Ever Done A Paid Review?

Discussion in Product Reviews started by remnant • May 20, 2016.

  1. remnant

    remnantActive Member

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    Some product reviews are paid for in short task sites creating the overall impression that the product is good performing. Most of the reviewers hesitate to give overly negative reviews for fear of poor ratings from the task owner. Thats why I rely more on forums to check reviewed products rather than solely relying on reviews. Have you ever done an online review?
     
  2. Briannagodess

    BriannagodessActive Member

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    I have never done a paid review. But I do know what you're talking about since a lot of the beauty bloggers I am following always get this one product at the same time. And of course, this means that a certain company asked them to do a review for them. The only thing I don't know of or I'm not sure of is whether they were actually paid for these reviews. But hey, having a free product is another incentive for making a review, right?

    It's hard to rely on these reviews, they can be biased because these bloggers are actually wanting to impress these companies. This doesn't happen all the time though, but if you're the blogger and you post a negative review, you might end up not having any more incentives or products from that company. So in a way, these paid reviews cannot be fully trusted.

    What I do is try and read a few blogs before concluding about whether I should or I should not buy a product. I do know some bloggers who are really honest with their reviews though so I make sure to read their articles as well. Like you said, forums are great venues as well, most members aren't paid there and they give their hundred percent honest opinions.
     
  3. xTinx

    xTinxWell-Known Member

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    I had my fair share of paid reviews but I'd have to say it's not worth it unless you've really tried the product first-hand and can say something nice about it. Paid reviews make you sound so "unnatural" and "pretentious." I'd rather be paid to write real stories or opinions than good things about products I'm not particularly fond of.
     
  4. artyarson

    artyarsonActive Member

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    I will agree to do that only in case If I really like the product and think it deserves a better notability. However, you should take into account that all those things are usually weak, so their creators are trying to fool people by using the unfair and deceptive means of promotion and advertisement.

    I've lost the key word "almost". Sure, there is some very decent stuff out there that deserves a better following. However, it doesn't have a proper advertisement. I don't consider paid reviews as something fair. Many of those who "liked the product" never even saw it. They didn't have an ounce of experience but they are screaming that it's awesome so go and buy it right now. It's just nothing but lies. It's no good to build any kind of relationship based on lies.

    So, I would agree to write something positive but only for a product I have used. I want my reviews to be congruent with my thoughts and feelings. Otherwise, I'm just selling out for a cheap price.
     
    #4May 30, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 6, 2016
  5. Dame6089

    Dame6089Active Member

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    Paid reviews are unethical no matter how you slice it. You are always going to be more favorable to someone that is compensating you. You may think you are being unbiased, but there will always be something in the back of your head. It's human nature. I can understand the draw of paid reviews, but I hope most people consider the other consumers who are looking for credible reviews before they choose to do a paid review.
     
  6. Diane Lane

    Diane LaneWell-Known Member

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    I've received products for free and written short unbiased reviews of them. I've never had one be horrible, so I have given decent feedback, but I choose my words carefully, so the meaning is conveyed to the reader. It's pretty obvious when I'm overjoyed by a product, because I am happy to state that.

    I've read some blogs where the writer has obviously been given the products and appears to be somewhat slanted. Since money is very tight in my household, I try not to rely too much on something that may or may not be fact, and attempt to make up my own mind by purchasing the product using a coupon or other discount, or will perhaps try a bit of a friend's product to see how I like it.
     
  7. filmjunkie08

    filmjunkie08Active Member

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    I have done paid reviews for food products. But the reviews only went straight to the manufacturer of the product and never on line. I would not have performed the paid review if it was to be printed online. With so many people suing these days, I would be afraid I might open myself up to unforeseen litigation.
     
  8. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    There's this one site where members earned points to review products [which they'd used]. The sites never did verify if the person posted the review had used the product or not. So it was relatively easy for someone to search the net, find a review, rewrite it and pretend that it's their review. And they'd get paid for it. It was on this site that almost did a paid review but I just couldn't.
     
  9. Caffe

    CaffeNew Member

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    No, I have never done a paid review -- although I won't lie: I would love to do paid reviews. But, as you say, and as I suspect, paid reviewers hesitate to give negative (or even fair, but not outstanding, reviews) not so much "for fear of poor ratings from the task owner," but for fear of never being tapped again to give another (paid) review. Since I cannot help myself from being perfectly honest, I don't do paid reviews.

    I have, however, completed a number of paid surveys which have mostly involved watching as-yet-unaired TV ads, and giving my opinion on packaging for products that have not yet hit the market. I do not count on receiving the products still in development, but, once in a while, at the end of a paid survey, I will be asked if I would like to receive the product itself in order to review its quality (privately, that is; not for the public to see).

    That is always a nice surprise: I get a free sample of something or other, and I feel free to be completely honest with my opinion. I don't count on it happening. But sometimes it does happen!

    I'm with you in that I rely mostly on forum posts for opinions -- but I also consider reviews on online shopping sites, where the line between "verified purchase" reviews, and "product consideration" reviews is bright and clear. The former, I heed; the latter, not at all.
     
  10. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    No, I haven't done paid reviews yet, but only paid promotion of products via a forum. That's the sad thing about it, since you don't know if the review is really genuine or not since even people get paid to post their opinions on a product in a forum.
     
  11. missbishi

    missbishiWell-Known Member

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    I have never done a paid review but I have done several, mainly thorough BzzAgent or AMZ Reviews. BzzAgent really don't care whether your review is good or bad - they exist to collect genuine feedback for brands. AMZ Reviews is a different story though. Because you are being given a free product in exchange for a review, there is a certain pressure to stay positive about the product in question.
     
  12. Lisa Davis

    Lisa DavisActive Member

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    Paid reviews usually give the reviewer one or more of the item they are reviewing for free and sometimes pay them on top of it. I have yet to seen one of these reviews, especially those done by popular bloggers, be negative at all. However, maybe if they truly dislike the product, the agree to not share their opinions? Certainly, a company wouldn't want to pay for bad press. I have done surveys where I have gotten to test new products they sent me and did a survey about it, but the survey was only viewed by the company, not the public.
     
  13. vpresson

    vpressonWell-Known Member

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    If I really liked a product I will more than likely leave a positive review about the product. I'll also leave a review if the product is horrible, only to warn people not to waste their money but I have noticed in some cases the negative comments get deleted.
     
  14. DiscountDreams

    DiscountDreamsActive Member

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    I got a backup laptop battery for writing a review of my laptop charger when they found out I was a freelance writer by trade. It was pretty sweet, basically a $50 come up :) Didn't even have to pay shipping. Random aftermarket chinese replacement company lol
     
  15. Norjak71

    Norjak71Member

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    There are a few apps that pay you to write reviews and as far as I can tell it doesn't matter if they are positive or not. I have reviewed several and gotten paid even though its just a few cents for each but if I'm not doing anything why not make some extra money? I make around 5-10 dollars a month doing this. Just some spare change for a rainy day :)
     
  16. rz3300

    rz3300Active Member

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    Well I have written a lot online, and have done my fair share of reviews, but have yet to find a way to profit from them. I know that there are places to do so, but to my understanding there is not that much consistency or anything regular that you can depend on. Then again, though, maybe I am just looking in the wrong place....that would certainly not be the first time.
     
  17. atlmom5

    atlmom5Active Member

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    I've done product reviews for certain companies before and I've been totally honest about how the product worked or didn't work for me. Many of the companies or manufacturers wanted my honest feedback about the product and compensated me for a positive or negative review.

    I personally don't have a problem giving a bad review at all, if the product didn't work for me then I'm going to tell why I didn't like it. If I'm reviewing a product, that's what I'm getting paid for.....to review. I'm not getting paid to endorse a product, so I have leeway to give positive or negative feedback.
     
  18. Vinaya

    VinayaActive Member

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    I have done paid review once. I reviewed an Android app and was paid $1 for downloading and installing on my device, giving 5 stars rating and writing one line review. I accepted the task just because I was being paid for one minute task. The app was very poor but I had to say good things.I did not take another task because I though I was not doing right.
    Apart from this, I have not done another paid review.
     
  19. johndee

    johndeeMember

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    Yes, I have done quite a number of paid reviews. And for that very reason, I hardly trust any product just by reading a positive review.

    Why? For all the reviews I did, without having the benefit of testing the product, everything I wrote was positive. No one is going to pay you to tarnish there product, is there?

    Well, I did for the money, but not anymore. It didn't feel right to continue giving information I hardly believed in.
     
  20. Pat

    PatWell-Known Member

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    I have not written a paid review for a product. I do give feedback on my telephone services often and always tell the truth on the quality of the service. I have seen the sites that will give you free product for a review but I never seem to qualify to participate in those types of services.