FINALLY... I AGREE and WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT

[drfrightner]

As many of you know we have the best vendor directory on the web

see here: http://www.hauntworld.com/haunted_house_suppliers/

Anyway I'm going to revamp this page after the season start trust me on this one. I will make it so vendors can place ads for used equipment, I will make it easier to navigate and I will make it so YOU THE HAUNT OWNERS can share feedback on every single vendor in the industry. I will update and create a page on this site for reporting bad vendors who rip you off, have bad customer service or for vendors who copy other vendors or threaten to rip your legs off.

Is this what you want? If this is what you want I will make it happen... post your ideas now. This will get done.

However I'm saying now that every comment left will need to be verified as a real person no negative comments will be allowed on my site unless its from a real buyer where by the vendor has an opportunity to contact you to fix the problem.

We'll do our part to help current and future haunt owners weed out the crooks. We already know who some of them are now... they will be the first ones to hit the do not buy list.

Larry

[terrormasue]

Larry,

I think we have completed this task already. Almost 2 years ago Keegan and I started a vendor review website dedicated to us the consumer. Please check out the website and let us know your thoughts. http://Hauntcompanyreviews.com Maybe we can work together. It is a site where consumers can make reviews and rate the vendors they have dealt with either good or bad. It’s a wonderful site really. Keegan put many many hours into developing it. Please give a good look when you have time.

Thanks,
Sue

[graystone]

Larry we been needing this for years and how long have I screamed it! I think we also need a section where the vendors can post on dead beat buyers who don't pay either! Lets keep it fair on both sides and make everyone prove their claim! Shane and it's this is way past time! Shane

[FrightProps]

terrormasue :

What I never did understand was this: Upon reading the threads; what I understood was the sole reason you setup the site was to "out" a couple of vendors. Once the site was up and running those two vendors were never listed or even mentioned on your site... ?! It also never gained momentum and has become stale. Why is that? i don't know. Will yet another vendor review site be successful? I personally think not.

[brad]

Larry, Im all for this idea. If you get it up and running, I hope that it doesnt become stale as FrightProps mentioned. I will do my best to get on there and post info on some companies. I have probly 8 companies right now, I can post positive feedback for, and 2 companies for negative feedback.

Im looking forward to seeing this happen.

[drfrightner]

I'm NOT doing a vendor review site... I have the best place on the web already to find haunted house vendors and we send vendors hundreds of visits. I'm going to REDO the page to make it better for vendors to market their business and more specific those who support the magazine while at the same time allow the buyers to review, rate and leave comments about vendors.

I'm going to IMPROVE what we already offer... not create from scratch.

Lastly, there are more than three vendors who have lied and cheated customers there are several. I can think of a few myself.

Larry

[brad]

Gotcha now. And again, all for it.

[RJ Productions]

As long as the site gives equal time to both parties!!

I know the recent thread is bashing a vendor, but to be fair there are
more than a few "customers" out there that have screwed vendors!!!

NAW REALLY?? Yes really!!! And some are really dumb!!
Reverse credit card charges claiming product not received....
then post pictures of it on the web site!!!!! Come on!!!

Maybe we also need a "Bad Haunter" section!!!
Equal time the fair option!

[drfrightner]

The problem with this industry is its so easy to become a vendor... buy a booth at Transworld bring a product and boom you are a vendor.

I'm all for those who risk their money to try and sell us all something, but those who come unprepared, have no clue how to take orders then fill them or worse no intentions at all of doing anything but taking your money. We have to put an end to it while at the same time HELPING the new vendor with information so they do NOT screw up.

Larry

[Mike Goff]

Taking risks is a necessary evil in doing business. It’s what separates the entrepreneur from everyone else. Wise entrepreneurs take calculated risks. They confide in trusted sources for references. They also rely on past experiences to guide them. Is an Angie’s listing for haunters a good idea? Maybe, if I had no other resource to turn to, I might look up a vendor. It seems more likely that I would confide in a friend who has done business with this vendor before. We all have friends in the industry that we confide in, and it makes more sense to take their word than to take the word of a post on a forum.

I think that for the most part, when doing business with a vendor, they have much more to lose than the buyer does. You’ve probably heard the old saying, “One screw up cancels out 10 that a boys” I personally admire what the vendors do, they take crazy risks, deal with people who have a loaded keyboard and a hair trigger, and when they get screwed, who comes to their defense? If they try to publicly shame a buyer, they find themselves in a PR mess that will hurt them more than the jack ass who didn’t pay his bill.

Let’s put this into perspective for a moment, it is probably a good bet to say that dealing with vendors is probably the smallest risk that we, as haunters take. Is there a chance that we could get screwed out of a few thousand dollars when we fork out the money for a prop? Of course there is. What kind of risks are we taking when we open our doors to the general public? How much do we stand to lose if someone trips and breaks a bone? What can it cost us if someone has a seizure and tries to sue us? What is at stake if our building official suddenly decides that he doesn’t want a haunted house in his district? What do we spend on intangible objects like advertising? I’m sure that we all have some stories to tell on this topic. Are we concerned about eliminating risk or are we just venting?

If we make it more difficult to become a vendor, who stands to benefit most? Would that be the buyers, or the established vendors? I have always complained about how the local, state, and federal governments have made it so difficult for a business to start up, and I could never understand why. Then I asked the simple question, who does it benefit? That question clarifies a lot of things.
Finally, I think that the whole conversation scares the hell out of anyone who is considering becoming a vendor. We might be running off some serious talent that can revolutionize the industry. Let’s see, they can work year round developing new ideas that might or might not sell. They take on liability for anything that might hurt someone. They front all of the money to develop these products and if they piss off the wrong person, they are done.

Sign me up!