MERB members / clients. Why are you here? UPDATED

[Valentina Amante]

Updated Poll - more choices added

No fluff, just solid business and straight-up client perspective. So, MERB members / clients, let me ask you directly:

Why are you on MERB?

• Votes are private
• You may vote for 2 options
• Cannot change vote
• Poll open for 2 weeks

Thank you!

 

[Jordd]

Looking for a different type of exchange: body fluids! Haha

 

[bodick7]

• Loneliness
• Boredom
• Emotional escape
• Avoidance

I perceive some psychological distress in those choices.
Why not “Having fun with board members (SPs or not) cos I can’t have these kind of conversations with my family and friends”?

 

[urquell]

• Loneliness
• Boredom
• Emotional escape
• Avoidance

I perceive some psychological distress in those choices.
Why not “Having fun with board members (SPs or not) cos I can’t have these kind of conversations with my family and friends”?

What's the total cost all-in for having fun with a board member?

 

[TheJames101]

I'm just here for the lol's.

 

[Valentina Amante]

I'm just here for the lol's.

Fkn pissed I forgot that one lmao

 

[Valentina Amante]

• Loneliness
• Boredom
• Emotional escape
• Avoidance

I perceive some psychological distress in those choices.
Why not “Having fun with board members (SPs or not) cos I can’t have these kind of conversations with my family and friends”?

I’m glad you asked ti-cul tight

Engaging in enjoyable / distracting activities becomes a way to “have fun” and reset. Having an emotional escape doesn’t always mean avoidance - sometimes it just means choosing to enjoy yourself for whatever reason

In the context of a board like MERB, chatting with others - especially in ways you cannot with friends or family - can absolutely serve as an emotional escape / fun. On the other hand, Reddit, Discord, Facebook groups, sexuality or kink forums also is a great space for sharing stuff for free.

It’s a privilege to engage freely with SPs in the lounge ❤️ However, that dynamic can shift quickly the moment there’s disagreement - or if the focus isn’t entirely on XYZ. You might be reminded just as fast that this is a paid space (just not for clients)

The primary purpose of an escort board is for a potential transactional utility.

- Client Reviews: to share and read reviews of SPs, to gauge reliability, quality, and compatibility. Which finally leads to booking facilitation. It helps clients find, screen, and connect with SPs.

- Advertising Space: SPs promote themselves with ads, photos, rates, and availability.


The 2nd purpose of an escort board would be for information exchange.

- Industry Insight: Discussions on safety, etiquette, screening and platform changes.

- Trends & Warnings: Community-driven alerts on scams, LE activity, or fake profiles.

- Market Feedback: SPs use discussions / reviews to adjust their services or branding (I love this one personally)

The 3rd purpose of an escort board would be for social / emotional outlet.

- Peer interaction: SPs and clients interact beyond the booking process - which can offer emotional release, validation, or connection.

- Community building: For some, especially regular posters, it becomes a space to feel "seen" or validated.

- Therapeutic subtext: Whether it’s venting, seeking advice, or bonding over shared experiences, this board can (intentionally or not) mimic group therapy or online support spaces.

 

[Valentina Amante]

What's the total cost all-in for having fun with a board member?

Exactly lmao

 

[urquell]

I’m glad you asked ti-cul tight

Engaging in enjoyable / distracting activities becomes a way to “have fun” and reset. Having an emotional escape doesn’t always mean avoidance - sometimes it just means choosing to enjoy yourself for whatever reason

In the context of a board like MERB, chatting with others - especially in ways you cannot with friends or family - can absolutely serve as an emotional escape / fun. On the other hand, Reddit, Discord, Facebook groups, sexuality or kink forums also is a great space for sharing stuff for free.

It’s a privilege to engage freely with SPs in the lounge ❤️ However, that dynamic can shift quickly the moment there’s disagreement - or if the focus isn’t entirely on XYZ. You might be reminded just as fast that this is a paid space (just not for clients)

The primary purpose of an escort board is for a potential transactional utility.

- Client Reviews: to share and read reviews of SPs, to gauge reliability, quality, and compatibility. Which finally leads to booking facilitation. It helps clients find, screen, and connect with SPs.

- Advertising Space: SPs promote themselves with ads, photos, rates, and availability.


The 2nd purpose of an escort board would be for information exchange.

- Industry Insight: Discussions on safety, etiquette, screening and platform changes.

- Trends & Warnings: Community-driven alerts on scams, LE activity, or fake profiles.

- Market Feedback: SPs use discussions / reviews to adjust their services or branding (I love this one personally)

The 3rd purpose of an escort board would be for social / emotional outlet.

- Peer interaction: SPs and clients interact beyond the booking process - which can offer emotional release, validation, or connection.

- Community building: For some, especially regular posters, it becomes a space to feel "seen" or validated.

- Therapeutic subtext: Whether it’s venting, seeking advice, or bonding over shared experiences, this board can (intentionally or not) mimic group therapy or online support spaces.

This requires context, and an understanding that this particular board is somewhat unique and has a dichotomy that incorporates different priorities depending on which side of the fence you're on.

First off, this isn't an escort board. It's a review board that uniquely has an active presence of escorts. That's not a bad thing. From the standpoint of the SPs the primary purpose of the board is to offer marketing possibilities and an avenue to book transaction opportunities. The SPs pay to be here and in so doing put themselves at the forefront of the potential pool of SPs, interact directly with potential clients and acquire goodwill and a good reputation.

From the standpoint of members on almost all review boards the primary purpose is not to meet SPs but to get information that will allow them to better navigate the environment, avoid dangers and scams and make better spending decisions.

On most boards your option 1 one isn't even an option, allowing
for a different context in how reviews are used.It's a blend of your numbers 2&3. Since this board is somewhat unique both priorities are valid, but the importance needs to be adjusted to the point of view

 

[Valentina Amante]

This requires context, and an understanding that this particular board is somewhat unique and has a dichotomy that incorporates different priorities depending on which side of the fence you're on.

First off, this isn't an escort board. It's a review board that uniquely has an active presence of escorts. That's not a bad thing. From the standpoint of the SPs the primary purpose of the board is to offer marketing possibilities and an avenue to book transaction opportunities. The SPs pay to be here and in so doing put themselves at the forefront of the potential pool of SPs, interact directly with potential clients and acquire goodwill and a good reputation.

From the standpoint of members on almost all review boards the primary purpose is not to meet SPs but to get information that will allow them to better navigate the environment, avoid dangers and scams and make better spending decisions.

On most boards your option 1 one isn't even an option, allowing
for a different context in how reviews are used.It's a blend of your numbers 2&3. Since this board is somewhat unique both priorities are valid, but the importance needs to be adjusted to the point of view

That’s basically what I said in my last post - just depends on how you choose to look at it. Everyone’s free to use it however they want. You just summarized it differently. The options are there.

 

[urquell]

That’s basically what I said in my last post - just depends on how you choose to look at it. Everyone’s free to use it however they want. You just summarized it differently. The options are there.

Yes, I more or less agree with everything you said from the SP standpoint. The guy viewpoint is different so I just added that as having differently skewed priorities. This board is schizophrenic in its goals so always have to come at it from 2 sides.

 

[Valentina Amante]

Yes, I more or less agree with everything you said from the SP standpoint. The guy viewpoint is different so I just added that as having differently skewed priorities. This board is schizophrenic in its goals so always have to come at it from 2 sides.

I really do appreash all infos and POVs - especially the custies! Indeed, very much a rollercoaster at times hahah!

 

[bodick7]

It’s a privilege to engage freely with SPs in the lounge ❤️ However, that dynamic can shift quickly the moment there’s disagreement - or if the focus isn’t entirely on XYZ. You might be reminded just as fast that this is a paid space (just not for clients)

I agree with the privilege to a certain point.
I see the added the added value when SPs are expressing their pov which can have influence client behaviour for the good.
As for dynamic shift, it’s not uncommon for any other social networks so this can also happen with the not so gents… not just SPs.
A board member (SP or not) with non ethic publications is rapidly taking care by “veteran” members, SPs and ultimately moderators.

 

[Valentina Amante]

I agree with the privilege to a certain point.
I see the added the added value when SPs are expressing their pov which can have influence client behaviour for the good.

Absolutely!
We need everyone’s POVs to help improve the industry and community. Many discussions are worth having - but there’s a big difference between sharing your perspective and imposing it, whether you’re a client or a service provider

 

[urquell]

Absolutely!
We need everyone’s POVs to help improve the industry and community. Many discussions are worth having - but there’s a big difference between sharing your perspective and imposing it, whether you’re a client or a service provider

true. This board has a big problem with conflicting objectives and POV. On most boards everyone is pretty much aligned with similar goals but that's really not true here, and it requires everyone to be both more conscious and more sensitive to opposing viewpoints. There are more adversarial relationships on MERB than is common in most other places. Of course there's benefits too...

New and less experienced members get hammered by both the established vets and the SPs, and don't necessarily have the ability to properly filter out bad info, and that may also be why many lurkers don't speak up more. There's also a discrepancy as to what everyone considers "normal" which varies with age and/or experience. Most of the peoole on this board don't post, which is unfortunate, but it also means the poll might be interesting because people can vote without having to post if posting makes them uncomfortable.

 

[Zero_Six]

I first came here looking for strip club recommendations. I did some chatting on various posts and connected with an SP that caught my attention. Instead of going to strip clubs, I saw her. Definitely a better use of my time.

I stick around mostly out of boredom but also because I don't have anywhere else that I can chat about this sort of stuff and I just find the industry fascinating. I like hearing both perspectives. If it was just clients posting, I probably would've left a long time ago.

 

[Valentina Amante]

I stick around mostly out of boredom but also because I don't have anywhere else that I can chat about this sort of stuff and I just find the industry fascinating. I like hearing both perspectives. If it was just clients posting, I probably would've left a long time ago.

Saying “If it were just clients, I’d leave” kind of ignores the fact that clients are the backbone of this industry. No bookings = no insight to observe.

SPs can spot time-wasters instantly - whether it’s through booking inquiries or how someone acts on this board. The guy who sends 50 questions or plays the “just curious” game? We already know he’s not booking and we won’t chat for free.

Funny enough, some SPs on this board become the same thing they complain about: time-wasters. Going on tangents, derailing threads, writing emotional essays for attention - while they’d ghost a client for doing half that. At some point, it stops being a professional space and becomes a public diary that should’ve been closed three entries ago.

The board can be fun, sure - but if you’re trying to figure out whether you vibe with an SP, her website, socials, or blog are a much better place to start. Some of us don’t need to constantly advertise ourselves on this board - we’re all already doing that in the actual ad section. Everyone gets that equal chance. And believe it or not, some of the best SPs aren’t chronically on this board narrating every thought because they’re out there working and don’t have that much free time

What the Lounge is for:

It’s meant for boredom and insight (for both clients and SPs). It’s a space to build rapport, test the waters, and have casual conversations. Lighthearted banter, community threads, non-booking topics like food, hobbies, memes, and the occasional industry commentary or Q&A (within reason).

What it’s not for:

Turning it into your personal blog, lifestyle forum, or soapbox or to push / impose personal agendas. It’s not for hijacking threads with drama, or for backhanded jabs at clients dressed up as “discussions.”

Let’s not forget that this kind of casual back-and-forth in The Lounge can normalize the idea that it’s okay for clients to initiate casual conversations with SPs. Which… it’s not what most of us want.

⚠️ Reminder: No SP is chatting for free when it comes to bookings. Food for thought.

 

[Jacobisrael]

Saying “If it were just clients, I’d leave” kind of ignores the fact that clients are the backbone of this industry. No bookings = no insight to observe.

SPs can spot time-wasters instantly - whether it’s through booking inquiries or how someone acts on this board. The guy who sends 50 questions or plays the “just curious” game? We already know he’s not booking and we won’t chat for free.

Funny enough, some SPs on this board become the same thing they complain about: time-wasters. Going on tangents, derailing threads, writing emotional essays for attention - while they’d ghost a client for doing half that. At some point, it stops being a professional space and becomes a public diary that should’ve been closed three entries ago.

The board can be fun, sure - but if you’re trying to figure out whether you vibe with an SP, her website, socials, or blog are a much better place to start. Some of us don’t need to constantly advertise ourselves on this board - we’re all already doing that in the actual ad section. Everyone gets that equal chance. And believe it or not, some of the best SPs aren’t chronically on this board narrating every thought because they’re out there working and don’t have that much free time

What the Lounge is for:

It’s meant for boredom and insight (for both clients and SPs). It’s a space to build rapport, test the waters, and have casual conversations. Lighthearted banter, community threads, non-booking topics like food, hobbies, memes, and the occasional industry commentary or Q&A (within reason).

What it’s not for:

Turning it into your personal blog, lifestyle forum, or soapbox or to push / impose personal agendas. It’s not for hijacking threads with drama, or for backhanded jabs at clients dressed up as “discussions.”

Let’s not forget that this kind of casual back-and-forth in The Lounge can normalize the idea that it’s okay for clients to initiate casual conversations with SPs. Which… it’s not what most of us want.

⚠️ Reminder: No SP is chatting for free when it comes to bookings. Food for thought.

Spot on Valentina. I might add that some others have 3 kids and only come here to defend themselves which I respect that’s normal. Some others have to study for school. Can you imagine a barber or a hairdresser saying oh client is not ready to get his haircut or hair done this time but he or she will be ok next time? They were too shy this time. I have been in the hobby for long enough to see the new era and how things changed. But I’m looking at the lounge cause those stories are funny no hard feelings.

 

[Halloween Mike]

Originally way back when i found the board i was looking for Strip Club infos, but then i discovered the world of escorting and have not looked back at stripclub in ages beside a few times i was with other guys and just "tagged along".

Primary goal these days for me is to gather good informations (reviews, infos etc) but also i won't lie, i find some "fun" in now being a "veteran" and being able to help new guys.

That said i do enjoy the "social aspect" of the board, be it the lounge, political thread, sports threads (at times) and such.

But of course like probably the majority of members here, its the "escort stuff" that is the most important. I like to see who advertise, what is offered, and of course the reviews/infos as i said. Even tough i can't book more than sporadically, it became a "normality" for me to stay up to date on who is working, for wich agency, and so on. Knowledge is power (lol just joking). I mean i could technically phase out of the board for 2 months then when im ready to meet again come back a week or so before and see who is available at that time, but im just too curious/too invested.

I guess i could also even add the "reliving old fantasies" of your list to my picks, because i do go back and read old reviews at time, even of providers who are gone, and yes i find exitement in them, especially if i saw her myself as well.

Im sure im not the only guy here who keep a "journal" in some form or the other of who he saw across the years.

I always been a very sexual person. I guess you could say i was born in the wrong body when it comes to that lol. So i gravitate around everything that is sexually related. Be it the adult industry of movies or the escort world. I said it many times, if i would win the loto or such, once i would have bough my house, the majority of my spare money would be spent on escorts. Sure i wouldn't mind a few vacations once in a while, i never travelled so doing "some" would be cool, and yes i love to have "classic fun" but honestly, especially for the first year, i would probably book everyone i wanted to book across Canada. And would certainly try to have a "fly her to me" with my fav pornstars of the US.

 

[Valentina Amante]

But I’m looking at the lounge cause those stories are funny no hard feelings.

I know I can be a bit of a clown sometimes, but personally, I’d rather not be used as comedic relief or to pass time on a board I use as a work tool. If I’m going to play that role, I’d prefer to be paid for it