Quality Sporrans for less money

[OC Richard]

If the result is an increase in awareness of a good or service it is advertising and /or promotion.

Thanks for bringing my attention to those rules, which I hadn't read (or maybe just didn't remember).

I'm trying to fully understand their meaning. The line above appears to ban any discussion of any goods or services (except of course those offered by paid advertisers) because to mention something is to increase awareness of it.

"All reviews must be about a product purchased for the members own use."

This line bans the purpose of my thread, to bring attention to offerings I have not purchased.

"Any endorsement of a product must have the approval of the manufacturer or seller."

This line, if taken literally, bans the endorsement of anything made by a firm not currently in business, like my recommendation of vintage Nicoll Brothers sporrans.

"One of the functions of X Marks is to allow open and honest reviews of kilts, kilt related products and services."

But restricted to reviews of offerings of the paid advertisers, with prior approval, if the rules above are taken literally.

One thing about the above rules is that they make a distinction between "product reviews" and "product endorsements". If a review is positive it is also an endorsement (if these words have their usual meanings).

Another language issue is the precise meaning of "commercial offering". If a private individual is selling something to you in your home is it a commercial offering? What if the same transaction happens between the same two private individuals here on XMarks? What if the same transaction happens between the same two individuals on Ebay? Is it now a commercial offering?