While surfing around checking out some online advertising venues, I came across one site that made me say rude things to my screen. No, I’m not linking to them here, I’m not giving them the traffic or PageRank. And no, I will not be adding my information to their site.
This particular site not only warns clients against paying fees in advance to the escorts listed on the site, but encourages the clients to report who is asking for advance fees.
On the surface, it sounds like they’re trying to do away with scammers. In reality, they’re controlling how escorts run their business. Many very reputable girls require deposits because of the number of no-shows or because her rates are high and this is SOP for higher-end girls. Not paying her travel fees in advance? That means she won’t come see you at your request. Period.
The micro-managing of the girls on this site means they should either be a little more diligent in verifying professional reputations to keep rip-offs from advertising, or they just have a real issue with allowing independent escorts to run their business as they wish.
The Terms of Service an advertiser agrees to before placing her ad goes a bit further. The fourth item states that they will check her outgoing links. For what? The fifth item is that she’ll agree to de-link from a particular website if they request it. This very much reminds me of a hobbyist who (very early in my career) strongly told me whom I should and shouldn’t hang out with because he didn’t care for one of my friends. I continued to hang out with whomever I damn well pleased and never had to worry about him becoming a client.
I’m going to re-iterate what I stated somewhere in the depths in Book 2: you own the pussy, you make the rules. It doesn’t matter if the issues are real-life or virtual.
*Apologies for the crudity. It was to make a specific point.
Many professional require deposits before taking your business and why shouldn’t they? If you take up their time (which is their business), they need to be sure you pay them.
That advertiser has a whole lotta nerve!
This type of thing and the attitude/belief-system behind it make me sick. Thanks for being the voice (crude or not) of reason, once again.
David,
Yes, that’s what professionals do and usually the only escorts who require deposits are those who have been escorts for some time and know exactly how best to operate their business. The exception are escorts who charge in the four digits as a minimum and I can’t blame them for wanting deposits on that amount of money/time.
Aspasia,
Yes, a lot of nerve. Advertisers should always remain neutral. Verification policies are one thing, attempting to force you to alter your own business practices is another.
Casey,
Thank you!!! Likewise, I love it when you take on strip club management policies. They’re far worse!
XX
I have a slightly different take on this. I would not expect anyone to have to go out of pocket to visit me and would therefore always expect to pay travel costs in advance,
The issue becomes the deposit for professional fee. I can understand, and agree, that it is necessary because of the unreliability of some clients. As (I think) a reliable client, why can’t I be on a review site that shows I am a reliable client and hence one in which an upfront is not needed? Some escort review sites, like AW in the UK and TER in the US have either feedback areas or a “white list” for clients. I would have thought it is in the interest of escorts and reliable clients to encourage the development of such lists. I would like escorts to know that I am safe, reliable and never no-show. If they knew that, they should not need to ask for the upfront.
Am I being hopelessly naive again?
PS: I agree that particular advertiser is way over the top
Dr J,
If an individual escort has a deposit policy it’s there for a reason and being on a TER whitelist probably is not enough exception for her. I’ve known girls with regulars who have to start requiring deposits because the regulars start being flaky. If you established a relationship with a particular escort, it’s between you and her. But if you’re a new client…expect to pay a deposit if she requires one. It’s not a personal comment on you.
If you want to change the whole deposit requirement…change the behavior of the majority if clients! Good luck!
Shelley,
Since I wasn’t sure if you wanted your comment showing up here, I’ve deleted it. Yes, I’ve gotten your emails — I’m behind on answering anything that doesn’t require immediate attention. Didn’t realize your Stella and the one I mentioned on Twitter are the same! I should’ve met her when I had the chance.
XX
It is always interesting to hear different people’s take on the running of a business. I have always viewed a successful business as one that provides goods or services at a marketable price that delivers to the owner a profit that they are satisfied with. If a business doesn’t do this, it goes out of business or the owner must accept less profit. This particular advertising venue can’t be so onerous as to lose advertisers or it will cease to exist. The phrase: you own the pussy, you make the rules holds very true. They obviously don’t realize the power over their business the clients of their service control. Why would you need them if there are other more congenial businesses offering similar services.
Greg,
Exactly.
So I’m not sure if they have legit advertisers on there or not. Or…if they attract girls who don’t read the fine print and then bully them later. Or…I don’t know how they stay in business. I didn’t domain-check them so I don’t know how long they’ve been around either.
XX
i would say most advertisers have their own agenda, and money talks. that is the bottom line in my opinion and we just have to live with it.
Shredding,
I should’ve clarified that though this site had paid advertising, most of its ads were of the free-submission type thing.
Most advertisers do NOT have an agenda other than making money and ranking in the search engines. I don’t count being a business-person as having “an agenda” since we all have bills to pay. That one DOES seem to have an agenda is weird and disturbing.
And there’s no reason to “just live with it.” Otherwise I wouldn’t have bothered to make my post. Nor would I bother to be an activist.
XX
Do not do business with this advertiser if you don’t like or agree with their rules, practices or policies. Also as a activist do pass the word and start a boycott if you feel the issue is that important.
As long as a business is a verified, honest and reputable business where the fee is substantial they should have a right to ask for a reasonable deposit. That is a common business practice.
Chris,
No, obviously I won’t be doing business with them. The point of the post was a warning to read the fine print and to be aware of the ways in which people unconnected to my business attempt to control it anyway. This is wrong.
And yes, deposits are a very common business practice across all businesness. This site crossed a big line in trying to punish girls for running their own business.
XX
You own the pussy you make the rules. Exactly. How ridiculous.
Or you could say, you own the business so you make the rules.
According to the experience I have dealing with good online advertisers, I would like to say that they can signifficantly contribute to any online business.
Daniel,
No one is denying that. Obviously. Otherwise none of us would be bothering to use online advertisers at all.
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