Is anyone else getting annoyed with...

I'd like to weigh in on the "they got you to look" notion. This equates somewhat to the "how stupid can we make the ad" approach on television. If your attention is grabbed, it is considered a victory by many. In my case, at least, "getting me to look" and/or "grabbing my attention" only stells my resolve NOT to buy from that advertiser or patronize their product. In the case of the classifieds on 'Gon, it reduces the desire I have to "graze" there.

If this advertising spam doesn't bother others, fine. If it does, don't buy from them and let the "powers that be" at the 'Gon know of your distaste for the practice.

Some dealers (and individuals) are posting ridiculously cheap prices for used equipment and then "or best offer" ($10.00 OBO). Turns out that what they are doing is running AN OPEN ENDED AUCTION (no ending date) and taking offers with a bidding-up process!!! This is a sleazy abuse of a "for sale ad" and should be posted correctly as AN AUCTION, NOT AS A FOR SALE AD! I wonder why Audiogon has not taken any action to prevent this abuse?

Fatparrot makes a good point. Another is those ads similar to a currnet one under dealer demos for tube amps. "Someone's lucky day, special price, $1.00". Then following the links takes you to a $19,900 retail amp for the bargain price of $14,995.

All this brings up the possibility that ad postings might be better segmented on the 'Gon. On the other hand, I appreciate that things should be as open as possible and that people and dealers should act within a certain, self-enforced decorum, without resorting to the use of a "heavy hand". Most individuals and dealers here are as honest as the day is long (though my days seem to be short!) and "rogues", as always, ruin it for the rest. Guess the best we can all do is be careful, do our homework, and ignore those ads we don't like or are too good to be true. A pity that some of these ads ARE a total waste of everyone's time or are but a lure to "get your attention" and sell you SOMETHING.

Sugarbrie, I don't think their marketing strategy is a very good one. Excuse me if I sound snobish, but I don't think Audiogoners are the cretinous types who fall for that obnoxious approach to advertising - I think it turns people away. I agree that advertisers should mind where they post.

I sincerely hope that A'goN does something to remedy this. It's becoming increasingly prevalent and truly distracts from the "browsing" experience. While it may seem a good strategy for advertisers, it's a real slippery slope for AudiogoN. I don't believe that the AudiogoN constituency (card-carrying, discussion-forum-posting members such as ourselves) is interested in NEW products cluttering up the classified section.

I can handle the occasional mis-guided posting for Kenwood CD players, but this is getting ridiculous!