Announcement New vendor membership policy

[Nick]

When we were a tiny eclectic group, we'd receive the occasional vendor who was first and foremost a shaving enthusiast. Now that we've become so much more, it's taking an increasing amount of time and resources ensure that we remain the friendliest, most informative source of knowledge for all gentlemanly pursuits.

Given the astronomical amount of people we reach on a daily basis, B&B has become extremely attractive to those with commercial interests, which is natural; however, it presents its own set of challenges in terms of administering vendors, and making sure their interactions and presence are an asset to the membership.

On 6/11, qualified vendors will be able to sign up for our new tiered vendor membership system. Beginning 6/21, vendors must have an active vendor membership in order to interact in a commercial capacity on B&B. By limiting the posts in the Vendor Corner, those qualified vendors will benefit by not having their message lost in a sea of repeat threads and 'bumps', to further help Vendors present relevant information to the membership, we've also broken the Vendor's Corner out from a sub-forum of the Shopping forum to the main forum page.

The tiered vendor membership levels will be as follows:

Level 1

• Sig line with simple link
• Ability to create 1 thread per month in Vendor's Corner
• Ability to add new content to thread in vendor corner up to one time each week.
• Level 1 vendor badge

Level 2

• Sig line with link
• Ability to create 2 threads per month in Vendor's Corner
• Ability to add new content to thread in vendor corner up to two (total) times each week.
• Ability to hold contests 1 contest per month - can have multiple winners
• Increased gallery and PM over previous level
• Level 2 vendor badge

Level 3

• Sig line with link
• Ability to create up to 3 threads per month in Vendor's Corner
• Ability to add new content to thread in vendor corner up to 3 (total) times each week.
• Ability to hold contests up to 2 times per month
• Presence in the B&B Vendor's Catalog (a special page that showcases each vendor).
• Increased gallery and PM over previous level
• Level 3 vendor badge
• Permission to use a "Proud supporter of B&B" Logo on your web site, to be provided to you by B&B.

Level 4

• Sig line with link
• Ability to create up to 4 threads in Vendor's Corner each month
• Ability to add new content to thread in vendor corner up to 4 (total) times each week.
• Ability to hold 4 contests each month
• Presence in the B&B Vendor's Catalog (create a special page that showcases each vendor. have an alphabetical listing (stickied in Vendor or General forum TBD), allow the vendor to have a few lines of text about their business and an image of their logo, hyperlinks to their store)
• Annual interview in B&B Confidential Magazine
• Mention of "Supporting Vendor" status on Contributor's page (alongside Mama Bear and SCS)
• Dedicated sub-forum for your business - in which you can post as much as you desire
• Permission to use a "Proud supporter of B&B" Logo on your web site, to be provided to you by B&B.
• Level 4 vendor badge

Please note that on 6/21 the vendor Terms of Usage will also change to reflect this new requirement, and the requirement that vendors comply with the Terms of Usage in order to maintain their vendor benefits.

Thanks everyone for continuing to make B&B the best.

[BullGoose]

Is there any information yet on the cost breakdown for the various tiers? Will vendors be able to choose their tier level or is this somehow assigned?

[Jim]

That info will be available 6/11, it's up to the vendor which level they choose.

[BullGoose]

That info will be available 6/11,it's up to the vendor which level they choose.

That's good to hear. Thanks for the information. I'll wait patiently until the 11th.

[Tha Baron]

Is there anyway I can resign my "vendor" status since I no longer offer my blade samplers (or act in a vendor capacity any longer)?

Thanks!

[cooncatbob]

No offense.
But it's rather stressful to small vendors like myself to be told there's going to be a new tiered vendor memberships but we're not going to tell you the cost for another week.
I'm very grateful to B&B for providing me with a place to market my hand made products and I hope there's a tier that meets my needs and my budget.
My humble little enterprise couldn't survive without a venue like B&B to get the word out to the wet shaving public and I look forward to becoming a member vendor under the new system.
Bob's Razor Works.

[Tony Miller]

Nick,
Thanks for the heads up. Not sure if I technically have Vendor status here or not as I chose "Contributor" instead as I am here as much as a contributing member as I am a Vendor.

Just let me know what I need to do to establish/or continue my Vendor status. While this is now small time hobby business for me these days, like Bob, I realize B&B is a large part of my customer base and will do whatever is needed to support this site.
None of us should expect advertising for free and especially to have such a specialized venue for our wares.

Tony Miller

[joel]

No offense.
But it's rather stressful to small vendors like myself to be told there's going to be a new tiered vendor memberships but we're not going to tell you the cost for another week.
I'm very grateful to B&B for providing me with a place to market my hand made products and I hope there's a tier that meets my needs and my budget.
My humble little enterprise couldn't survive without a venue like B&B to get the word out to the wet shaving public and I look forward to becoming a member vendor under the new system.
Bob's Razor Works.

Hi Bob,
No worries, it's quite reasonable. We actually worked with several vendors on the pricing and what they felt it should be.... and then we basically cut it in 1/2.

[cooncatbob]

Hi Bob,
No worries, it's quite reasonable. We actually worked with several vendors on the pricing and what they felt it should be.... and then we basically cut it in 1/2.

Thanks Joel:
I look forward on the 11th to become a charter member Vendor.

[soapbuddy]

So let me understand this. Unless I'm at least a level 1, I won't be able to post any ads at all?

[joel]

So let me understand this. Unless I'm at least a level 1, I won't be able to post any ads at all?

Correct

[paydepst]

What happens to our existing thread in the Vendor Corner? Is that to be done away with then and everyone start at square one?

[KiltedShaver]

Hmm! Very interested to see what comes on the 11th. I appreciate the business and camaraderie that comes from B&B. Very happy to help out and contribute. Thanks Mods!

Regards,
Aaron

[Poulin]

Hey fellas.

Do our current contributor contributions count towards our first year of vendor fee?

[scoopster]

Folks, Good questions. Keep em coming and I'll make sure we get answers to you.

[Poulin]

I guess I'm just up too early this morning. Or should I be looking in another thread for the pricing info? It is supposed to be published today, no?

[cooncatbob]

I guess I'm just up too early this morning. Or should I be looking in another thread for the pricing info? It is supposed to be published today, no?

Also waiting patiently to sign up for the New Vendor Membership.

[Sue]

"If" a vendor membership would prove to be unaffordable, would posting still be allowed with no reference to business in a post and elimination of any link to that business?

Post only as a member or member/contributor? If not, what?

Sue

[BentonClay]

Also looking forward to the pricing and sign-up link. Thank-you Badger and Blade, for thinking through and reinstating the vendor memberships.

[beyboo]

Looking forward for the new policy. I am just starting up and also a wee bit anxious on settling my shop !!