I understand both sides, as
@REDZULU2003 mentioned MoS is a business for them and they don't want to push/boost their rivals.
But on the other side and this is actually what happens often is that when you ban sites, people will go to the other site and create an user over there too, to read their golden nuggets and search for the threads which had been censored here.
So instead them just clicking on a few links which are shared here and posted as golden nuggets, they'll maybe go over there and create an user on your rival platform, search for golden nuggets and threads which had been mentioned here and will maybe even start discussing at the other platform in the original thread about that topic, because it was banned here.
That's just my POV on this, as you're the owners of the forum, you set the rules. But I don't think that people would support the other forums just when a link is shared. Lots of us would be even more loyal because you're giving this freedom out.
And having freedom is always showing power and self-confidence. I don't think somebody who wants to buy a new device goes to the other platform then and buys it via their aff. link or from their site.
@DLD @Lightning @REDZULU2003
Maybe you could create a
welcome message when people register at the MoS site and write something that you're an independent forum and to keep it alive it would be awesome if member support you by buying through your affiliate links/shop.
I think lots of us are very thankful for all this knowledge and help of the forum, so it definitely would be very stupid if people explicit going to another forum and buying via their buying link. I don't think people are that bad or want to threat MoS so bad, especially because you're helping the people so much and
@DLD comes online every single day and invests a couple hours to answer all the questions he's being asked or where he had been tagged + private messages.
Maybe you could do a split test for 1-2 months if your business allows that, do the thing with the welcome message and unban the links.
Check the sales volume and then compare it to the 1-2 months before. I really would recommend you something like a welcome message as it's very personal and new people would love to be warm-welcomed (beside DLDs Newbie welcome threads).
In that one you could welcome them, write in the thing with the independet forum and that if they'd support your forum by buying via your links, you would be very thankful and can keep your business running, do more giveaways and so on and so on.
It doesn't harm people when they're buying via your link, very often they even get a discount or bonus. The problem with nowadays marketing and advertising time-age is just that lots of people are feared. Maybe you could take the fear away from them, do the thing with the welcome message and think about stopping the censorship.
I'd even think lots of other people from the other forums would come around here just because of this, cause as
@longstretch said, an independet forum was one of the reasons why he registered here + it shows the power of freedom of knowledge.
As said, just my point of view, the decisions are made by you as the owners.
But anyways, would really recommend you the thing with the automatic welcome message for new users
