Product Review Requests: Best Practices (?)

1. 97

   EricDockettposted 10 years ago

   On one of my niche accounts I write a lot of product reviews.  This is a niche I have a great deal of experience in, and I write about products I know, and generally other people interested in the niche will know.  Occasionally I will get a request from a company to review their product.  I always decline, because I'm not sure how to handle it. 
   
   They usually offer to send me some of their stuff, which makes me nervous in itself.  What is the usual protocol here?  Do companies send you items on loan and then you send them back?  Does this require a contract or agreement of some kind?  These items aren't cheap, often in the hundreds of dollars. 
   
   Also, these aren't big name companies, they are up and coming gear makers, looking for some publicity.  I'm flattered that they think my articles are a way to get it, but I'd also feel somewhat indebted to them to give them a good review.
   
   Also also, I make most of my money from that account via Amazon.  Many times these products aren't even available via Amazon.  I'd have to include a link to their website, which would seem a little on the over-promotional side.  In this respect, it would seem the review would benefit the companies far more than it would benefit me, at least from a money standpoint. 
   
   I know big magazines and websites that write about what I do receive test products all the time.  I think it would be fun, but then again I'm just me sitting in my little office here, and not sure how to start or if it is worth my time.
   
   Any advice?

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   1. 32

      Writer Foxposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Hey Eric:  This is done everyday on the Internet and is standard-operating-procedure.  You simply accept the product under the condition that your review will be impartial and objective.  Then, disclose in your review that the company supplied you with the product but did not/did pay you for a review and that your opinion is entirely objective.
      
      Link to any Amazon product you want to and link to the company's website as well, because this is beneficial to the viewers of your Hub.
      
      Here's some great advice:
      http://blogpaws.com/bloggers-resource/t … isclosure/
      And, here's the law you must abide by:
      http://www.business.ftc.gov/documents/b … are-asking

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      1. 97

         EricDockettposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks WF!  Your advice was very helpful, as were those links.  I guess I'll have to think it through, but at least the process seems easy enough.

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         1. 32

            Writer Foxposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            I think you should do it!
            
            P.S. : Give a NoFollow when linking to the company which gave you the product, because that really is an advertising link.

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   2. 0

      sheilamyersposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I'd go for it as long as they don't ask for any personal information from you other than your address so they can send you a sample. Yes, I'd be a little paranoid about scammers. It would cool as long as they don't expect a rave review if you think the product is horrible.

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2. 90

   Millionaire Tipsposted 10 years ago

   How interesting! I would love to do reviews like this!  I do book reviews all the time - I get the books for free and get to keep them.  I don't have to write a positive review.  And really, all reviews are good for the advertising of product because more people are aware of the product, and sometimes controversy creates more interest.  I simply give my own opinion - and as the bell curve, most things tend to be average and some are better and some are worse.  I do try to provide a balanced opinion and list both the good points and the bad points of each book.
   
   These things tend not to be evergreen, so I generally write reviews on my blog instead of here on HubPages.  It may not be a big deal now that things would be unfeatured, but I didn't want Google to think of my subdomain as a low quality site.  Since you already have a product review subdomain, it probably wouldn't hurt to add them there as long as you kept doing more product reviews so there is always fresh info.

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