I love doing food reviews, but I found I like to pay for my own food...because then I can write a negative review, and not feel bad.
Two weeks ago I was given an opportunity to do a review. Not only would I get paid a nice amount of money for writing my posts, I would get the very expensive service for free. I went in and after the presentation...it just wasn't there for me. I decided to back out. You read that right...I backed out of money and free!! It just wasn't for me, I couldn't write about something that I, a. didn't absolutely fall in love with, and b. a service I'm not sure really works.
For me it doesn't matter how much money is waved in front of my face...I need to feel credible, and I need to LOVE IT!
I got an email from someone wanting to send Van a KooKoo bird. The attached pictures looked cool in the email, and I said sure send it on over. When I opened the small envelope, I thought..."lame, that's it!" I left the KooKoo bird on the table, and didn't think much of it. Van woke up the next morning, and was freaking out about this little toy. Who knew. The 6 year old doesn't think that little KooKoo bird is lame at all. Even though it probably cost them less than $5, I feel more inclined to write a little ditty about it on my blog...because VAN REALLY DOES LIKE IT!
12 comments:
I know what review you are talking about, as I heard from your cohorts about it. I think you did the right thing. Personally, I think you should post about your negative experience because I think a lot of other women are getting involved and should know about it.
There have been a few products I've reviewed that I didn't absolutely love. I always let them know and most of the time, if it's not a great experience, they'd rather me not post about it.
I'm over doing reviews on my blog unless it's something I really love or I know my readers will want to hear about. I even changed the language of my note in my sidebar for PR people.
I still love giveaways though, even though most of the time I find myself not entering anymore.
I don't read review sites, because I think they just like all the free crap they get, since it's free...
But I do read reviews if it's from you or another blogger that I know and love and trust. Besides, you have cute kids that can give me good ideas on what to get my nieces and nephews!
I am not a fan of review/giveaway blogs. I don't read them and don't enter their giveaways. However, I do like when an everyday blogger posts about something they really love or really hate. I like hearing what my friends like and recommend. And of course giveaway are fun when it's an occasional thing. Know what I mean?
So, I love your reviews. And your giveaways are fun.
I don't mind other peoples giveaways- as long as it's something I am actually interested in. I am not a fan of blogs that do giveaways ALL the time because they seriously can't like all this stuff. I also feel weird going to a blog I've never even read before just to enter a giveaway- but isn't that one of the main points of a giveaway? To get more people to your blog?
I want to know what the service you didn't like was.
I think there should be an agreement between you and the company giving you the product to review that regardless of your opinion - good or bad - you still get to keep the product and/or get paid for doing so. What's a *great* product without detractors or things to dislike from certain people? Not everyone loves Apple or Coke or even Zappos, but there ARE a ton of people who do.
I like reviews I find on sites like Amazon.com, Yelp, etc because people aren't given anything for free. They're paying customers. That being said, I've written product reviews for nearly 5 years and am honest in my reviews. If I don't like something, I will tell our Boutique Cafe readers. I even wrote a completely negative review for Polliwogged once. It was a highchair that broke and had exposed sharp screws and such. It was a hazard and so I wrote all about it so others would avoid buying it!
A few months ago I had a bad experience with a service and ended up losing out on hundreds of dollars. It was a hard one to bite but even with sassy scoops I have become more blunt and stopped sugar coating things.
I think people appreciate honesty in reviews, but I think it can be done without a lot of negativity. I love objectivity and the reviews that sound bought really bug me.
I don't like review blogs. I read a few and have never read one that they didn't like something. They are getting a product for free and are paid to write about it, why would they say anything negative about it? I think that they are boring to read as well.
I like to read reviews on blogs like yours, not on blogs of people who just do reviews for the sake of getting freebies. Does that make sense? And I agree with Kristina, if there is something that we all need to be warned about please spill it!
I'm similar to the rest...I like reviews from bloggers I feel like I can relate to or have something in common with.....usually the one's I've been reading for a while. I don't love blogs that are only reviews and who review everything under the sun. The reviews you have done have always been relevant to me as I am a mom to a 6-yr-old and a wife to an awesome husband (who's name is Paul!) I think it's all about having a good balance and staying true to YOU! Which you do a fabulous job of!!
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