I think that the aim of product trial sites is more word of mouth than reviews or accuracy. The "reviews" on sites like Smiley360 and Buzz Agent go up the same day the people received their product. Many are incomplete sentences, full of spelling and grammar mistakes. They 99% of the time gush about it and make sure to say that they love it and will continue to buy it, and that they will replace something they used to buy with it. It is clear from most of these reviews, that these people believe that they must post gushing happy positive product reviews in order to keep getting free stuff. That is not helpful, it is not accurate, and it is not ETHICAL.
For something like a snack bar or a box of cereal, it's fine to review after you try it once. Try it, look up the ingredients if it claims to be healthy and is marketed on that fact, and you are unsure of some of the ingredients. Then review. Most people don't even do that. I tried a box of cereal that claimed to be full of fiber and very healthy. if you look up the ingredients, it was full of sugar, preservatives, and other artificial ingredients. It was not as bad as a box of Lucky Charms, but it was NOT "healthy". Review after review parroted what they read on the box, saying it was (AGAIN!) "tasty" and "sooo good for you/ great for your body/ a great healthy choice" etc etc and so on. When something claims to be healthy and is marketed on that fact, it is irresponsible to NOT even look at the ingredients or look up what they actually are if you are unsure. You get a pack of a new Oreo flavor that has no claims except "new flavor!" Go right ahead and eat it and then say how "yummy" it is.
But for something like a razor to be reviewed after one use? The one I tried for a trial was amazing the first day. But by Day 4, it was more average, and all of the claims were based on the 4 uses before that feature stopped working. I read some of the reviews of people using it Day 1 and gushing about it. But I waited until Day 5 because I wanted to post a honest review. For something like vitamins, it is not ethical to post a review same day. I received a bottle of Skin, Hair, Nail Gummies and am giving it at least one month. But same day, reviews are going up of people saying how happy they are to get them, how "yummy" and "tasty" they are. You are not reviewing a $2 bag of candy, you are reviewing a $20+ bottle of vitamin gummies. Saying they are "yummy" or "tasty" is useless. I would not pay $20 for a bottle of candy. Would you??
I also take issue with "yummy". Ok, that means you like the taste. But would I? What does it taste like? Berry? Mint? Is it sweet? Sour? Smooth? Any aftertaste?
I take issue with "tasty". Oh, it's full of...taste? What kind?
But most of all, I take issue with people saying how much they love something for absolutely no reason. People saying something works great after using it only once. People saying they love something that they aren't really sure if it works or not, not sure if it does what it says. People saying something is healthy without even looking. I can get all of that information from the commercials and ads where people or actors are being paid to say all that. if you are going to review something, you should be honest and ethical. Not say what you think the company wants you to say or parrot what it says on the box.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Survey Site Review: Toluna Grade: D
Toluna.
It tries to be a Facebook with profiles and statuses and ads polls and discussions.
But it can take eons to make enough points to cash out.
I have 11,000 points. Which you would think would be $11. No. I need 30,000 points to get a $10 gift card. The average survey offers 1,000 to 2,000 points, but I always get midway through and magically do not qualify (which should be the first 2 minutes!) or they decide they have enough responders. Most survey sites do this.
But my BIGGEST issue is that you only get ONE YEAR to reach enough points to cash out. If you don't? They delete all of your points. Most survey companies will hold on to points. Not this one.
I somehow managed to make enough to cash out in that one year. $20. In a year.
It's just not worth it.
The only pros I can find: you can choose a type of gift card or paypal and if you choose paypal they cover the fees unlike cheap IPoll.
It tries to be a Facebook with profiles and statuses and ads polls and discussions.
But it can take eons to make enough points to cash out.
I have 11,000 points. Which you would think would be $11. No. I need 30,000 points to get a $10 gift card. The average survey offers 1,000 to 2,000 points, but I always get midway through and magically do not qualify (which should be the first 2 minutes!) or they decide they have enough responders. Most survey sites do this.
But my BIGGEST issue is that you only get ONE YEAR to reach enough points to cash out. If you don't? They delete all of your points. Most survey companies will hold on to points. Not this one.
I somehow managed to make enough to cash out in that one year. $20. In a year.
It's just not worth it.
The only pros I can find: you can choose a type of gift card or paypal and if you choose paypal they cover the fees unlike cheap IPoll.
Survey Site Review: IPoll. Grade: B
I have been using IPoll (formerly SurveyHead) for over a year and it IS possible to make as much as $100 in one year if you spend several hours doing it, and don't mind spending as much as 36 minutes for just $1.
How it works: You register and fill out the personal info and personal surveys. Then, each time you log in, there will be a list of surveys you can take. Sometimes there are more than 10, sometimes one or two, sometimes none. It depends on how often you log in and how many surveys you take. Some are sweepstakes entries which IMO are useless. I skip those. Often you will be 10 minutes into a survey or even almost done and it will tell you that you don't qualify or that they have enough responses. :( If you do finish it, it will take days to weeks to credit you and it will show up in your Rewards. Once you reach $10, you can cash out for a gift card. A newer option is Paypal, IF you are a verified member with a bank account attached. I would prefer not to use Paypal as they are owned by Ebay who is a pretty shady company and they take fees for everything. BUT it depends on the survey company. Some cover that fee and you get the whole amount you earned. IPoll passes that fee onto YOU. For example, if you cash out $50, you will only receive $48 due to fees. (If you get an Amazon gift card, it's all yours.) Since you may have spent a total of an hour making that $2 you just had taken by Paypal, this option is one I am not a fan of unless you need money in your bank account and are willing to wait the few weeks it takes credit.
The only big issues I have had are having surveys that say you completed it, and then don't credit you or take you back to the page. Then you have to contact customer support, who will tell you to wait and see, then contact them again. Sometimes they honor it, sometimes they don't.
When you take a survey ALWAYS copy and paste the info- how much it's worth and the survey number. If it glitches and you don't have that info, you are SOL.
Pros:
+Almost always a survey available
+Pay in a dollar system instead of points.
+Most surveys are worth at least $1 instead of .50
+Surveys state ahead of time how much and how long
+Several gift card options
Cons:
-It can take a year of spending a few hours a night on surveys to reach $100
-Spending 30 minutes for $1 you may or may not get.
-Paypal payments have a fee taken out ($2 of $50)
-Payments and gift cards can take as long as 3-4 weeks to be credited.
-Surveys can take days or weeks to be credited in your balance.
-Often you all be kicked out mid-survey and receive no credit.
-Sometimes you complete a survey and are not credited due to a glitch.
-Companies that are offered as donations options are not all respectable, ethical companies (PETA)
Summary: The problems they have are ones that the majority of survey companies have as well (minus the paypal fees), but they do reward in dollars instead of points (where you can have thousands of points and still not enough for a gift card!) and tell you how much you will get- if it lets you finish and you qualify- and how long it will take. It is the survey company i make the most doing hands down. It's not perfect, but it is the best.
How it works: You register and fill out the personal info and personal surveys. Then, each time you log in, there will be a list of surveys you can take. Sometimes there are more than 10, sometimes one or two, sometimes none. It depends on how often you log in and how many surveys you take. Some are sweepstakes entries which IMO are useless. I skip those. Often you will be 10 minutes into a survey or even almost done and it will tell you that you don't qualify or that they have enough responses. :( If you do finish it, it will take days to weeks to credit you and it will show up in your Rewards. Once you reach $10, you can cash out for a gift card. A newer option is Paypal, IF you are a verified member with a bank account attached. I would prefer not to use Paypal as they are owned by Ebay who is a pretty shady company and they take fees for everything. BUT it depends on the survey company. Some cover that fee and you get the whole amount you earned. IPoll passes that fee onto YOU. For example, if you cash out $50, you will only receive $48 due to fees. (If you get an Amazon gift card, it's all yours.) Since you may have spent a total of an hour making that $2 you just had taken by Paypal, this option is one I am not a fan of unless you need money in your bank account and are willing to wait the few weeks it takes credit.
The only big issues I have had are having surveys that say you completed it, and then don't credit you or take you back to the page. Then you have to contact customer support, who will tell you to wait and see, then contact them again. Sometimes they honor it, sometimes they don't.
When you take a survey ALWAYS copy and paste the info- how much it's worth and the survey number. If it glitches and you don't have that info, you are SOL.
Pros:
+Almost always a survey available
+Pay in a dollar system instead of points.
+Most surveys are worth at least $1 instead of .50
+Surveys state ahead of time how much and how long
+Several gift card options
Cons:
-It can take a year of spending a few hours a night on surveys to reach $100
-Spending 30 minutes for $1 you may or may not get.
-Paypal payments have a fee taken out ($2 of $50)
-Payments and gift cards can take as long as 3-4 weeks to be credited.
-Surveys can take days or weeks to be credited in your balance.
-Often you all be kicked out mid-survey and receive no credit.
-Sometimes you complete a survey and are not credited due to a glitch.
-Companies that are offered as donations options are not all respectable, ethical companies (PETA)
Summary: The problems they have are ones that the majority of survey companies have as well (minus the paypal fees), but they do reward in dollars instead of points (where you can have thousands of points and still not enough for a gift card!) and tell you how much you will get- if it lets you finish and you qualify- and how long it will take. It is the survey company i make the most doing hands down. It's not perfect, but it is the best.
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