All,
Can I please have your vote. Would you like something as described below on the forum or not.
I have proposed a new section for the forum. A "REVIEW" section.
This section would be where members could write & post a review of a specific product or item they have used.
The review section would NOT be for endorsing a particular brand, manufacturer or supplier. But a place where members can provide a subjective review of the particular item.
A write up on how that product performed. The conditions it was used in.
The review should contain info on things like;
Manufacture quality
Fit for purpose
Value for money
etc etc.
The contents of each review would be checked by one of the admins to make sure it conformed to the Forum rules & then would be locked.
The section would be run in similar fashion to the DIY where no replies would be possible.
All info should be factual. Then there is no issue regarding liable or slander.
Please vote as you see fit.
Sounds like a good idear.
No need mate those sort of reviews have always fitted into our current format. Just more sections to troll through, if it aint busted dont fix it.
BLACKZOOK Wrote:No need mate those sort of reviews have always fitted into our current format. Just more sections to troll through, if it aint busted dont fix it.
I hear you Bruce, but that's the idea. No need to "troll" or search through 1000's of posts with heaps of replies to try to get the info required.
All would be in 1 section & arranged alphabetically.
If the format is going to be the same as the DIY section, then yep sounds good
All good for the team. More knowledge = better educated purchases.
I, personally, like the idea... but:
Louwai Wrote:The review section would NOT be for endorsing a particular brand, manufacturer or supplier.
We already get the "you know whos" reviewing stuff as "independent" comments, when we know that bla bla bla... (I don't want to expand on this, but some of you who have been around for a while will understand)
...so it will be difficult to police it.
Louwai Wrote:The contents of each review would be checked by one of the admins to make sure it conformed to the Forum rules & then would be locked.
The section would be run in similar fashion to the DIY where no replies would be possible.
This means extra work for Admins. Locking it also means that once an opinion is made, others can't add their own opinion to it...
I say let's try it...
pan Wrote:I, personally, like the idea... but:
Louwai Wrote:The review section would NOT be for endorsing a particular brand, manufacturer or supplier.
We already get the "you know whos" reviewing stuff as "independent" comments, when we know that bla bla bla... (I don't want to expand on this, but some of you who have been around for a while will understand) ...so it will be difficult to police it.
Louwai Wrote:The contents of each review would be checked by one of the admins to make sure it conformed to the Forum rules & then would be locked.
The section would be run in similar fashion to the DIY where no replies would be possible.
This means extra work for Admins. Locking it also means that once an opinion is made, others can't add their own opinion to it...
I say let's try it...
Pan,
The "comply with forum rules" comment just means that the review would be checked & if need be, edited, to comply with the general forum rule of not endorsing any specific supplier / manufacturer / retailer etc.
From what I understand, this is why the forum does not have paid advertising, so it's not seen to be endorsing one over another.
The locked thread means that we have a logical & readable review. Not a thread of up to 20 or more posts where the reader has to sort throught what is review & what is not.
Also, being locked means that the threads / posts stay in alphabetical order so items are easily found.
Keep in mind that these revews should / will be factual from personal use of said item, not just thoughts or opinions.
If another member would like to expand on a specific review, they can submit the additional info. The author of the original review would be consulted & the additional info will either be added to the original or posted as a seperate review.
Extra work for admins.
It's been said that if this Review Section goes ahead it would be placed under my moderation, same as the DIY & Mods sections. So the "extra work" would be mine.
If it benefits the forum & the members I don't mind doing it.
Hey Louwai
I must send you the image of the Ventura Rack mod Bruce had to do at Border Village, it is a pretty impressive feat of engineering. I'll check with him first to make sure he is ok with it going public, if he had any sense he'd sell the design to Venture to improve their piss-poor racks!
Heidi
New review section sounds good to me!
Whereas I think a review of product has much merit Im not sure about the lockdown of the thread, coz 1 person may present a review and thats his experience, perhaps another with the very same product may like to add his review which might not be parroting the first but perhaps contain added insight to the product, I think it would be a valued additive to the original review. Tho am in agreeance as not to clutter the thread with "yea I agree" stuff and "thx" etc. which could always be removed or edited out.
As Bruce mentioned we have had views on products often repetative and as Lowai says one has to search for them. So I vote a yes and see how we go approach, but consider my comments above re lockdown.
Maybe you could just have a separate thread/section for all the chit chat and replies etc. The review section would still be tidy and people can voice their opinions too if need be..and then that can be taken on board by Louwai and the review edited only if need be.
DjPete Wrote:Maybe you could just have a separate thread/section for all the chit chat and replies etc. The review section would still be tidy and people can voice their opinions too if need be..and then that can be taken on board by Louwai and the review edited only if need be.
I think there are issues all round to be thought out. As Volvi notes, different people have different experiences.
Example dj is the two totally opposite comments you posted about MAC computers.
In this type of situation both reviews need to be posted so everyone can see the different experiences & decide if either pertain to their individual situation.
In the DIY section, if I have received multiple submissions for a single topic, I have put them all in the one thread under the one heading. I think this works well because it gives the readers a continous source of info on a single topic without needing to go to another thread.
I would probably adopt the same process with the Review section. Putting all reviews of a single item (be they positive or negative) under the one thread.
THe reader then has the whole story without the need to search or change thread.
I stress the point that the Reviews would be personal experience from
owning the actual item being reviewed. Not a borrowed item, or a Saturday morning test ride. That stuff is for the general forum.
My comments about not needing the new section are based on two facts.
1. I'm old and resistant to change.
2. We have had product reviews in the past that claimed to be independent reviews, some even claiming to be reviews from an engineer. These product reviews were posted as an independent review based on personal experience. Comments from other members uncovered the truth that it was nothing more than a disguised sales pitch from someone who had a vested interest.
If reviews are posted and locked then they will be taken as fact and that I strongly disagree with. The moderator may have no idea that the review is incorrect or a disguised sales pitch from a person not openly associated with a vendor.
Ours is an open forum that invites public comment, this openness often uncovers the truth.