Plugin with aggresive marketing

  • Hi

    I have an issue I like feedback on. I use a plugin and recently during an update the vendor added a new line and a checkbox in the Screen Option area of my Dashboard. Checked (as it is default) it reserves a place for marketing offers from their other pugins.

    2 questions regarding that. First of all I like to remove it completely from my Dashboard (and Screen Options), can I do that without removing the plugin?

    Second. I find this a very bad practice and behavior from a plugin vendor. I am not sure, but I think I remember something about that it should be reported. If that’s the case, where would I do that?

    Hope I hit the right forum for this question.
    Thank you.
    /Thomas

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

  • I’m not sure what the official stance is on that but you can report it to [email protected]…

    Here’s a link with more info…

    https://make.www.ads-software.com/plugins/2015/05/04/reporting-plugin-issues/

    My own thoughts are… if a free plugin does that then does a good job… that’s the price I’ll gladly pay to use the plugin… Else I’d delete the plugin in a moment!

    Moderator Steven Stern (sterndata)

    (@sterndata)

    Volunteer Forum Moderator

    My only issue with stuff like this is if you can’t dismiss the copy or if, once dismissed, it returns on each screen.

    Thread Starter tdhansen1

    (@tdhansen1)

    Thanks for answers both of you!

    Well, it accepts when I remove the checked box in the Screen Options and stay away from my Dashboard. I know lots of plugins and themes take their place on the dashboard with info or settings, and also some kind of marketing for using a free plugin is acceptable I guess. But the way this plugin do that feels a bit intimidating, but maybe it’s just me… I use the plugin since it gives me a feature I find useful, but necessary it’s not. So I will consider deleting it for sure.

    I took a screen dump of it’s presence. Would you take a look at give your opinion? What you think, is it crossing some kind of moral line what is acceptable – or does it seem OK with a presence like that?

    https://dandyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/plug.jpg

    When I responded to your original post I was thinking about ‘Trash Duplicates and 301 redirect’ which does ‘dashboard advertising’ of their other offerings and the Pro version of their plugin…

    It seems to do a great job and automatically sets a 301 for the posts it removes in the free version of that plugin… Nice, even exchange in my book… I see their ad in exchange for the use of their fine plugin…

    Thread Starter tdhansen1

    (@tdhansen1)

    OK, thank you.
    Then I guess I will rest my case and leave it be.

    But just to be clear – I don’t use the 301 redirect plugin that is advertised – I use another small and free plugin from same vendor called Simple Tags.
    I am also fine with a plugin taking a presence in my dashboard, that I can switch off if not needed – I was just surprised seeing the line in Screen Options, only made for marketing a specific product.

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
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