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cranky mini rant


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I've noticed an increase in posts involving non-APQS machines for sale. It bothers me quite a lot that the APQS sponsored and maintained forum is used by people with no interest in our forum who are selling items that are in direct competition with the company that sponsors the site.

I'm all for being friendly and welcoming, but come on! Think about it. I bet anyone from the home office who reads the for-sale posts for a competing machine just cringe. They are in the business of selling APQS products and every machine that sells off this site may be one less that could have been an APQS. 

 

It's convenient for the seller and someone can be hijacked directly from the site. I know most of the posters are private owners and sometimes they are trying to sell their XYZ machine to upgrade to an APQS. I just think it's inappropriate. It's like someone at a trade show standing in line and handing out their catering business cards while they enjoy the free buffet put on by their competitor. 

 

I don't imagine anyone will restrict or remove the competing posts, since this place is famously friendly. But there are sites like Longarm U where any brand can be happily offered since there is no vested interest in brand.

 

Cranky mini-rant over. Continue with your regularly scheduled quilting! :D

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I am puzzled why they post a non-APQS machine...it seems like a waste of time to me.......I know I would not look for a non-APQS machine here......and some are so vague as to what they are selling, that I have have wondered if they really even have a machine to sell  .......lin

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I do think it is unlikely that those machines will sell.  Those ads, however, irritate me far less than the posts talking about how they are considering buying a competitors wonderful machine, and wanting warm fuzzies about their choice.  Now, that is just rude.

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I think everybody just needs to keep encouraging these folks to list their machines for sale on Longarm University's site, or Ebay.  Maybe if enough of us discourage them, they will quit listing on here.

 

As far as anybody asking for advice on buying a machine made by XYZ, I always refer them back to purchasing an APQS machine; and I give a list of reasons why.

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I usually avoid reading such posts, but wasn't really thinking about why. I just wasn't comfortable with it.

I will here for refer them to their machines site, and Longarm University's site, and ebay.

I agree it is rude, inconsiderate etc. to praise another brand and to ask for help with off brands. APQS is the Only good machine.

(I don't mean to be rude, I'm just opinionated.)

Rita

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I wonder if any keeps totals on XYZ machines sold here. If they did and posted the very low rate of sales maybe other machine post would disappear!!! :D  :D  :D

 

You know I don't have a problem with this either. Just wish that everyone could be as happy as we are. Able to design, create and quilt!  :wub:

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Hmm.  I always figured that maybe people were unloading these machine so that they could, perhaps, purchase an APQS machine.  I think also many people come here because they are interested in long arm quilting and, if they can't afford an APQS machine, they might be interested in what they find here (another brand).  If you aren't interested in another brand for sale, then simply don't read the post.  I've got absolutely no problem with it.

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I for one am really glad that this forum is open to all brands of longarm users (and I guess that goes for the ones for sale too). If people here weren't so welcoming after my year of research and trying out different machines I'm not sure that I would have made the extra effort to take time to test out an APQS. And I'm really glad that I did that because that's the one that I ended up buying.  :D

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I for one am really glad that this forum is open to all brands of longarm users (and I guess that goes for the ones for sale too). If people here weren't so welcoming after my year of research and trying out different machines I'm not sure that I would have made the extra effort to take time to test out an APQS. And I'm really glad that I did that because that's the one that I ended up buying.  :D

 

 

My rant was only aimed at people who post non-APQS machines for sale. This practice may cause the loss of a sale by APQS.

 

I welcome and encourage anyone who wants or owns any brand. Our longarm group has several members with other machines and all brands and skill levels are welcome. And my bestest longarm friend drives a Gammill. It's only the use of a web site supported by one company used to sell the product of another company that I find in a gray area. Ultimately APQS gets to decide whether to allow it or if it's even worth the trouble to police.

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Hmm.  I always figured that maybe people were unloading these machine so that they could, perhaps, purchase an APQS machine.  I think also many people come here because they are interested in long arm quilting and, if they can't afford an APQS machine, they might be interested in what they find here (another brand).  If you aren't interested in another brand for sale, then simply don't read the post.  I've got absolutely no problem with it.

 

 

I always thought that all of you were very friendly and welcoming no matter the brand. I find this thread a bit offensive in that this is very exclusionary. If you don't want a non APQS don't buy it. It is very possible that if someone gets a sale they can purchase an APQS machine. 

As for asking help for another brand of machine-why not, if they know someone here that has their brand and can help them. I don't think any of this is enough to rant over. Many other more important things to rant about.

 

BTW I  own APQS

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Oh boy, I have been posting questions, and I have a Tiara, (not for sale) and now I feel a bit uncomfortable.  I bought a Tiara because I found one used that I could afford and in a state I could drive to and get it. That does not mean I do not appreciate the quality of an APQS.  I would definitely consider one some day if I was ever looking for a new machine, because of all the great things I have learned here.  That benefits APQS.   I thought this forum was for anyone to learn and share about quilting.  I did not even think about the brand issue.  It never occurred to me that the brand sponsoring the forum, or people owning a different brand than me, would care about this at all.  I kind of thought forums were just for sharing info, not promoting a certain brand.  I have seen several posts by people with the same machine as me and thought nothing of it.  Don't have a problem with people selling either.  I never thought about it in that light.  I wonder what APQS has to say about this?  They could ban non APQS sales if they wanted to.

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APQS actually suggests that people post their non APQS machines on the forum when they are trying to sell the machines to purchase an APQS machine.  It is just another way that APQS goes above and beyond to try to help people.  

 

APQS has been very nice to provide this open forum for us all, no matter what brand of machine we own.  They work very hard to make sure that everyone is welcome here.  Replying to a post to give other venues to sell someone's machine, in a way that is helpful, would be nice.  They might not know about other places that they could list there machine.  I really think we should be helpful and try to send people away.     

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Angela is right. When I was ready to buy my first APQS longarm, someone from APQS suggested I list my Brand X machine here on the forum. It was listed other places as well, but it was nice to have the option of listing it here. I honestly don't care what brand of machine anyone has, or if it's a longarm or not. I just enjoy seeing all the beautiful quilting!

post-1093-0-07411400-1401850071_thumb.jpg

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Part of advertising is getting your name out there and hosting forums.  Even tho I do not own an APQS at this time, I know much more about them now since belonging to this forum, and I have learned that they are a great company with a great product.  Isn't that what APQS would want?   I get emails daily, and postings on my facebook page from multiple companies.  They don't worry about whether I want to hear from them day after day after day.  They just want to keep reminding me of their product.   Hosting a forum is one way for a company to keep their name and product in front of your face.  If they want people with other brands to stay away, they can put it in their rules.  They could ban posts of sales of other brands.  I would think they would want to attract quilters here for any reason.  The quilter may join and learn about their product.  Isn't that one reason they have a great contest going on, to attract people to their site, to learn about their product?  I sent for info. on a machine after entering the contest.

 I will certainly hesitate to post here now after reading these posts.  I belonged to another forum on embroidery machines and everyone suddenly got snobby because I did not own their brand.  That was the end for me.  Only want to exchange info. and learn, and help, not worry about which brand I own, want to sell, or want to buy.  I don't think that "sending people away" benefits APQS in any way.  Don't some of you do part of your quilting on another machine, a DSM?  Perhaps your binding?  Then perhaps you should not ask binding questions because you are not doing it on an APQS machine.  Just my opinion.

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OK..let's chill out.  Some very good points have been made, and we are all enlightened now about why brand X machines are listed.  Nobody is implying that those who have other brands of machines should not post quilting questions or show their beautiful work.  If someone has a machine specific question for something other than an APQS machine, they may not get the best advice here..but things like tension or thread breaking have causes that can be universal.  

 

I still think those who use the forum should respect our hosts.  Over the years, since late 2009, I have seen people post rave reviews about competitors machines and say negative things about APQS machines as to why they chose Competitor X.  If you would not go to a dinner party and disparage the meal the hostess prepared all the while raving about how much better the last hostess prepared it... it's the same principle.  Manners need to be minded here, too.  

 

Remember, the written word comes across much more harshly than it is meant sometimes.  When I see that type post, I remind the person that this incredibly valuable forum is courtesy of APQS and they deserve our gratitude and respect.

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Zora, it works the other way around, too.  If people on the APQS forum "send people away," it looks bad for APQS.  They would want everyone to respect their brand, as well as welcome others who may not know much about their brand yet.  If you feel unwelcome, it does not make you want to run out and buy a machine from APQS, even tho you realize it is not the company posting.  You would not even pursue the brand.  I would not criticize an APQS machine on this forum, but I don't think it is beneficial in any way to make people who have a different brand feel like they are "not part of the club," because they own a different machine.  Not everyone can run out and spend thousands of dollars on a longarm.   They do, after all, have a link to this forum on their site, and contest entry page, which is probably what led me here.  I think they welcome everyone here no matter what brand they own, ask about, or whatever.

This part of the forum is labeled, "Chat about anything."  That means anything, unless it is cursing or directly being rude to someone else.  If they did not want people to chat about anything, including mentioning other machines, they probably would not have included that part of the forum.

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Hang in there Peggy, it sounds to me like today was just a bad day following a number of fresh, different brand listings from people that use there first post on here to sell their machine.  Those posts generally don't have the same tone at the posts from members who are here to share, learn and be friends.  I figure this post is one that we need to keep repeating: "This too shall pass." 

 

As from the words of Jed Clampett "Be sure to come back, ya hear!"

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Let's remember that Linda's post was only about non-APQS machines posted FOR SALE.  And yes, there are some people who post those so they can purchase an APQS machine.  However, there are others who only join the forum to sell their competing model machine, and that does not seem very nice.  There seems to have been an increase in non-APQS ads lately, for whatever reason.

 

Linda is one of the most helpful people on this forum, giving freely of her time to share her advice and knowledge with owners of any brand of machine.  I know I have learned a lot from her responses to many other posts.  At no time did she even suggest that owners of other machines should not participate in this forum.  I have not gotten the impression that other APQS owners think this forum is only for members of the APQS family, either. 

 

APQS hosts this forum (at what must be a considerable expense), and has ultimate control over what is posted, so they could remove those ads if they wished.  That doesn't mean forum members all like seeing those ads, and "Chat about anything" includes the opportunity to express an opinion about the ads.

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