May software sales: Move fast

[plugsnpixels]

Take advantage of the month-of-May specials being offered by top developers:

•Topaz’s new AI Bundle update is free for existing users and steeply discounted for new users. **Save an additional 15% off the sale price using the coupon code and link under "Topaz" on the Plugs 'n Pixels Discounts page.

•PhotoWhoa's Memorial Day sale is on (24 hours only)! Get a FLAT 50% OFF hand-picked Top Ten Deals or 20% off overall. See the latest featured products here, click through and use coupon MEMDAY50 (50%) or MEMORIES (20%), depending on the product.

When today's sale ends, you can always get double-discounts off any product using the PLUGSNPIXELS coupon via the URL above.

•Get a FREE 30-day trial of ON1's new Photo RAW 2019.5 or take advantage of the upgrade/new user discounts.

[hogloff]

Take advantage of the month-of-May specials being offered by top developers:

•Topaz’s new AI Bundle update is free for existing users and steeply discounted for new users. **Save an additional 15% off the sale price using the coupon code and link under "Topaz" on the Plugs 'n Pixels Discounts page.

•PhotoWhoa's Memorial Day sale is on (24 hours only)! Get a FLAT 50% OFF hand-picked Top Ten Deals or 20% off overall. See the latest featured products here, click through and use coupon MEMDAY50 (50%) or MEMORIES (20%), depending on the product.

When today's sale ends, you can always get double-discounts off any product using the PLUGSNPIXELS coupon via the URL above.

•Get a FREE 30-day trial of ON1's new Photo RAW 2019.5 or take advantage of the upgrade/new user discounts.

Are we really dropping our B&S standards to advertisements now? Should we be posting all B&H and Adorama sales on the B&S board?

Moderators...lets get things under control here.

[plugsnpixels]

Hi hogloff, the mods actually told me to post my announcements here specifically, and I subscribed to do so.

[hogloff]

Hi hogloff, the mods actually told me to post my announcements here specifically, and I subscribed to do so.

I'm not blaming you. You are a promoter. I'm questioning the moderators about exactly what the For Sale board is all about. Would it be OK for me to post all the sale items from B&H and Adorama. If not...what exactly is different with you posting your announcements.

[plugsnpixels]

No problem. Everybody enjoys a deal, the question is, what is the best way to let people know? Maybe we need a "Hot Deals" section here.

I used to give the heads-up in "Digital Image Processing" but as I mentioned, I was referred here (where it seems only subscribers/contributors to the forum can post, but that's perfectly appropriate).

This "For Sale" section seems better suited for personal camera equipment sales though.

PS: I'm actually a photographer (started in the '70s) that stumbled into friendships with software developers almost 20 years ago ;-)

[Jeremy Roussak]

I'm not blaming you. You are a promoter. I'm questioning the moderators about exactly what the For Sale board is all about. Would it be OK for me to post all the sale items from B&H and Adorama. If not...what exactly is different with you posting your announcements.

The board is for advertising things which are for sale. He is drawing attention to something which some people might find interesting. I regard that as acceptable.

Jeremy

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Plugsnpixels has been a fixture on LuLa for quite a number of years (I haven't checked his profile to check). He has often had good information about possibly useful software for photographers, he is not pushy, and he is respectful of others here. So I feel he deserves his spot on the For Sale thread.

[faberryman]

The board is for advertising things which are for sale. He is drawing attention to something which some people might find interesting. I regard that as acceptable.

It's not like he is doing it as a courtesy to members. He gets a cut. The links are to his page, not the software companies' pages. It is commercial advertising plain and simple.  And he does it a lot. No different than B&H posting their deals of the day here. You ought to charge him for the privilege.

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

It's not like he is doing it as a courtesy to members. He gets a cut.

And a potential buyer gets a discount (sometimes on top of other promotional prices). Seems appropriate to me, for a "for Sale" thread.

Cheers,
Bart

[plugsnpixels]

Thanks Eric and Bart. I have affiliate arrangements with various developers whose software I also use regularly. My coupon codes allow members to save an additional amount over the regular as well as any sale prices, which is a positive benefit.

I have also used my almost 20 years of software industry connections to step in and help LuLa members resolve any software purchase-related issues they may have had.

faberryman, I discussed my posts with a LuLa Administrator earlier this year who referred me to this section of the forums with specific guidelines. I also do pay the forum for access to this section.

[hogloff]

The board is for advertising things which are for sale. He is drawing attention to something which some people might find interesting. I regard that as acceptable.

Jeremy

So is it fair to say we can post threads about sales of various equipment going on? Such as a nice sale on Sony cameras happening now? Or the quarterly Fuji rebates? Or the Nikon rebates that are occurring?

Where does it stop and where does one draw a line.

If this a "For Sale" board or is this an "Advertising" board. Slippery slope once you step on it and if someone gets privilege to advertise on this board, this should be extended to all.

Thoughts?

[Jeremy Roussak]

So is it fair to say we can post threads about sales of various equipment going on? Such as a nice sale on Sony cameras happening now? Or the quarterly Fuji rebates? Or the Nikon rebates that are occurring?

If it would arouse you to do so, feel free. When I consider a mark has been overstepped, I shall take what I consider to be appropriate action.

Slippery slope once you step on it and if someone gets privilege to advertise on this board, this should be extended to all.

There has never been any suggestion that "plugsnpixels" is in any way privileged. He is not.

Jeremy

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Hmmm. I wonder if B&H has ever offered to buy a LuLa membership.   

[hogloff]

If it would arouse you to do so, feel free. When I consider a mark has been overstepped, I shall take what I consider to be appropriate action.

There has never been any suggestion that "plugsnpixels" is in any way privileged. He is not.

Jeremy

Ok, whatever man. If you want to make the For Sale board into an Advertising board...go for it. I find it interesting you allow commercial selling on the board...

[Balafre]

Step Right Up! A Gallon of Snake Oil FREE with each purchase ! Watermelons 2 for $1.

[Balafre]

The board is for advertising things which are for sale. He is drawing attention to something which some people might find interesting. I regard that as acceptable.

Jeremy

There's something fundamentally intellectually dishonest about this. So you clearly support this site being used by commercialised biassed third parties acting as proxies masquerading as 'advisors' to your community? Then intellectual integrity demands you also allow every other firm to do so. (Or better still, none.)
I agree fully with Hogloff and think what you're doing is prostituting your members for some nominal gain beyond our visibility, or beyond your wish to let us know of it.

Allow all, or none.

[Jeremy Roussak]

I agree fully with Hogloff and think what you're doing is prostituting your members for some nominal gain beyond our visibility, or beyond your wish to let us know of it.

Hysterical hyperbole contributes nothing useful to the conversation, any more than does hogloff's silly new thread. But, as I observed earlier, if it arouses you in some way, feel free to continue. When I'm tired of it, I'll let you know.

Jeremy

[Balafre]

Jeremy, let's be professional about this. Derision is not criticism, so referencing 'arousal' is uncalled for.
This highlights a truth either I'm too stupid to see or one you seem determined to ignore. Namely, members selling things privately for their benefit is vastly different from a member whose motive is to post items for his personal remuneration on behalf a non-member that's a commercial organisation, that couldn't normally advertise directly to us because the rules of LuLa specifically prevent it. To me, this subverts the reasons they are normally prevented from doing so yet you as an Administrator are facilitating this subversion.
Advertising is legitimate and transparent - but allowing members to opaquely leverage their access to us on this forum seems disingenuous.
In the best of faith and collegiality, please tell us what criteria you use to determine that 'plugsnpixel's posts are acceptable in the context of the 'Members: For Sale' section. With this clarity, others can follow your guidelines too.

[Jeremy Roussak]

I really have no idea what you're getting so worked up about. If anyone wants to buy the Topaz plugins, they can do it through his site. They win, because the discount is greater than obtainable elsewhere (presumably); he wins, because he gets a commission; and Topaz wins (again, presumably, but otherwise they wouldn't bother with the affiliate programme) by selling more copies of their software.

It is not comparable to commercial advertising. Sometimes purism can overtake reality, and this is one of those times. Use of hyperbole such as "prostituting your members" is silly, unhelpful and leads inevitably to comments about arousal.

I shall continue to exercise my discretion as I see fit. Thus far, my intellect has not been taxed.

Jeremy

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

[...]
I shall continue to exercise my discretion as I see fit. Thus far, my intellect has not been taxed.

Kudos.

Cheers,
Bart