Full Disclosure

[629658]

Should @Will Prowse post a disclaimer on his videos of any affiliations, donations or at the very least post comments from his very own forum members regarding their experiences with the manufacturer/retailer of the equipment he is reviewing? Asking for a friend.

 

[Will Prowse]

It is

 

[Will Prowse]

 

[Will Prowse]

These are posted on every single video. I've made over a 1000 videos on YouTube and every solar video has this. Every page on my website also has this. And every video has to legally show that as well.

 

[Will Prowse]

This video shows how I make money.

I have about 30 affiliate programs I am part of. They all make money every single day. I bash on every single product I possibly can, and I make that very obvious. I make more money finding problems. Because then I can recommend other products.

 

[Rusty959]

I am sometimes amazed by the lack of ability of some people to read. Today is one of those days. Even after being told multiple times in other threads, jfpetesn still didn't see the words "affiliate links"

 

[Will Prowse]

Furthermore, I am on ZERO sponsorship contracts, which allows me to say whatever I wish. Did you see how much I bashed on the signature Solar 8K units? They hated that. Where do you see the bias? I am like a robot when I make these videos. I try my best to destroy everything or find an issue.

 

[Will Prowse]

I am sometimes amazed by the lack of ability of some people to read. Today is one of those days. Even after being told multiple times in other threads, jfpetesn still didn't see the words "affiliate links"

Right?! How can he not see those words in every single video. I've said this stuff multiple times and it's so obvious how I run my whole business, but still to this day, we have people that don't see it..

 

[Will Prowse]

Oh man if you saw the forum donations and how much I pay out of pocket, you guys would be amazed. Might need to find time to do that. they are mixed in with my ebook royalties unfortunately but they are a joke compared to how much I pay for this forum.

The amount of time I spend managing this forum, and so do the other mods, and we don't get paid, and I am getting complaints like this? Are you kidding me? This is seriously starting to piss me off. I show you guys EVERYTHING I DO. and it's still not enough!!! How much more transparent can I be? It's ridiculous. Ask anyone who knows me personally. Accusations like this make my blood boil.

 

[629658]

I am sometimes amazed by the lack of ability of some people to read. Today is one of those days. Even after being told multiple times in other threads, jfpetesn still didn't see the words "affiliate links"

I’ve watched many and I still am unclear of if you’re being paid for reviews or not. What I really want to know is how do you justify the actions or lack thereof of Signature Solar toward your very own members of this forum but still recommend their products? I mean it’s your forum you see much more than I do. You see story after story day after day of SS dropping the ball on support after the sale. They say “they just fell through the cracks” like it is some rare occurrence but it’s not a rare occurrence. Aren’t you concerned about how these people, the ones that made you “famous” are being treated by a company you “may” represent but at least review their products? It’s it worth a mention In you videos that many of your members report problem with support after the sale? Isn’t that as important as specs and performance? Shouldn’t that also be a consideration before purchase?

From my side of the fence it appears you do a glowing review and then do your best to make sure any criticism ends up on the back page in fine print.

Tell it all and let the cards fall where they may. Perhaps a little conversation about service after the sale might make the difference and SS would do a better job.

 

[629658]

Oh man if you saw the forum donations and how much I pay out of pocket, you guys would be amazed. Might need to find time to do that. they are mixed in with my ebook royalties unfortunately but they are a joke compared to how much I pay for this forum.

The amount of time I spend managing this forum, and so do the other mods, and we don't get paid, and I am getting complaints like this? Are you kidding me? This is seriously starting to piss me off. I show you guys EVERYTHING I DO. and it's still not enough!!! How much more transparent can I be? It's ridiculous. Ask anyone who knows me personally. Accusations like this make my blood boil.

So do you think all the time all of us spend on here for free helping with others with their problems is important? It’s a two way street. We need you as much as you need us.

 

[629658]

How you make your money is not the concern or even my business as long as you keep it fair. Allowing SS to treat your forum members as they do is my problem.

 

[houseofancients]

Oh man if you saw the forum donations and how much I pay out of pocket, you guys would be amazed. Might need to find time to do that. they are mixed in with my ebook royalties unfortunately but they are a joke compared to how much I pay for this forum.

The amount of time I spend managing this forum, and so do the other mods, and we don't get paid, and I am getting complaints like this? Are you kidding me? This is seriously starting to piss me off. I show you guys EVERYTHING I DO. and it's still not enough!!! How much more transparent can I be? It's ridiculous. Ask anyone who knows me personally. Accusations like this make my blood boil.

@Will Prowse stop argueing, there is no need and it just feeds into their state of mind ( or crazy)

everybody by now knows you get a sum for the tests you do, and you have affliate links.
you've been quite upfront about that, and that is fine as long as your reviews are kept straight, which as far a i can tell have been the case

i didnt agree the vendor kick-out of the past, especially when i saw us vendor returning, bit that is a station that has passed..

i accepted that and stayed, nobody is keeping the complaining folks here, nor is it an airport where departures are announced

what i now see happening is sol-ark folks being afraid of competition , after they thought they had bullied any form of competion away

 

[Crowz]

So do you think all the time all of us spend on here for free helping with others with their problems is important? It’s a two way street. We need you as much as you need us.

I don't see it that way. I made a bunch of money off youtube washing a car tire one time. Now take that and apply it to what Will does. MEGA money.

The forum isn't monetized at all so I don't really see it as he needs us what so ever. He would do fine just making the videos and other things.

I look at it as a charity thing more than anything forum wise and appreciate it myself. I run sites like this for others with zero returns. I run the largest corvette top 100 site for instance. I made it just to give people with sites a place to be found back when top 100 stuff mattered. Facebook and such killed that. Forums just don't make money anymore like the old days.

 

[Rusty959]

I’ve watched many and I still am unclear of if you’re being paid for reviews or not. What I really want to know is how do you justify the actions or lack thereof of Signature Solar toward your very own members of this forum but still recommend their products? I mean it’s your forum you see much more than I do. You see story after story day after day of SS dropping the ball on support after the sale. They say “they just fell through the cracks” like it is some rare occurrence but it’s not a rare occurrence. Aren’t you concerned about how these people, the ones that made you “famous” are being treated by a company you “may” represent but at least review their products? It’s it worth a mention In you videos that many of your members report problem with support after the sale? Isn’t that as important as specs and performance? Shouldn’t that also be a consideration before purchase?

From my side of the fence it appears you do a glowing review and then do your best to make sure any criticism ends up on the back page in fine print.

Tell it all and let the cards fall where they may. Perhaps a little conversation about service after the sale might make the difference and SS would do a better job.

Please watch the video Will posted of the 18kpv last night and count the number of times he said the SS support has been bad the last year. Hint: it's plenty.

If you don't know what affiliate links are by now, that's not Will's fault. Everyone else knows what an affiliate link is and how it is used to make money for the person posting it.

"How you make your money is not the concern or even my business as long as you keep it fair." You are making it your business by posting dumb posts such as this one that ask questions that are answered every step of the way.

 

[Crowz]

How you make your money is not the concern or even my business as long as you keep it fair. Allowing SS to treat your forum members as they do is my problem.

I think he is handling the SS situation perfectly. They have been roasted by some of the members and Will hasn't said squat about it one way or the other. No moderating has been needed or applied from what I can tell. Can't ask for much more.

Now if he chimed in like your inferring he should against SS or something that would be taking sides too. He hasn't taken a side at all which is about all you could ask of him. People are getting to voice their opinions for and against SS.

That to me is the ultimate version of free speech you could hope for.

 

[stienman]

The funny thing is that this whole forum is almost half built by people who are doing solar on a budget, and what Signature Solar doesn't provide in customer service they more than make up for in lower costs.

Will made it plenty clear in the video - at several points - that if you want exceptional customer service you will likely want to pay more and avoid signature solar, and he made it just as clear that is you want to save 25% on your high end inverter and still get a lot of bang for your buck then you're going to have to accept reportedly poor customer service.

He is not a gatekeeper, and he's done a very good job of telling us what he's learned, the results of his tests, the feedback he's gotten from others, and then letting us make our own decisions based on what we value.

If you don't value signature solar, don't buy from them. Easy and simple as that. Done.

If you demand that your solar forums ban people or companies you believe should be banned, then this probably isn't the best forum for you. I'm sure you can find or found a forum that better meets your needs.

For my part, I want to hear the good, bad, and ugly, and you won't see that in a walled garden.

 

[629658]

The funny thing is that this whole forum is almost half built by people who are doing solar on a budget, and what Signature Solar doesn't provide in customer service they more than make up for in lower costs.

Will made it plenty clear in the video - at several points - that if you want exceptional customer service you will likely want to pay more and avoid signature solar, and he made it just as clear that is you want to save 25% on your high end inverter and still get a lot of bang for your buck then you're going to have to accept reportedly poor customer service.

He is not a gatekeeper, and he's done a very good job of telling us what he's learned, the results of his tests, the feedback he's gotten from others, and then letting us make our own decisions based on what we value.

If you don't value signature solar, don't buy from them. Easy and simple as that. Done.

If you demand that your solar forums ban people or companies you believe should be banned, then this probably isn't the best forum for you. I'm sure you can find or found a forum that better meets your needs.

For my part, I want to hear the good, bad, and ugly, and you won't see that in a walled garden.

You obviously haven’t read many of my posts because I have NEVER called to ban anyone for anything. Never once!! Now that same practice has been used on me before. LET ME PLAINLY STATE I WANT NO ONE BANNED FOR ANYTHING NOT ILLEGAL.

 

[BenFromSignatureSolar]

?

 

[Quattrohead]

I have to say I was watching Will's review of the 18 k and thinking he was gushing about it like it was a new girlfriend LOL, I could say something about excited to get stinky fingers and all that fun stuff but that would be rude.
Then I went to Signature solar's website and downloaded the manual etc for the 18K and read them and to end and at the end of all that I was of the assumption that was a rather fantastic unit and pondering how the hell I could stop myself buying one. Then on their website I saw the 8K and I'm thinking to myself oh dear oh dear they are never going to shift one of those ever. Will absolutely destroyed that, not once but four times.

The bottom line is signature solar, current connected and Will amongst a few others are absolutely changing this end of the solar market and it is a fabulous.