** Conflict of Interest **

[corporate ceo]

Plain and simple; yes or no

Do you believe the moderators (those of which will go unnamed) maintain a conflict of interest here at Elite Fitness Discussion Forums?

To rephrase for understanding: Several moderators at EF maintain an ownership share of such companies as the Anabolic Fitness store. The AF Store is a sponsor of the board, in which we see advertisements. We also come to trust and listen to advice from "vets" and "mods." Since the mods profit from AF store sales, they use their bond of trust with newbies or even experienced individuals to recommend products from their own store - with the ultimate goal of profiteering. When someone asks for help in choosing an AI, AIFM would be recommended over and again by these moderators. "How can I burn fat most effectively? Well the best way is to use SesaPure, YES, and Glucorell! Pick 'em up at the AF Store!" I mean the individual feels as if they are getting unbiased information and an honest, experienced based opinion. However, they are getting advice from a person who profits from it.

Not trying to start anything big here. I was just always curious on other individual's opinions. I have purchased products from the AF Store and I am in no way saying their products and service are not of high quality.

CEO

 

[Dellyo]

ummmmm....makes ya think!!

 

[used2juice]

Sure, some mods obviously do. But when you stop to think about it, every board is pushing something (or having their mods do it). These boards were made to profit, so you really have to take all advice with a grain of salt. That's what's great about several people posting opinions. You may have a mod pushing a single product, but if you get another 10 guys calling it bs and offering other advice, then things should work themselves out.

 

[swordfish151]

Plain and simple; yes or no

Do you believe the moderators (those of which will go unnamed) maintain a conflict of interest here at Elite Fitness Discussion Forums?

To rephrase for understanding: Several moderators at EF maintain an ownership share of such companies as the Anabolic Fitness store. The AF Store is a sponsor of the board, in which we see advertisements. We also come to trust and listen to advice from "vets" and "mods." Since the mods profit from AF store sales, they use their bond of trust with newbies or even experienced individuals to recommend products from their own store - with the ultimate goal of profiteering. When someone asks for help in choosing an AI, AIFM would be recommended over and again by these moderators. "How can I burn fat most effectively? Well the best way is to use SesaPure, YES, and Glucorell! Pick 'em up at the AF Store!" I mean the individual feels as if they are getting unbiased information and an honest, experienced based opinion. However, they are getting advice from a person who profits from it.

Not trying to start anything big here. I was just always curious on other individual's opinions. I have purchased products from the AF Store and I am in no way saying their products and service are not of high quality.

CEO

This is true...but no one puts a gun to anyone's head to purchase anything...in the end its the individuals right to buy something else if they feel like their is a better deal elsewhere...I think Mods just promote stuff that works..whether they get paid for it or not..really doesnt matter to me...what matters is not just the mods recommendation but alot of good bro's on here that have tried the stuff and proven to work time and time again...I think people make their own choices in the end...

 

[stuck]

If the products sucked it would be one thing. But their products work and are vouched for by many of the board's users.

If they're locking or deleting threads that talk about competing products, that's one thing, but pumping their own products that work isn't a conflict of interest, it's just marketing.

When was the last time you clicked on a banner here?

Now, when was the last time you clicked on a link that Mr.X provided in a PCT thread for AIFM?

I'm guessing the latter outnumbers the former by a considerable amount.

 

[buffalo]

With the af store i don't see anything wrong cause they have product's that work great and are very well priced so why wouldn't people recommend them. There's some other one's though that i think are pushed more than they should but i'm not getting into that one.

 

[Wulfgar]

seems to me there is good balance and most of the products the mods push arnt total crap...many of them seem like grade A stuff to me...so its all good

 

[MassDestruction]

AF store products are GOLD

 

[black sheep]

Actually the Main MOD on this forum is MR.X, and I don't really see him push AF products (He does push AG, but that is a different batch of products) - I think the users are the main ones posting results with the board sponsor products, and we are usually able to get feedback good or bad. I would be more concerned with MODs that push everyone to a certain source, especially a high priced one. I would say something is being kicked down to them for all of those referrals.

Being the "corporate ceo" you should know that is how the free world works. "You scratch my back and I will scratch yours" - shit - it is how the entire US government works. DOes it happen? - YES, is it Wrong? - Maybe, is it the real world? AB-SO-FREAKIN-Lutely!

You just have to be smart enough to do your own research, and sift through the bullshit.

 

[maxpain]

I have bought/used diffrent products from board sponsors. All have been good stuff. No matter who recommended them.

 

[Zuperman]

in before locked,






lighten up guys

 

[CaddysNJuice]

i think they do. Ive been pushed to try so many products that are 2-3 times the ammount elsewere. And this new dblade bs..... its all sugars..... come on...

 

[Big Rick Rock]

Some good responses in this thread....

Guys, we do our best to only take on Advertisers that we feel will benefit the community. With both good products and services... We are not just taking money from anybody to put them up on the site. We actually put some effort into finding companies that will be good for our members. For every ONE sponsor you see on the website, we have turned down at least FIVE. Why would we go thru the trouble of doing all this research inot the companies and not just take their money?

I’ll give you two reasons and you guys can pick one.

- Because we care about the community. We want to match our members with the best possible products and services avalible. Yes we want to make a good living doing this, but we all got into this for the “Elite Fitness lifestyle” not just a paycheck.

Or

- Because unlike print magazines who can just put any garbage in their pages, we have to actually TALK to our customers. If we took on just any advertiser, we would hear the endless bitching and moaning about how bad the products or services were. So rather than spend countless man-hours dealing with the aftershock of taking on a shitty sponsor, we rather spend a few hours researching the products and company to make sure no problems will arise in the future.




-BRR

 

[Big Rick Rock]

i think they do. Ive been pushed to try so many products that are 2-3 times the ammount elsewere. And this new dblade bs..... its all sugars..... come on...

So then go "elsewere" and buy them at a discount.


BTW-

Is this what the molecular structure of sugar looks like?

-BRR

 

[macrophage69alpha]

just want to clear things up, since this thread is somehow directed towards me.

#1 have no ownership of the AF STORE
#2 signature makes clear my affiliation and bias toward product reccomendations made
#3 would make the same reccomendations regardless (with respect to your AIFM example, equally reccomend aromasin as they are fairly comparable, and IMHO both very well suited for most users.)

most people that reccomend these products are not moderators or sponsors (ulter is the only representative of AF on these forums). Ulter is not a moderator, he is a sponsor. with respect to AIFM were you referring to a thread like this...
http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=487597

 

[galaxy]

There up front about it so i have no problems with it. I mean its not like there pushing bunk gear on you that may harm you.

 

[letsrun4it]

I'd say yes there is a conflict of interest with some of the mods. However, the products at the AF store and AG-guys are so good that I have no problem with them reccomending the products.

I posted this yesterday but my gf who was 5'0" 130-131 and couldn't lose weight no matter what got the ultimate fat burning kit from the AF store and is losing half a pound a day on average for the first 10-12 days.

I'm about to go get my liver values checked after using Tylers and if they're normal I think I'm going to start pimping the AF store myself.

Ag-guys is great now that they have cured their cc problems.

even if you didn't trust a word a mod said....there are tons of experienced bros on here to learn from.

 

[msam76]

While it is true that a conflict of interest could be seen and taken advantage of, I think they may "push" the product because it works. I recommend AF products, I am not a mod, vet, or have any financial interest in AF. They sale good stuff. If the didnt and continued to sell it on the boards, I think the backlash would have occured already. If I were being recommended products out the wazoo by mods, vets, and AF people, I buy them, they don't work, and they continue to try and sale it on the board, I would open my big mouth as wide as possible and not shut it until I was banned. Through all the searches I have done on AF products, I haven't come across any negative feedback. And I personally do like the products. So I am actually thankful they are here to "guide" me in the right direction and make available to me quality products.

 

[ur2insecure]

I agree with Galaxy on this.

However people should not be banned or stomped on for voicing there dislikes to products that Mods sponsor/support.

I like Mr.X he never pushes AG-Guys on anyone says it how it whether you like it or not and I respect that.

 

[cat_fish]

I like Mr.X he never pushes AG-Guys on anyone says it how it whether you like it or not and I respect that.

Ditto

 

[JuicedAthletics]

How come when I mentioned that D-Blade was advertised in a Muscle and Fitness and that they were giving away free samples my thread was deleted?

 

[Big Rick Rock]

How come when I mentioned that D-Blade was advertised in a Muscle and Fitness and that they were giving away free samples my thread was deleted?

Did that really happen???

Thats messed up dude...


After searching in the recycle bin...


Was this the awesome thread that was deleted?

hey guys...

I was flipping through a Muscle and Fitness mag on the plane yesterday and I say an ad for D-Blade.

Its of absolutely no interest to me, but if someone wants to try a "great addition" to a cycle go for it..

Anything that is called D-Blade, and that is in a bodybuilding periodical and is for free AND still doesnt have any active incredients listed.... I want nothing to do with.. I guess Ill miss out and stay small... LOL

Lets see, you mentioned an offer but failed to give us any direction on how to take advantage of the said offer(the thread was already useless at that point). Instead you followed it up by mocking the product, and continued to make misleading statements about the product.

I’m really sorry if you feel your right to free speech, in a privately owned forum, was trampled upon. But we really don’t take lightly to the bashing of sponsored products by people who have NEVER tried them and even fail to understand the very basics of how the product actually work.

Think about it really hard now… You have been on EF since April of 2005 and have not even tried out the Plat program for a month. Not one trace of you in the billing system! Yet you feel you have the right to use bullshit statements to take business away from a company that actually sponsors EF, and makes it available for people like YOU (non-plats) .

D-blade is a good product with a lot of promise. Go look at the science behind it and you’ll have a better understanding about what the stuff actually is… Then maybe try to make a semi-intelligent post about the product and what you think it can do… There just MIGHT be a chance that it will stay up this time.


Did that answer you question???




-BRR

 

[bbkingpin]

I'm fine with legit products like AG Guys being pushed. They are a good and valued service. This is a good topic for discussion. The forum needs to re-establish trust of its members. I'm happy with this board.

 

[JuicedAthletics]

Lets see, you mentioned an offer but filed to give us any direction on how to take advantage of the said offer. Instead you followed it up by mocking the product, and continued to make misleading statements about the product.
I MENTIONED THAT D-BLADE HAD AN ADVERTISMENT IN MUSCLE AND FITNESS THIS MONTH. ITS HARD TO MAKE MISLEADING STATEMENTS ABOUT A PRODUCT THAT HAS NO ACTIVE INGEDIENTS. AT LEAST WITH CELL-TECH, THEY LIST WHAT IS IN THE PRODUCT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A USER IS GOING TO NOTICE AN EFFECT OF A SINGLE SAMPLE OF AN ANABOLIC PRODUCT. I'LL SEND YOU 3 OR 4 NAPS AND YOU TELL ME IF YOU NOTICE ANYTHING.....

I’m really sorry if you feel your right to free speech, in a privately owned forum, was trampled upon. But we really don’t take lightly to the bashing of sponsored products by people who have NEVER tried them and even fail to understand the very basics of how the product actually work.
HEY BUD, I SENT AWAY FOR A FREE SAMPLE. ILL LET YOU KNOW HOW ANABOLIC IT IS. LIKE I SAID, IF I KNEW WHAT WAS IN THE PRODUCT, I WOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT ITS ACTION WAS. PLUS, SOME PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD HAVE MADE STATEMENTS ABOUT THE PRODUCT THAT ARE COMPLETELY UNTRUE BACKED BY MEDICAL LITERATURE. I CAN DID THROUGH THOSE THREADS MANUALLY IF YOU WOULD LIKE, SINCE IM A NON-PLAT....
Think about it really hard now… You have been on EF since April of 2005 and have not even tried out the Plat program for a month. Not one trace of you in the billing system! Yet you feel you have the right to use bullshit statements to take business away from a company that actually sponsors EF, and makes it available for people like YOU (non-plats) .
AND WHY DO YOU THINK THAT I HAVENT SUBSCRIBED FOR A PLATINUM MEMBERSHIP?? WOULD IT BE BECAUSE MY POSTS ARE DELETED DUE TO HITTING TOO CLOSE TO HOME? DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON ALL THE DRUG PUSHING ON THIS BOARD. SECONDLY, ITS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY BRO. I KNOW WHAT I LOOK LIKE, I KNOW WHAT I HAVE DONE, I KNOW WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESNT. THE FACT IS, I LOOK BETTER AND HAVE MORE KNOWLEDGE THAN MANY OF THE MEMBERS HERE THAT POST PICS AND OFFER ADVICE. IVE GOT ADVICE FROM DUDES THAT HAVE NEVER EVEN TRIED A PRODUCT I AM ASKING ABOUT. PLUS, IVE TAKEN ADVICE FROM GUYS AND THEN HAVE SEEN PICS OF THEM, AND I AM COMPLTELY EMBARRASSED THAT I LISTENED TO THEIR ADVICE... OH YA, AND I WAS PLATINUM, NOT BY CHOICE, FOR A WEEK. ALL IT OFFERED ME WAS PICS OF PEOPLE AVITARS AND ACCESS TO OVER A MILLION POSTS THAT ARE THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED EVERYDAY...
D-blade is a good product with a lot of promise. Go look at the science behind it and you’ll have a better understanding about what the stuff actually is… Then maybe try to make a semi-intelligent post about the product and what you think it can do… The just MIGHT be a chance that it will stay up this time.
I HOPE THIS POST WAS A LITTLE MORE INTELLIGENT FOR YOU.. I REALLY DONT CARE WHO TAKES D-BLADE, WHO MAKES MONEY OFF IT, OR WHO IT HURTS.. WHAT I CARE ABOUT IT PUSHERS OF THE PRODUCT, THAT WONT EVEN OR DONT EVEN KNOW WHATS IN IT....
QUOTE]

 

[Big Rick Rock]

Lets see, you mentioned an offer but filed to give us any direction on how to take advantage of the said offer. Instead you followed it up by mocking the product, and continued to make misleading statements about the product.
I MENTIONED THAT D-BLADE HAD AN ADVERTISMENT IN MUSCLE AND FITNESS THIS MONTH. ITS HARD TO MAKE MISLEADING STATEMENTS ABOUT A PRODUCT THAT HAS NO ACTIVE INGEDIENTS. AT LEAST WITH CELL-TECH, THEY LIST WHAT IS IN THE PRODUCT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A USER IS GOING TO NOTICE AN EFFECT OF A SINGLE SAMPLE OF AN ANABOLIC PRODUCT. I'LL SEND YOU 3 OR 4 NAPS AND YOU TELL ME IF YOU NOTICE ANYTHING.....

I’m really sorry if you feel your right to free speech, in a privately owned forum, was trampled upon. But we really don’t take lightly to the bashing of sponsored products by people who have NEVER tried them and even fail to understand the very basics of how the product actually work.
HEY BUD, I SENT AWAY FOR A FREE SAMPLE. ILL LET YOU KNOW HOW ANABOLIC IT IS. LIKE I SAID, IF I KNEW WHAT WAS IN THE PRODUCT, I WOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT ITS ACTION WAS. PLUS, SOME PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD HAVE MADE STATEMENTS ABOUT THE PRODUCT THAT ARE COMPLETELY UNTRUE BACKED BY MEDICAL LITERATURE. I CAN DID THROUGH THOSE THREADS MANUALLY IF YOU WOULD LIKE, SINCE IM A NON-PLAT....
Think about it really hard now… You have been on EF since April of 2005 and have not even tried out the Plat program for a month. Not one trace of you in the billing system! Yet you feel you have the right to use bullshit statements to take business away from a company that actually sponsors EF, and makes it available for people like YOU (non-plats) .
AND WHY DO YOU THINK THAT I HAVENT SUBSCRIBED FOR A PLATINUM MEMBERSHIP?? WOULD IT BE BECAUSE MY POSTS ARE DELETED DUE TO HITTING TOO CLOSE TO HOME? DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON ALL THE DRUG PUSHING ON THIS BOARD. SECONDLY, ITS FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY BRO. I KNOW WHAT I LOOK LIKE, I KNOW WHAT I HAVE DONE, I KNOW WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESNT. THE FACT IS, I LOOK BETTER AND HAVE MORE KNOWLEDGE THAN MANY OF THE MEMBERS HERE THAT POST PICS AND OFFER ADVICE. IVE GOT ADVICE FROM DUDES THAT HAVE NEVER EVEN TRIED A PRODUCT I AM ASKING ABOUT. PLUS, IVE TAKEN ADVICE FROM GUYS AND THEN HAVE SEEN PICS OF THEM, AND I AM COMPLTELY EMBARRASSED THAT I LISTENED TO THEIR ADVICE... OH YA, AND I WAS PLATINUM, NOT BY CHOICE, FOR A WEEK. ALL IT OFFERED ME WAS PICS OF PEOPLE AVITARS AND ACCESS TO OVER A MILLION POSTS THAT ARE THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED EVERYDAY...
D-blade is a good product with a lot of promise. Go look at the science behind it and you’ll have a better understanding about what the stuff actually is… Then maybe try to make a semi-intelligent post about the product and what you think it can do… The just MIGHT be a chance that it will stay up this time.
I HOPE THIS POST WAS A LITTLE MORE INTELLIGENT FOR YOU.. I REALLY DONT CARE WHO TAKES D-BLADE, WHO MAKES MONEY OFF IT, OR WHO IT HURTS.. WHAT I CARE ABOUT IT PUSHERS OF THE PRODUCT, THAT WONT EVEN OR DONT EVEN KNOW WHATS IN IT....
QUOTE]

Ok so let me get this straight... In your original post you said you had no interest in the product at all (scroll up for the direct quote)... Now you just said you sent away for a free sample and will come back to report on it??? Make up your mind.


You already said you have no intention of going Platinum AND you plan to come back and say you used D-blade and it didn't work...

You will not support EF directly AND you will bash products of a company that actually DOES....

I want you to understand that there is absolutely no incentive for us to keep you here at all... NONE...



PS: You should post some pics of your physique dude.





-BRR

 

[gettinripped]

bigrickrock is on the scene... all watch the shit is gonna hit the fan now. dont f*ck with the rock, he'll pull your card bitch!!

 

[Big Rick Rock]

bigrickrock is on the scene... all watch the shit is gonna hit the fan now. dont f*ck with the rock, he'll pull your card bitch!!

Nuwggas better ask somebody.






-BRR

 

[JuicedAthletics]

Honestly,
you can ban me I won't hold it against you... Im only here to offer people help with what I know and understand. I take very little from this place, I dont post bullshit. Ive only helped people. I find EF very entertaining.

I did request a free sample, and no I wont use it. I want to see what its made of, Im thinking they might put ingredients on the package. I wont say it didn't work b/c I won't take it. I'll let someone else review it. I support ALL of EF's sponsors. I've ordered from each and every one of them.... But no, I wont directly support EF by buying a plat membership...

Maybe, I will post a pic or two if Im not banned.. Do you have pics BRR?

 

[drrman]

Honestly,
you can ban me I won't hold it against you... Im only here to offer people help with what I know and understand. I take very little from this place, I dont post bullshit. Ive only helped people. I find EF very entertaining.

I did request a free sample, and no I wont use it. I want to see what its made of, Im thinking they might put ingredients on the package. I wont say it didn't work b/c I won't take it. I'll let someone else review it. I support ALL of EF's sponsors. I've ordered from each and every one of them.... But no, I wont directly support EF by buying a plat membership...

Maybe, I will post a pic or two if Im not banned.. Do you have pics BRR?

man.....he's calling out BRR!!!


anyways,
i have to agree with BRR as this is a private forum in a sense and they have to pay the fucking bills.......and i see where you are coming from juiceathletics.....i use this site for entertainment and to help people too, but i've come to realize sometimes its better to keep my mouth shut on the open forums when it comes to some products..........those people DO pay and i can give my oppinion once or twice, but i can't bash them..........i spoke my oppinions on dblade a while back and will not do so again...i will say this....i would never recommend it, but i try not to come out and just bash any sponsor anymore....i merely state my oppinion maybe once and the rest of the time just ignore the threads that have to do with it!

 

[JuicedAthletics]

Agreed..

I'll apoligize. I own a business as well and I would draw blood at the sight of bad publicity.
Like I said, I have supported ALL of EF's sponsors..

BRR. My apoligies...

But, I still wanna see some pics brotha...

 

[Big Rick Rock]

Honestly,
you can ban me I won't hold it against you... Im only here to offer people help with what I know and understand. I take very little from this place, I dont post bullshit. Ive only helped people. I find EF very entertaining.

I did request a free sample, and no I wont use it. I want to see what its made of, Im thinking they might put ingredients on the package. I wont say it didn't work b/c I won't take it. I'll let someone else review it. I support ALL of EF's sponsors. I've ordered from each and every one of them.... But no, I wont directly support EF by buying a plat membership...

Maybe, I will post a pic or two if Im not banned.. Do you have pics BRR?

Ok, well I think they might be a little secretive about their ingredients when dealing with print media. Mainly to keep the man off their back... Here is a link to the page that actually has a graphic of the molecular structure:

http://www.d-blade.com/history.php

Yes the product presentation and website is geared towards the newbie market... But it doesn't mean it is crap. They just know that people who are already doing 2,000mg per week of gear will never look their way. But for a new guy who is looking for a legal and safe alternative, it is a good fit.


I do have some pics floating around the BB forums, some old ones over a span of six years from ages 15yrl, 17yrl and 20yrl. (I started lifting when I was 13yrl). I'm an employee here now, so I keep my pics off the BB forums. I wasn’t challenging your statements about your physique, just encouraging you to post some pics for inspiration, our members seem to respond well to that.



-BRR

 

[drrman]

Agreed..

I'll apoligize. I own a business as well and I would draw blood at the sight of bad publicity.
Like I said, I have supported ALL of EF's sponsors..

BRR. My apoligies...

But, I still wanna see some pics brotha...

DID i help resolve a conflict????

i should get a huge karma donation BRR!!!

 

[Big Rick Rock]

Agreed..

I'll apoligize. I own a business as well and I would draw blood at the sight of bad publicity.
Like I said, I have supported ALL of EF's sponsors..

BRR. My apoligies...

But, I still wanna see some pics brotha...

Alright dude, all is well.

I will PM you the link to my pics, but just promise me you won't share the link or DL them to your HD is all...



-BRR

 

[macrophage69alpha]

DID i help resolve a conflict????

i should get a huge karma donation BRR!!!

 

[gettinripped]

this is a really special thread, we've had a calling out, a conflict from the calling out and a resolution all in the same day, without anyones feelings getting hurt too bad and w/o anybody being completely ugly. others should take note and use this for future reference when something is posted they disagree with or dont completely support. great going brr and ja. k to both of you.

 

[Big Rick Rock]

this is a really special thread, we've had a calling out, a conflict from the calling out and a resolution all in the same day, without anyones feelings getting hurt too bad and w/o anybody being completely ugly. others should take note and use this for future reference when something is posted they disagree with or dont completely support. great going brr and ja. k to both of you.

Attack the issue, not the person.


Unless the person IS the issue!



-BRR

 

[mm107]

i liked the way this was handled =]

finally a good arguement

 

[corporate ceo]

this is a really special thread, we've had a calling out, a conflict from the calling out and a resolution all in the same day, without anyones feelings getting hurt too bad and w/o anybody being completely ugly. others should take note and use this for future reference when something is posted they disagree with or dont completely support. great going brr and ja. k to both of you.

Well said...