There have been several reports recently of members accepting free gear from sources. Most are newer members with high post counts and it occurred to me that many might not be aware that this practice is strongly discouraged on Meso.
Accepting free samples from sources who are trying to prove themselves or increase sales is a common practice on most forums, and everyone enjoys getting something for free. Unfortunately, when it comes to AAS venders, free gear creates several problems that adversely affect members.
The majority of sources offering free AAS are startup operations trying to build a name. While it may appear that they are doing you a favor by giving you freebies, they are in fact using you. They are buying you and your good name in order to gain the credibility that they desperately need, but haven't yet earned and certainly don't deserve. The vast majority of these sources have proven to be non-viable and few, if any, will still be in business six months later - usually leaving many customers holding bunk gear, or no gear at all, in their wake.
Established sources offering free samples aren't looking to build a name since they already have that. What they're after are increased sales, and there is no better way to increase sales than giving free gear to trusted veteran members in exchange for a favorable review of your products. In this case, the trusted veterans are also being used. The sources are buying the veteran's good name in order to increase sales from noobs.
Unfortunately, there is no shortage of members of the AAS community that are willing to allow sources to use their name, and many of these members never pay for their AAS. They use their status to get free steroids from sources, and some are willing to give favorable reviews to the highest bidder. These people are known as gear whores.
The argument gear whores use to justify their greed and selfishness (and that's what it is) is that the free gear allows them to determine whether or not the source has access to good gear, and that their review will benefit the community. That argument is nonsense. The free gear given for reviews will almost always be specially selected from a readily available, yet very limited stock that the vender knows is good. The gear whores know this and that's what they are counting on.
Once the favorable review of the free gear is given, the orders start coming in because members now see the source as credible and with good gear. However, the gear regular members receive will not be from the limited, specially selected known good stock the reviewer received, it will be from whatever stock the vender happens to have available and its quality is often poor and underdosed, and, in many cases, completely bunk. It's the old bait and switch.
Members who accept freebies have traded their credibility for a few free vials and should be called out for what they are - gear whores. And gear whores offer nothing of value to the community. Their reviews are worthless.
The only people to benefit from the practice of giving and accepting free gear is the member who received the free gear and the source who received credibility they haven't earned. Regular customers get screwed every time.
If anyone else (non-gear whores only) has anything to add, feel free.
Regards
CBS
