Page 12 | MN have used my quote to promote a product I’ve never bought 🤔

Wondermoomin · 2025-05-01T19:52:57+00:00

AIBU to expect MN recommendations, where they quote a poster/member, to be genuine? I like being able to rely on recommendations in MN swears by and other emails. I excitedly opened an email with the subject “Big bargains for our most loyal Mumsnetters” wondering what MN could make me buy this time (I should probably get other hobbies). Imagine my surprise to see my own username quoted there with a recommendation! Imagine my further surprise when I realised it was a post I wrote almost 8 years ago, and it was being used directly under a specific product to give the impression I was recommending it - and I’ve never even owned that particular thing --mine was more expensive--. I don’t like posts being misrepresented as a recommendation for a specific product. It makes me question the credibility of other MN recommendations. Hoping I’ll manage to attach screenshots. PS my gazebo broke but I’ve replaced it. Still not with the brand I supposedly recommended according to the MN email.

JessyCarr · 02/05/2025 11:34

I don’t get the emails, but I have noticed several examples (often less egregious than the OP’s I think) in the Swears By section where an item listed under “Best [whatever] to buy in 2025” is supposedly recommended by someone who was in fact writing in, say, 2021 about a previous gadget from the same manufacturer or was writing generically without reference to any make or model.

E.g. under “Best IPL Hair Removal Devices”. AlphaBetaZeta’s quote is marked “recommended” and positioned as though she’s recommending the Foreo Peach2go as a travel-friendly IPL device. In fact she was writing in 2021 about loving her IPL device with no mention of its make or whether it was travel-friendly.

MN have used my quote to promote a product I’ve never bought 🤔

Original poster

Wondermoomin · 02/05/2025 11:38

@MNEditor aren’t you just a random punter like the rest of us but you’ve changed your username to MNEditor? Posts from MN are identifiable by being blue and having a MN logo next to the username in the tagging feature, sooooo…..?

OP posts:

FiveShelties · 02/05/2025 11:41

MNEditor · 02/05/2025 11:33

Hi

I'm the Mumsnet editor who produces the recommendation emails you receive, including last night's Discounts newsletter, so I'd like to explain my process.

I appreciate that the quote used to describe a pop-up gazebo last night was not directly applicable to the specific gazebo which was promoted, so firstly let me apologise if this has caused confusion or concern.

When products are selected for recommendation, our goal is always to share information which is useful to Mumsnetters and to help them find great products or bargains. We always try to use quotes that are as recent as possible and, where those are not available, ensure that a quote is still relevant. Where a quote may be used to recommend a product it is carefully selected to make sure that it is honestly describing either a specific item, or the general benefits of owning a similar item. We feel these quotes are still helpful because they describe generic merits of the product which apply to all versions. However I can see that we should be clearer when using these quotes - and should have added some explanation to the quote along the lines of "our users love the ease of using pop-up gazebos" to put it in its correct context.

To clarify, there was not, and never is, any intention of misleading readers. We also always make sure to link to the user's quote on the thread, so you can go to that conversation and make up your own mind based on what other users have said, with full transparency.

I hope this goes some way towards explaining our processes. That said, it is only ever our intention to provide honest recommendations, so going forward we will tighten up the process to clearly flag when a quote is being used to describe a similar, but not identical, product. We will also be emailing everyone who received last night's Discounts email to clarify the situation so nobody feels they have been misled.

Edited

I don't think you are, but great effort 👏

WaitWhatWhatWait · 02/05/2025 11:46

Wondermoomin · 02/05/2025 11:38

@MNEditor aren’t you just a random punter like the rest of us but you’ve changed your username to MNEditor? Posts from MN are identifiable by being blue and having a MN logo next to the username in the tagging feature, sooooo…..?

That's what I was wondering 🤔

Leafy74 · 02/05/2025 11:48

MNEditor · 02/05/2025 11:33

Hi

I'm the Mumsnet editor who produces the recommendation emails you receive, including last night's Discounts newsletter, so I'd like to explain my process.

I appreciate that the quote used to describe a pop-up gazebo last night was not directly applicable to the specific gazebo which was promoted, so firstly let me apologise if this has caused confusion or concern.

When products are selected for recommendation, our goal is always to share information which is useful to Mumsnetters and to help them find great products or bargains. We always try to use quotes that are as recent as possible and, where those are not available, ensure that a quote is still relevant. Where a quote may be used to recommend a product it is carefully selected to make sure that it is honestly describing either a specific item, or the general benefits of owning a similar item. We feel these quotes are still helpful because they describe generic merits of the product which apply to all versions. However I can see that we should be clearer when using these quotes - and should have added some explanation to the quote along the lines of "our users love the ease of using pop-up gazebos" to put it in its correct context.

To clarify, there was not, and never is, any intention of misleading readers. We also always make sure to link to the user's quote on the thread, so you can go to that conversation and make up your own mind based on what other users have said, with full transparency.

I hope this goes some way towards explaining our processes. That said, it is only ever our intention to provide honest recommendations, so going forward we will tighten up the process to clearly flag when a quote is being used to describe a similar, but not identical, product. We will also be emailing everyone who received last night's Discounts email to clarify the situation so nobody feels they have been misled.

Edited

Was writing that a good idea in your head?

MNHQ

JoMumsnet · 02/05/2025 11:48

Wondermoomin · 02/05/2025 11:38

@MNEditor aren’t you just a random punter like the rest of us but you’ve changed your username to MNEditor? Posts from MN are identifiable by being blue and having a MN logo next to the username in the tagging feature, sooooo…..?

Just confirming that @MNEditor is a genuine MN Editor - it's only MNHQ moderators who have the blue usernames.

Leafy74 · 02/05/2025 11:50

I stand corrected and apologise.

FiveShelties · 02/05/2025 11:52

JoMumsnet · 02/05/2025 11:48

Just confirming that @MNEditor is a genuine MN Editor - it's only MNHQ moderators who have the blue usernames.

Show quote history

But surely anyone could register and post as MN something. It is the blue background which makes it believable.

Emeraldanddiamond · 02/05/2025 11:53

MNEditor · 02/05/2025 11:33

Hi

I'm the Mumsnet editor who produces the recommendation emails you receive, including last night's Discounts newsletter, so I'd like to explain my process.

I appreciate that the quote used to describe a pop-up gazebo last night was not directly applicable to the specific gazebo which was promoted, so firstly let me apologise if this has caused confusion or concern.

When products are selected for recommendation, our goal is always to share information which is useful to Mumsnetters and to help them find great products or bargains. We always try to use quotes that are as recent as possible and, where those are not available, ensure that a quote is still relevant. Where a quote may be used to recommend a product it is carefully selected to make sure that it is honestly describing either a specific item, or the general benefits of owning a similar item. We feel these quotes are still helpful because they describe generic merits of the product which apply to all versions. However I can see that we should be clearer when using these quotes - and should have added some explanation to the quote along the lines of "our users love the ease of using pop-up gazebos" to put it in its correct context.

To clarify, there was not, and never is, any intention of misleading readers. We also always make sure to link to the user's quote on the thread, so you can go to that conversation and make up your own mind based on what other users have said, with full transparency.

I hope this goes some way towards explaining our processes. That said, it is only ever our intention to provide honest recommendations, so going forward we will tighten up the process to clearly flag when a quote is being used to describe a similar, but not identical, product. We will also be emailing everyone who received last night's Discounts email to clarify the situation so nobody feels they have been misled.

Edited

It’s poor that you’re only changing your practice after this has been pointed out. You would know exactly what people would think when they read the e mails.

Bad practice.

ChickenBananas · 02/05/2025 11:56

FiveShelties · 02/05/2025 11:52

But surely anyone could register and post as MN something. It is the blue background which makes it believable.

Show quote history

Ridiculous right

Leafy74 · 02/05/2025 11:57

ChickenBananas · 02/05/2025 11:56

Ridiculous right

Show quote history

Yes Stuipd idea.

Blackdow · 02/05/2025 12:01

MNEditor · 02/05/2025 11:33

Hi

I'm the Mumsnet editor who produces the recommendation emails you receive, including last night's Discounts newsletter, so I'd like to explain my process.

I appreciate that the quote used to describe a pop-up gazebo last night was not directly applicable to the specific gazebo which was promoted, so firstly let me apologise if this has caused confusion or concern.

When products are selected for recommendation, our goal is always to share information which is useful to Mumsnetters and to help them find great products or bargains. We always try to use quotes that are as recent as possible and, where those are not available, ensure that a quote is still relevant. Where a quote may be used to recommend a product it is carefully selected to make sure that it is honestly describing either a specific item, or the general benefits of owning a similar item. We feel these quotes are still helpful because they describe generic merits of the product which apply to all versions. However I can see that we should be clearer when using these quotes - and should have added some explanation to the quote along the lines of "our users love the ease of using pop-up gazebos" to put it in its correct context.

To clarify, there was not, and never is, any intention of misleading readers. We also always make sure to link to the user's quote on the thread, so you can go to that conversation and make up your own mind based on what other users have said, with full transparency.

I hope this goes some way towards explaining our processes. That said, it is only ever our intention to provide honest recommendations, so going forward we will tighten up the process to clearly flag when a quote is being used to describe a similar, but not identical, product. We will also be emailing everyone who received last night's Discounts email to clarify the situation so nobody feels they have been misled.

Edited

Is this allowed under the advertising standard authorities rules?

You’re showing a product and putting a quote giving a glowing recommendation beside that product… but the quote isn’t actually about that product, it’s just about something similar which you’ve dragged up from somewhere and you pretend it’s a recommendation for what you’ve been paid to advertise. Does that follow advertising rules? Could you quote the rules which say that is allowed?

JaneJeffer · 02/05/2025 12:07

JoMumsnet · 02/05/2025 11:48

Just confirming that @MNEditor is a genuine MN Editor - it's only MNHQ moderators who have the blue usernames.

Show quote history

SuperTrooper14 · 02/05/2025 12:08

It's false advertising to use someone's historic and generic comment to market and recommend a specific product years later. I imagine the ASA would have something to say about it!

MathsMagpie · 02/05/2025 12:15

Oh no, the responses so far have made this much worse.

Upinthetreetops · 02/05/2025 12:16

@MNEditor

"there was not, and never is, any intention of misleading readers"

Nah I'm sorry, that's BS. It was a lie to promote a product, end of. So misleading is exactly what it was.
Nice try at attempting to covering your own backside, though

KilkennyCats · 02/05/2025 12:17

MathsMagpie · 02/05/2025 12:15

Oh no, the responses so far have made this much worse.

Yes 😳

SwanOfThoseThings · 02/05/2025 12:18

I do find it hard to accept MNEditor's assertion that readers were not intended to take that quote as referring to the specific gazebo being pictured rather than pop-up gazebos on the whole.

ManchesterLu · 02/05/2025 12:19

That is absolutely awful, Mumsnet. A barefaced lie. And we're supposed to trust you?

thinkfast · 02/05/2025 12:23

This is really disingenuous by MNHQ. It’s not clear at all that the quote from the OP related to a similar type of product, it very much reads as an endorsement of the specific product mentioned. How are we supposed to trust you?

Mumofteenandtween · 02/05/2025 12:24

SwanOfThoseThings · 02/05/2025 12:18

I do find it hard to accept MNEditor's assertion that readers were not intended to take that quote as referring to the specific gazebo being pictured rather than pop-up gazebos on the whole.

Particularly as they carefully deleted the part of the quote that neatly explained that it was a generic pop up gazebo that was being talked about.

UnderTheCover · 02/05/2025 12:25

Agree that the "sorry if you were confused" response makes this so much worse. And it's not from a genuine MN HQ person, then where is a (blue) statement confirming this?

EmmaJane2025 · 02/05/2025 12:26

MNEditor · 02/05/2025 11:33

Hi

I'm the Mumsnet editor who produces the recommendation emails you receive, including last night's Discounts newsletter, so I'd like to explain my process.

I appreciate that the quote used to describe a pop-up gazebo last night was not directly applicable to the specific gazebo which was promoted, so firstly let me apologise if this has caused confusion or concern.

When products are selected for recommendation, our goal is always to share information which is useful to Mumsnetters and to help them find great products or bargains. We always try to use quotes that are as recent as possible and, where those are not available, ensure that a quote is still relevant. Where a quote may be used to recommend a product it is carefully selected to make sure that it is honestly describing either a specific item, or the general benefits of owning a similar item. We feel these quotes are still helpful because they describe generic merits of the product which apply to all versions. However I can see that we should be clearer when using these quotes - and should have added some explanation to the quote along the lines of "our users love the ease of using pop-up gazebos" to put it in its correct context.

To clarify, there was not, and never is, any intention of misleading readers. We also always make sure to link to the user's quote on the thread, so you can go to that conversation and make up your own mind based on what other users have said, with full transparency.

I hope this goes some way towards explaining our processes. That said, it is only ever our intention to provide honest recommendations, so going forward we will tighten up the process to clearly flag when a quote is being used to describe a similar, but not identical, product. We will also be emailing everyone who received last night's Discounts email to clarify the situation so nobody feels they have been misled.

Edited

This is exactly what I said further up and for what it’s worth, it was very clear to me and many others that you were simply showing a comment by OP about that ‘type’ of Gazebo. How so, so many users have missed this, is beyond me. I worry about some people’s comprehension abilities, I really do.

Mareleine · 02/05/2025 12:27

JoMumsnet · 02/05/2025 11:48

Just confirming that @MNEditor is a genuine MN Editor - it's only MNHQ moderators who have the blue usernames.

Show quote history

@MNEditor 's username is black with a white background to the post for me. Looks nothing like a normal MNHQ post at all, just looks like a random poster.

SuperTrooper14 · 02/05/2025 12:28

Bobnobob · 02/05/2025 10:23

All this hand wringing 😆 surely this is the advertising company who have created the advert and not MN? Anyone else bought the gazebo because of this thread? I’m going to - it looks great

No, it's called commercial content, where a brand pays a magazine/newspaper/website to create an advert that looks like editorial. An advertorial, in other words.