Unfairly Treated - Complaint

[ladygithany]

I originally wasn't going to write this post, as I had thought better of it and even though I wasn't treated with respect and business practise I thought I would take the moral high ground. However, the reason why I changed my mind is that I have just discovered that I have been banned from a popular SL place and decided to warn others in case it happens to them also.

As of a couple of weeks ago, I decided to design my own little parcel which is a retreat for some people to get away. I started up a group and managed to get a small group of people interested. I thought it was best to start up some advertising to bring in a little bit of traffic into the place. This is where the trouble started.

I set up in one place and paid for 4 weeks rent, no problem there. Then discovered that the highly traffic popular SIM were also requested advertisements. FANTASTIC! It's a highly traffic area and it's as soon as you zone in. Great spot to see the ads, so I thought 'Why not?' I looked at the price which was L$700 per week. Very very expensive. However, I thought I would trial it for a week and see what would happen. It came with T&C's which is to be expected and one of the rules to advertise was that if you are advertising a place it has to be in no way similar to the popular SIM. Which is fair. However the property that I own is only a small parcel, it couldn't be compared with the popular SIMI!

Since I had placed the ad within my evening, it wasn't until I was on my way to work the next day that I noticed I had received a couple of emails. One was that someone had clicked on my ad (one of the owners of the popular SIM) and another was that my rental with the popular SIM had expired.

I signed in through my phone and sent a small brief message to the owner that had clicked my banner basically saying something along the lines of... Hey, I noticed that my ad expired. I hadn't received a warning about anything. Can you tell me why this is? I figured there was an error and they weren't aware of it.

As they had been offline I didn't expect a response right away, but in about 15 minutes I received a response saying, and I quote "the photo and name looked exactly like (insert name here)".

I was furious! My little parcel compared within a huge sim like the popular SIM! I should be thrilled that the tiny little parcel of land is any way in comparison to this huge sim. And the photo! My little screenshot done with paint is also being compared to their work of art? Just one word I had.. 'Wow!' During this whole time I had noticed I hadn't even been refunded.

So I responded as pleasantly as I could with how ticked off I was at this time, basically saying that I couldn't believe that my land was being compared with theirs. Especially without a) a warning that it may be taken down or maybe even change the photo (which would be completely stupid considering how little effort I had put into it) and b) not even prompted a refund right away. So I asked for a refund which I received 4 hours later!

So be warned people if you decide to advertise your sim at the popular SIM even with a small parcel and an artwork done through paint, you'll not only have to find the owner to ask for a refund, but you'll be banned from that place also!

[sirhc DeSantis]

Never heard of the place but i will def be placing something so I too can be 'treated with respect and business practise'

Nice ad ..

 

[Marianne Little]

Sigh. Ok, I'll bother to reply to a faceless account created 27 minutes ago.

"No way similar"

Let me guess, you advertised a beach with clothing optional?

And the place you rented an advertise board in, is also a beach with clothing optional?

 

Are you really saying you thought "no way similar" had anything to do with the size of the parcel.

 

And you got a refund.

Nope. Not a case. You were banned because you broke the rules and pretended you didn't break the rules.

 

By the way, the forum guidelines does not allow naming the place.

[ladygithany]

No I didn't. I advertised a place for couples to get away in a small place. Nothing about clothes because it is a mature sim an not an adult sim. Oh and a side note, the reason it was created a few minutes ago is because I don't usually post on the forums, I was this ticked off by it that  I decided to make my first post 

So please don't compare this to the popular SIM just because BOTH have sand and water. It mentions nothing about Dj's or nudity. 

[ImaTest1488314069]

 

You don't own the land.

You don't get to make the rules.

You broke the rules.

You got a refund.

Your place and your ad looks and sounds more similar than not.

Move on.

[Phil Deakins]

You confused the OP's forum date with her SL creation date. Her avatar was created in June - not 27 minutes before your post.

Also, her profile says that this isn't her forst avatar.

[Phil Deakins]

I'm assuming that SDI has a beach, etc., so, to be fair, your pic does give the impression of being very similar. Anyone seeing the pic at the SDI place would very likely assume your place to be pretty much the same, and the ad doesn't suggest otherwise. So, imo, the SDI owner was right to remove the ad, although s/he could have explained it to you when the ad was removed. I see no reason to ban you. That strikes me as being rather heavy-handed and uncalled for. But you got a refund so all is well.

[Amethyst Jetaime]

Parcel size has nothing to do with whether a place is similar.  Their place is a beach, your place is a beach, that's similar whether clothing is optional or not.  Their place also has places for couple like you advertised.  You broke the rules so they removed your ad. You got a refund, which they didn't have to give you.  

You were probably banned because you broke the rules then argued about it, no matter how politely you did it.  The rule was clear and no warning was required before they acted.  The TOS allows a land owner to ban you for any reason or none at all.  

You are breaking the rules of this forum by mentioning a place by name in a complaint.  I suggest you remove the name before you get  banned here.

[SabaothMastema]

Well.....nothing really wtong happened here on the banning parties side. You didnt lose any money really. A ban is really not a big deal unless you have a significant investment of time, money and effort in the place. It sucks you got booted but hey. Could be FAR worse.

[Muletta]

Hi ladygithany

I am sorry, but I think your post here could be understood wrongly, and unfortunately could turn into a backfire ... I would hurry to remove the name of the sim, if I were you.

You got your money back, even very quickly, and I do not think you really can blame the sim owner, that he/she has a different opinion about your ad, than you have yourself.

Besides that, some people now might see your post here, as an attempt to save the next week's L$ for renting space somewhere else for advertising, by putting your picture-ad and your name here in the forum. As a hidden advertisement....

I am sure, it was not your intention, but people could get the wrong impression here... Just if you have not thought about it yourself. :matte-motes-wink:

[Talligurl]

No reason to be banned? of course it is the rules were broken, I've been banned for far less.

[Rhonda Huntress]

You have been banned before?  That's it.  I'm adding you to my ban list.

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Rhonda Huntress wrote:

You have been banned before?  That's it.  I'm adding you to my ban list.

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If I ever get an SL place again, I'm adding you to my ban list for banning someone simply for being banned before. While you're at it, you should ban me, I've been banned a few times myself.

Oh... and ban Snugs. She's never been banned and should learn what it feels like. I've tried, but she kept guessing my password and undoing it.

 

[Rhonda Huntress]

Poor Snugs.  I would never ban her from my land.

Ban her TO my land maybe

Just to keep her safe from your nefarious clutches, you understand. 

[ladygithany]

Lol... Loving the above posts. Thanks everyone for giving me your point of view. It has really opened my eyes.

I had been debating putting this on the forums, and the only reason why I chose to was only because I wanted to warn people so it doesn't happen to them. It's one of my many faults.

We can debate all you like on our difference of opinions, though it is just that.... a different opinion.

Apparently banning someone for  wanting to advertise that they have  a similar looking place is common practice even if it is a place I frequent and donated not only to the SIM but to the hosts and DJs that perform there also. I guess I have lost a SIM but they have lost my donations.

Thank you all or your kind messages and your time for posting a response.

[Phil Deakins]

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Talligurl wrote:

No reason to be banned? of course it is the rules were broken, I've been banned for far less.

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I said that "I see no reason ...". The way I see such things is, first time give a warning or explanation. Then, if it happens again, ban. Imo, (i.e. the way I see it), banning her was over the top.

Examples: People break the forum rules but they get warnings, not bans, unless they do it again, or unless it's really serious. People break SL rules but they get warnings too, not bans, unless it's really serious or repetitive.