Fishy activities going on behind the scenes

[mobnnovate]

Banned user: victorlht88

Victorlht88 was banned right away for posting 1 sales thread on the sales of SPIGEN products for handphones and gadgets.

However, it has come to my notice that there are many other users doing the same sales such as Flushx and AppleHub without getting banned in the marketplace. In addition, their signatures have plenty of advertisements on their sales thread and no respective action has been taking upon them either. I am just citing examples over here and not trying to pinpoint anyone.

Please clarify on why is this so and could there be any possibility of unfair treatment for certain users by the moderators?

Let's not forget the possibility of double standards here as well.

Thanks.

 

[hwzadmin]

Dear Member,

Victorlht88 was banned for posting sales of SPIGEN products after being issued warnings before that this is prohibited as it disrupts local distributorship of such products.

Victorlht88 was subsequently banned when a member of the public reported his thread for flouting this rule. The ban was triggered as a result of accumulating infraction points because he disregarded warnings not to conduct sales of SPIGEN products.

We can assure you that there has been not been a case of double standards in this matter, or unfair treatment towards Victorlht88; only Victorlht88's recalcitrant actions that led to his ban.

Please post the SPIGEN sale threads started by members Flushx and AppleHub here and we will take the necessary actions.

Banned user: victorlht88

was banned right away for posting 1 sales thread on the sales of SPIGEN products for handphones and gadgets.

However, it has come to my notice that there are many other users doing the same sales such as Flushx and AppleHub without getting banned in the marketplace. In addition, their signatures have plenty of advertisements on their sales thread and no respective action has been taking upon them either. I am just citing examples over here and not trying to pinpoint anyone.

Please clarify on why is this so and could there be any possibility of unfair treatment for certain users by the moderators?

Let's not forget the possibility of double standards here as well.

Thanks.

 

[mobnnovate]

Dear Member,

Victorlht88 was banned for posting sales of SPIGEN products after being issued warnings before that this is prohibited as it disrupts local distributorship of such products.

Victorlht88 was subsequently banned when a member of the public reported his thread for flouting this rule. The ban was triggered as a result of accumulating infraction points because he disregarded warnings not to conduct sales of SPIGEN products.

We can assure you that there has been not been a case of double standards in this matter, or unfair treatment towards Victorlht88; only Victorlht88's recalcitrant actions that led to his ban.

Please post the SPIGEN sale threads started by members Flushx and AppleHub here and we will take the necessary actions.

so a member of public actually reported this and could there be a personal agenda against victorlht88 or may I check how is that even possible that a member of public report what is happening in the hwz and through what means? This is a case of personal targeting and flouting unfair business rules by certain moderators.

Victorlht88 received a scanned copy of the authorized distributor certificate that Mac Friends is the authorized distributor and victorlht88 was banned since the products were under local distributor.

The SPIGEN products are from a legal source in Korea and is there a law or rule stating that no one else is allowed to sell SPIGEN products if it is under an authorized distributor and everyone has to get their products from them? Stocks have been taken from MacFriends before as well so are they empowered to decide where retailers are allowed and not allowed to sell the products? There are tonnes of other products under local authorized distributorship being sold over in marketplace but shouldn't they be banned as well in that case since marketplace is supposedly only for PERSONAL ITEMS? Please kindly enlighten if there are such laws or rules being written in black and white.

flushx and applehub have been selling spigen products since months ago without any issues.

it is hard to believe that there are no double standards happening in here where moderators are volunteers not under SPH payroll so i wouldn't remove the possibility of fishy doings behind the scenes. The matter has been reported countless times but no action has been taken.

flushx thread: selling since 5 nov 2012

forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/mobile-phones-bazaar-201/wts-power-support-air-jacket-spigen-iphone-5-ipad-mini-ipad-3964852.html


flushx thread: selling since 5 april 2013

forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/mobile-phones-bazaar-201/wts-spigen-accessories-iphone-5-ipad-mini-xperia-z-htc-one-m7-galaxy-s3-s4-note-2-bb-z10-4165037-10.html

The last infraction received by victorlht88 was a long while back and since then threads have been removed, victorlht88 saw that certain users have been selling SPIGEN products for over a month without any issues, so the rules could have been relaxed but it doesn't seem to be the case.

It will be good that you can show that there were no double standards by enforcing whatever you guys stated out when similar users can happily flout the rules without any issues. Otherwise, it is near impossible to believe that an user can sell since Nov 2012 without getting caught!

 

[hwzadmin]

Dear Member,

Please refer to the following explanations regarding your questions in italics:

may I check how is that even possible that a member of public report what is happening in the hwz and through what means?

A: Besides reporting in the forum, there are other means by which members of the public may reach us.

is there a law or rule stating that no one else is allowed to sell SPIGEN products if it is under an authorized distributor and everyone has to get their products from them?

There are tonnes of other products under local authorized distributorship being sold over in marketplace but shouldn't they be banned as well in that case since marketplace is supposedly only for PERSONAL ITEMS?

A: The Marketplace forums were originally designated for members to sell personal second hand items. While we are aware that new products are constantly resold in the Marketplace to the detriment of local distributors, we do not actively moderate/seek for threads to be removed, or members to be banned. However, we are obligated to act and protect the interests of local distributors should we receive requests to close sales threads that disrupt the local supply chain.

flushx and applehub have been selling spigen products since months ago without any issues.

A: The member flushx reportedly received approval from local distributors to maintain his thread and will be posting in this thread to clarify his position, failing which his threads will also be subject to removal. Please post applehub's sales threads and we will take the necessary actions.

 

[FlushX]

Dear hwzadmin and mobnnovate,

my purpose in coming into this thread is to clarify my stance.

as what hwzadmin has mentioned, I am selling Spigen products in this forum which the local distributor is fully aware of. My situation is different from fellow forumer mobnnovate in the sense that my sale of Spigen product in this forum is in no way detrimental to the local supply chain.

Hope this clarifies. Thank you

Regards
FlushX

 

[mobnnovate]

Dear hwzadmin and mobnnovate,

my purpose in coming into this thread is to clarify my stance.

as what hwzadmin has mentioned, I am selling Spigen products in this forum which the local distributor is fully aware of. My situation is different from fellow forumer mobnnovate in the sense that my sale of Spigen product in this forum is in no way detrimental to the local supply chain.

Hope this clarifies. Thank you

Regards
FlushX

So you are in contact with the local distributor thus getting special privilege to continue selling SPIGEN products? It will be good if there is proof to show that you have received a special consent from our local distributor to do so, otherwise this will be quite an obvious case of unfair business practices.

Sorry what is the difference between you selling and victorlht88 selling the same products and how will that be not detrimental to the local supply chain if both parties sell the same products at a pretty much similar pricing. Please kindly clarify what do you mean by detrimental to the local supply chain?

I am pretty sure that your sales since November 2012 have been decent enough and I wouldn't be surprised if it has affected the local supply chain somewhat. Otherwise, you wouldn't have continue selling it for such a long period.

I've only posted my thread for less than a week and it got banned while yours have been there for months, what is the difference between us posting the same thread selling the same things via the same method unless you have certain hidden methods under-table to push your sales discreetly without affecting the supply chain and getting yourself banned unless you are part of the local distributorship as well.

And if you are part of the distributors then wouldn't that mean you are using HWZ to sell products for a business purpose which defeats the HWZ marketplace purpose for people to sell only individual products?

don't curse me leh. truth is, i am the distro

I don't really see the point as to how my thread can kill the supply chain within 1 week while your thread has been there for months and it doesn't affect the supply chain. This is totally illogical in which any human soul with a common sense will be able to see clearly unless the mods here have no idea what they are doing and acting on certain instructions by certain individuals.

Thanks.

 

[mobnnovate]

Dear Member,

Please refer to the following explanations regarding your questions in italics:

may I check how is that even possible that a member of public report what is happening in the hwz and through what means?

A: Besides reporting in the forum, there are other means by which members of the public may reach us.

is there a law or rule stating that no one else is allowed to sell SPIGEN products if it is under an authorized distributor and everyone has to get their products from them?

There are tonnes of other products under local authorized distributorship being sold over in marketplace but shouldn't they be banned as well in that case since marketplace is supposedly only for PERSONAL ITEMS?

A: The Marketplace forums were originally designated for members to sell personal second hand items. While we are aware that new products are constantly resold in the Marketplace to the detriment of local distributors, we do not actively moderate/seek for threads to be removed, or members to be banned. However, we are obligated to act and protect the interests of local distributors should we receive requests to close sales threads that disrupt the local supply chain.

flushx and applehub have been selling spigen products since months ago without any issues.

A: The member flushx reportedly received approval from local distributors to maintain his thread and will be posting in this thread to clarify his position, failing which his threads will also be subject to removal. Please post applehub's sales threads and we will take the necessary actions.

Wow so it is a clear case of him selling products for business purposes and not for personal purposes then ain't that flouting of HWZ rules of no business deals.

Hi there, this is an obvious case of unfair practices with certain individuals being targeted unfairly by certain moderators or member of public as so you claim it to be. I am really glad that you made yourself sound all so noble by trying to protect the market and being a volunteer regulator.

It will be good if you can show the proof from certain distributors that online sales is disrupting the local supply chain so greatly to the extent of having to ban certain members from doing certain things.

If that is really the case, then shouldn't them be reworking and finding out the reason why ain't their sales doing just as good as other people instead of having moderators closing and banning certain users without doing due diligence checks as to whether this is a personal case of unhappiness and abusing of their powers rather than just following complaints blindly? My thread was posted for only maybe a week so and I don't believe its so influential to be able to kill off the whole supply chain within a week!

I didn't even get a chance to explain myself and I was banned by moderators here while another user selling the same products via the same medium in the same forum for months without affecting the supply chain or getting himself banned have the opportunity to even come here to clarify his stance. (as so he claims)

This is really fishy and makes absolutely no sense in which anyone will be able to see. Please kindly clarify on this matter as to what kind of obligation are those and whether it is a personal obligation or a company obligation written in black and white, thanks.

 

[mobnnovate]

Here is another sales thread by some other user:

forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/mobile-phones-bazaar-201/wts-sgp-spigen-iphone-galaxy-others-accessories-protectors-casings-more-4162285.html

This is simply triple standards now!

 

[hwzadmin]

Dear Members,

1.
a) mobnnovate has been banned for being the clone of victorlht88, as he has stated here:

My thread was posted for only maybe a week so and I don't believe its so influential to be able to kill off the whole supply chain within a week!

I didn't even get a chance to explain myself and I was banned by moderators here while another user selling the same products via the same medium in the same forum for months without affecting the supply chain or getting himself banned have the opportunity to even come here to clarify his stance. (as so he claims)

Member victorlht88 had ample opportunities to explain his actions prior to his ban when he was issued warnings and infractions.

b) The member's thread clearly indicates that his products are shipped directly from Korea:

c) In the said thread, the member was conducting a Mass Order of SPIGEN products

Spoiler

Prices are as close to the website as possible with shipping via EMS (5-7 working days upon closure) and its much cheaper than buying from retail shops. Some products might not be available yet but we will still take down your order and keep ya updated!

My prices are probably one of the lowest and can't be matched by anyone else. If you find someone selling lower than me than feel free to hit me up and I will work it out!

Feel free to drop my partner a text at 93284615 to place your orders, do include the case/sp which you are interested in and the color as well!

This violates the first rule of HardwareZone's Marketplace postings:

Marketplace Forum's Rules & Regulations - www.hardwarezone.com.sg

No Mass Orders may be conducted outside the Mass Order forum. victorlht88 posted his thread in the Mobile Phones Bazaar.

2. We will be clarifying FlushX's claims with the exclusive authorised distributor before taking any action. The reason why FlushX has not been infracted and banned while victorlht88 has been is due to the fact that the latter was importing SPIGEN products directly from Korea, whereas FlushX made his purchases from the exclusive authorised local distributor.

3. For everyone's transparency, the following certificate was sent to HardwareZone from said exclusive authorised distributor:

4. Further proof that online sales is disrupting the local supply chain is not needed. victorlht88 has profited from directly purchasing his products from Korea to the detriment of local distributors, regardless of the margins of his profit.