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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Leave a Comment
138 Comments
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This way I only see the comments , and can decide for myself by people posting comments pro and con , rather than manipulating the system with herd mentallity (cancel culture).
So you can give me a thumbs up or down, and I don't see it, but if you comment I will see it.
Why?
I want to know who the person is that posts a review of product.
And if I'm on Amazon, I click on there NAME on amazon, and look at all their other past reviews. And if they give like 1 star review, and this is first review on Amazon, or if they have 30 reviews and most of them are 1 star reviews, I dismiss that person. And if someone gives 5 star review, I look at their past reviews , do they only have a couple of reviews and all are 5 stars, I generally dismiss that person, I look at other 5 star reviews and the nametag, does the person have 50 reviews and are they generally 4-5 reviews with just a few 1 star reviews. All this info helps me to make a good buying decision.
Slickdeals HIDING the nametag of anonymously give thumbs down, tells me nothing, I don't know who this person is, their past posts, to get a feel for the person posting stuff. And SlickDEALS supports this! And if a poster gets 4-5 thumbs down, Slickdeals HIDES the post! 5 anonymous people can ruin a thread for me.
Now the people what want to stay ANONYMOUS do NOT want to give their nametag, because can see if that person does that a lot, and if you read their past posts, they are very nasty people, sarcastic, and mean-spirited. Of course, they want to hide. I got 3 thumbs down for some of my posts, I would like to know their NAMETAG, and research them to see how the generally behave on slickdeals.
SLICKDEALS is a money making company! Hiding people that anonymously give thumbs down on individual posts can HIDE their post.
Again, I don't trust a site that does this. If Amazon or Walmart hid people who post reviews , I would not trust Amazon or Walmart. Transparency is importont to me, so that is the reason I believe showing the members who give both thumbs down and thumbs up on INDIVIDUAL posts should be done. For the good of Slickdeals company!
Again, this is something Slckdeals should seriously ponder and discuss. Every post I make has my nametag on it, and people can see my past posts. If I'm to buy something , I want to make informed buying decision.
Slickdeals is not my company, and I don't work on Slickdeals, so it is just my opinion and some of the reasons I feel the way I do about this.
Love you guys, and whatever you do, I will still research stuff in a way that feels good to me.
Because slickdeals shows all the NAMETAGS of people who post on slickdeals so we can see how they generally post, to see what type of member they are.
But these anonymous people who stay HIDDEN, have the POWER to hide any posts that gets posted if 5 people anonymously give it a thumbs down. Lots of POWER given to these Anonymous people. Or these anonymous people give lots of thumbs up and make it a STAR post, it can give the appearance the post is popular.
But it is done in the DEAD of NIGHT and NOBODY knows WHO is giving these THUMBS up or down on Individual posts.
Why would SLICKDEALS do this? SLICKDEALS is a business, and they are in it to make a profit, and make money and OBVIOUSLY hiding these ANONOMOUS people HELP slickdeals turn a profit.
If these Anonomous people HURT the company's bottom line, they would be exposed.
My recommondation is just like Slickdeals shows anyone who POSTS on slickdeal their nametag, and we can see their past comments, this is TRANSPARENT! But these anonomous thumbs up and down on personal posts are hidden from the community. I for one want every person who gives a thumbs down or up shown next to their nametag. If they are afraid to do it, why? Maybe because we could see who is boosting a post, and look to see their past posts to see if a few of the same people do the same thing in many posts, and see a group of these people manipulating the site to "make more money for slickdeals".
If Slickdeals wants to be TRANSPARENT ... show everyone's nametag that gives posts, and also who give thumbs up and down on INDIVIDUAL POSTS.
I know if I had "bad" intentions I would love to go around and give thumbs down to everybody I hated. And I would give thumbs up to everybody I loved. Showing their NAMETAGS would expose the SCAM. This THREAD was attempt to be TRANSPARENT to slickdeal members... and show behind the scenes stuff.
Of course the "bad" intentioned people would NOT LIKE TO BE exposed! They want to stay hidden.
Love you guys, and I mean it, so be Transparent with any member when they make a post and also if they give a thumbs up or down.
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.
"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."
I was not trying to be negative toward the site, I like this site, I appreciate the effort put into keeping and maintaining it, I visit it frequently and have found many great deals here. My only point was that some links go through a redirecting site that is blocked by adblocker software. SOMEWHERE, SOMEHOW, there is a reason for this and that reason might be related to revenue generation. Sorry, kickbacks was a little too strong of a term to use and I get it that you need to cover costs. When a deal pops up that I definently want to see, then yes, I disable the adblocker to visit it. You should put a disclaimer on such links to give a heads up. No harm intended but it is your post and you wanted feedback, this is my biggest complaint about clicking links.
So I'm gonna be going through the comments one by one to reply, it just might take a bit. Just didn't want anyone to think "Ok she answered stuff the first couple days but then ghosted"
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.
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.
I do have a notebook that I'm using to write down any ideas y'all have, good or bad. I'll put them in a doc but I have enough tabs open as it is so I'll just compile them all at once.
I definitely do think the idea behind giving TU/TD to comments kinda came about with that in mind. Not the whole reason or anything but definitely one of them. Cause yeah, we'd way rather have someone get their unhappiness out in one thumb down versus a snarky comment that might derail the thread. There are just so many advantages and disadvantages to everything on any website it's hard to find a happy medium where most people are happy.
Speaking of bad comments, I agree with you 1000%. When we get feedback about the site, that's usually one of the top ones. Worried about posting deals because of other people being jerks about it. I mean yeah you might get a "this deal isn't' good and here's why" and those comments are fine. It's the people that are like "You don't know a good deal, you only have 10 reps, why are you posting this crap?" and things like that that are ruining the enjoyment for people.
With so many more members and unfortunately not a ton of mods, they keep up best they can. Mod alerts, going through the threads themselves, etc. Unfortunately, some days it feels like using a shovel to dig out an avalanche. Our devs are working on some tools that, when they're done, we're hoping help a lot. Things like the system auto flagging/mod alert comments that match various keywords that we see a lot in trolling or just rude posts. That way we are able to keep on top of the comments better. I don't mean just auto deleting it because it contains the keyword but rather sending it to the mods to review. We had one model that would flag the word "dead" but that word is used here a lot on slickdeals like "deal is dead" so obviously that one wouldn't work, lol. I can't promise how quickly that will be out but once it is, I really hope that does help a lot with the rude/jerky/troll/etc comments since we'll be able to see them right away before the thread spins out of control.
This way I only see the comments , and can decide for myself by people posting comments pro and con , rather than manipulating the system with herd mentallity (cancel culture).
So you can give me a thumbs up or down, and I don't see it, but if you comment I will see it.
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Why?
I want to know who the person is that posts a review of product.
And if I'm on Amazon, I click on there NAME on amazon, and look at all their other past reviews. And if they give like 1 star review, and this is first review on Amazon, or if they have 30 reviews and most of them are 1 star reviews, I dismiss that person. And if someone gives 5 star review, I look at their past reviews , do they only have a couple of reviews and all are 5 stars, I generally dismiss that person, I look at other 5 star reviews and the nametag, does the person have 50 reviews and are they generally 4-5 reviews with just a few 1 star reviews. All this info helps me to make a good buying decision.
Slickdeals HIDING the nametag of anonymously give thumbs down, tells me nothing, I don't know who this person is, their past posts, to get a feel for the person posting stuff. And SlickDEALS supports this! And if a poster gets 4-5 thumbs down, Slickdeals HIDES the post! 5 anonymous people can ruin a thread for me.
Now the people what want to stay ANONYMOUS do NOT want to give their nametag, because can see if that person does that a lot, and if you read their past posts, they are very nasty people, sarcastic, and mean-spirited. Of course, they want to hide. I got 3 thumbs down for some of my posts, I would like to know their NAMETAG, and research them to see how the generally behave on slickdeals.
SLICKDEALS is a money making company! Hiding people that anonymously give thumbs down on individual posts can HIDE their post.
Again, I don't trust a site that does this. If Amazon or Walmart hid people who post reviews , I would not trust Amazon or Walmart. Transparency is importont to me, so that is the reason I believe showing the members who give both thumbs down and thumbs up on INDIVIDUAL posts should be done. For the good of Slickdeals company!
Again, this is something Slckdeals should seriously ponder and discuss. Every post I make has my nametag on it, and people can see my past posts. If I'm to buy something , I want to make informed buying decision.
Slickdeals is not my company, and I don't work on Slickdeals, so it is just my opinion and some of the reasons I feel the way I do about this.
Love you guys, and whatever you do, I will still research stuff in a way that feels good to me.
This part
Now the people what want to stay ANONYMOUS do NOT want to give their nametag, because can see if that person does that a lot, and if you read their past posts, they are very nasty people, sarcastic, and mean-spirited. Of course, they want to hide. I got 3 thumbs down for some of my posts, I would like to know their NAMETAG, and research them to see how the generally behave on slickdeals."
is probably a good portion as to why they are hidden for now. I 100% understand what you are saying.. If someone is a jerk on reddit, I like to go look at their other posts to see if they're always a jerk or not. I never reply though, regardless. I imagine you're the same way with thumbs down here. You just wanna see if it looks like a valid TD or if it's just a serial thumbs downer and you shouldn't take them seriously. And then I imagine that's probably all you wanted to know and you move onto the next thread.
The problem is, there are people who will look into their voting and they won't move on. They will follow them around and thumbs down their comments or threads, PM them, etc. That's the problem we are trying to avoid here and what we're trying to solve to make everyone at least mostly happy.
Because slickdeals shows all the NAMETAGS of people who post on slickdeals so we can see how they generally post, to see what type of member they are.
But these anonymous people who stay HIDDEN, have the POWER to hide any posts that gets posted if 5 people anonymously give it a thumbs down. Lots of POWER given to these Anonymous people. Or these anonymous people give lots of thumbs up and make it a STAR post, it can give the appearance the post is popular.
But it is done in the DEAD of NIGHT and NOBODY knows WHO is giving these THUMBS up or down on Individual posts.
Why would SLICKDEALS do this? SLICKDEALS is a business, and they are in it to make a profit, and make money and OBVIOUSLY hiding these ANONOMOUS people HELP slickdeals turn a profit.
If these Anonomous people HURT the company's bottom line, they would be exposed.
My recommondation is just like Slickdeals shows anyone who POSTS on slickdeal their nametag, and we can see their past comments, this is TRANSPARENT! But these anonomous thumbs up and down on personal posts are hidden from the community. I for one want every person who gives a thumbs down or up shown next to their nametag. If they are afraid to do it, why? Maybe because we could see who is boosting a post, and look to see their past posts to see if a few of the same people do the same thing in many posts, and see a group of these people manipulating the site to "make more money for slickdeals".
If Slickdeals wants to be TRANSPARENT ... show everyone's nametag that gives posts, and also who give thumbs up and down on INDIVIDUAL POSTS.
I know if I had "bad" intentions I would love to go around and give thumbs down to everybody I hated. And I would give thumbs up to everybody I loved. Showing their NAMETAGS would expose the SCAM. This THREAD was attempt to be TRANSPARENT to slickdeal members... and show behind the scenes stuff.
Of course the "bad" intentioned people would NOT LIKE TO BE exposed! They want to stay hidden.
Love you guys, and I mean it, so be Transparent with any member when they make a post and also if they give a thumbs up or down.
If you don't change a thing, I'd still absolutely love it. The fact you've not been afraid of turning away from the VB bulletin board system is actually something I've loved.
I do think it's important to change and keep up with the times, but so many sites have gone to shiny, watered down interfaces, which completely killed the site off over time in the process. Thank you for not being one of them.
I've even asked about ways I can give back to the site, or even donate, and the staff said the best thing to do is spread the site by word of mouth. Not joking when I say nearly anybody I've ever known has known me as mr. slickdeals. I've probably turned 100s onto this site and would love to know about anything else I can be doing to help.
I also have it whitelisted on my adblocker, and hope others do the same
(although: uBlock origin blocks redirects, saying "uBlock Origin has prevented the following page from loading: https://www.ojrq.net/"). I hope that doesn't prevent the site from gaining affiliate clicks
And please do NOT disable ad blocking. There is so much malware and so many threat actors fed to people through ads that it is genuinely dangerous. Law enforcement and regulatory agencies up to the level of CISA & the NSA suggests using ad blockers. Ads can inject malicious code directly, they can misrepresent the site linked in order to facilitate fraud, and their tracking data can be gathered and leveraged by criminals. Disabling ad block is not of any benefit for any user, as forgetting to enable it again or disabling at the wrong time can lead to a compromised system. There's usually a way to access the same link without temporarily removing a safety feature. With enough security layered on your browser and system it can mitigate most of the risk, but how many users have enough hardening, and why take additional risk to begin with.
we have all seen plenty of garbage deals posted time and time again by staff, knowing full well that it isnt an actual deal. yet they keep posting it over and over again. there are a few sites that are literally NEVER posted by anyone other than staff. why? because they arent actual deals.
thats a long winded way of saying... we do all advertising we can like any other website, but we ALSO post artificial deals we are paid to post because that's where we get the most money. but you should be thankful we dont have popups which you can block with basic software. OUR ADS CANT BE BLOCKED! because we love you!
That was a couple of years ago, so maybe SD has changed its policies, but I don't know. I do know that that incident made me NOT want to take the time to post deals anymore.
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That was a couple of years ago, so maybe SD has changed its policies, but I don't know. I do know that that incident made me NOT want to take the time to post deals anymore.
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