I’m just glad this is over, but not sorry about it happened, considering how long it took them to respond. A company who based their marketing on media hype like them should know better, i think?
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Risk assessment is part of doing business. Choosing for el-cheapo companies to take on big responsibilities with huge consequences is taking a risk and they should’ve evaluated Yellow Brands services a little better and not just letting them off the leach before doing some quality checks.
On the one hand they say they stand for quality and safety and that is why they’re attacking the hardware cloning industry, but by these actions, it just shows that they are willing to cut corners as well and not even test the results before going public with it. This time they damaged their own brand, next time it may be their customers…
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You really think we should learn to mute ourselves? Most times when an injustice is done, big companies don’t budge and it’s only if we shout out and come up in numbers that they see any benefit in correcting a wrong.
I really hope nobody here will change their behaviour, maybe their language a bit, but if we don’t do this, we put them automatically in a much stronger position where they can get away with just about anything.
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I kind of agree there. This is the reason I published the first letter to begin with. When dealing with a company, especially one that isn’t a tiny company, I have to assume that they put thought into what they are doing, not that they might have made a mistake.
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I can’t help but hear Weird Al Yankovic’s “I think I’m a clone now” in my head every time I come across this Vgod [supposed] claim…
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No, but maybe take a breath before we find our pitchforks. I am all against that C&D letter, which i have made very clear several place. Such letter should not be send out that likely and a HUGE mistake made by VGOD/YBP. Such letters should not be automated, they should be reviewed before being send out. Demands and threats of legal actions should be taken seriously by all parts involved. Also, what have been pointed out is that we do not know or ever will know how things would turn out without a reaction from the community. One thing is for sure, nobody should just bend over for corporate bullies which they came across as with their C&D.
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You may have a point, but I still think that VGOD wouldn’t even have known about this if the community didn’t react, or wouldn’t have taken action. In business, every action costs money and needs return on invest. If a single person has a problem, it’s often not worth taking action. If the whole community is tearing your company’s reputation apart… then you need to do something and fast.
These actions seem to be pointing solely to YBP but of course, we only heard from VGOD and not from YBP. We weren’t their when they discussed things so we’ll never know.
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That VGOD wouldnt have known would only be a matter of reaction, however there is different ways there could have been reacted. As i wrote in reply to Steampugs then i dont really regret the action done, it was deserved. However, i also think we have a responsibility on how the vaping community will appear as a whole, and in cases where tension can be avoided it should be because the community already got enough battles to fight, and no need to end up fighting with companies we would be much better of having on our side.
As i see it then VGOD was careless when they handed the responsibility over to YBP. That carelessness has caught them in the cross fire. It is a shame that VGOD will learn the hard way, when a company that was supposed to protect their brand has put it at risk rather than protecting.
I have no regrets being a part of the pitchfork raging crowd and no regrets that i have urged others to join in through other sources. However, i am also not too proud to help putting things straight again now that VGOD have reacted in a proper manner which they should have props for.
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I wholeheartedly agree with that, which is also why I said maybe we should use a bit of a different laguage and think twice about the message we put across, but the fact that the whole community reacted with the numbers and strength, that’s something we should be proud of.
It is also a sign to politicians, big tobacco, big pharma and other big companies that we are passionate about what we do, that we’ll take up the fight when they do us wrong. We’re not going to let anyone just walk over us and pretend nothing has happened.
Usually these raging crowds with their pitchforks mature a bit once they see they’re being taken seriously and seen as a force to reckon with 
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The very first thing you learn when using a weapon is to be very, VERY clear on what your shooting at. Friendly fire incidents really suck as VGOD has learned.
LMAO
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Oh it was a mistake alright… LMAO
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Maybe as an apology they will post a recipe for one of they’re juices! LMAO!
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I’m very pleased We can all come together to keep Our community of manufacturing held at a standard.
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Power to the people. Right on.
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I sent them a very long and thorough email night before last. Glad they jumped on it to correct the mistake. The timing seems a little weird, they could have addressed it sooner. I won’t be like that though, it’s obviously a satisfactory outcome. I’m happy with that. The part that was upsetting was that this would have affected Lars, not the site or recipes.
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Damage control, or controlled (manipulated) marketing? You be the judge! chuckles
Seriously? Yes, I’d scrub graffiti off the walls of my business too (were I in their position). But one can’t help but think things should have been run by the customer as to the bounds (limits) of targeting are beforehand, as you’d think that HAD to have been discussed. In which case, if it wasn’t, it still leaves VSCUM on the hook for not making sure their goals were well defined in advance. 
IMO Anyone egotistical enough to use the “GOD” moniker in marketing an everyday product has already shown a super inflated sense of self, and their pricing seemingly reinforces the assertion. So yeah. It is what it is in my book. /shrugs
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True story!
I even felt a bit bad for Vgod until I saw the latest statement from them. It also strikes me as a sort of cut and paste letter that was well thought out to try and minimise appearing weak. There was no apology there…
I do have a feeling that they didn’t mean to exclude us from their not so friendly fire. If they did not get the reaction that they did, they would have proceeded to have all of the recipe names changed. If the community had decided to just change the clone names instead of torching Vgod’s fb page, things would be quite different.
I see it differently now and no longer feel bad for them. Maybe just a little embarrassed empathy…
If I had made that mistake, I would be pretty embarrassed.
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All this talk about the content of the letter. I think it is just peachy. Lol. I don’t think we should expect more than what was provided. Seriously…I wouldn’t expect their ceo or China to come crawling saying they were sorry. The company isn’t really involved in the diy ejuice world. They didn’t break a law, they didn’t trash elr…all that happened is that their legal team did what was asked. Send letters to everyone that uses their trade mark. Sadly we gotten wrapped up in this.
Speaking from experience I was in a car accident and the insurance company offered me a crap settlement. I retained a lawyer. Signed the documents and off they go to work. Yesterday I checked my mail box and received copies of all the letters they mailed to the insurance companies doctors and the like. They are all legalese and form letter. But they convey the message and the intent. Sadly this is the world we live in.
At least they retracted the complaint and unfortunately a big chunk of the hobbyists community won’t purchase a product from said company (speaking at least for myself).
Just a rant I know. Not directed at anyone.
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I f they open rating pack up I’ll guve them a 3… and this is why.
I don’t feel bad that I grabbed my pitchfork and torch…
But I also feel that if the community hadn’t responded so quickly with very harsh feedback directed at the threats. Yellow brand made on their behalf. Things might have turned out differently…
I don’t feel like the letter was sent out by mistake… but I do feel that vgod had a meeting yesterday to discuss what they could to repair the damage done… vgod now realizes how pationate the diy community is about e-juice
My verdict - vgod deserves a second chance… but still deserves a slight punishment…
Changing all 1* ratings to a 3 won’t send them soaring back to the top but will be a reminder of what blindly letting yellow brand represent their company can do
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It is what it is and they are just doing business.
However, many people in this community didn’t like the way it was done.
It came across as arrogant, but look at who Vgod is. Their image is what works for them and appeals to their crowd.
I personally did not get mad about it, just a bit concerned that it would get messier than it did.
I never got involved on either side. I kind of felt bad and embarrassed for everyone who did get involved.
If Vgod were me, I would want to keep it less personal. It just shows some self restraint in the aftermath of what could have been even worse for them.
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