wrote:

GubernatorFan wrote:There may be a right to it in general, but no guarantee of it on web sites owned by anyone who sees it as detrimental or controversial.

As far as I know, the United States is one of the few countries that has a right to free speech. We certainly don't have one in Australia. We don't even have a Bill of Rights.

We do... and we don’t. But to explain that is getting into politics, so ...

Doesn't help when your profile doesn't tell us where you are located.

Wisconsin USA

So name another country that has a right to free speech, even an implied one.

Gents, we're are now entering political territory.

Let's please avoid it.

My post never was about "freedom of speech", etc.

Thank you kindly.

On that note, I believe in the freedom of posting a scantily clad pin up.

DeltaForceChung wrote:On that note, I believe in the freedom of posting a scantily clad pin up.

Now you're talking.

I don't think there was substantive disagreement here -- at least not to the effective situation on websites like these (or even like ours, which is owned by Forumotion), but DFC is probably right.

GubernatorFan wrote:I don't think there was substantive disagreement here -- at least not to the effective situation on websites like these (or even like ours, which is owned by Forumotion), but DFC is probably right.

--

I'm just keeping things easy and light.

Yeah. I know. Shocking isn't it?

I appreciate your efforts. You shall earn karmic rewards.

Luckily I'm easily distracted by scantily-clad women. What were we talking about again?

Oooh, I have buttons,

As moderator, I must exercise restraint, though, as a Dyspraxia sufferer, I do sometimes feel inclined to think 'What does this button do!?'. Just stick to DFC's easy and light policy and I will try to keep myself away from the buttons!

CHEERS!

A few 1:6 businesses have tried to block me from airing my opinion, and had me removed from forums for doing so. They seem to spit the dummy out whenever flaws are pointed out and we're not stroking their massive egos, or not holding back on a negative review as it will affect their sales of said item.


NO matter.  The consumers will figure things out for themselves when they part with their hard earned sheets.