Reviews done on free products

[Beckler]

I'm not accusing anyone in particular here. However I don't believe people can be completely objective when they are sent high-end products for free. So generally speaking then.

If I'm sent an expensive item free of charge:

-In the back of my mind I find it highly unlikely I continue to be sent free stuff if my reviews are consistently negative. (Or am I wrong here? Maybe someone can correct me but please provide evidence).
-Psychology suggests since something very nice was done for me, I'm more likely to honestly have positive things to say about it and overlook problems.
-It's just natural - if your friend does something for you, there's a tendency to want to return the favor - whether consciously or not.

This isn't rocket science though. Companies know what they're doing, obviously, but shouldn't do it because it's dishonest and is in effect paying for positive reviews. It's not objective. The description and testing parts in reviews are usually very useful, but the conclusion/pros/cons section are all they same: for flashlights at least, nobody EVER has anything negative to say, or at most one minor item. When in fact there's PLENTY of criticism due, at least for any light I've ever had. If companies were actually smart, they'd encourage not discourage that, and create better products as a result...

 

[Lou Minescence]

I think of most reviews as infomercials. It's a good way to see the product. It's hard to be impartial about dislikes if your sponsored with a free flashlight. Copy and paste product description from the box and include 47 pictures. The review is done.

 

[xxo]

The worst are the phony reviews that are done for free stuff on amazon, the ones that offer to reimburse for buying an item so that they can post a fake five star review as a verified purchaser and send the link to the manufacturer so that they will pay back the money spent to "buy" the "free" item.

 

[AB8XL]

I agree there is some bias, objective reviews in my opinion are based on test and measurement data, subjective reviews are human opinions and observations. Much like the audio industry in which I work in, all bench testing of a particular amplifier is objective data, subjective data is what one perceives and also differs on the class of amplification and speakers that are used as the reference.

My biggest grip with flashlight manufactures these days is that they don't disclose the specifications of the LED there using, they sometime give you a generic part number i.e. SST-40-W and then you have to go digging for the kelvin and CRI ratings, I personally dislike the cool whites because of the lower CRI, I have found that a higher CRI and a bit lower color temperature say between 4000K to 5000K is best for me to differentiate colors on a vehicle and bench wiring harness.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Perhaps you can spell out your points with more examples? Some of your declarations sound a bit broad-brushed. Companies want to sell product. Consumers have the choice of purchasing or not. The big river is rife with review-warpage, but here at CPF, members have a sense of who is reasonable (to a degree) and who is on-the-take. What's more, it is required to report a reviewed item acquired without paying.

It's been a long time since I have accepted product or received a deep discount, because the novelty of getting it 'for free' wore off. I would no longer take an item for free, but would accept a good discount if I'm pretty near guaranteed to like it, and willing to put the time in to give a decent review. If I like the company but the product design and/or execution is lacking, I just won't review it, but would talk to them and explain to the company perceived problems. Accepting a free item for review from a sneaky company is plain wrong.

Just thinking that some people buy stuff and crow about it to help shore up their own confidence in spending significant coin on an item that was probably something of an indulgence?

Years ago I accepted a water heating water bottle. It is used twice daily. I feel guilty for not promoting it more, because of how much I have benefitted from it.

Here at candlepowerforums.com, each of our reputations and credibility is written on the screen; Some, for years.

 

[richbuff]

I have seen plenty of reviews at both ends of the spectrum. At one end of the spectrum, there are reviews written where the reviewer does not independently measure lux and lumens and therefore does not post independent measurements. Lots of pics and basic info are included in such reviews. At the other end of the spectrum, I've seen reviews where the reviewer does receive free flashlights and then posts scathing criticism, where the criticism is due.

 

[Rob Babcock]

I would be a little bit skeptical of a place where all the reviews were of free/comped products. It's hard to be objective if good reviews keep the free stuff coming in.

 

[bykfixer]

A couple years back I was asked to perform reviews for a few different flashlight brands. For pay. I politely declined.

Now folks that know my style know there aint a flashlight made I don't like provided it works when I turn it on. I have preferences not doubt yet it does not take much water to float my boat. But to toss around a bunch of fluffy adjectives to boost somebody's sales is not my idea of honesty. I told them if it is a product I would not use my own money to acquire I would not do the "as seen on tv" style endorsement(s).

Can being compensated or receiving complimentary product reviews be honest? Sure. I reviewed e-cig products for a company who sent me new upcoming products and I spoke of the good, the bad and the ugly aimed at two distinct groups. In each case it was an essay of about 500 words speaking of my personal likes or dislikes while letting the audience reading know that if they were in category A or B this new product is or is not for A or B. So I don't think complimentory product automatically means a positive endorsement. But in most cases it probably adds a load of weight to the reviewers objectivity.

Now to completely bash a product is of no value in my view. One persons trash is another's treasure afterall. So just because a reviewer places the positive ahead of the negative does not nessecarily mean the review is swayed. It's just good manners when somebody "gives" you something.
I like the reviews that call it down the middle and let the buyer decide.

 

[jon_slider]

delete

 

[jon_slider]

I respect reviews by zeroair, rookiedaddy, liquidretro and ro.ma

I ignore "reviews" that are Video only, for example the ones by KG_Tuning and Chicken Drumstick.

I have zero respect for amazon reviews. I have been contacted by a few companies asking me to purchase the product, and get a refund after a review.

I like reviews that address questions I want answered, such as whether a light has PWM (and I want to know if it is visible, and if possible at what frequency). I also like reviews that offer Light Meter readings to confirm lumen levels.

I have been asked to produce reviews in Video form. That is currently one of the Social Media Marketing goals of flashlight vendors. They also want me to spam Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I decline all those requests. So I no longer get "free" review samples.

I still post my First Impressions of lights I buy, but I dont call them "reviews".

 

[ledbetter]

I dunno, as do many people, I read a lot of reviews before buying anything these days, and even Amazon has some that I feel are worthwhile and thoughtful. Some "free" reviewers are also upfront about their source and you just take that review with a grain of salt but it still can be informative. And though I've read thousands of reviews and appreciate the time and effort reviewers put into their work, I've never written one- except for Malkoff!

 

[klip88]

i cant bring myself to buy stuff from amazon, the canal street of the internet, and the review section the puppy mill of the internet

 

[desmobob]

It's hard to trust most reviews these days. I think you can easily get a feel for the honesty of some reviewers --and there are plenty of honest ones-- but they might not have reviewed the item you're interested in. As for Amazon, I skip the 5-star reviews and start reading from the 1-star reviews on up. I think the number of 1-, 2-, and 3-star reviews will give you an idea of your odds of being satisfied with a product... :thumbsdow :twothumbs

 

[Beckler]

One idea for online stores: you can't post a review to the site at will. Instead purchasers of a particular product are contacted at random by the site and asked if they want to review it. Some small compensation is fair. (Points, etc) This might reduce fake positive and negative reviews. I guess the basic problem is like most things in business, people aren't interested in being honest rather in doing whatever they think they can profit from.

 

[LeanBurn]

There are apps you can install that scour the internet looking for fake reviews like fakespot for example is decent. If you watch it scan it can link up serial reviewers that are suspected to review many different products and then gives a letter grade on the overall trust of the reviews. The results are sometimes surprising.

I also have been asked to do reviews for flashlight products which I declined for various reasons. The products I chose met a certain criteria after reading reviews (that weren't videos) that thouroughly tested the properties and gave electrical stats. It may appear that I am a Thrunite advocate, but I have older products (some discontinued) for various reasons. I am not product name brand loyal to be certain as if I ever had a light break I would be open to any company/model that fit my criteria.

 

[nitebrite]

I don't know if you all will think this is as funny as I do. I got offered a free product for a 5 star review on Amazon. It was from China and not only absolute junk but also a counterfeit item. So I took the offer. I then promptly reported them to Amazon's fraud department. I did not stop there. I left a very polite review for them. Explaining in detail the quality of the item and that it is a knock off of a well known product. Furthermore that this company had paid me to write them a 5 star review. Continuing that I gladly accepted the money. I gave the review 1 star. Many companies have no boundaries. Unfortunately for the company in question, neither do I! Any time I have ever been offered any form of payola I have completely smeared that companies name to no avail. I am a Brother that just don't care. Seriously, I feel it is high time these type of companies are called out for their actions. I am just the one to do so.

 

[aginthelaw]

Sorry my morals aren't up to the standards of this forum, but if someone wants me to review the new MacBooks or a car for free, in exchange for five stars, I'm lying my butt off 🙄

 

[jon_slider]

if someone wants me to review the new MacBooks or a car for free, in exchange for five stars, I'm lying my butt off 🙄

LOL! if you cant beat em, join em..

Then the people that think they are entitled to Honest Free Reviews will think youre a sell out.. with too many free toys..

Consumers are actually not really "entitled" to Free Reviews.. and much less so, if they expect the reviewers to buy the products they review..

Actually consumers are supposed to buy the stuff, and then decide if it suits their expectations.

 

[markr6]

Yea reminds me of all the junk popup companies selling on Amazon. Thankfully amazon put an end to those reviews a while back. No more copying and pasting "...I received this product free of charge in exchange for my honest and unbiased review"

But, they have a new trick now. You'll often get a business card or something inside the package telling you how to get an additional item free. You scan the QR code or visit their site, show your review on amazon, and they send it out. Shady.

 

[jon_slider]

Shady.

I have the same reaction..

imaginary scenario:

marketing dept says: Lets sell some lights.. Find me LEDs with High Lumen Levels.

buyer says: I want to see a review.

marketing dept says: Lets do some Social Media Marketing. Give away some free lights in exchange for reviews.

buyer says: I dont trust Free Light Reviews

marketing dept says: Lets give away some refunds for lights, after a buyer posts a review of a light they paid for on Amazon.

buyer says: I dont trust Amazon Reviews.

marketing dept says: Lets do some more Social Media Marketing. Give away some free lights in return for Youtube Video Reviews. And get the reviewers to post links on CPF.