Vendor Discussions and new Vendor Ratings feature

[packetjunkie]

We've converted this forum to a "Vendors Discussion" area. If you want to talk about vendors, this is the place. The old format of moderating posts before they are posted has been removed and this is just a regular discussion forum.

For Vendor Ratings check out our new Vendor Reviews section. You can research, rate and review the vendors and products which our community would be interested in.

You can write reviews on products already uploaded or upload your own. You can upload information on a vendor by clicking on the ADD VENDOR link; or when adding a new product, if the vendor is not listed, you can add the information "on-the-fly" and have it created automatically.

Products being reviewed are tried to the vendor and vendors list all the products being reviewed.

I would like to encourage people to use this new section as it will provide people with an excellent reference when researching products and vendors.

[packetjunkie]

I've made an update that links Vendors Reviews into this area to the respective Vendor Discussion thread.

Hopefully this will help people doing research by seperating out first-hand reviews and the "discussions" of vendors (but linking them together).

[packetjunkie]

As you know one of the features of this site is Product Reviews (click on REVIEWS in the header). The focus has always been on "products", but in light of the debate of the format for the Vendor Feedback forum, I realized that there was a need for a Vendor's Review section for the site as well.

http://www.viperalley.com/viperrev/index.php?cat=12

By modifying the ReviewPost code, I've been able to create a "vendor specific" category which will make writing reviews/rating of vendors easier. I also added the ability to rate vendors in three categories - customer service, price and an overall rating.

To add a new Vendor to the list, when in the Reviews section, click on the ADD VENDOR button next to the UPLOAD PRODUCTS button. Here is an example of a Vendor listing:

http://www.viperalley.com/viperrev/s...php?product=21

When uploading Products to be reveiwed, you can selects a Vendor from a drop down list or add a new Vendor on-the-fly.

Vendor Ratings link to product reviews and product reviews link to the vendor ratings. This is a great reference tool as it allows users to quickly see how products rate and then provides a quick link to view how the vendor itself rates (and visa-versa).

Links to these new categories are now available on the Main Index under the forum listing.

Vendors - if you would like to have us change your description; just PM me with any details you would like to have added to your description.

Give it a try and let me know what you think. I hope the added flexibility will make the feature easier to use and a better tool for people doing research. If you have any problems, post them here.