Vendor Problems...

[drfrightner]

If you have a problem with a vendor take it up with that vendor directly.

Don't solve your problems through posts on this site or any other. Its one thing to let people know about getting totally screwed and another to post over and over and over again about it...

Its HALLOWEEN TIME when HAUNTS MAKE THEIR MONEY... this site is browsed by a great number of people. ALL POSITIVE posts should be made, or people should post about great things going on within our industry.

Shane and gang no negative posts from you guys will be allowed bashing a vendor, another person, or anything else period!

In November talk about whatever you want... but right now its our time to be positive. I'm done with your vendor bashing. The thread you started was posted, its been commented on endlessly, and its still there.

So don't give me that bull about trying to protect someone, if someone wants to read it go read it... now all of that ends.

ONLY POSITIVE POSTS FROM HERE ON OUT!

PERIOD!

Larry

[kpolley]

Just a thought, but what if we made the "Vendor Issues" section only visible to members so that guests couldn't go and see what we were saying there and give a bad impression of our industry but, at the same time, we can talk about whatever in a more secure environment. Just a thought.

[Spookyfinder]

^Agreed! -Tyler

[MMManiac]

Kip I agree 100% with you. I think it shouldn't be viewable by the general public, but I think we do as a haunt community owe it to each other to keep each other informed regarding shaddy busines practice. Not to mention Larry wouldnt then have to censor 90% of the stuff he does and cause tension between him and the rest of us for doing so.

[SpFXChic]

Just a thought, but what if we made the "Vendor Issues" section only visible to members so that guests couldn't go and see what we were saying there and give a bad impression of our industry but, at the same time, we can talk about whatever in a more secure environment. Just a thought.

I absolutely agree with Kip on this.

However, the only way that'll work is if everything about vendors is posted there and not in the Fright Forum or Professional Haunted House Chat like it has been lately. I can understand people wanting to alert buyers about shady vendors (and vice versa), however, there is a specific forum for it.

[Spookyfinder]

I'm new here, but what if you formed a separate vendors section that wasn't necessarily on the forums but had a link (like a banner) from the forums so that it wasn't in Larry's control? Just a thought so that then you could rate all the vendors on everything you wanted and say everything you want without fear of it being deleted. It could be something like a yahoo group and whoever started it could decide who gets to join and only members could view the messages. I'm just starting a new suggestion, trying to be helpful.

[Spookyfinder]

And SpFXChic, we must have been typing at the same time. What specific forum are you referring to, or are you not allowed to say here?

[drfrightner]

I will say again... the original post was posted and is still there. If you want to read about one persons experience with a vendor feel free to do so... it is my understanding that the vendor in question is in full contact with this attraction and all the issues are being resolved. I hope this situation can be resolved in a business to business fashion leaving both parties satisfied.

With that being said now is the time all haunts make their living. Hauntworld is a site that will get over 2 million visits, many from the national media, and Hauntworld is ONE tool this industry has to promote a positive message to the media world.

NO negative attacks on anyone including a vendor will be allowed by anyone, nothing negative will be posted or reported until after November 5th. If you don't understand this you don't care about your industry simple as that.

So waste your time making them but they will all be erased. I'm keeping this site drama free, negative free while our site does what it was PAID to do for the haunt industry, drive business to your events.

Larry

[drfrightner]

Sean,

Yes I can start a forum like you mentioned. But this is the FIRST FORUM on the site, the FIRST ONE, and with people like you know who bringing these negative threads right back to the top time and time again its one of the first things people read.

DO you REALIZE that everyone from Travel Channel to Discovery Channel to Wall Street Journal to USA Today has joined this forum and read these forums before?

Do you really want all this on here right now? You tell me!

As for 'my buddy' comment, I never said he or any other vendor was my buddy, my point is more general and my point is that this isn't the place to solve your problems with a vendor. Try all avenues first. Let me ask point blank Kevin, who started this HVC haunt vendors group what do they stand for or do... can someone from that group step up and make a statement.

Can someone go to them first before starting a thread like this? Is this a function they will take on before a mess like this gets created? I would think that is something they might want to take up if you ask me.

Lastly, I do NOT get kick backs, nor discounts, nor anything else from any vendors that anyone couldn't get anywhere from any haunt on this planet. I care about vendors, because they have elevated the creative side of our industry and helped some otherwise hurting haunts get better faster. This has helped take our industry to new FRIGHTS!

They are all part of our process to being successful. I would simply rather see other avenues explored FIRST before giving a feeding frenzy for Shane and gang. FROM NOW ON I SUGGEST trying to CONTACT this new HVC and see what they say, what they can do for you first. If that doesn't work CONTACT ME PERSONALLY... darkrides@sbcglobal.net

I will do WHATEVER it takes to get your message to a vendor if you would first take these steps before starting another one of these 3 month long nightmares that just take over the message board.

That is all I am saying... so again CONTACT ME DIRECTLY or CONTACT this HVC or something first. That isn't too much to ask.

Lastly, about a PRIVATE board that can't be read unless your a member hmmm... that is a good idea. I can make that happen BUT you have to promise to keep this type of stuff in that area ONLY and leave the FF for positive learning and communicating posts and threads.

Hopefully you understand my point and secondly, I can do what you want.

Larry

[MMManiac]

Larry you are correct by saying we dont want these national tv channels seeing the "drama" side of the haunt community rather the good side. I personaly think, and this is only my opinion that you SHOULD create the private area for haunters to vent on whatever they would like to without the world seeing it. At that point if someone doesnt want to follow the rules and keep the venting in that area then fine erase the thread and no one should complain about it including myself, Shane and anyone else. You can continue to erase posts, threads and what not but they will continue to appear for its not only a select few posting them its many. And also, you know just as much as the rest of us you can start booting people for making the posts but then again without us there is no hauntworld and I dont think any of us want to see a good thing go down the drain over a few bad venders.

BTW I missed a few posts by Shane and a few others. Was it deleted like mine was? Don't care just curious?

[shawnc]

There is a photography site I belong to that was completely free and open to everyone a few years ago. A paid section was later added where members could share things like pricing and marketing.

What some members had discovered was that customers were googling their names and the site was coming up fairly high on the list, so the customers could read the advice they were giving and taking in regards to pricing to the client and by the processing labs.

Now the whole site is paid only so everything is private. That might not be necessary here but everyone has to admit that you don't really want your potential customers or local news media finding out about any problems you have posted on here.

[drfrightner]

Sean,

First off I didn't mean to erase your post, there was nothing wrong with it, I only meant to erase Shanes. I can only say this there is no censorship going on here, the original thread about this subject is still there, you just can't post to it anymore. I think after the same person or couple people have piled on 10 posts each that is enough.

Its sad that some people feel the only threads worth keeping alive, or postng to or worth reading or of the worst nature. At some point enough is enough. My personal opinion on Scareparts this year is GOOD! He had a meltdown last year and he let a lot of people down, but this year GOOD! There are two sides to this story and you will hear the other side, eventually, but the fact is I hope these two people can resolve this once and for all and both come away happy.

I make mistakes, our company sent out wrong videos, products, or whatever all the time, and it costs us we need a chance to fix the problem. Sometimes people get on this site and start in on me same as they do to other vendors ... I don't play that game.

EMAIL ME... I will resolve the problem. There needs to be a new method to resolving these issues rather than everytime the paint starts to peel or someone doesn't ship you something on time you jump on a message board.

This site can help resolve those issues but it should be only as a last resort not a first resort.

This is all I am saying and NOT on this forum during October. If someone doesn't agree with that you don't own a haunted house. I will start a new private forum I will look into it soon!

Larry

[SpFXChic]

And SpFXChic, we must have been typing at the same time. What specific forum are you referring to, or are you not allowed to say here?

Labyrinth,

There is a forum titled "Haunted House Products, Vendors & Industry Issues", which you can find on the main forum listing page. I would guess that this would be where these items should be posted.

[Haunting Copy]

Members and Larry,

It may be that there is a general (unspoken?) principle at work in successful industries, and that is that public relations and operations need to be kept as close to one another as China is to the US.

Larry, you are very much concerned with the PR of our industry, and you are doing one HELL of a job. I mean that with all my heart. I hope that you one day receive the recognition you deserve.

HOWEVER, I think what has to happen now is a this-is-best-for-the-industry split: PR sites in one direction; operations sites in the other.

The operations sites should be protected at all costs from the press. It's none of their business how we bicker, LOL.

Personally, I would *love* a site that is paid, in which I know people can't just google and "listen in." That encumbers speech, just as FearSeeker said. Shawnc also showed us a wonderful example of why a private (and possibly paid) forum would be useful.

For now, let's all work together to get through this season profitably and happily. After that, Larry, will you work on separating the sites?

In haunting love,
Sarah

[Spookyfinder]

Maybe the vendor issues forum should be like an invite only forum, of course, you can post in the fright forum and ask to be let it... but it allows us to keep the press AND non-haunt owners out! It is time consuming though, you have to approve each user yourself. But, I think it would work. -Tyler