Page 19 | 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.

Blondeshavemorefun · 02/05/2025 15:43

Thread isn’t refreshing so this may have been shown all ready but got an email saying sorry

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

Weezol · 02/05/2025 15:45

Spies · 02/05/2025 13:32

The supposedly professional response to this issue is genuinely blowing my mind! I can't believe they think it's just all a huge misunderstanding. Comprehension skills certainly need to be worked on but anyone with a braincell can see it's not ours that are the problem here.

They don't think that. They want us to think that.

Jones1228 · 02/05/2025 15:48

BottleBlondeMachiavelli · 02/05/2025 15:42

Well I was standing here minding my own business like everyone else when you turned up with your “Calm down overheated girl-ladies. It’s not that deep, focus on the mcguffin” bollox.

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You do like to make it all about you don't you. I've not been winding people up, I was minding my own business. If that's the case then why take my comment about something you haven't done so personally?

NormaMajors1992coat · 02/05/2025 15:50

JessyCarr · 02/05/2025 14:47

Best Tablet for Kids in 2025? As “highly recommended by Mumsnet families”?

MN Swears By says the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet is the best for toddlers. It’s apparently recommended by RestingPandaFace, who’s quoted as saying “Kids’ fire is really easy to set up and pretty indestructible”.

What in fact she said (in October 2021) was “Kids’ kindle fire is really easy to set up and pretty indestructible”. Her words appear to have been edited to delete the reference to “Kindle” which would have betrayed the fact that she was talking about a now-obsolete product.

Care to explain the “confusion” in this case @MNEditor? Were you just recommending technology in general or something?

BottleBlondeMachiavelli · 02/05/2025 15:51

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

TURNYOURCAPSLOCKOFF · 02/05/2025 15:54

JessyCarr · 02/05/2025 14:47

Best Tablet for Kids in 2025? As “highly recommended by Mumsnet families”?

MN Swears By says the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet is the best for toddlers. It’s apparently recommended by RestingPandaFace, who’s quoted as saying “Kids’ fire is really easy to set up and pretty indestructible”.

What in fact she said (in October 2021) was “Kids’ kindle fire is really easy to set up and pretty indestructible”. Her words appear to have been edited to delete the reference to “Kindle” which would have betrayed the fact that she was talking about a now-obsolete product.

I KNEW IT!!!

Fuckers

claudiawinklemansfringetrimmer · 02/05/2025 15:54

MNheadoffice · 02/05/2025 15:05

Oh dear. Is my spoof name too believable?

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Yes that one got me!

Runningoutofpatiencefucksandmoney · 02/05/2025 16:01

The name changes on here are HILARIOUS 😂

TURNYOURCAPSLOCKOFF · 02/05/2025 16:01

Jones1228 · 02/05/2025 15:02

Jesus i cant believe this thread, its a fucking gazebo for gods sake. Maybe everyone should buy one to prevent getting too much sun and losing the plot to this extent. The quote describes every pop up gazebo ever made and if it was a big conspiracy to fool you all would it be linked directly to the the post the quote came from showing exactly what was said and when. OK complain, don't buy the gazebo but surely you have something better to do on a sunny Friday into a bank holiday weekend than keep repeating the same thing and manufacture outrage over something so pathetic.

Is that you Justine?

😏

Jones1228 · 02/05/2025 16:02

.

IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece · 02/05/2025 16:03

Jones1228 · 02/05/2025 16:02

.

Edited

😂 honestly, sniff some lavender and calm down

JaneJeffer · 02/05/2025 16:03

Jones1228 · 02/05/2025 16:02

.

Edited

Have a little lie down in the fucking gazebo dear

kittensinthekitchen · 02/05/2025 16:04

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

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.

If you couldn't find a quote that was relevant to that specific product, and you had to go back EIGHT YEARS to find one relevant to that specific type of product, can you explain why you think it's worthy of being recommended widely to your users?

Jones1228 · 02/05/2025 16:04

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

I have not told you off and I could not give two fucks if you address me. Seems like you are getting a bit wound up though, maybe you should have stuck to minding your own business like you were doing before so you didn't get wound up by a stranger on the internet!

PaintYourAssLikeRembrandt · 02/05/2025 16:05

IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece · 02/05/2025 16:03

😂 honestly, sniff some lavender and calm down

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MN recommended lavender at that, at least we know it will be high quality....oh....wait.....

IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece · 02/05/2025 16:06

PaintYourAssLikeRembrandt · 02/05/2025 16:05

MN recommended lavender at that, at least we know it will be high quality....oh....wait.....

Show quote history

It's ok, because someone in 2011 recommended Rosemary so that'll basically be the same thing

BoIIocks · 02/05/2025 16:08

Can anyone recommend an amazing shovel? Something that’s good for digging a deeper and deeper hole?

DonkeyDumpling · 02/05/2025 16:09

Bloody hell, I’ve not been on here for a couple of weeks, this place just gets better and better. How misleading and amateurish.
First it was give us your money you freeloading bastards or we’ll fill your screen with ads and now it’s buy this shite we’ve lied about.
Yeah think I’ll be off again…

JaneJeffer · 02/05/2025 16:11

BoIIocks · 02/05/2025 16:08

Can anyone recommend an amazing shovel? Something that’s good for digging a deeper and deeper hole?

MN recommends this shovel

Londonlassy · 02/05/2025 16:11

when a thread blows up! Loving the name changes

JennyTwoTimes · 02/05/2025 16:13

honestly, what is this meltdown about? A marketing email included a general quote about gazebos (not even a bad one), and suddenly it’s turned into a full-on witch hunt.

Let’s be real: this isn’t about the gazebo is it? Some of you just really hate it here and will jump on absolutely anything to have a go. And I say this as someone who’s not here to defend ANY company. They can all take care of themselves. But this sort of performative outrage over a gazebo is unhinged. Take a fucking look at yourselves.

Also it’s the sunniest weekend we’ve had in months. Why are grown adults spending it angrily dissecting a fucking email? Go outside. Have a drink. Sit under a parasol. Or a gazebo, if you can bear the sight of one without getting the pitchforks out. Seriously, get a grip. This is just fucking weird.

JaneJeffer · 02/05/2025 16:15

Oh how could we have all been so foolish . Yes YOU are right and everyone else is wrong. Well done 🏅

Jones1228 · 02/05/2025 16:15

I am already there, highly recommend chilling out to everyone else.

TURNYOURCAPSLOCKOFF · 02/05/2025 16:16

JennyTwoTimes · 02/05/2025 16:13

honestly, what is this meltdown about? A marketing email included a general quote about gazebos (not even a bad one), and suddenly it’s turned into a full-on witch hunt.

Let’s be real: this isn’t about the gazebo is it? Some of you just really hate it here and will jump on absolutely anything to have a go. And I say this as someone who’s not here to defend ANY company. They can all take care of themselves. But this sort of performative outrage over a gazebo is unhinged. Take a fucking look at yourselves.

Also it’s the sunniest weekend we’ve had in months. Why are grown adults spending it angrily dissecting a fucking email? Go outside. Have a drink. Sit under a parasol. Or a gazebo, if you can bear the sight of one without getting the pitchforks out. Seriously, get a grip. This is just fucking weird.

But it isn't obviously a generic quote BECAUSE of the photo.

If I post this picture... What would you infer from it?
Probably that bananas are my favourite fruit, right?

But No ... Actually you're an idiot because OBVIOUSLY I was talking about raspberries.

Philthefridge · 02/05/2025 16:20

JennyTwoTimes · 02/05/2025 16:13

honestly, what is this meltdown about? A marketing email included a general quote about gazebos (not even a bad one), and suddenly it’s turned into a full-on witch hunt.

Let’s be real: this isn’t about the gazebo is it? Some of you just really hate it here and will jump on absolutely anything to have a go. And I say this as someone who’s not here to defend ANY company. They can all take care of themselves. But this sort of performative outrage over a gazebo is unhinged. Take a fucking look at yourselves.

Also it’s the sunniest weekend we’ve had in months. Why are grown adults spending it angrily dissecting a fucking email? Go outside. Have a drink. Sit under a parasol. Or a gazebo, if you can bear the sight of one without getting the pitchforks out. Seriously, get a grip. This is just fucking weird.

Well, it's about transparency and honesty. And trust. Not a gazebo really.