We are being watched!

[nigglewiggle]

I've just looked at 2 threads - one about Jo Jo Maman Bebe and the other one about Ocado. Within a couple of messages someone from the company has replied answering the query/ promising to sort the problem.

Is this an indication of the power of Mumsnet that we are now under surveillance ?

It is pretty common, I think. See e.g. here.

I think of it as an abuse of the site -- unpaid-for online PR converting discussion into a commercial zone. I'd be glad to know what MN's policy is on this sort of thing.

I don't like Virgin Media. Their prices are far too high compared to that of SKY, but I cannot SKY because of the bloody trees!!!

Do you think they pay someone full-time to read all MN threads? I'm up for that job, if its open! (paid to MN, yay!!)

Wow! I didn't realise it was so widespread. I'm not sure i'm happy about it either, but I'm just off to start a thread about how my life will not be complete until I get my hands on an ipad !

Lol. I thought this was going to be about Matthew Wright this morning and the sandwiches.

The article Eleison linked to suggests they have software to check for mention of their companies so i'm not sure there will be an opportunity to capitalise on your Mumsnet obsession a job available anytime soon .

The mind boggles froggy.

Darn it, niggle!!!! I got all excited there for a moment!

Hmm, yes, thank you, we have clocked these. And we're, erm, looking into it.

Eleison, we've mailed you.

My cousin is in PR and has no children but is regularly scanning MN and FB to see what is happening

If only someone was watching me from that bloody yacht company. That bloody huge yacht I bought keeps breaking down and I am really cross about it.

I think you need to name-check a company Shirley. Not really up on yacht companies - Yachts-Are-Us?

Thanks helen. Your email didn't arrive for some reason. Could you resend? Not to worry, though. Good to know that you are looking into it.

Helen - I think you should say to them that they should use CAT if they spot something they want to act on.

If they do something positive, chances are that the MNEr will come back and praise them to the skies.

I completely understand why they're doing it, obviously you can't stop them and the one I saw - the Ocado woman - did it in a pretty appropriate way. But if it catches on, the threads will be swarming with them.

Imagine it on S&B!

I think many companies have a web scraper program which checks for mentions of the company on a periodic basis. So it's not as though they are hanging around on MN watching us exactly.

I can't see a problem with it really, so long as they are simply responding to the OP in a way that is useful and it's clear that they are from the company. If they are trying to self-promote, being aggressive against negative comments or being inappropriate then obviously that particular post should be reported and deleted.

I don't think it's abuse in the Ocado or JJMB cases, although I have seem some instances where I have been more . It is not nearly so annoying as the sock puppet posters from focus group panels who turn up to convince us of the benefit of all sorts of random things, although the most annoying threads are those where a company spokesman turns up along with a range of sock puppets.

If we get an outbreak of first-time posters saying "Does anyone know when the XXX sale starts" followed by company representatives popping up to say "Why, thank you for asking, YummyMummy01. The XXX sale starts on such-and-such a date and we'll be offering discounts of up to 50% on our entire homewares range" then I might rethink, although even then I think a bit of vigilence and common sense will keep the problem down.

And I was just about to buy some stuff from JJMB, so it's probably saved me money .

It was this company. Damn them. Give me a new yacht

ShirleyKnot - So sorry to hear about the problems you've been having with one of our yachts. If you'd like to post the full details of your order number (should be on your receipt) and exactly what's wrong with your yacht, I shall have you arrested for attempted fraud because I don't believe a word of it look into it for you.

ShirleyKnot - I trust it was in the "$10M plus" range

well could Ocado please take note that they deliver to my parents, but not to me - there is a 3 mile difference between us.

Sort it.

Cheers

This happened to me a few months back. Complained about a particular brand of ear thermometer and asked for advice of anyone that had one, and shortly a company rep popped up wanting me to email them and wanted to send me a new one.

Would have been fine, except when I emailed they didn't get back to me, and I didn't actually want another of their thermometers as the risk of user error was so high I couldn't justify having it. It went back to the shop as faulty, and MNHQ deleted their posts about how wonderful they are.