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

[Wondermoomin]

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.

It’s like an NHS complaint response. ‘Sorry you feel this way’

What did the email say? Sorry if it's been posted before. I'm invested in this now!

It's like one of those fake apologies where someone says "I'm sorry you feel like that" or "I'm sorry that you feel I was being rude" rather than just saying "Sorry, that was rude".

Yeah. Christ. More than a decade ago I bought a draped top by J---- (an overpriced clothing retailer MN used to plug a lot) that was so recommended, wonder top, etc and the fabric was literally rotting around the seams when it arrived.

I genuinely assumed it was my bad luck because other MNers loved theirs so much.

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.

@AuntyAgony The top of the email apology had a bit of context per screenshot and the rest of it seems to be word for word what MNEditor posted on this thread. With a kiss at the end (maybe to try to show that everyone’s still friends 😂)

And, great news, they’ve included the advert and mismatched quote again so they can even say to their client that they ran the ad twice at no extra cost 😂

Oh dear. This is a bit awkward isn’t it.

I was once asked to write some 'swears by' content. It was a really unpleasant experience and the first time I have ever bowed out of a job. I'm pretty sure the guidelines on that element were that the quotes had to match the product OR I had to make it clear it was a generic quote.

@JessyCarr wow it just gets worse doesn’t it

Well who'd thunk it, after a non descript day becoming devine ruler of MN which an official title to boot! 😆

I agree it's disappointing and shady practice though. I've been around a few years and recognise some posters experience and knowledge in specific threads so if I saw a recommendation from them would likely take as quite a trustworthy endorsement. Will know better now and take all with a large pinch of salt.

I'm one of those people that reads the recommendations then goes on Amazon and searches the product but not the brand and then get duped by their fake recommendations. Guess it's still a win for someone. Can I just say the username changes are hilarious.

Ive just gone through the MN Swears by tab and its a crock of shite.

For example, the washing lines

• One quote is pulled from a thread about an entirely different product
• One Quote is 13 years old, doesnt specidy the one they are refering to and the link the user posts doesnt work
• There's another (for a £25 Argos one) that is old and is about a different Argos one.

This is ONE category, so basically they don't actually give a fuck

Mumsnet and Justine in particular in all the years I have read and posted here have never once offered a fulsome hands in the air apology
So don't hold your breath for one now.
they will never admit they properly fucked up
Its always always a caveated apology

@JoMumsnet @MNEditor

You really need to come back and explain your advertising practices. You are flagrantly breaking the rules on advertising. What you’re doing it not allowed. Do you understand that?

Oh for a

😱

Reaction button!

MN at the feeding trough of affiliate commissions....

I mean it's easy pickings so I can see how this could begin to get a bit out of hand...

They did a great job with supporting women over trans rights so I have a special place in my heart for MN, especially at the moment.

I hope they can remain ethical though. It's a rare place these days that anyone can feel like they genuinely trust a corporate not to bag them over.

Trust is falling apart in relationships across the globe, everywhere... so I'd not like to see this place fall into that abyss.

Come on MN! Keep yourselves squeaky please.

Imagine if a journalist got wind of this...

This should probably be edited seeing as it's not true.

I did think they’d do better than this, at least as far as apology and correction went. Blimey this is isn’t good.

Who does this sort of thing have to be reported to the ASA?

I was thinking the same thing….

Oh my god, so the whole thing excuse about generic quotes is bollocks

@JoMumsnet @MNheadoffice @MNEditor

are you going to send out an apology email for every time you’ve done this? Cos it’s starting to look like my inbox is going to be absolutely flooded

I feel I should say now if you ever see a vibrator advertised by MN and endorsed by me, the actual post where I proclaimed "I'M A PROUD UTTER WANKER" in bigly letters has nothing to do with sex toys!

If I was a journalist I’ve probably have an online alert set up for “a certain newspaper” being mentioned on MN so it can give me a shortlist of potential articles. Actually, they probably already get a list from someone in MNHQ but obviously this thread won’t be on it.