Question About Privacy At R2R

[VintageReefer]

this is the next step in digital marketing, the earlier version being cookies, which collect your data and send it back to the websites that planted the cookie. Then suddenly Amazon and Google and everywhere else start showing ads for things they think you would like

Google anything with “near me” in it and you get location based results. They tracked your location to get those results

My television and wife’s phone I swear LISTEN and then display ads for things we talked about a few days earlier - and never looked up online. Obscure things it’s weird. Talking about a old ice cream place we used to go to, next day or two we’re getting ads for ice cream

That said I do like to keep a low online profile, I opt out of everything, I use pseudonyms and fake email addresses, and I feel like OP I am in the minority.

While it is directly contradicting myself, I don’t mind if I get spammed once in a while, by something I’m actually interested in. If my car needs brakes and I got a coupon in the mail for $100 off brake replacement…score!

I will add in, SBB I feel is a company with some of the best policies and customer service out there. I started buying from them early this year and have never been disappointed. They also give a 100% satisfaction guarantee for 14 days on all their coral - if it dies in day 13, you’re covered. Coral arrived and your not happy with the color? You’re covered. The sales have really good prices on larger sps frags and colonies, and he gives out these 25$ gift cards like candy

most my Goni and SPS came from SBB plus some one off nicer corals like a lobo and a grail

I understand your point but will throw it out there - next time you want coral maybe look past this as it is a norm these days, join a Sbb sale thread - people that buy from Sbb form almost a cult like following - most become fans for life once you see what you get and actually start interacting with the owner.

Got this one free by saving up a bunch fl the 25$ Gift cards

 

[ingchr1]

...he gives out these 25$ gift cards like candy..

Which should tell us something about the profits/markup that is being made here.

 

[VintageReefer]

Which should tell us something about the profits/markup that is being made here.

while some vendors business practice is small sales with high margins, I feel SBB prefers large sales with low margins. I find his frags are extremely reasonably priced given their size and quality

 

[stE26wy14]

while some vendors business practice is small sales with high margins, I feel SBB prefers large sales with low margins. I find his frags are extremely reasonably priced given their size and quality

yeah, instead of doing small sales with small price changes, he does MASSIVE sales with even bigger price changes, people will see these, think its cheap, and he gets more site traffic, more purchases, and therefor, more money that some/most businesses in the long run(and during sales), if u look at sbb sale pages, there are SOOOO many posts, we usually hit 3k pages

 

[HomebroodExotics]

yeah, instead of doing small sales with small price changes, he does MASSIVE sales with even bigger price changes, people will see these, think its cheap, and he gets more site traffic, more purchases, and therefor, more money that some/most businesses in the long run(and during sales), if u look at sbb sale pages, there are SOOOO many posts, we usually hit 3k pages

I imagine there's a couple bots that push those page numbers up. Hard to know anymore. It'll get worse too.

 

[VintageReefer]

Which should tell us something about the profits/markup that is being made here.

Whatever the posted “sale price” is, take another 40-50% off and that’s the price we get it for with the coupon codes he posts in the thread

80-90$ for acro colonies this size. Sign me up. This is a small sample he sells stuff like this all day every day for multi week sales.

 

[timmyrules]

Wow…I just read through all the pages on this thread…I’m actually shocked that sbb did this! I’ve ordered from them in the past, but will re-think ordering from them in the future. Thanks for letting us all know about this @Fish Fan

 

[stE26wy14]

Wow…I just read through all the pages on this thread…I’m actually shocked that sbb did this! I’ve ordered from them in the past, but will re-think ordering from them in the future. Thanks for letting us all know about this @Fish Fan

I dont get why people r saying this, he sends out 1 email every other month, everybody does this, stores, restaurants, I bet that other reefing stores do it too!! Ik its kinda sketchy, but I feel like its not harming u/impacting u guys in any way, its not putting anyone in a security risk, ok, its sketchy, and bad, but its not directly harming anybody in anyway, not putting u at risk for anything at all

 

[Linlox]

I dont get why people r saying this, he sends out 1 email every other month, everybody does this, stores, restaurants, I bet that other reefing stores do it too!! Ik its kinda sketchy, but I feel like its not harming u/impacting u guys in any way, its not putting anyone in a security risk, ok, its sketchy, and bad, but its not directly harming anybody in anyway, not putting u at risk for anything at all

Because of the "how" he obtained the email and sent it to these members.

 

[stE26wy14]

Because of the "how" he obtained the email and sent it to these members.

as I said, that happens in our everyday lives, how do we get customized ads? cuz ai and algorithms watch and LISTEN to everything, even out of app, even with out phone/device off, it happens EVERYWHERE!!!

 

[Stang67]

No trouble at all and I would like to help figure this out because we do not share the email addresses of our members.

This is concerning to me as well. I was traveling during the recent holiday and stayed at my parents home. I used their wifi while doing some shopping while there. I got a call from my dad last night asking if I knew who "xyz vendor" was. I said I did and asked why. He said they sent him an email offering a special discount for new customers. I went on the vendors website while at my parents on my personal laptop. I did not purchase anything. How did this vendor get my father's email?
I will never purchase from this well known vendor ever again due to this and hope someone gets to the root of how they are mining emails from ip addresses. Otherwise I may have to report them and look into legal action.

 

[Linlox]

as I said, that happens in our everyday lives, how do we get customized ads? cuz ai and algorithms watch and LISTEN to everything, even out of app, even with out phone/device off, it happens EVERYWHERE!!!

If people don't put a line in the sand then there is no end at all. Its up to us as customers to speak with our $$ and our actions.

 

[Stang67]

Well guys, I got a reply today, and I feel like I must update this thread. I'm still not happy at all, I wish I was never tagged into that stupid contest thread.

Apparently, and according to the seller in question, they use some piece of software that when I went just one time and looked quickly at their website, it collects my personal data including my email address.

That is illegal, and totally unethical business practices, and I'm not happy at all that R2R is allowing a seller here that does this.

From the seller:
Hello Fish Fan,

It has come to our attention that you were concerned about how we obtained your email address.

I wanted to address your concern and explain how we received your email and sent you a marketing message. We did not get your email from Reef2Reef, and they did not provide it to us directly.

On our website (www.sbbcorals.com), we have installed a pixel provided by a company called www.opensend.com. When a visitor stays on our website for 20 seconds, the pixel, through OpenSend, collects information such as your email address, which is then added to our CRM.

While we’re not fully sure of the exact process they use to collect this data, OpenSend mentions that major companies, like The New York Times, sell information, and that their methods are compliant with U.S. laws, including CAN-SPAM and CCPA.

If you’d like to learn more about OpenSend, you can click the link below:

https://www.opensend.com/"

I'm sorry, I read the Times and other websites, and have never been signed up for their email.

CAN-SPAM IS the law that says you can't add someone to an email list without their permission.

I'm just shocked by all this. Very much making me reconsider my time (and money) spent here on R2R.

I just thought all of you should know.

Same vendor and I am considering action.

 

[stE26wy14]

Same vendor and I am considering action.

there's no point to considering action, what he is doing is legal, but still bad

 

[smitten with ocean life]

this is disturbing. perhaps @SBB Corals would like to chime in and explain?

 

[timmyrules]

I dont get why people r saying this, he sends out 1 email every other month, everybody does this, stores, restaurants, I bet that other reefing stores do it too!! Ik its kinda sketchy, but I feel like its not harming u/impacting u guys in any way, its not putting anyone in a security risk, ok, its sketchy, and bad, but its not directly harming anybody in anyway, not putting u at risk for anything at all

Yeah, I get this kind of stuff happens everyday…I mean, my phone knows where I work, when I go to the gym, where I live…and I didn’t program ANY of that! I guess im just shocked it came from a reputable vendor like sbb.

 

[SliceGolfer]

Why are people angry at a retailer and not at the marketing company who tracks your digital footprint, mines data across the sites you visit and purchase from, assembles this profile, and then offer it for sale to subscribers of their service? Yes, I don’t like what happened. It has happened to me. My angst is towards Opensend for making this information available. They are the ones harvesting your information. SBB made the call to use their service and gain access to your footprint. Voting with your wallet may get the retailer’s attention. It is our job to protect ourselves from this behavior as no one else will. Fingers crossed the legality of this might change over time.

Consider the vast amount of data available online. Your name, address, phone number, email addresses, court records, property taxes, business ownership, and social networks. It doesn’t take much time to piece together a profile. You need to do what you can to be a minnow in an ocean vs the big white whale.

 

[SpyC]

Why are people angry at a retailer and not at the marketing company who tracks your digital footprint, mines data across the sites you visit and purchase from, assembles this profile, and then offer it for sale to subscribers of their service? Yes, I don’t like what happened. It has happened to me. My angst is towards Opensend for making this information available. They are the ones harvesting your information. SBB made the call to use their service and gain access to your footprint. Voting with your wallet may get the retailer’s attention. It is our job to protect ourselves from this behavior as no one else will. Fingers crossed the legality of this might change over time.

Consider the vast amount of data available online. Your name, address, phone number, email addresses, court records, property taxes, business ownership. It doesn’t take much time to piece together a profile. You need to do what you can to be a minnow in an ocean vs the big white whale.

SBB installed the pixel that allowed this to happen. They are responsible for what they use on their site.

 

[Stang67]

I don't care about my information. I care about my father's information. This is not ok.

 

[timmyrules]

Why are people angry at a retailer and not at the marketing company who tracks your digital footprint, mines data across the sites you visit and purchase from, assembles this profile, and then offer it for sale to subscribers of their service? Yes, I don’t like what happened. It has happened to me. My angst is towards Opensend for making this information available. They are the ones harvesting your information. SBB made the call to use their service and gain access to your footprint. Voting with your wallet may get the retailer’s attention. It is our job to protect ourselves from this behavior as no one else will. Fingers crossed the legality of this might change over time.

Consider the vast amount of data available online. Your name, address, phone number, email addresses, court records, property taxes, business ownership, and social networks. It doesn’t take much time to piece together a profile. You need to do what you can to be a minnow in an ocean vs the big white whale.

Of course we should be mad at opensend…but like @SpyC said, SBB knows about this and is allowing it to happen. And it’s not ok.