Do you have a question for Specialized Women's Product Team?

[Selkie]

Spazz, that's a possibility. Not bad.

However, what makes me uncomfortable is that Specialized does not allow mail order of their accessories. It doesn't seem fair for Susan to pay for market research for companies whose products she cannot sell.

Sidi wants to ask us how to make their shoes better? Go for it. Specialized? No. Tit for tat.

I know that leaves a gray area of companies whose products she may choose not to sell, but I haven't solved that one yet.

Specialized tends to take a heavyhanded approach with their dealers also. Maybe Rachel can read this part of the thread and take it back to management, not that they'll listen.

I agree w/you, SK.

I don't think Rachael was "run off" the forum. She chose to no longer post, which is probably appropriate. She can easily do market research by lurking.

[SadieKate]

Actaully, you can mail-order specialized stuff. You just have to do it direct (no dealers)

That's my point. I can't buy Specialized items from Susan.

[spazzdog]

I get the "no mail order" thing, but we all discuss products all the time that aren't purchasable here at TE. And, when we can, TE is a "preferred" point-of-purchase.

I'm thinking more around TE being the "bigger" person here (not that I think it isn't). I personally tout TE as the "everything-cycling-for-women place to hang out" as I'm sure many others do.

If it was also a place where cycle-centric companies could come and NOT market (without paying for an ad or letting TE sell their stuff) but do research about what women want or need, I think it would bring nothing but more kudos and good press to TE... why because every dealer that really wants to know what we think would be wise to post a link to the TE forums on their FB or Twitter or MySpace.

spazz

[administrator]

A suggestion to toss into the community popcorn popper...

Perhaps TE could create a section on the forums for bike makers, equipment makers, etc and invite them to post research/development/consumer interest type threads. It's not "advertising" in the strictest sense of the word and it would put the manufacturers right here in the playpen... and put TE even more out there as a way fabulous site.

Just an idear...

spazz

Hi Spazz,

I like that idea -- in fact, Susan and I have been discussing doing something similar - a closed forum (only moderators can post to) that manufacturers can request to be listed in, showing their contact info, and what kind of feedback they're looking for from our community.

I'd ask for a "real live human" contact name at each company, with a direct line phone number and/or email/webform/survey where people could provide them with feedback and suggestions.

[SadieKate]

Sure, we discuss stuff all the time that we can't buy from TE, but this is a lot different than the manufacturer soliciting product advice for nothing.

It just doesn't sit well with me.

[Kris]

I like Spazz's idea a lot, probably because I was thinking the same thing just before I read it.
I don't mind sharing my opinion for free. I do think it would be better to have a designated place for that to happen. I would not like to see this forum become one of those places where every third post is an advertisement for something I don't want to buy.

[Trek420]

What's Going On on TE?
Right now Currently Active Users: 232 (62 members and 170 guests)

My LBS checks TE (c'mon now, Chris. Who are you? ) not in the weird men reading the board creepy kind of way. He is honestly interested in what do those women riders want!?! I'd nominate him as an honorary woman because he treats his clients well but I don't think he'd accept and his wife and kid would have issues.

But 170 guests right now. Some of them are bike companies etc.

[Eden]

But 170 guests right now. Some of them are bike companies etc.

sad to say most of them are probably bots.......

[Trek420]

that's just weird.

[Eden]

that's just weird.

nah - there are tons of little automated programs out there "crawling the web" sometimes they are simply reading and archiving or reading and generating key words linked to the URL, like the way back machine or search engines.

Sometimes they are more sinister - like bots that post ads on forums that don't have one of those little type in the wavy numbers and letters to verify you are real human boxes.

The Wiki on internet bots http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_bot