why do deal threads get deleted constantly

T

time2play

CAGiversary!
Feedback
1 (100%)
my deal thread about the $199 ps3 due to a price error by hhgregg with a link to the pdf of the original paper circular they had online, got deleted. hggregg knew about it but was still honoring it by offering a GC for $100. other stores that knew too would still honor it with a price match with an original paper ad or print out. i PMed the mod shrike4242 and he said it was being 'exploited'. i told him how is it any different from any thread about price errors? he replied i was looking for an argument and that such deals belong on SD.

i think CAG misses out on deals due to such thinking. how can it even be thought of being 'exploited' when stores are aware of it and will still honor it at their discretion and with the legitimate evidence provided?
also, is CAG not a known deal site? and why does one have to think of SD in an unfavorable way for such deals? SD and FW are two of the largest, most visited, and known deal sites, and they get sponsorship and cash back from a lot of large, known companies, so why are they still doing business with these sites, if SD is to be thought of as a site only for 'exploited' deals? i only see GameStop as a sponsor at CAG, and no cash back.

i use CAG to look for deals and info and also post any that i find and know so that all can share. but i don't understand why there is always an ongoing problem with posting deals and info on CAG with mods that seem to think of them otherwise. any deal and info can be 'exploited' in any way by anyone so whatever good deal and info that gets the most attention gets deleted here whenever it seems. FW and SD have threads about the same deal and info and they have tens of thousands of views, so such threads here would be likewise and benefit CAG and its users and visitors, and my thread did. and their processes for communication with mods and deletions are much better and more professional than CAG from my experience.

i sent an email and used the Contact Us form to contact CheapyD explaining the above to ask to have my thread restored.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
[quote name='time2play']i PMed the mod shrike4242 and he said it was being 'exploited'. i told him how is it any different from any thread about price errors? he replied i was looking for an argument and that such deals belong on SD.[/QUOTE]

And openly second-guessing him like this probably isn't going to do you any favors, either.
 
i'm not openly second-guessing him or looking for any favors, i asked him a question (am i not allowed to?) and i already stated i contacted CheapyD as is the process, and i posted all this as feedback, why is why it's here.

and i even replied to shrike4242 that i'm not looking to argue, i only wish to use CAG for deals and post them for users too. and that was the end of our discussion.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
It's because Shrike is an idiot, among other reasons. At some point, CheapyD and some mods(?) made the decision to act as the moral police and decide what's "appropriate" for CAG users. Typically, this results in getting rid of anything unfavorable to retailers and corporations. Of course, Cheapy is well within his rights to do this, as it's his site.

There's not much you can do other than bringing it up in the feedback forum (which sometime works). You can also choose to limit your support of CAG. Ever since this trend started, I began making my click-through purchases on SD or just visiting a retailer's site directly.
 
'At some point, CheapyD and some mods(?) made the decision to act as the moral police and decide what's "appropriate" for CAG users.'

some examples; in the CAG TOU & UA, it states 'The Management does not control the Content posted by others and does not guarantee its accuracy, integrity or quality.' and 'The Site is not directed to children under the age of 18,' and 'The Management is not responsible for material appearing in any area of the Site,'.
so either way one should be responsible for how one uses deals and info posted, not CAG, which is how it legally is in similar terms at other sites. it is CheapyD's site, and so he and mods who represent him, can remove what is illegal or fake or a scam or required to by legal action, which all is the norm at SD and FW and other sites, and maybe he and an admin(s) can review certain threads that are deleted so that they can decide if to restore them.

'Typically, this results in getting rid of anything unfavorable to retailers and corporations.'

which is very different from SD and FW where it's the exact opposite and retailers and corporations partner with them and want the exposure, benefiting all parties involved, including users and visitors.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I don't think that the largest majority of threads get deleted. I can't speak to your thread in question because I never looked at it directly but the ones that have gray area do get deleted and I can't blame them at all. Similar threads in the past got way out of hand with people talking about all kinds of shadiness to get a specific deal or a large amount of trolling that goes on by in those kind of threads.

Some may call the mods taking action as being the moral police, but I see it as covering the sites ass. Erring on the side of caution is a much better policy than just letting everything fly. An example of that is that there is no direct posting of images of ads circulars that have been leaked. Can you get it elsewhere, yeah. Do we necessarily need it here, no. Why bring any legal ramifications down onto CAG when you don't have to.
 
'Some may call the mods taking action as being the moral police, but I see it as covering the sites ass. Erring on the side of caution is a much better policy than just letting everything fly. An example of that is that there is no direct posting of images of ads circulars that have been leaked. Can you get it elsewhere, yeah. Do we necessarily need it here, no. Why bring any legal ramifications down onto CAG when you don't have to.'

CAG would still be protected by their own TOU & UA and also by legal law that other similar sites such as FW have used successfully before in such situations.
http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2003/11/3153.ars
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Even if they are covered, why put yourself in a situation that could easily have been avoided? Just because they would probably not have any direct legal consequences, it still costs time and money to fight in court. If a few mouse clicks is all it takes to save possibly a large amount of money and the general headache that comes with dealing lawyers, why not do it? Again I'm not talking your thread specifically but the general moderation of the site. Just because you can fight and win, doesn't mean you should when it could so easily be avoided.
 
the general moderation of the site i've seen is deletions of whole threads when offending posts could have been edited or removed or warned or the thread locked, or when the deletions were unnecessary or extreme. and CAG is primarily a game deal site but some deals are posted elsewhere first perhaps one reason being the current nature of this site as described, and if they are posted here first, some are deleted or can be, and if so, will still get posted elsewhere.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
cheapyd runs the site how he wants, it is his baby. he also decides who are mods. shrike is a cool guy from what ive seen, usually he has a reason for his actions. just wondering if you view other sites as better why keeping coming here if it annoys you so much? seriously dude its just a website, if you have a better way to run one why not start your own and prove youre right instead of pissing off cheapyd and the mods?
 
[quote name='time2play']the general moderation of the site i've seen is deletions of whole threads when offending posts could have been edited or removed or warned or the thread locked, or when the deletions were unnecessary or extreme. and CAG is primarily a game deal site but some deals are posted elsewhere first perhaps one reason being the current nature of this site as described, and if they are posted here first, some are deleted or can be, and if so, will still get posted elsewhere.[/QUOTE]
I can only go by what I see and I don't see it anywhere near as severe as you say. I have seen whole threads deleted for deals. However it was because the entire direction of the thread went so off course that it was not of any use. When it comes to deals that are in the gray, just because they are or will be posted on other sites doesn't mean they should be here. I can see that we are on different sides of this discussion and that no matter what I say will change anything. Just trying to give another side to this.
 
JP, there is discussion here, which is what feedback should evoke, so thanks for your constructive side.

'I have seen whole threads deleted for deals. However it was because the entire direction of the thread went so off course that it was not of any use.'

but the OP could still be of use, so they could leave just that or make a new thread with just that OP copied.

'When it comes to deals that are in the gray, just because they are or will be posted on other sites doesn't mean they should be here.'

i wasn't specifying gray deals, but any sort of deals, and i was describing the way it currently is, to show it doesn't have to be that way or the only way or only one way or another, etc.


wesdw369, what you said is not what i am talking about or trying to do, apparently posting feedback is to piss people off when thought differently by others, and i've already stated 'i use CAG to look for deals and info and also post any that i find and know so that all can share.'. and i mentioned other similar sites as comparisons for thought.


i think the moderation system needs a review and overhaul by CheapyD and feedback and input from users by private poll and other means during that process.
also, deleting threads to be cautious or to prevent any possibility or discussion of 'exploited' deals, i think is being very precrime and overreactive.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
how long does it normally take now to get contacted back by CheapyD? it's been more than 24 hours since i emailed him and used the form. last time i did it took him less time than that.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If all there was to the deal was a retailer having a price error, and then offering compensation for the customers affected by the error, then I don't see why the topic was closed and shuffled off to wherever closed topics go. It seems kind of stupid to me.
 
CheapyD just emailed me that he will think about it.

another suggestion is that when threads and posts are deleted the OP gets a notification PM about it explaining why and how to appeal it, this can be an automated process.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
First off, posting links to scanned versions of sales circulars is not allowed on CAG. I believe that's due in large part to Speedy1961(think that was his CAG name) who posted an early scan of Circuit City's ad showing a price drop on either the 360 or the PS3.

CAG/Cheapy got sued and since then that's been the policy.

Moreover, when you post deals detailing an exploit of a price error you get the rampant arguing about people 'exploiting it' and 'ruining it for everyone', as I saw happen in your thread about the HHGregg price error on the PS3.

When that happens threads get locked/deleted/edited pretty quickly and most times it degenerates into namecalling matches between the people against using the glitch/exploit and those 'exploiting' it(as happened in that thread).

The mods are just trying to keep peace on the boards and if they have to nuke a thread every so often because people can't be civil and discuss things without resorting to grade school tactics, then so be it.
 
a correction, CAG got subpoenaed, and 'in February 2009, after declaring bankruptcy, Circuit City filed an order of Nonsuit, officially ending the matter' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheap_...ores.2C_Inc._v._John_Doe.2C_A.K.A._Speedy1961).
http://kotaku.com/292574/cheap-ass-gamer-responds-to-circuit-city-subpoena

similary, FW has dealt with this too and succeeded.
http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2003/11/3153.ars


'Though FatWallet initially complied with the take-down notices due to the fear of liability, within two weeks it took the offensive, reposting the prices and arguing that the prices were uncopyrightable facts rather than expression. FatWallet filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against three of the retailers, seeking damages for their knowing assertion of invalid copyright claims and a declaratory judgment that the take-down provisions of the DMCA were unconstitutional. The case, FatWallet, Inc. v. Best Buy Enterprise Services, Inc., was dismissed. The court ruled that FatWallet lacked standing to sue for any harm done to its users for having their postings temporarily removed, and FatWallet did not assert any injury to itself that the court found cognizable.' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FatWallet)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Either way, CAG/Cheapy would rather avoid the litigation if possible, so I don't blame them for their stance on scanned ads and such.

I saw what happened in the thread you're talking about and really when neither side(exploiters/those against) will not give up and it ends up becoming a bitchfest for MULTIPLE pages because both sides feel they're 'right', then it's time to lock it.
 
i witnessed it too and i would have wanted it locked as you say than deleted, or most preferably a mod stepping in and deleting OT posts and posting a warning to get the thread back on topic else it will get locked.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Since you were the one who created it, you should've seen a checkbox under the posting window(if you went into 'go advanced') that allows you to close the thread after you post.

I've done that a few times myself.
 
i've seen that option, can you reopen a thread after you close it? i will keep this in mind next time, thanks. i didn't expect the thread to get deleted, i left and found out when i came back to it. i assumed it was because it went OT and so made a new same thread and when that got deleted, i PMed shrike4242 and then found out actually why.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top