Ouddict Forum Changes

[Martin]

I don't know if it has been suggested previously but one way of raising revenue to support the forum would be to require any marketplace sellers to have an annual membership. There could be 2 or 3 levels or tiers of membership, each tied to a certain number of ads per year. A membership would be required to sell anything. The basic membership could be something like $20-25.00usd.

I would like to see more candid oud oil opinions or reviews but not without some level of respect and responsibility. Requiring a forum member to have a certain number of posts before offering opinion/ review would help prevent troll attacks. Lol. Might it be possible to have a simple 4 or 5 factor oud oil rating scale (each 1-5, or 1-10 points) that could accompany a brief narrative of the oil?

In my quest to learn and enjoy oud oils, agarwood, etc., I've been a customer of just about all the vendors here (including RPP) and also the market leaders EO and AA. No pressure or steam from any vendor to not buy as I wish.

 

[RisingPhoenix]

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I don't know if it has been suggested previously but one way of raising revenue to support the forum would be to require any marketplace sellers to have an annual membership. There could be 2 or 3 levels or tiers of membership, each tied to a certain number of ads per year. A membership would be required to sell anything. The basic membership could be something like $20-25.00usd.

I would like to see more candid oud oil opinions or reviews but not without some level of respect and responsibility. Requiring a forum member to have a certain number of posts before offering opinion/ review would help prevent troll attacks. Lol. Might it be possible to have a simple 4 or 5 factor oud oil rating scale (each 1-5, or 1-10 points) that could accompany a brief narrative of the oil?

In my quest to learn and enjoy oud oils, agarwood, etc., I've been a customer of just about all the vendors here (including RPP) and also the market leaders EO and AA. No pressure or steam from any vendor to not buy as I wish.

Glad to hear you’re not being pressured by anyone. Makes me wonder if it’s all in folk’s heads, or they just fear hurting their feelings for sleeping with other vendors There’s no need for vendor monogamy here!

 

[Sproaty]

I would like to see more candid oud oil opinions or reviews but not without some level of respect and responsibility. Requiring a forum member to have a certain number of posts before offering opinion/ review would help prevent troll attacks. Lol. Might it be possible to have a simple 4 or 5 factor oud oil rating scale (each 1-5, or 1-10 points) that could accompany a brief narrative of the oil?

I don't think a post limit is required for being able to post some reviews

 

[Martin]

I don't think a post limit is required for being able to post some reviews

10-4. I was suggesting the requirement to help maintain civility and prevent fast sign ups for the purposes of anonymous attacks.

 

[Oudamberlove]

If anyone wants to gain access to the “Ouddict Underground” let me know, I’ll hook you up.

In the underground we discuss reviews that cannot be posted, and trade in contraband ouds.

Psyche!!! Just kidding!!!

But Seriously ,
another option readily available to all of us is private messaging.
Case-in-point, I was interested in a certain oud, but didn’t see a lot of reviews, maybe just a quick mention in a post. So I messaged that member, and others too, to find out more about that oil. I have done this several times, and got helpful feedback.
But let’s not forget this thing called subjectivity. I went and bought a few oils recommended by noses I trust, and still I was not totally pleased with the oil.
And one more thing.........
If you are very new to oud, it is more difficult to find an oil that you like through reading reviews. It really helps when you are already familiar with regions and genres, and have tried several offerings from different vendors. Thank goodness for samples, becausing trying samples is the best bet for the new noses out there.

 

[AZsmell]

Most of my customers aren’t here on Ouddict. I have a very broad customer base.

All I meant was - folks here seem to post EO and AA products. Makes me wonder if the reason you aren’t seeing reviews of more products - is because y’all aren’t trying the products and therefore can’t review them.

Branch out. Try some other vendors. “Be the change you want to see.”

I haven't tried your oils but I have tried to branch out and try the other vendors. The reason I don't post many reviews is that most of the oils I have tried from other vendors honestly weren't that good. I feel posting a negative review will hurt their feelings. I prefer to purchase from vendors of high character who do their own distillations as I have found these oils to be the best quality.

 

[zahir]

Has anyone considered the possibility that most people are posting reviews of AA or EO oils because them two are NOT active participants on this forum? Something to ponder.

 

[Sproaty]

I haven't tried your oils but I have tried to branch out and try the other vendors. The reason I don't post many reviews is that most of the oils I have tried from other vendors honestly weren't that good. I feel posting a negative review will hurt their feelings. I prefer to purchase from vendors of high character who do their own distillations as I have found these oils to be the best quality.

feelings, schmeelings. post away! I really think we need to get rid of this perception.

 

[Ouddict]

Having a donation button is probably a great idea

Unfortunately donations simply don’t work. It’s been tried as a model on many projects and ends up in failure. I’ve got a lot on my plate at the moment (personal life) so not as active as I’d like to be, but I’ll be back soon.

 

[Ouddict]

It's unfortunate that 2 particular vendors are singled out as causing fear in *your* customers and thereby holding them back from posting reviews online. I would go as far as to say that the issue lies in the customer rather than the vendors you mentioned.

The majority of my collection is EO & AA so that would form a large number of my reviews. That shouldn't be an issue. I understood this forum to be a place to share our love for oud regardless of personal vendor preferences. I didn't think that would be to the detriment of the 'Ouddict community vendors' as surely their business models allow for revenue to be generated other than sales through forum promotions and communication. Just because someone posts on Ouddict doesn't mean they should be 'supporting' the vendors here :/ I've never viewed Ouddict as a vendor led forum.

Sadly you have inadvertently (perhaps) brought to light some of the reasons that people most likely don't post - accusations being thrown around willy nilly.

It’s not a vendor-led forum and never has been and never will be. Neither is it a vendor witch-hunt forum. We have been attacked as a community in the past and forced to respond, but I think we’ve hopefully matured beyond all that now.

 

[Ouddict]

Has anyone considered the possibility that most people are posting reviews of AA or EO oils because them two are NOT active participants on this forum? Something to ponder.

Hang on.... have you seen the votes for vendor of the year? Why should people be partial to a vendor who decides not to participate in an open forum? Everyone is welcome here. AA was given free space here (subsidised by other vendors) and pleaded poverty. He was offered all types of assistance and I even spent cash with him that I’m certainly not flush with... all to support him due to his difficulties. So your statement is really really puzzling.

 

[RisingPhoenix]

Has anyone considered the possibility that most people are posting reviews of AA or EO oils because them two are NOT active participants on this forum? Something to ponder.

If that’s the case...can you show me on Gaharu where they are discussing all of us? Or where they aren’t discussing EO?

This statement makes little sense, unfortunately.

 

[Ouddict]

@Taha I’m going to call you out now and ask why your name is coming up again and again in all this? You’re a forum member and you were supported to the max. Why is it that I’m hearing that people are questioning this? I’d appreciate your support here.

 

[RisingPhoenix]

I haven't tried your oils but I have tried to branch out and try the other vendors. The reason I don't post many reviews is that most of the oils I have tried from other vendors honestly weren't that good. I feel posting a negative review will hurt their feelings. I prefer to purchase from vendors of high character who do their own distillations as I have found these oils to be the best quality.

Curious who else you’ve tried?

Curious what’s held you back from trying my oils?

Also curious for some clarity - are you suggesting that those of us here are not of high character?

Hate to bust this myth - but many of us work with the same folks. If you like AA or EO’s oils - you’ll like many of ours as they are produced with some of the same resources. Where are you getting this idea that we are not of high character?

 

[F4R1d0uX]

Produced from the same resources meaning agarwood? Or do you mean produced by the same sources, meaning distillers? AA is hand producing ALL of his oils currently and has been for a few years now, from my understanding EO sources many oils from exclusive distillers and the famous Taiwan distiller, not quite sure you all have the same products as they do. In fact, I recall seeing certain vendor mention several times that other vendors were still searching to find their contacts, which were different from the ones on "the list".

Yes, as you said : not sure ! Anyway from that list, excepted one oud oil that I took to satisfy a customer who came at home and smelt it, I wish you a very good luck to find one from who I bought from even from my very beginning.

Rather, you will find : yes Farid shown me a trick to win yield or Farid gave gave me customers or I don't know Farid.

So thank you to remove LMK from "you all".

For the rest of your post I agree more or less with you.

 

[zahir]

Hang on.... have you seen the votes for vendor of the year? Why should people be partial to a vendor who decides not to participate in an open forum? Everyone is welcome here. AA was given free space here (subsidised by other vendors) and pleaded poverty. He was offered all types of assistance and I even spent cash with him that I’m certainly not flush with... all to support him due to his difficulties. So your statement is really really puzzling.

So my 'statement' was a question. Not an actual statement, if that's how it came across.

It is also my opinion that whatever is said behind someone's back should be something that one is willing to say in front of them.

 

[Martin]

@Taha I’m going to call you out now and ask why your name is coming up again and again in all this? You’re a forum member and you were supported to the max. Why is it that I’m hearing that people are questioning this? I’d appreciate your support here.

Respectfully, although still a learning noob, if I had to choose one source for oils, it would be Agar Aura. At this time, nobody else that I'm aware of has his "boots on the ground" level of direct involvement in distilling and selling oud oils. He has knowledge, zeal, dedication and integrity that is unmatched. He is generous in sharing his knowledge and experience. Relative to the market I feel as though I get excellent value for my money with Taha's products. It has not taken long for me to come to this conclusion and my guess is that I'm not alone. All oils no matter the source speak for themselves.

I am not dismissing or disrespecting other vendors as I have and will continue to purchase from them if they have something I want at a price I'm willing to pay.

 

[galaxy]

It’s not a vendor-led forum and never has been and never will be. Neither is it a vendor witch-hunt forum. We have been attacked as a community in the past and forced to respond, but I think we’ve hopefully matured beyond all that now.

I didn’t say or it imply it was. I responded to a post related to supporting the vendors at Ouddict...

 

[galaxy]

@Taha I’m going to call you out now and ask why your name is coming up again and again in all this? You’re a forum member and you were supported to the max. Why is it that I’m hearing that people are questioning this? I’d appreciate your support here.

In the interest of fairness and clarity I don’t think his name has come up again and again in relation to your comments - unless privately messaged.

A thread is started becrying a lack of member involvement and the topic turns to vendors being supported/bankruptcy/why people haven’t tried other vendor products and so on. Surely if you’ve ‘supported’ someone, as a good deed I imagine, there’s no need to repeatedly post about it? (Rhetorical question).

Anyway, I’ll go back to lurking and enjoying my oils.

 

[Ouddict]

Second law of Thermodynamics

View attachment 7786

Oh my God, sometimes I feel like this sums up the sheer insanity of some discussions and behaviour observed within the wider Oud and fragrance community including Ouddict and I just want to find the escape door and make a run for it. Meme of the month for me.