Steve_James

This guy's sole purpose seems to be posting ads for a home rental company

- as noted by Franco - see:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa..._name=Lavradio

quokka

Inform the anti-abuse squad at [email protected].

kybourbon

They want you to use [email protected], not the editors e-mail. Just put Europe board advertising in the subject line.

franco

And here's the next smart Roman advertiser: MiniVip!

Originally, he said honestly who he is:
Author: MiniVip
Date: 01/19/2008, 05:23 pm
If you need electrics / electronics appliances in rome forget about Upim, Coin and Rinascente. I strongly suggest you to see at one of the Di Salvo & della Martira shop, which is well known as the cheaper chain in Rome. On of the shop near the city center is right behind St. Angel Castle and near the Vatican.
Here is it's position on google map

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie...p;z=15&t=m
I know for sure about the quality of their services and low prices because they are just few blocks from our office and we use them often (computer accessories for the office and mobile phone).
Vittore Mazzei
www.romepower.com


But in the meantime, Mr. Mazzei has had the brillant idea to disguise himself as his own customer:
Author: MiniVip
Date: 08/11/2008, 09:52 am
Hi,
if is not still too late, I warmly recommend you to check for some apartments rental agencies within Fodor's favorite and Slowtrav's favorite. Actually I've positively dealt with www.RomePower.com as they are in the business from some years now, with many centrally located apartments and positive reviews.

Lavradio

Dear Mr. Franco,

You are right! I apologize for submiting all of my travel experiences in one shot. I might have been a bit naive but I did it in good faith. This agency left a good impression on me and I wanted to let everyone know about it on this site. I thank you for the observation, I will pay more attention in the future, but I am confident that there will be no need for it.
Thank you to everyone! This site offers great service!!!

MiniVip

Hi Mr Franco,
actually things are little more complex than this.
I knew the owners of www.romepower.com (World Real Estate S.r.l is the Agency name) starting from year 2000, when I was a programmer (JDI sas was my web agency) and they began to be our clients for a couple of months.
After this, we haven't had any other contact as late 2003 I moved from Rome to Paris (where I still mostly live) both for work and family needs.
Contacts with them were very rare and occasionally I used their services (a couple of times) when I needed to get back in Rome and my own apartment was rented. So my knowledge of their professionality is from both side.
It ends up a couple of years later that we began to collaborate and start from June 2007 I took part in the agency (again with programming tasks, not commercial things) mostly on remote work basis, as I live
Am I hiding anything to your customers? Am I a liar or am I trying to only advertise us? I really do not think so, I wrote some posts to help people but as things are little more complex and pretty difficult to explain, I simply reported my positive experience dealing with them. Moreover, I told to the other members to check for reviews on websites where www.Romepower.com for sure is not the only vacations rental agency. So they can check, compare, find better offerts.
Should I stop to report my experiences (I did even with www.Lodigs.com where for sure I have no economic interests)? Should I make more evident that I'm directly involved? I'm open to any of your suggestions.
Kind Regards

franco

Well, I'm not an editor here, but IMHO, it's just sufficient if you explain your involvement the way you actually did now. But if you wrote (as you did these days) "I've positively dealt with them", doing this on a travel board like Fodor's will make everybody think that you've rented from them as a tourist, rather than working for them as a programmer (even if, following this business connection, you did actually rent from them - but as their partner whom they knew personally, not as a tourist, which makes a big difference). But recommending them adding "I know the owners personally, and we've been working together for some years in a different context" is just fine IMO if you are convinced that they're offering good value for tourists. (However, I must stress once again that it's up to Fodor's editors to judge questions like this one - I'm only expressing my personal opinion here.)

MiniVip

Hi Mr. Franco,
thanks for your fast answer, I really appreciate.
As you suggest, while waiting some clear decision from Fodor's editors, I'll avoid writing those reviews which could be affected from my former connection with them.

My best regards,
vittore

kybourbon

When someone has 20 posts with links to one company, then I consider it advertising. Most advertisers are deleted/banned, but a few are allowed to stay because they contribute advice on a regular basis and don't link their business very often. I wish they were all banned especially the one that bills herself as "former Fodor's guide book writer". I would never use any of these businesses. If they are sketchy about breaking the advertising rules here, then I'm sure they would ignore their own policies for consumers and any problems a customer would have.

Steve_James

'When someone has 20 posts with links to one company, then I consider it advertising.'

My thoughts too, Ky.

BTW - who is the former Fodor's guide book writer? The curiosity's killing me

Steve

Lavradio

That is true in many cases, but I can assure you this isn't one of them! Travelling is great, and I'm very lucky to do it so... and very often!

kybourbon

Steve - We had a thread where everyone was reporting advertisers and they would provide a link or screen name for the editors to check out. I reported the one mentioned above when a new poster asked a question on the Europe board and received two responses within minutes, both advertisers. Her response had nothing to do with the posters question and she implied the answers could be found on a website link (hers). I clicked on it, not knowing at the time that it was hers, only to discover there was nothing on there that had any relation to the OP's questions. She often states she's a guide book writer or starts her posts with "guide book writer tip". It was deemed by Fodor's she could stay as she posts some helful information at times although I think one of her alternate screen names has been deleted. Odd that she was allowed to stay when in one post she said that it was pointless to buy guide books as they are at least two years old by the time they are published. I have noticed less self promotion since the complaint. I no longer bother to report advertisers. See below thread.

Author: vetralla ([email protected])
Date: 03/08/2008, 02:29 pm
As a guidebook writer (Fodors as well as DK Eyewitness Rome) I guess that the info in the print edition is probably 2 years old before you read it during your trip. Thus the importance of the information shared on this and other websites concerned with travel. Up to date info from other travelers and those of us who live here is far more valuable than carrying any number of guidebooks in your luggage. For itineraries off the beaten track and articles check www.elegantetruria.com

Steve_James

Interesting. Thanks Ky

Buona giornata