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Forum for product reviews?

2075 Views 17 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  almitra, 
almitra
Many of us would love to be able to have a specific place to leave reviews of new products we've tried for our babies. Everything from hair care to accessories to safety equipment,etc. Any way we could have a forum for these types of things? TIA!
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Administrator
Let me talk to the admins and mods about this.
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Ladysmom
Just my two cents, but that can be a slippery slope with potential for abuse. We have a products review section on another forum I belong to and vendors and companies get trashed all the time, often without reason.

We regularly get people complaining that they never received orders from companies when often they neglected to read the company policies. When they do, they find out that the items are custom made and may take 6-8 weeks or are not in stock and must be ordered from the manufacturer etc.

I've seen buyers and sellers publicly argue about the sale, posting private emails and Paypal receipts.

Too often, satisfied customers don't take the time to review a product. It's only an unhappy customer that does. As a result, a shampoo that many of us use and love might get a bad review by one person who didn't get the expected results. When someone does a search, either here or on Google, how often do you read all the subsequent comments that may be favorable?
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I found nemo
Ladysmom said:
Just my two cents, but that can be a slippery slope with potential for abuse. We have a products review section on another forum I belong to and vendors and companies get trashed all the time, often without reason.

We regularly get people complaining that they never received orders from companies when often they neglected to read the company policies. When they do, they find out that the items are custom made and may take 6-8 weeks or are not in stock and must be ordered from the manufacturer etc.

I've seen buyers and sellers publicly argue about the sale, posting private emails and Paypal receipts.

Too often, satisfied customers don't take the time to review a product. It's only an unhappy customer that does. As a result, a shampoo that many of us use and love might get a bad review by one person who didn't get the expected results. When someone does a search, either here or on Google, how often do you read all the subsequent comments that may be favorable?
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I totally agree with Marj on this one. I have also seen all she has described and it's not nice, it's mean. One review can ruin someone's reputation and that isn't fair..JMO :)
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Hunter's Mom
I think there is a simple solution to the concern about vendors being trashed.

1. You must have first hand knowledge of the product
2. You may only discuss whether you were satisfied with the product or not, you may not discuss customer service aspects of the company.
3. The review must be for a product only and not a review of a company (i.e. you can say "I just love the new boutique bow I got from INSERT VENDOR NAME HERE. It fits princess just right and I love how stiff the bow feels. Also, the colors match her new dress just perfectly" You may not say "INSERT VENDOR NAME HERE took 3 weeks to get me that new bow I ordered and now I will never order from them again")

I read the request to be one for a forum about products specifically, not vendors.
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I found nemo
Hunter's Mom said:
I think there is a simple solution to the concern about vendors being trashed.

1. You must have first hand knowledge of the product
2. You may only discuss whether you were satisfied with the product or not, you may not discuss customer service aspects of the company.
3. The review must be for a product only and not a review of a company (i.e. you can say "I just love the new boutique bow I got from INSERT VENDOR NAME HERE. It fits princess just right and I love how stiff the bow feels. Also, the colors match her new dress just perfectly" You may not say "INSERT VENDOR NAME HERE took 3 weeks to get me that new bow I ordered and now I will never order from them again")

I read the request to be one for a forum about products specifically, not vendors.
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I just don't think it's a good idea, I have seen it just spiral and people get into arguments. You make very valid points, I just don't know.
I am not in charge so it really doesn't matter :p .I just have my doubts.
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Hunter's Mom
I found nemo said:
I just don't think it's a good idea, I have seen it just spiral and people get into arguments. You make very valid points, I just don't know.
I am not in charge so it really doesn't matter :p .I just have my doubts.
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:) I just don't see how this type of forum would be any different from what we already have in the breeder's forum. There are established rules there that seem to be working (though we have had recent conversations about what constitutes an advertisement). Why couldn't the following rules (taken from the breeder's post) be modified to apply to product reviews? If we cannot have product reviews - why should we be able to review and praise (or not) breeders? Are they more entitled to our praise and potential advertisement (in a google search) than someone who sells products instead of animals? Again, just my 2 cents :)


1. Please only reply if you have first-hand experience with the breeder.
2. Do not make speculative posts of what you "think" the situation "might" be.
3. Do not post anything based on what you have heard.
4. Out of courtesy to the original poster, please stay on topic
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Ladysmom
I found nemo said:
I just don't think it's a good idea, I have seen it just spiral and people get into arguments. You make very valid points, I just don't know.
I am not in charge so it really doesn't matter :p .I just have my doubts.
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I feel the same way you do, Andrea. In theory it sounds like a great idea, but I've seen so many problems arise when it's put in place. It's like opening up Pandora's box.
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pinkpixie1588
Hunter's Mom said:
I think there is a simple solution to the concern about vendors being trashed.

1. You must have first hand knowledge of the product
2. You may only discuss whether you were satisfied with the product or not, you may not discuss customer service aspects of the company.
3. The review must be for a product only and not a review of a company (i.e. you can say "I just love the new boutique bow I got from INSERT VENDOR NAME HERE. It fits princess just right and I love how stiff the bow feels. Also, the colors match her new dress just perfectly" You may not say "INSERT VENDOR NAME HERE took 3 weeks to get me that new bow I ordered and now I will never order from them again")

I read the request to be one for a forum about products specifically, not vendors.
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I agree. People do lots of informal product reviews (about shampoos they love, brushes, combs, grooming sprays, etc.) and it hasn't been an issue. I think it would just be more convenient to have them all in one place.
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almitra
I am moderator on a camping forum that has a specific forum area for product reviews of camping equipment of every type and style....and we have never had an incident of vendor/manufacturer bashing. Our members love benefiting from one another's opinions about various accessories, essentials, hot-off-the-press new items, etc. Where one buys it, customr service, and the like don't even enter the equation--it is simply a place to share your personal experience with an item you just love and want to share with the group. Many of our members have been able to find just what they've been looking for this way.
Truly, as we have already seen here in this forum (or any other), there is always an opportunity for transgressing TOS if someone sets out to do that. But I don't think the way to respond is by saying 'let's not even give it a chance because it has potential to be abused at some point in time.' I wouldn't have a checking account today if everyone decided that since banks/credit unions get robbed we shouldn't even build any in the first place. No, we still build banks and make it against the law to rob them. Someone will still break that law from time to time, but the vast majority of us use them responsibly and enjoy the benefits of membership. This forum would simply be subject to rules as the rest of our forums are and policed by mods as well. I do sincerely believe the benefits will certainly outweigh the drawbacks. Just my opinion.
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CrystalAndZoe
I'm kind of thinking a product review section may not be a good idea either. For example, a couple of years ago there was a post about a former product I had been using and really loved and had great results from. So did many other people. But a few did not and mentioned it in a thread stating that the product 'sucked'. Well in truth, the product was and is a really great product, but as with so many things, not every one product will work well on every single Malt. Sometimes people use things incorrectly or even wrong items within the product line. And since people can google product names and see things written in threads here on SM, we should keep in mind that what may not work great on a Malt may work wonderfully on say a Scottish Terrier. If we have an actual section on product reviews, I feel we could potentially do some great companies some real harm.

I rather we keep things on a positive note and when we find something we really love, share it with the group in the appropriate section. Then it's up to the individual as to whether or not they would like to try it. We have an awesome search engine and all you need to do is type in a product name and you'll get all the posts that have that product name in it. I'm not saying you can't say something didn't work for you in a thread that is already started about a product. It can often open dialogue as to why the product didn't work for you like it did for others and maybe there is a simple solution as not using the right product or not using it the correct way. Or that it just doesn't always work the same on every Malt, but still a great product. When I think of all the human shampoos and conditioners out there, some work great for me and others don't. And often the ones I don't like for me, a good friend with great hair does. So there is a reason for all those different hair products. Just using hair products as an example. I just don't think it necessary to start threads on products you don't like. jmo.

As for comparing something like this to the Breeders Section, I'm sorry but I can't say it is the same at all. In the Breeders Section, people often ask about a breeder, give a heads up on puppies, or are asking for breeder names for certain areas. There has never been to my knowledge a thread started simply for the purpose of giving a positive or negative review on a breeder. Sometimes when someone asks about a breeder, a person who has had personal experience may share their great experience or say something to the effect that they would not purchase from them again. But it's not a review on breeders.
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Ladysmom
Hunter's Mom said:
I think there is a simple solution to the concern about vendors being trashed.

1. You must have first hand knowledge of the product
2. You may only discuss whether you were satisfied with the product or not, you may not discuss customer service aspects of the company.
3. The review must be for a product only and not a review of a company (i.e. you can say "I just love the new boutique bow I got from INSERT VENDOR NAME HERE. It fits princess just right and I love how stiff the bow feels. Also, the colors match her new dress just perfectly" You may not say "INSERT VENDOR NAME HERE took 3 weeks to get me that new bow I ordered and now I will never order from them again")

I read the request to be one for a forum about products specifically, not vendors.
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Erin, the problem with that is is impossible to separate the product from the vendor if the vendor makes the product themselves. For example, those of us who make custom items like clothes, jewelry, or, in my case, bows.

That's where I have seen the problems arise. For example, I have seen many online fights because someone said a dress didn't fit properly. Then the vendor argues back that the measurements she got weren't correct. Another example is a few times I have had a customer tell me the barrette on the bow broke. I have a warning right on my website that if you put too much hair in a barrette, it will pop apart, that you can't make a topknot with a barrette, yet some people don't read it. Fortunately it has never happened, but someone theoretically could write that my bows "fall apart".
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Harley & Dakotas Mum
I asked for this AGES ago, and Joe was kind enough to add a section ..... along with a Recipe section. I don't know what happened to it, but I do know that at the time, because I was the one who asked for it, I tried to post as many reviews as I could .... at the time, it wasn't a popular section and only a handful of other people contributed, so perhaps it didnt survive the switch over to this new format??
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Harley & Dakotas Mum
I found my original thread .... http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/58-suggestions-feedback/74957-product-reviews.html

Joe DID implement this, however when I click on the link the the thread, it just goes back to the main forum page ..... so looks like it didn't make it across from the old SM format.
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almitra
Harley & Dakotas Mum said:
I found my original thread .... http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/58-suggestions-feedback/74957-product-reviews.html

Joe DID implement this, however when I click on the link the the thread, it just goes back to the main forum page ..... so looks like it didn't make it across from the old SM format.
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Judging from the vast number of product reviews scattered throughout the SM forum (scattered being the operative word), there does certainly appear to be sufficient interest to make it "go" now. And I like the way each of those scattered, random reviews are both positive and helpful. Again, only the exception would need policing,but then that is true of 100% of our other forum sub-headings here. Sure hope they will bring it back for us all.
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almitra
Yung, any word on this yet? Thanks!
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Administrator
Sandra, I'm working on a few other things right now. Sorry for the hold up. I'm weighing everyone's feedback on this and my initial inclination is that if we're going to have a review area up, it has to show the GOOD and the BAD of a product or service. If that happens, that could potentially open a can of worms for us who are moderating the site. As an example, most of our dog sites had pre-existing areas for the members to discuss about breeders and their experiences with it. I cannot begin to tell you the number of emails I receive on a weekly basis from breeders who feel they have been defamed, threatening us with this and that (which in most cases are just empty threats).

That said, at this time, I'm going to ALLOW it once I have a chance to do a write up of "rules" for this area. Also, this new area will operate on a trial basis of 6 months and we can shut it down at anytime up to this 6 month period. If things are going well after the initial 6 months, we'll continue it. If it becomes problematic, we'll nuke it. Fair enough? :)
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almitra
Absolutely.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration on what appears to be, unfortunately, a controversial matter. Hopefully the members here will treat the forum with the respect it is due and not abuse the privelege of its use. Again, thank you. :)
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