forum threadAutumn | Staff posted Nov 04, 2025 05:33 PM
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forum threadAutumn | Staff posted Nov 04, 2025 05:33 PM
From Company Ownership to Front Page: Your Top Slickdeals Questions, Answered
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Hey everyone,
You've asked how Slickdeals works: who owns us, how deals are picked, and what makes the Frontpage.
Here are straightforward answers from the team, no spin. If you want more detail, we'll keep updating this page.
Who owns Slickdeals?
Slickdeals has been privately owned since it was founded in 1999 by Van Trac. Since 2012, the company has navigated multiple stages of growth and evolution with the support of investors and owners, including Warburg Pincus and Goldman Sachs. Today, we're still independently operated under private ownership.
Do investors have any say in what merchants you have on your site?
No, none. Our investors have input on overall financial goals such as growth targets, but they don't make any decisions about what merchants or deals appear on Slickdeals. What you see on the site is entirely driven by our internal team and, most importantly, by our community.
Do merchants send you deals to post for them?
We do have a program that lets merchants submit deals for review by our Deal Specialists. It's never pay-to-play. Deal Specialists review every submission and only post offers that meet community standards on price and quality.
Here's how it works: our Deal Specialists review every submission. They'll check if that product (or a similar one) has been posted before and how our members responded. If the data shows members liked it at a certain price but not at another, they'll actually go back to the merchant and ask if they can lower the price. If the merchant can't, we usually pass.
If history shows our members just aren't interested in that product at all, we'll also pass.
Bottom line: we only post something if the team genuinely believes it's a good deal.
If you work with a merchant, does that mean they're guaranteed to go Front Page?
Nope. Front Page is earned, not bought. A deal's popularity (meaning community votes, engagement, and value) determines whether it makes it there, not whether we have a working relationship with the merchant.
What is the difference between a Deal Specialist and a Deal Hunter?
Deal Specialists review deals submitted to us, while Deal Hunters go out and independently find deals across the web.
Why do I see the same merchant often? Can you stop?
We know seeing the same merchant can get old. We feature them when the data shows a strong value for members. If you've had a bad experience, add a comment; your feedback affects what we surface.
We've actually stopped working with certain merchants in the past because of member feedback. Your experiences and opinions directly shape who we feature, so if you're tired of seeing a certain name, let us know why. We do pay attention.
Do you ever bump down a deal because a merchant isn't working with you?
Absolutely not.
Do mods remove posts that criticize merchants you work with?
We actually welcome and encourage honest feedback, even when it's negative. That's part of what makes Slickdeals different: members can speak freely about their experiences.
What we do remove are personal attacks and shills.
Why work with merchants at all?
Just like any other business, we've got bills to pay. We have about 250 employees, servers, infrastructure, and everything else that keeps Slickdeals running.
Some sites throw pop-ups and autoplay ads at you, or put deals behind paywalls. We've always wanted Slickdeals to stay free, open, and user-driven, so working with merchants in specific, limited ways helps make that possible without ruining your browsing experience.
Do staff have secret accounts to influence votes/comments?
Absolutely not. That's a strict no-go.
Our staff are Slickdeals users too and do organically engage with the community. For example, I like and comment on deals with my staff account but it's on items i've actually purchased or know that it's a good value. Whatever we do is labeled Staff, so it's all in the open.
Some staff accounts are used only for testing. For example, a staff account may be used to make sure things display correctly on the site, but those accounts are not used to post, vote, or engage in discussions. Most testing happens in a closed environment anyway, not on the live site.
Ok, what about bots then?
We have Slickdeals Scout. It scans retailers for price drops and posts them. It doesn't vote, comment, or influence rankings.
Why was my political post removed?
We get this one a lot. Our moderators aren't biased toward any political side, they're just enforcing the same rule across the board: Slickdeals isn't a political platform.
We remove political posts because they almost always turn into arguments and derail deal discussions. Speaking from experience (many of us were community members before being staff), it's tough to delete posts you might personally agree with, but it's part of keeping the space on-topic and welcoming.
Why so many Amazon deals?
Yes, you're right, a lot of Amazon deals are posted on our site by both community members and staff. Given the sheer volume of products and promotions Amazon runs, plus how popular they are with our community, it's no surprise those deals make up a big share of our content.
That said, we're always open to more variety. If you're shopping and come across an amazing deal from a merchant or store and you want to share it with our members, please post it!! And if there are merchants or types of products you'd like to see more often, let us know.
You can email us at [email protected] (yes, we know, old school ) or post in the Help Me Find a Deal forum if you're looking for something specific.
Do you allow self-promotion?
We draw a hard line between sharing an organically found deal and marketing on behalf of a company. If something feels like an ad instead of a contribution, it's removed. If we find proof that the merchant is posting for themselves, it's removed. If we find out a merchant is voting for themselves or using various accounts to vote for themselves, that account is typically banned and if this has been an ongoing issue with a particular merchant, if they continue despite warnings to stop, they may be banned from being posted on our site.
Thanks
Thanks for sticking with us through all that. And honestly, for caring enough to ask these questions in the first place. Slickdeals has always been about the people who make the community what it is: you all. The feedback, the deal-hunting, the call-outs when we miss something are what keep this place sharp and worth visiting.
We're not perfect, but we're listening. The more open we can be about how things work behind the scenes, the better this community gets for everyone.
If there's something we didn't cover here (or something you think we should talk about next time), don't be shy. Drop it in the forums or email [email protected]. We'll keep the conversation going.
You've asked how Slickdeals works: who owns us, how deals are picked, and what makes the Frontpage.
Here are straightforward answers from the team, no spin. If you want more detail, we'll keep updating this page.
Who owns Slickdeals?
Slickdeals has been privately owned since it was founded in 1999 by Van Trac. Since 2012, the company has navigated multiple stages of growth and evolution with the support of investors and owners, including Warburg Pincus and Goldman Sachs. Today, we're still independently operated under private ownership.
Do investors have any say in what merchants you have on your site?
No, none. Our investors have input on overall financial goals such as growth targets, but they don't make any decisions about what merchants or deals appear on Slickdeals. What you see on the site is entirely driven by our internal team and, most importantly, by our community.
Do merchants send you deals to post for them?
We do have a program that lets merchants submit deals for review by our Deal Specialists. It's never pay-to-play. Deal Specialists review every submission and only post offers that meet community standards on price and quality.
Here's how it works: our Deal Specialists review every submission. They'll check if that product (or a similar one) has been posted before and how our members responded. If the data shows members liked it at a certain price but not at another, they'll actually go back to the merchant and ask if they can lower the price. If the merchant can't, we usually pass.
If history shows our members just aren't interested in that product at all, we'll also pass.
Bottom line: we only post something if the team genuinely believes it's a good deal.
If you work with a merchant, does that mean they're guaranteed to go Front Page?
Nope. Front Page is earned, not bought. A deal's popularity (meaning community votes, engagement, and value) determines whether it makes it there, not whether we have a working relationship with the merchant.
What is the difference between a Deal Specialist and a Deal Hunter?
Deal Specialists review deals submitted to us, while Deal Hunters go out and independently find deals across the web.
Why do I see the same merchant often? Can you stop?
We know seeing the same merchant can get old. We feature them when the data shows a strong value for members. If you've had a bad experience, add a comment; your feedback affects what we surface.
We've actually stopped working with certain merchants in the past because of member feedback. Your experiences and opinions directly shape who we feature, so if you're tired of seeing a certain name, let us know why. We do pay attention.
Do you ever bump down a deal because a merchant isn't working with you?
Absolutely not.
Do mods remove posts that criticize merchants you work with?
We actually welcome and encourage honest feedback, even when it's negative. That's part of what makes Slickdeals different: members can speak freely about their experiences.
What we do remove are personal attacks and shills.
- ✅ "This merchant never ships on time." — Fair feedback
- ❌ "OP is an idiot" — Harassment, removed
Why work with merchants at all?
Just like any other business, we've got bills to pay. We have about 250 employees, servers, infrastructure, and everything else that keeps Slickdeals running.
Some sites throw pop-ups and autoplay ads at you, or put deals behind paywalls. We've always wanted Slickdeals to stay free, open, and user-driven, so working with merchants in specific, limited ways helps make that possible without ruining your browsing experience.
Do staff have secret accounts to influence votes/comments?
Absolutely not. That's a strict no-go.
Our staff are Slickdeals users too and do organically engage with the community. For example, I like and comment on deals with my staff account but it's on items i've actually purchased or know that it's a good value. Whatever we do is labeled Staff, so it's all in the open.
Some staff accounts are used only for testing. For example, a staff account may be used to make sure things display correctly on the site, but those accounts are not used to post, vote, or engage in discussions. Most testing happens in a closed environment anyway, not on the live site.
Ok, what about bots then?
We have Slickdeals Scout. It scans retailers for price drops and posts them. It doesn't vote, comment, or influence rankings.
Why was my political post removed?
We get this one a lot. Our moderators aren't biased toward any political side, they're just enforcing the same rule across the board: Slickdeals isn't a political platform.
We remove political posts because they almost always turn into arguments and derail deal discussions. Speaking from experience (many of us were community members before being staff), it's tough to delete posts you might personally agree with, but it's part of keeping the space on-topic and welcoming.
Why so many Amazon deals?
Yes, you're right, a lot of Amazon deals are posted on our site by both community members and staff. Given the sheer volume of products and promotions Amazon runs, plus how popular they are with our community, it's no surprise those deals make up a big share of our content.
That said, we're always open to more variety. If you're shopping and come across an amazing deal from a merchant or store and you want to share it with our members, please post it!! And if there are merchants or types of products you'd like to see more often, let us know.
You can email us at [email protected] (yes, we know, old school ) or post in the Help Me Find a Deal forum if you're looking for something specific.
Do you allow self-promotion?
We draw a hard line between sharing an organically found deal and marketing on behalf of a company. If something feels like an ad instead of a contribution, it's removed. If we find proof that the merchant is posting for themselves, it's removed. If we find out a merchant is voting for themselves or using various accounts to vote for themselves, that account is typically banned and if this has been an ongoing issue with a particular merchant, if they continue despite warnings to stop, they may be banned from being posted on our site.
Thanks
Thanks for sticking with us through all that. And honestly, for caring enough to ask these questions in the first place. Slickdeals has always been about the people who make the community what it is: you all. The feedback, the deal-hunting, the call-outs when we miss something are what keep this place sharp and worth visiting.
We're not perfect, but we're listening. The more open we can be about how things work behind the scenes, the better this community gets for everyone.
If there's something we didn't cover here (or something you think we should talk about next time), don't be shy. Drop it in the forums or email [email protected]. We'll keep the conversation going.
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Hey everyone,
You've asked how Slickdeals works: who owns us, how deals are picked, and what makes the Frontpage.
Here are straightforward answers from the team, no spin. If you want more detail, we'll keep updating this page.
Who owns Slickdeals?
Slickdeals has been privately owned since it was founded in 1999 by Van Trac. Since 2012, the company has navigated multiple stages of growth and evolution with the support of investors and owners, including Warburg Pincus and Goldman Sachs. Today, we're still independently operated under private ownership.
Do investors have any say in what merchants you have on your site?
No, none. Our investors have input on overall financial goals such as growth targets, but they don't make any decisions about what merchants or deals appear on Slickdeals. What you see on the site is entirely driven by our internal team and, most importantly, by our community.
Do merchants send you deals to post for them?
We do have a program that lets merchants submit deals for review by our Deal Specialists. It's never pay-to-play. Deal Specialists review every submission and only post offers that meet community standards on price and quality.
Here's how it works: our Deal Specialists review every submission. They'll check if that product (or a similar one) has been posted before and how our members responded. If the data shows members liked it at a certain price but not at another, they'll actually go back to the merchant and ask if they can lower the price. If the merchant can't, we usually pass.
If history shows our members just aren't interested in that product at all, we'll also pass.
Bottom line: we only post something if the team genuinely believes it's a good deal.
If you work with a merchant, does that mean they're guaranteed to go Front Page?
Nope. Front Page is earned, not bought. A deal's popularity (meaning community votes, engagement, and value) determines whether it makes it there, not whether we have a working relationship with the merchant.
What is the difference between a Deal Specialist and a Deal Hunter?
Deal Specialists review deals submitted to us, while Deal Hunters go out and independently find deals across the web.
Why do I see the same merchant often? Can you stop?
We know seeing the same merchant can get old. We feature them when the data shows a strong value for members. If you've had a bad experience, add a comment; your feedback affects what we surface.
We've actually stopped working with certain merchants in the past because of member feedback. Your experiences and opinions directly shape who we feature, so if you're tired of seeing a certain name, let us know why. We do pay attention.
Do you ever bump down a deal because a merchant isn't working with you?
Absolutely not.
Do mods remove posts that criticize merchants you work with?
We actually welcome and encourage honest feedback, even when it's negative. That's part of what makes Slickdeals different: members can speak freely about their experiences.
What we do remove are personal attacks and shills.
Why work with merchants at all?
Just like any other business, we've got bills to pay. We have about 250 employees, servers, infrastructure, and everything else that keeps Slickdeals running.
Some sites throw pop-ups and autoplay ads at you, or put deals behind paywalls. We've always wanted Slickdeals to stay free, open, and user-driven, so working with merchants in specific, limited ways helps make that possible without ruining your browsing experience.
Do staff have secret accounts to influence votes/comments?
Absolutely not. That's a strict no-go.
Our staff are Slickdeals users too and do organically engage with the community. For example, I like and comment on deals with my staff account but it's on items i've actually purchased or know that it's a good value. Whatever we do is labeled Staff, so it's all in the open.
Some staff accounts are used only for testing. For example, a staff account may be used to make sure things display correctly on the site, but those accounts are not used to post, vote, or engage in discussions. Most testing happens in a closed environment anyway, not on the live site.
Ok, what about bots then?
We have Slickdeals Scout. It scans retailers for price drops and posts them. It doesn't vote, comment, or influence rankings.
Why was my political post removed?
We get this one a lot. Our moderators aren't biased toward any political side, they're just enforcing the same rule across the board: Slickdeals isn't a political platform.
We remove political posts because they almost always turn into arguments and derail deal discussions. Speaking from experience (many of us were community members before being staff), it's tough to delete posts you might personally agree with, but it's part of keeping the space on-topic and welcoming.
Why so many Amazon deals?
Yes, you're right, a lot of Amazon deals are posted on our site by both community members and staff. Given the sheer volume of products and promotions Amazon runs, plus how popular they are with our community, it's no surprise those deals make up a big share of our content.
That said, we're always open to more variety. If you're shopping and come across an amazing deal from a merchant or store and you want to share it with our members, please post it!! And if there are merchants or types of products you'd like to see more often, let us know.
You can email us at [email protected] (yes, we know, old school ) or post in the Help Me Find a Deal forum if you're looking for something specific.
Do you allow self-promotion?
We draw a hard line between sharing an organically found deal and marketing on behalf of a company. If something feels like an ad instead of a contribution, it's removed. If we find proof that the merchant is posting for themselves, it's removed. If we find out a merchant is voting for themselves or using various accounts to vote for themselves, that account is typically banned and if this has been an ongoing issue with a particular merchant, if they continue despite warnings to stop, they may be banned from being posted on our site.
Thanks
Thanks for sticking with us through all that. And honestly, for caring enough to ask these questions in the first place. Slickdeals has always been about the people who make the community what it is: you all. The feedback, the deal-hunting, the call-outs when we miss something are what keep this place sharp and worth visiting.
We're not perfect, but we're listening. The more open we can be about how things work behind the scenes, the better this community gets for everyone.
If there's something we didn't cover here (or something you think we should talk about next time), don't be shy. Drop it in the forums or email [email protected]. We'll keep the conversation going.
You've asked how Slickdeals works: who owns us, how deals are picked, and what makes the Frontpage.
Here are straightforward answers from the team, no spin. If you want more detail, we'll keep updating this page.
Who owns Slickdeals?
Slickdeals has been privately owned since it was founded in 1999 by Van Trac. Since 2012, the company has navigated multiple stages of growth and evolution with the support of investors and owners, including Warburg Pincus and Goldman Sachs. Today, we're still independently operated under private ownership.
Do investors have any say in what merchants you have on your site?
No, none. Our investors have input on overall financial goals such as growth targets, but they don't make any decisions about what merchants or deals appear on Slickdeals. What you see on the site is entirely driven by our internal team and, most importantly, by our community.
Do merchants send you deals to post for them?
We do have a program that lets merchants submit deals for review by our Deal Specialists. It's never pay-to-play. Deal Specialists review every submission and only post offers that meet community standards on price and quality.
Here's how it works: our Deal Specialists review every submission. They'll check if that product (or a similar one) has been posted before and how our members responded. If the data shows members liked it at a certain price but not at another, they'll actually go back to the merchant and ask if they can lower the price. If the merchant can't, we usually pass.
If history shows our members just aren't interested in that product at all, we'll also pass.
Bottom line: we only post something if the team genuinely believes it's a good deal.
If you work with a merchant, does that mean they're guaranteed to go Front Page?
Nope. Front Page is earned, not bought. A deal's popularity (meaning community votes, engagement, and value) determines whether it makes it there, not whether we have a working relationship with the merchant.
What is the difference between a Deal Specialist and a Deal Hunter?
Deal Specialists review deals submitted to us, while Deal Hunters go out and independently find deals across the web.
Why do I see the same merchant often? Can you stop?
We know seeing the same merchant can get old. We feature them when the data shows a strong value for members. If you've had a bad experience, add a comment; your feedback affects what we surface.
We've actually stopped working with certain merchants in the past because of member feedback. Your experiences and opinions directly shape who we feature, so if you're tired of seeing a certain name, let us know why. We do pay attention.
Do you ever bump down a deal because a merchant isn't working with you?
Absolutely not.
Do mods remove posts that criticize merchants you work with?
We actually welcome and encourage honest feedback, even when it's negative. That's part of what makes Slickdeals different: members can speak freely about their experiences.
What we do remove are personal attacks and shills.
- ✅ "This merchant never ships on time." — Fair feedback
- ❌ "OP is an idiot" — Harassment, removed
Why work with merchants at all?
Just like any other business, we've got bills to pay. We have about 250 employees, servers, infrastructure, and everything else that keeps Slickdeals running.
Some sites throw pop-ups and autoplay ads at you, or put deals behind paywalls. We've always wanted Slickdeals to stay free, open, and user-driven, so working with merchants in specific, limited ways helps make that possible without ruining your browsing experience.
Do staff have secret accounts to influence votes/comments?
Absolutely not. That's a strict no-go.
Our staff are Slickdeals users too and do organically engage with the community. For example, I like and comment on deals with my staff account but it's on items i've actually purchased or know that it's a good value. Whatever we do is labeled Staff, so it's all in the open.
Some staff accounts are used only for testing. For example, a staff account may be used to make sure things display correctly on the site, but those accounts are not used to post, vote, or engage in discussions. Most testing happens in a closed environment anyway, not on the live site.
Ok, what about bots then?
We have Slickdeals Scout. It scans retailers for price drops and posts them. It doesn't vote, comment, or influence rankings.
Why was my political post removed?
We get this one a lot. Our moderators aren't biased toward any political side, they're just enforcing the same rule across the board: Slickdeals isn't a political platform.
We remove political posts because they almost always turn into arguments and derail deal discussions. Speaking from experience (many of us were community members before being staff), it's tough to delete posts you might personally agree with, but it's part of keeping the space on-topic and welcoming.
Why so many Amazon deals?
Yes, you're right, a lot of Amazon deals are posted on our site by both community members and staff. Given the sheer volume of products and promotions Amazon runs, plus how popular they are with our community, it's no surprise those deals make up a big share of our content.
That said, we're always open to more variety. If you're shopping and come across an amazing deal from a merchant or store and you want to share it with our members, please post it!! And if there are merchants or types of products you'd like to see more often, let us know.
You can email us at [email protected] (yes, we know, old school ) or post in the Help Me Find a Deal forum if you're looking for something specific.
Do you allow self-promotion?
We draw a hard line between sharing an organically found deal and marketing on behalf of a company. If something feels like an ad instead of a contribution, it's removed. If we find proof that the merchant is posting for themselves, it's removed. If we find out a merchant is voting for themselves or using various accounts to vote for themselves, that account is typically banned and if this has been an ongoing issue with a particular merchant, if they continue despite warnings to stop, they may be banned from being posted on our site.
Thanks
Thanks for sticking with us through all that. And honestly, for caring enough to ask these questions in the first place. Slickdeals has always been about the people who make the community what it is: you all. The feedback, the deal-hunting, the call-outs when we miss something are what keep this place sharp and worth visiting.
We're not perfect, but we're listening. The more open we can be about how things work behind the scenes, the better this community gets for everyone.
If there's something we didn't cover here (or something you think we should talk about next time), don't be shy. Drop it in the forums or email [email protected]. We'll keep the conversation going.
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$75Straight Talk: Two 128GB Moto G Stylus 5G Smartphones (2025) w/ 1-Mo Silver Unlimited Plan $75 (New/Added Lines) + Free S/H
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$2.52$5.9657% offScotch Heavy Duty Shipping Packaging Clear Tape, 1.5" Core, 1.88" x 22.2 Yard, Red Dispenser (142) Free Shipping w/ Prime or on orders $35+| $2.52
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$240$45947% offYMMV: Crucial Pro 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5-6400 PC5-51200 CL32 Dual Channel Desktop Memory Kit CP2K16G64C32U5B - Black $239.99
14
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$75$19060% offTracfone Samsung A15 5G Locked Prepaid Smartphone, 64GB, Black + $20 Unlimited Talk, Text, & 4GB Data 30-Day Plan $59.99 $74.99
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$170$40057% off$170* | 10" Greenworks Pro 80V Cultivator / Tiller + 2Ah Battery & Charger (Black/Green) at Amazon
2
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$18$2630% off12-Cans 12-Oz OLIPOP Prebiotic Soda Pop (SpongeBob Pineapple Paradise) $17.77 w/ S&S + Free Shipping w/ Prime or on $35+
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Leave a Comment
142 Comments
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I promise I'm not ignoring you. It's been quite a long day and is almost 8 here so I'm going to go see about making dinner but I'll be back in here tomorrow morning to answer your question and any other questions anyone else may have.
Our community has rated this post as helpful. If you agree, why not thank flipmaster
We now return you to your regularly scheduled "front page", single-upvote aliexpress/eyedictive/woot deals.
Slickdeals Seeks 'Up-Funnel' Action
https://labusinessjourn
PE killed slickdeals.
Hey there! We don't get any kind of "kickbacks" or extra payouts from ad blockers or when people click through deals. What you're probably seeing is the ad blocker interfering with how some links load or track, it can block certain redirect services or affiliate tags that are part of how deals are tracked and verified.
Those links don't change the price or how the deal works for you. They just help make sure sales from deals our community finds can be properly attributed (which is part of how we keep the site running without charging users or throwing paywalls up).
If you'd ever like to test it out, you can temporarily disable your ad blocker on a deal and compare, everything should lead to the same place and same price.
Totally fair take. It's frustrating when stuff hits the Front Page that doesn't feel "deal-worthy." I promise though, the FP isn't paid for. It's still based on community votes and engagement, plus a few checks to make sure the deal's real and not shady.
That said, feedback like this matters.we're always trying to find that sweet spot between surfacing what's trending and keeping the quality high. And part of the point in this thread is to be more open with how our site works. We recognize we have made mistakes and have done things are members don't like. I100% get that. That's what we're here, trying to do. Admit we've lost our way occasionally and we're working our way back up to a site that everyone can enjoy and trust. Basically an overhaul, like you said. Appreciate you speaking up about it.
I do have one problem that bugs me, and this seems like the right room to bring it up to the Staff.
HERE GOES: I like the thumbs up and down on the deal itself, no problem with that.
I have no problems with people posting stuff pro and con, because I can see their NAME TAG.
Now my problem is having people give Thumps-down on individual post , ONLY if after that up or down vote, you list their name tag. People who post stuff have their name tag shown. Can you show both the thumbs up and thumbs down on individual posts so we can see the "problem" people that bomb some of these threads, there NAME-TAG is hidden.
If someone has problem with what someone says, make your viewpoint known with post. Thanks for understanding.
Some threads I have been on had no thumbs up , and a wall of 1 thumbs down on many posts in the thread, and have no idea "why or who" is doing that (no name-tag).
So far, we've kept individual post votes anonymous because we want members to feel comfortable voting honestly without worrying about backlash or judgment or retaliation (though that does unfortunately open the door for some abuse too).
It's something we're still trying to figure out and talking through, but we just haven't found a perfect balance yet between transparency and keeping things drama-free. And we've been looking for years, lol. I really appreciate you bringing it up though. It's good feedback and what I was kinda hoping this thread would bring out. If you or anyone else has any suggestions regarding this, please let me/us know.
https://labusinessjourn
PE killed slickdeals.
As opposed to down-funnel which means we would meet up with you all at the end of your shopping with a rebate or cash back (yeah I know). I think this is mostly how it has been.
Ok it's still early so bare with me here, lol.
I did kind of respond to this issue in another reply.
The ad blocker stuff, yes that is 100% an issue. I often have to turn mine off because, and I think this is what you are referring to, when it's on and when you try to click on a link, it just acts like it's opening it for a second and then nothing happens.
We've brought that up to our devs and product teams a bunch and they've looked into fixing it on our side and it doesn't seem it's an easy thing to do, if possible at all. Something changed (About a year ago? Maybe longer) with the various ad blockers. There was more to it than that, with trying to fix it but that's not my department and I don't want to give you an answer that's completely wrong and have everyone after my head, lol. It's an ongoing issue though and something we're still trying to figure out.
Regarding "deal specialists and how to engage with consumers, even specifically stating getting deals posted on SD as a goal." I did address that in my original post. That means our deal specialists work with some merchants about us posting for them if they have a good sale/product.
As far as affiliate links, that's partly how we make money to keep the site going and pay servers, equipment, staff, etc. I may love this site but I'm not gonna work for free either, lol.
Are you or other posters using bots to give 5 thumbs up to EVERYTHING they post?
'Thumbs up' has become unrelieable and meaningless.
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I know lots of people don't like getting thumbs-down without a reason, especially if they don't have to post their name-tag.
I am thick skinned or I would not post. Maybe the members who BOMB threads with thumbs-down ... have very very thin skins and WANT TO MESS with OTHERS anonymously!
So EXPOSE THEM ... and if they can't take the HEAT! Don't give "thumbs down", just move on to another post, and if you disagree with what someone posts ,.... make a post and share why you dis-agree.
You could remove both thumbs-up and thumbs-down , and I would be fine with that, because if they disagree, member is free to post why they disagree. Problem solved.
Or just allow thumbs up and no thumbs down. And posts that get many thumbs up you can high-light and post as communinity STAR POST. Remove thumbs-down completely is an OPTION.
p.s. Maybe have mod/admins think about pro's and con's again after looking at the abuses. Obviously in the past you stated there are many times this issue is brought up. There is REASON it keeps getting Brought up.
I do care about this website, and want to make it better. In either case, I have THICK skin so if it stays the same as is, ok. I tried to put my 2 cents in ... so thanks for LISTENING to us.
We've tried various attempts as solutions. Once we even had something where it would show like three random member avatars of the people who voted. That did not go over well in testing I believe.
Just so I can make sure I'm clear, you're talking about the votes on comments, not the voting on OPs, right?
What if, when giving a comment a thumbs down, there was a little box for the person to leave a reason why they are giving it a TD. And if they don't write a reason, the TD won't apply. Do you think that might help or at least make it not as easy to go through and thumbs down a bunch of comments? I truly am just spitballing here, I'm not a dev, I just like giving ideas to the devs/product teams lol.
So the issue is Thumbs Down Abusers -
Anonymity makes it easy for people to abuse that feature.
Members don't know if it's a legit TD or if someone is just being fussy and abusing it.
We want to protect members from harassment. This includes someone following you (or whoever) around a thumbing down all of your comments and it also includes the members who might then be too afraid to give their opinion via thumbs down due to fear of retaliation or harassment.
I think we all do see there is a problem here but the issue is trying both prevent abusive thumbs downs and prevent any retaliation. We want to allow our members to vote on comments. We want them to feel safe doing so. We also don't want them abusing the system.
Ok reading back, I see I've said the same thing like 6 times in this post, lol.
For you (and others reading) is it sounding like the only solution is to remove them completely? Or is there something I/we just haven't thought of that's kind of a compromise?
Are you or other posters using bots to give 5 thumbs up to EVERYTHING they post?
'Thumbs up' has become unrelieable and meaningless.
Are you talking about the thumbs up on the Front Page? I believe is just the highest it will go. So it could have 30 people who have thumbed it up or 300 who gave it a thumbs up and it will still only go to 5. I think each vote counts as like a 1/2 a thumb up. So if you're looking at the front page, those will probably all have 5 thumbs up because they did well enough to go front page and also probably got more votes once they got there as well.
I'm looking at the Hot Deals forum now (on classic view). I do see a bunch with 5 thumbs up but it also has the icon next to it showing it's a thread that went front page so that makes sense.But I'm also seeing a bunch of threads with just 0 or 2 1/2 or 3 thumbs up as well.
Thanks for posting. I know in nature, there are babies (who need to be protected from Teenagers of the species, and it is up to the ELDERS of the species to correct the Teenagers in the herd (tribe). So Wise Elders should be able to spot the "teenagers" who are abusing others and correct problems that arise.
That is why government, companies, websites have mods/admins that oversee the place to make sure "abuse" is corrected. I'll leave it at that.
The fat wallet and Slickdeals community was initially about real deals and workarounds to get multiple codes and gift cards and all kinds of crazy shit back in the day.
Now it's more like the sales ad but that's still better than just retail I suppose
You mentioned that the current system has come about over time as a result of weighing options on each side of the issue and coming up with a compromise solution that fits and I think it does a great job of that. I think the devs deserve credit for a well thought-out system in that regard. I don't really use that side of it often because I prefer the classic view, but I do appreciate seeing it when I'm browsing from my phone. There are a number of things that I wouldn't mind seeing changed about the site, but I hope that's not one of them. Unfortunately, there's no such thing as a perfect design that everyone will agree on. On the flip side … if you're thinking of changes to the thumbs system, then maybe consider account suspensions for users who regularly get a massive amount of TD. There are some users who are just jerks in general and constantly post negative, obnoxious, or argumentative comments that don't necessarily cross a line for mod-removal, but still kill the overall positive vibe at SD. Nobody minds legit criticism of products, but there are always a few pricks who love to invade every single thread for products they hate simply to provoke arguments and mock people who actually like that product which they deem inferior. There are several variations of issues like that which seem to have gotten a lot worse than it used to be. The current TD system of basically showing which comments are viewed in a very negative light is a good system, but giving the SD majority a way to "vote them off the island", so to speak might be a worthy feature to add. This idea is kind of at the other extreme from those who may not like the TD at all, but also worthy of consideration in my opinion so that some occasional obnoxious users don't make the site unbearable, as Reddit threads often become. I've seen some SDers say that they don't even post deals anymore because of that toxic environment created by a small percentage of users. And even just browsing the threads they infest has made me consider abandoning the site entirely at times because it can just be so annoying to see as a constant stream of negativity. I think the current thumb system is probably one of the only things preventing the obnoxious trolls from completely taking over the site and making it unbearable for many users, even though it's not much and could use some beefing up.
Off-topic and garbage comments used to be removed pretty quickly on the old Slickdeals and the masses would rejoice that "this isn't Reddit" when the thread got cleaned up. You don't see that comment as much any more because a lot more junk comments remain these days (yes, the worst of it is often removed … but definitely not like the old days). I think the TD option also gives some users a way to harmlessly vent their frustration with those garbage comments that can flood in to some of the threads at times.
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I live more out in the country. It start around 7 years ago with a raccoon and a couple babies coming to our house trying to eat the bird food. We started throwing out tortillas. They decided they liked that more than bird food so started coming up our porch for that.
So looong story short, we established a kind of weird critter relationship lol. So Bert (we thought she was a boy at first and the first year she lost her front leg somehow but is still the best running and climber of the bunch) brought her babies. Those babies had babies and brought them. Rinse, repeat. Now every night we have at least 15 raccoons, possums and skunks that come and wait at the backdoor for dinner. They let us hand feed them, pet them, they'll stand on their hind legs and reach out for food. (well, not the skunks but they don't run away or spray when we are out there) They all get along, we even had a coyote come and eat with them for awhile. It moved on but the rest of the critters stayed. Some have names, like Bert, Wally, Grabass, Coal, Baby Coal, Sam and Terri, etc. We go through 100 pounds of dog food per week, so I don't think I can ever afford to retire
Lol, fantastic! Thank you for sharing!
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