Fraudulent Coral Pictures

[dawgface]

Does it not chap anyone else's *** the level of accepted misrepresentation, bait and switch and fraudulent practices of sellers in this hobby?! I just don't understand how a group of fundementally intelligent people (hobby as a whole) allow these actions to continually take place without calling them out and throwing out their garage..... Worse if any criticism is mentioned they seem to have a cult following of mindless drones to "back them up" so to speak. It's moronic to say the least.

For me personally if anything has CB before the name in a sales thread I want to pull my hair out. Passing on the name of him and his ****ty, dirty tactics just exemplify as well as encourage others. Hell now that I'm thinking about it, Florida stores outside of WWC and Living Reef probably should be barred from life.

Before anyone goes crazy off the handle, this is in reference to online sellers outside of this club 100%.... at least from my point of view. Hopefully they will stay out of here. I'd sure like to think we as a community wouldn't allow some of this crap I see regularly elsewhwre.
<fieldset class="gc-fieldset">
<legend> Attached files </legend>

>

class="gc-images" title="IMG_5883__66871.1427866417.380.380.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a> </fieldset>

 

[ghbrewer]

I hear ya, and agree 100%!

 

[ringo®]

DawgFace;1035815 wrote: Does it not chap anyone else's *** the level of accepted misrepresentation, bait and switch and fraudulent practices of sellers in this hobby?!

Yes and no. The guy is in the business of selling coral and if a good picture gets you additional money, I'm not going to get too upset about it. It's a buyer beware type of purchase, so the buyer should be able to spot a doctored photo.

Pretty much every online vendor thinks they're straight as long as they can claim "I don't use photoshop". They never seem to answer questions regarding lense filters and types of lighting used.

If I go to McDonalds and order a Quarter Pounder w/cheese. I know good and well it's not going to come out looking like the photo on their menu. I'm not going to get pissed at the manager about it.

 

[project1004]

100% agree... I just look and say I wonder how much these will be later. and I laugh.

I try to support the local. I like to see the corals before I pull out my stack of cash.

 

[declanisadog]

While I do agree for the most part, the bigger issue I have with him is the "re-branding" that he does. He pays $20 for a coral, then changes the name, and sells it as if it's something special. I've seen him buy several things from goldenbasket for nothing, then frag them, and resell them for five times what he got them for.

 

[dawgface]

Ringo®;1035819 wrote: Yes and no. The guy is in the business of selling coral and if a good picture gets you additional money, I'm not going to get too upset about it. It's a buyer beware type of purchase, so the buyer should be able to spot a doctored photo.

Pretty much every online vendor thinks they're straight as long as they can claim "I don't use photoshop". They never seem to answer questions regarding lense filters and types of lighting used.

If I go to McDonalds and order a Quarter Pounder w/cheese. I know good and well it's not going to come out looking like the photo on there menu. I'm not going to get pissed at the manager about it.

Blantant lies, misrepresentation and doctoring is no where near the same as the common minimal differences depicted in other goods ads... which are very much regulated.

This pictures whether hid behind the possibility he didn't use photoshop... is still doctored with absolute intent to deceive. Adjusting this picture the way he does probably takes far more work than simply using photoshop or one of the other hundred photo editing software out there.

I wonder if these sellers are so moral defunct that they in fact have convinced themselves that they are not misrepresentating as long as they don't literally use photoshop.... who knows....
<fieldset class="gc-fieldset">
<legend> Attached files </legend>

>

class="gc-images" title="mO3V6tHE0phXnxm3Vsxp2Dw.jpg[/IMG] style="max-width:300px" /></a> </fieldset>

 

[crew]

Ringo®;1035819 wrote: Yes and no. The guy is in the business of selling coral and if a good picture gets you additional money, I'm not going to get too upset about it. It's a buyer beware type of purchase, so the buyer should be able to spot a doctored photo.

Pretty much every online vendor thinks they're straight as long as they can claim "I don't use photoshop". They never seem to answer questions regarding lense filters and types of lighting used.

If I go to McDonalds and order a Quarter Pounder w/cheese. I know good and well it's not going to come out looking like the photo on their menu. I'm not going to get pissed at the manager about it.

but I don't think this is quite the same. It may not look like the photo, but it will taste just as good. With coral, we don't care how it tastes. We are buying an item that should look just like the photo of it. If you are labeling it as "What you see is what you get" then you are blatantly deceiving people by doctoring the photo or using fancy lens and editing techniques.

There is a difference between enhancing a photo to make it look like it does in real life vs. making it look 150% brighter and more contrasting than it actually is.

 

[russ-iv]

3rd one is wayyy over saturated judging by the background.

Im unfamiliar with "CB". I usually go for the LE stuff at other places if a LFS doesnt have something of interest.

 

[ringo®]

Russ-IV;1035826 wrote:

Im unfamiliar with "CB".

CB = Cornbred = Rich Negret

 

[russ-iv]

Ringo®;1035827 wrote: CB = Cornbred = Rich Negret

thanks

 

[crew]

CB = cornbread, I'm assuming. He's trying to be the next Tyree.

I dont even buy that these guys don't use photoshop. I just go on the assumption that they are lying. Most of these photo's look like they've been white balanced and then filtered on top of other images to get better saturation control so the photo doesn't look doctored. Think of it like wearing a color contact lens.

 

[rdnelson]

There is only one brand name I go for. It is "Free". Never been disappointed.

But seriously, I agree with you Jessie however I have never understood the need to have "LE" anything. If I like it, I don't care what it is called.

 

[dawgface]

Crew;1035829 wrote: CB = cornbread, I'm assuming. He's trying to be the next Tyree.

I dont even buy that these guys don't use photoshop. I just go on the assumption that they are lying. Most of these photo's look like they've been white balanced and then filtered on top of other images to get better saturation control so the photo doesn't look doctored. Think of it like wearing a color contact lens.

I'm with you here.

In an attempt to tone myself down I'll give the theoretical olive branch. Well, really now I'm lying. I don't believe for one second that they are doing anything other than doing anything and everything to misrepresent in order to make a quick buck.

However don't get me wrong in all of this. I am a staunch capitalist whom believes in a free market where sellers prices and products are not to be negotiated by those whom simply wish it where cheaper. Buyers determine the fate of all sellers.

With that, this is not the same. This is simply fraud and slimy sales tactics plain and simple. Which should not be tolerated in any situation. Imho

 

[russ-iv]

DawgFace;1035832 wrote: I'm with you here.

In an attempt to tone myself down I'll give the theoretical olive branch. Well, really now I'm lying. I don't believe for one second that they are doing anything other than doing anything and everything to misrepresent in order to make a quick buck.

However don't get me wrong in all of this. I am a staunch capitalist whom believes in a free market where sellers prices and products are not to be negotiated by those whom simply wish it where cheaper. Buyers determine the fate of all sellers.

With that, this is not the same. This is simply fraud and slimy sales tactics plain and simple. Which should not be tolerated in any situation. Imho

alt="" />

Tell us how you really feel

 

[declanisadog]

Russ-IV;1035833 wrote:

alt="" />

Tell us how you really feel

Is that from a claritin commercial?

 

[russ-iv]

Declanisadog;1035834 wrote: Is that from a claritin commercial?

LMFAO (people in the office looking at me strange now)

 

[dawgface]

rdnelson99;1035830 wrote: There is only one brand name I go for. It is "Free". Never been disappointed.

But seriously, I agree with you Jessie however I have never understood the need to have "LE" anything. If I like it, I don't care what it is called.

I always chuckled a bit about the name game as well. But that in and by itself is just ingenious marketing in which a name simply nets larger margins. I'm on board with that... Made me more than once rethink some of the products I offered within my own companies (nonreef related).

I also read an article not to long ago by Feldman which pits a very favorable spin on the name game. Interesting point of view there, not unusual coming from him. Really wish we could convince that man and that sponsor to spend a little time here. In any event I'll try to locate the article and link it if I can.

 

[dawgface]

Russ-IV;1035833 wrote:

alt="" />

Tell us how you really feel

Unfortunately my true feelings I think would lend me a smack bottom with the ban stick.

 

[snowmansnow]

I agree that doctoring a photo to make it appear more colorful than it actually is is simply lying. Lying, is a basic no no in a society. (duh) It is dishonest, and shows lack of integrity. not sure how anyone can defend being dishonest (although I'm sure someone can just to show their ability to argue).

I've been shopping for some online corals recently and some photos I look at and think, "year right" and just move on. that being said there was a time when I just didn't know any better.

 

[ringo®]

With all the photos above, If I was interested in buying any of them, I would ask the seller to text me a quick photo taken with a cellphone.

As for names, I think they help with identification. Let's say I walk into the LFS and ask for some zoas. I can ask for some green and yellowish ones with purple and orange in them. That could easily be a 30 minute conversation / search to find what I'm looking for. If I just say that I'm looking for rastas, they could probably point me right to them.