Zibbet threatens to close shops because of forum posts, Zibbet Review, Zibbet Sales

Boy would I love to put Zibbet behind me.  But I'm in it with 3 paid shops so until there year is over, I have a dog in the race. 

Do you think if you are suspended from the Zibbet forums, and threats are made to close your paid-up shops, that you ought to be told why? 

I haven't been, although the Zibbet owners insinuate I have, and have been talking about me quite a bit, by name, in the Zibbet forums, hinting not so subtly that I did something just awful!  But first, they had to get their stories straight about whether they suspended me or not.  They had to admit they actually did ... because I published a screen shot of it!  Til then, they insisted I hadn't been.

So when I was suspended with NO WARNING, owner Jonathan said I wasn't suspended, that he deleted my account.

Hi Robin,

To clarify, you weren't suspended from the community - you left. You are receiving this email, because after we saw that you left, we deleted your community account. We do this for all people that choose to leave.

To be honest, I'm not sure where all this hate is coming from. We are a very small team, trying our best to build a large company that helps true and independent creatives sell their products online. That's it.

Jonathan.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After I replied, and published my screen shot showing Zibbet had suspended me, he posted THIS in their forums.  The story changed totally. 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Permalink Reply by Jonathan Peacock (Zibbet's CEO) yesterday

Hi all,

To clarify, Any Old Time left the community on her own accord. Her community account was then suspended, as we do with all members who decide to leave the community, hence why she wasn't able to sign in and received that notice. We "suspend" them instead of completely deleting them so that their comments are retained in the forums.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The "routine" of deleting all accounts who leave is interesting, since at least one of those suspended the same day as I had left weeks before, and wasn't suspended til after I told Jonathan I knew people who had left and weren't suspended.  Coincidentally, this same person tweeted about Zibbet that day, not happy! 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He then publicly announced in his forums, that I was not allowed back.  If I wanted.

And to date, I have received zero notice of why I am muted on the Zibbet forums, while a sudden list appears insinuation that I (and the others they suspended the same day) received warnings, did something just awful, and that paid-for shops could be shut down.  Andrew has stated there is a reason.  But no reason has ever been shared with me or the others to my knowledge. Further discussing my suspension publicly on the Zibbet forums, he says I broke the rules on the community guidelines.  But again, he told me I wasn't suspended in my email!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jonathan Peacock:

"A handful of members were suspended from the community in the last 24 hours and others have left on their own accord. In general, members will be suspended when they wilfully choose to ignore the stated Community Guidelines.

Suspending members is not a "new" thing for Zibbet. Unfortunately many members have had to be removed over the years and we will continue to do so...."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He also wrote:  "...There are cases where we'll remove members without warning. This is generally when they are new and in serious breach of the guidelines. In the past, everyone that we've removed because of this has been a 'sock puppet' account anyway. However, there have been cases where we've had to remove members that were acting in blatant disregard for the guidelines. This is rare and would have to be quite serious (and obvious to everyone)..."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not a sock puppet, so I guess I fall into the "blatant disregard" section.  Which is confusing, since I never heard I disregarded anything.  And in this public discussion about me, where I couldn't defend myself, many members were saying I had only asked questions...and in a polite way.  Not obvious to "everyone".  Remember, he told me the day before that I wasn't suspended.  But changed his story.

And then his partner chimed in:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Permalink Reply by Andrew (Zibbet's co-founder) 19 hours ago

Thank you Jonathan for adding further clarity to this discussion, and I agree in the most part it has been very respectful, so thank you to everyone who has participated in that manner.
I want to add a couple of thoughts that I think are important.
It seems clear to me that the main theme of concern here is people wondering if there is a chance of somehow being suspended for doing something quite innocuous.
I want to emphatically ensure everyone that there is absolutely no chance of that happening. There IS a graduation of possible consequences which I will mention below. It's important to note that not every instance suits a chronological, linear and complete activation of each level of consequence. We have no choice but to treat each breech situation on its own merits.
And as Jonathan has clearly stated, we are always wanting to find reasons for people to stay with Zibbet, not the opposite.

Something that hasn't been mentioned yet but is extremely important in the context of this thread is:
We have so far, all been presuming upon a hypothetical example of breech whereby the said breech is both MINOR and ACCIDENTAL. This probably will be the case in most instances, and as such, will likely attract a minor warning or at worst a comment may be deleted.
However, we must keep in mind that there could be, and indeed in the past, there has been, instances of MAJOR and DELIBERATE breeches of guidelines. These are moments where people know exactly what they are doing and they don't care what the consequences may be. They are simply aiming to bring harm to Zibbet and its users.
I want to urge everyone at this time to recognise that just because a person claims to have done hardly anything wrong does not mean it's actually the case. Also, just because a person begins their Zibbet journey in a helpful and supporting way, does not necessarily mean that they will continue in that manner.

In summary, we will be sure on every occasion to give generous grace to people in the community when breeches occur, especially when they are minor and not intended for harm. The facts tell the story of this always being the case. So please, everyone try to relax and remember what I've said before "our guidelines hold no fear for people who are trying to do the right thing and show respect for others"
If you're unfamiliar with the guidelines, take some time to revisit with them.

Andrew

Examples of possible, graduated consequences in our community:

1. Warning within a thread
2. Deleting comments
3. Closing a thread
4. Warning a user
5. Suspending a user from community
6. Removal from community and marketplace

_________________________________________________________________________________

 

REMOVAL FROM COMMUNITY AND MARKETPLACE!!!!

Sounds like I got all kinds of warnings, huh?  Nope!  The ONLY "consequence" I had was he closed threads of mine with legitimate business questions asked in a polite manner.  Like the one where I asked a follow question up to the quickly closed thread asking about the delay in the relaunch, for instance. QUICKLY shut that one down.   No warning in a thread.  No deleting of comments.  No warning a user.  And of course, I WAS suspended, even thought Jonathan said I wasn't.  And then I was.  And now, the threat of removal of my PAID FOR SHOPS!  $237 dollars worth.  Same with the others they suspended, again, one who had left weeks before!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

And then continued to publicly talk ABOUT ME PERSONALLY ON HIS FORUMS, and say he had there WAS a valid reason for it!  I have no idea what "valid reason" means.  I have never, to my knowledge, violated their community guidelines.  But he's telling the rest of the world that I did something terribly, terribly wrong, so wrong, they had to suspend me with no notice. (But recall, they first denied they suspended me!)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        
Permalink Reply by Andrew (Zibbet's co-founder) 18 hours ago

Hello Sister Moon,

Thanks for your question, and also your commitment to self-management in forums. It's a great way to go.
In short, it's not appropriate for us to go into details about why a person gets suspended from the community. I realise that some will say, but you guys said publicly "AOT will not be allowed to return to the forum"
This is true, and in hindsight, it may have been better to not use the name. Essentially the intent of that comment was to say that a user (any user) who is suspended cannot return to the community.
And again, as stated clearly in my comments on the previous page, if a person is suspended from the community, there IS a valid reason for it.

Also, it would be worthwhile taking another look at my second last paragraph on the previous page to help your understanding in this situation.

Thanks

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So he blithely maligns the reputation of "a handful" (I don't know how many on the purge, but all that I know were the ones asking hard questions on the forums), claims we were warned when we weren't, makes up new guidelines to include closing your paid-up shops, and thinks it will HELP, not HURT his site! 
 

I think I am owed an explanation, don't you?   The truth is, I did nothing awful.  I asked hard questions, like exactly what features will and will not be included in the re-launch.  That's stirring the pot to many of his fans.  And getting ticked off when I was suspended with no cause and announcing that on public media?  That's the real sin.  Zibbet is the side job of both of the owners, down on the list of daily priorities.  If I knew that neither of them could possibly devote full time hours to it, I would have never invested in it.  A start up taking money from others should have owners working 18 hours a day on it, not what's left after supper and putting the kids to bed.

It will be interesting to see if THIS post on my personal blog gets my shops removed.  Which would be A-Okay with me if they want to give me my $237 back!  The sales are dismal, anyway.  More about Zibbet