Ecotech joins BRS as a sister company..

[rtparty]

As a BRS fan myself, the whole Hydros thing shows exactly where they are headed with product videos. Although, to be fair, it isn't ALL on BRS with the lack of Hydros videos but that is all I can say

 

[Nonya]

But now that Hydros are part of the "family", I have a feeling we'll see some of them in new videos (unless the "mothership" (LOL) decides to phase them out).

 

[polyppal]

So you think it's all going to be hunky dory. I'm a pragmatist. You have to be pretty naive to think the corporate mothership would allow honest opinions of competitors' products.

Yeah but... How does this differ then what was already being done? They spotlight some product and its benefits to... sell more of said product. And who cares if they do? These are businesses, out to make money. They aren't obligated to do whatever tests we want or support their competition over their own product lines.

You guys are bringing up Hydros - owned by Coralvue - another conglomerate that gobbled up a bunch of brands. Don't get me wrong, I love Hydros (I got one), but if they want exposure they can get a media team to promote their hundreds of products online just like BRS does.

If you are looking for unbiased information on a product, search for real world user reviews on a forum, don't rely on videos made by people who have an interest in the item, they will inherently be biased. BRS isn't some research institute or news source... While they do contain good information, their videos are (and always have been) designed to hock products.

 

[Nonya]

As a BRS fan myself, the whole Hydros thing shows exactly where they are headed with product videos. Although, to be fair, it isn't ALL on BRS with the lack of Hydros videos but that is all I can say

I lost track of the number of BRSTV videos I've seen. 90% informative, 10% commercials.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Yeah but... How does this differ then what was already being done? They spotlight some product and its benefits to... sell more of said product. And who cares if they do? These are businesses, out to make money. They aren't obligated to do whatever tests we want or support their competition over their own product lines.

If you are looking for unbiased information on a product, search for real world user reviews on a forum, don't rely on videos made by people who have an interest in the item, they will inherently be biased. BRS isn't some research institute or news source... While they do contain good information, their videos are (and always have been) designed to hock products.

Exactly 100%

 

[Steven Garland]

Yes but not BRS and hopes for better customer service for Ecotech product.
Although many have had success with their CS, many more I know of including myself have not.
Where is BRS getting the funds for all these acquisitions- Affirm ?? (ok - that was a joke)

My first experience for ET CS was this past week on a 2nd hand mp10 blue controller I got and they were super quick and answered all my questions and told me exactly what I needed to do. I was actually shocked after everything I have ever heard.

 

[Soren]

Yeah but... How does this differ then what was already being done? They spotlight some product and its benefits to... sell more of said product. And who cares if they do? These are businesses, out to make money. They aren't obligated to do whatever tests we want or support their competition over their own product lines.

You guys are bringing up Hydros - owned by Coralvue - another conglomerate that gobbled up a bunch of brands. Don't get me wrong, I love Hydros (I got one), but if they want exposure they can get a media team to promote their hundreds of products online just like BRS does.

If you are looking for unbiased information on a product, search for real world user reviews on a forum, don't rely on videos made by people who have an interest in the item, they will inherently be biased. BRS isn't some research institute or news source... While they do contain good information, their videos are (and always have been) designed to hock products.

I think the difference was that, when they started out, they looked to the consumer like hobbyists trying to find the best things needed to help the average consumer be successful. Though they were still driven by profits to some extent, thus generating some bias, they could drop a product and add a new product whenever they chose and take their own risk.

Now that they are under investors, the risks are not only for BRS to decide and other companies in the corporation stand to profit from BRS pushing their products rather than choosing what they think is best.

BRS seemed to start as the layman-friendly "research" institute (albeit based on their own anecdotal research without definitive science behind it; they were still more scientific than the average consumer seems likely to be able to be), which is what I think appealed to the consumer and why they were successful thus far. They were free to try to be unbiased with products. This may still be the case if the corporation includes only companies that produce the best product.
Though many of their videos are designed to sell a product, the product chosen to sell was the one they liked best from the different options based on their tests or experiences rather than a decision for the product under the same corporation.

 

[Nonya]

Yeah but... How does this differ then what was already being done? They spotlight some product and its benefits to... sell more of said product. And who cares if they do? These are businesses, out to make money. They aren't obligated to do whatever tests we want or support their competition over their own product lines.

If you are looking for unbiased information on a product, search for real world user reviews on a forum, don't rely on videos made by people who have an interest in the item, they will inherently be biased. BRS isn't some research institute or news source... While they do contain good information, their videos are (and always have been) designed to hock products.

It differs in the fact that BRS was a private company who could choose the products they sell from any manufacturer they choose. Now, BRS is OWNED by a company that will dictate whether they can sell any product lines that would compete with the subsidiaries they also own.

Yes, please refer to post #484 to see that we're in violent agreement on that point. One exception--they have occasionally reviewed competing products.

Did you mean "hawk"?

 

[Shooter6]

And heres someone that just doesn't get it either.

There are competing products to everything you list, and BRS doesn't sell them(well they sell some of them too).

And exactly what makes you think they are looking at other acquisitions? Do you have a crystal ball of some sort? OOH let me know tomorrows lottery numbers.....

Man are you a brs employee? Seems like your awful defensive of them....

 

[Nonya]

BRS seemed to start as the layman-friendly "research" institute (albeit based on their own anecdotal research without definitive science behind it)...

They've also done a lot of small-scale testing/research in their videos. I like the 365 day and ULM series.

 

[Soren]

They've also done a lot of small-scale testing/research in their videos. I like the 365 day and ULM series.

Yep, I just edited my post to reflect that, though not thoroughly.

They did try to apply the scientific method for the testing. What may be still lacking from their "research" to call it as such is the biology/chemistry/physics of why the products performed like they did rather than just reviewing tested larger-level outcomes.

Of course, to the average consumer, their conclusions are scientific enough to be convincing, since they delve deeper than the experiences of most.

 

[Shooter6]

This is the guy brs has now doing g videos

 

[Nonya]

And heres someone that just doesn't get it either.

There are competing products to everything you list, and BRS doesn't sell them(well they sell some of them too).

And exactly what makes you think they are looking at other acquisitions? Do you have a crystal ball of some sort? OOH let me know tomorrows lottery numbers.....

I get it all too well. I work in an industry that's built on acquisitions in order to corner the $multi-billion market. BRS doesn't sell all of them, but if they acquire all of the biggest hitters, they'll be able to dominate the market. As far as LEDs, who's left that has any significant market share and are worth buying? Kessil? Reef Brite? Current USA?

Do you get it?

 

[Nonya]

This is the guy brs has now doing g videos

You've got me on that one. What's a g video?

 

[polyppal]

I think the difference was that, when they started out, they looked to the consumer like hobbyists trying to find the best things needed to help the average consumer be successful. Though they were still driven by profits to some extent, thus generating some bias, they could drop a product and add a new product whenever they chose and take their own risk.

Now that they are under investors, the risks are not only for BRS to decide and other companies in the corporation stand to profit from BRS pushing their products rather than choosing what they think is best.

BRS seemed to start as the layman-friendly "research" institute (albeit based on their own anecdotal research without definitive science behind it; they were still more scientific than the average consumer seems likely to be able to be), which is what I think appealed to the consumer and why they were successful thus far. They were free to try to be unbiased with products. This may still be the case if the corporation includes only companies that produce the best product.
Though many of their videos are designed to sell a product, the product chosen to sell was the one they liked best from the different options based on their tests or experiences rather than a decision for the product under the same corporation.

Yeah, many years ago in the infancy of reefing, when they were more of a shop than a manufacturer, Id agree that they did a lot more on the research side. But they transitioned to blatant marketing a long time ago, that isn't anything new with their acquisition.

Also, I like BRS. They have great customer service and I use them a lot - so I'm not slamming them here. But I disagree with the idea of them testing products to find the absolute best and only offer those to their customers - BRS history proves thats not the case, in the end its about money.

Example - they purchased a Chinese brand 'Skimz' a couple years ago, and they were some of the crappiest skimmers/reactors/etc ever made. Did BRS halt sales of Skimz products when it became obvious it was junk, for the good of the hobby (or because of some ethical sales standard)? No, they kept selling them like any business would until they could get rid of them...

 

[Nonya]

Yep, I just edited my post to reflect that, though not thoroughly.

They did try to apply the scientific method for the testing. What may be still lacking from their "research" to call it as such is the biology/chemistry/physics of why the products performed like they did rather than just reviewing tested larger-level outcomes.

Of course, to the average consumer, their conclusions are scientific enough to be convincing, since they delve deeper than the experiences of most.

It's a shame they don't have the space to do large scale testing.

 

[Colt13]

at the end of the day, they are a business. they WERE a (somewhat) unbiased source for reefing knowledge for years, but still, i don't think they've ever promoted a product they didn't sell. why would they?

and their care for publishing accurate knowledge was so that more people would get into the hobby (reefing is a daunting hobby to the average person) and not fail after a year, and therefore could buy more stuff from them. normal business stuff. if this angers you, you need to realize BRS does things to make money, they are not a government entity, they have no obligation to do anything that goes against their profitability. they stayed 'honest' to gain peoples trust, because people would rather buy products from sources they know and trust.

now, the problem lies in people thinking they will break that trust they developed over years to sell worse products. i guess time will tell.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

This is the guy brs has now doing g videos

Almost, Painful to watch

I get it all too well. I work in an industry that's built on acquisitions in order to corner the $multi-billion market. BRS doesn't sell all of them, but if they acquire all of the biggest hitters, they'll be able to dominate the market. As far as LEDs, who's left that has any significant market share and are worth buying? Kessil? Reef Brite? Current USA?

Do you get it?

ATI will change the led game soon give them time, in the next 5 years, and especially when t5's become obsolete, they will be able to focus solely on led production.

 

[Soren]

Yeah, many years ago in the infancy of reefing, when they were more of a shop than a manufacturer, Id agree that they did a lot more on the research side. But they transitioned to blatant marketing a long time ago, that isn't anything new with their acquisition.

Also, I like BRS. They have great customer service and I use them a lot - so I'm not slamming them here. But I disagree with the idea of them testing products to find the absolute best and only offer those to their customers - BRS history proves thats not the case, in the end its about money.

Example - they purchased a Chinese brand 'Skimz' a couple years ago, and they were some of the crappiest skimmers/reactors/etc ever made. Did BRS halt sales of Skimz products when it became obvious it was junk, for the good of the hobby (or because of some ethical sales standard)? No, they kept selling them like any business would until they could get rid of them...

Oh, I agree with all of this. I'm not intending to slam BRS either and have bought from them and still consider them when looking to make a purchase.

By my statement about searching for the best, I'm thinking more in the long-term and for different reasons to be the "best", such as most effective or cheapest reasonable option (rarely are these the same product).

I did not know about that specific product "Skimz", but I thought about this consideration in general and understand that they would still try to sell current inventory. The change of products is more for re-stocking considerations.

 

[Nonya]

at the end of the day, they are a business. they WERE a (somewhat) unbiased source for reefing knowledge for years, but still, i don't think they've ever promoted a product they didn't sell. why would they?

Agree

and their care for publishing accurate knowledge was so that more people would get into the hobby (reefing is a daunting hobby to the average person) and not fail after a year, and therefore could buy more stuff from them. normal business stuff. if this angers you, you need to realize BRS does things to make money, they are not a government entity, they have no obligation to do anything that goes against their profitability. they stayed 'honest' to gain peoples trust, because people would rather buy products from sources they know and trust.

They can still do that; however, they may be limited as to what they're allowed to sell, vs. what they choose to sell.

now, the problem lies in people thinking they will break that trust they developed over years to sell worse products. i guess time will tell.

I don't think they'll choose worse products (at least, I hope not), but I do believe corporate will dictate what they can sell at some point. I have a feeling corporate doesn't know much about reefing. Maybe they'll still rely on Ryan, et al for that.