January 6, 2006
I'll send you X if you promise to blog a review of it.
Would you say yes? Would it depend on how much you wanted the thing? I just said no to such a deal, but the thing was a beanbag chair.
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22 comments:
Dave, the problem is that I don't want to commit to writing a post that I don't think is worth writing. I've never written a post that wasn't because I wanted to post on the topic. I'd have to be all so here's this beanbag chair, forcing me to post... uhhh, what am I going to say about a beanbag chair... uhhh, it reminds me of my mother, who used to say "You're full of beans" when I guess someone else would say "You're full of shit." Well, this chair is full of beans and not...
Karl: Yeah, I know. You may notice that I also don't do "in the mail" posts just because someone sends me a book, which happens rather often. I'd only post about the book if I liked it or had something I wanted to say about it. I get books sent to me at work, and I unwrap them and say "Hey, check out what someone sent me." "Why'd they send you that?" "I'm a publicity outlet, apparently."
I guess to something like that I'd say -- send it to me and we'll see.
Or were they indirectly asking you if you had time? Would it be better if you were sent the item with no notice and a note "Please blog about this if you like it or not?" Maybe they were being courteous?
MM: First they asked if they could send it. I said okay. Then they set a condition: we'll send it if you promise to review it. I said no. The dumb thing is that if I didn't like it, but had promised to review it, that would make me write a bad review. BTW, I think Glenn's review of it is basically a bad review.
Ann, if I send you a handful of gold doubloons, will you blog about it? Alternatively, what about a handful of salsa? Let me know...
Newspapers, magazine and so forth have been doing this sort of thing for years. I don't think it's a big deal; I'd just like disclosure.
This doesn't strike me as different from book reviews, already alluded to here; or movie, theatre or concert reviews, which are often comped (on top of that, the reviewer is paid; it's not as if they're writing only on topics they personally care about it.
If a blogger's concerned with credibility, he or she will make sure to do a good, credible job. It's his or her blog, after all--there's a built-in incentive there, I should think.
Personally, a bean-bag chair in particular wouldn't interest me, anymore than a sample of shag carpet or a new polyester shirt would.
Word verification: myzep
I'll agree with reader_iam. You're not being paid to endorse it or approve of it, just to review it. If you're not interested, pass. If it's something you are interested in, then go ahead and tell us the conditions.
And speaking of newspapers, working at a college newspaper or radio station is the biggest scam going. Concerts, CDs, books, movies, theater, all free. And if some PR firm didn't send you something you wanted, then call up and ask for it. All they asked for in return was a tear sheet. If we didn't ask for it and no one was interested, we'd give it away and feel no need to review it.
While a company like the beanbag chair is hoping for a good review, what they're trying to build is name recommendation.
Bill:
Yay for scams! : )
As a poor college student, those things really helped my social life (and very thin pocketbook) and record/book collection.
They're not WHY I was involved in college radio and the campus newspapers, but they sure were a big perk!
AA: How different do you want to be than all the other media for which receiving items to review is standard practice? Is that what your blog is about? Doing this might in some way color the perception of future posts about your TT, your favorite coffee, your nice, new Apple laptop, even if they weren't given to you.
It's one thing to comment on the pleasures of the everyday things in our lives; its another to receive things to comment about, even if disclosed.
In the Middle:
I get a lot of books free (as I've explained before, that's pretty much what "In the Mail" means -- it's like "Books Received" in a journal). If I go further and read and comment on them, it's because I found 'em interesting enough to justify the time.
The bean-bag chair thing appealed to me because of its weirdness -- it's just strange to have someone offer to mail you a bean-bag chair. Now, alas, it's taking up space and my daughter -- who loved it at first -- has lost interest. I don't think I 'd do it again.
The electronics, cameras, etc. that I blog about are all stuff that I buy myself. I'd review them if people sent me cameras, etc., if it was something I was interested in, but nobody has, and if I got a freebie from a manufacturer I'd of course mention that in the review.p
Iam: "Personally, a bean-bag chair in particular wouldn't interest me..."
Yeah, I was thinking, just the trouble of dragging the box inside and then having to cut down the box for recyclying was severely limiting my interest in the thing.
Hi, Glenn. I don't think it's wrong to get free stuff. As I've said, I get a lot of free books. These are just people who want reviews. I just don't want to promise to give a review of something, at least not something that it would be normal for me to blog about.
Two conditions:
1. If I thought I wanted it, and thought it could be worth reviewing to others.
2. No expectation that the review would necessarily be positive.
"Doing this might in some way color the perception of future posts about your TT, your favorite coffee, your nice, new Apple laptop, even if they weren't given to you."
I tried to get Chevrolet to gvie me a Corvette, but it didn't work! As for my TT, the lease runs out in about 2 years, so all the car manufacturers are on notice. I prefer a nice sports car.
As for Apple, they should send me things all the time. Right now, I'm in the middle of getting my picture taken for the local newspaper and the Apple laptop is prominently displayed -- and if even has my Shuffle iPod stuck in it, charging up. This is a big endorsement!
AA: And you can donate the gits to charity, which seems to be all the rage these days...
As for me, I prefer my 3 series covertible...
Blogging about a beanbag chair could frankly be opera buffo Have 'em send it to me, and not only will I review it like a video card, I'll take pics of me falling out of the thing!
Ron, the picture you evoked in my mind is so hilarious that I'm tempted to send you a bean-bag chair! But now, would you take the pictures yourself? As you're falling? Use a tripod? Bribe your SO?
Why this tickled me so, I never know ...
Wow! This is not yo mama's beanbag--at least the one that Glenn reviewed!
If it's the same one that Ann was offered, Ron, then I'd sure hope you'd have a problem falling out of it. It looks more conducive for other activities ... and I don't wanna see no pix o' that.
No.
I jumped all over Doug Bandow for prostituting his column in exchange for some Abramoff money. I certainly wouldn't want to be guilty of the same sin.
A cop takes a free apple, a newspaper reporter takes a free lunch, an INDEPENDENT blogger takes and keeps a free product in exchange for a review--they are all departures from the "pure and correct" thing to do.
Never in a zillion years would I do it...although a "Berkeley-chic" bean bag chair might be enticing. This is a slippery slope, lined, apparently, with bean bag chairs.
Mark Daniels
DEC said...
A cop takes a free apple, a newspaper reporter takes a free lunch, an INDEPENDENT blogger takes and keeps a free product in exchange for a review--they are all departures from the "pure and correct" thing to do.
Oh please. There is a big difference between a reporter, an officer, and a blogger. For one, you are paid to do the other jobs, but as a blogger, you are working (if you can even call it that) for yourself. If you like something, and someone wants to give it to you, then it's fine if you take it.
The only thing you should not do is quid pro quo it, exchanging positive feedback for the goods received, if a review is requested. Ultimately any blogger will be known by their fruit.
Reader I am said:
It looks more conducive for other activities ... and I don't wanna see no pix o' that.
Uhm. What other activities? I hate when people are so cryptic.
I'd say yes (and have) under two conditions: I get to keep the item, and my review is my own to write, regardless of the outcome. If I hate it, I say so and tell everyone I know to stay away. if I love it, I'll try to convince everyone I know to buy one.
You'd be surprised how many people agree to those terms!
I do not know if it is seen by everybody but in your previous post there was an advert for the book by Klum.
http://althouse.blogspot.com/2006/01/i-need-new-reality-show.html#comments
THIS ONE
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000ATQYSS.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg
(note image tag does not work for me)
Now to decide is this a Cute or a Lovely one! The advert not Klum¿
*********
Where I teach (Biz-school) I get books all the time. Never been asked to review or use any of them.
Anne
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