Standard or Extended?

Contributor: Annemarie Annemarie
When writing your reviews, which do you tend to prefer, if both Standard and Extended are available?
Answers (public voting - your screen name will appear in the results):
Standard, always
Carrie Ann , Rockin' , Kayla , Gatita , Bon Bon , darthkitt3n , Shellz31 , Cora Jane , Incendiaire , Breas , AliMc , Wicked Wahine , souviet
13  (12%)
Extended, always
Annemarie , buzzvibe , LuLu Love , Heartthrob , omgmegg , Andromeda , Blinker , Sera , Midway through , DeliciousSurprise , twistedheartsx , B8trDude , deadpoet , sexysweetieshan , Pleasure Piratess , tim1724 , kck , deltalima , softkkisses , Darling Jen , Lady Venus , cherryredhead88 , Anally Fixated , Jobthingy , Alegria , Persephone Nightmare , Shumway , Darkestraven , Bunnycups , MistressDandelion , SexyStuff , xMila , bog , noway , purpledesert , captainsgirl , jennifur77
37  (34%)
Both, but Standard more than Extended
Alicia , Sammi , Miss Cinnamon , LicentiouslyYours , gone77 , Misfit Momma , Miss B Haven , ToyTimeTim , Adriana Ravenlust , ViVix , Hallmar82
11  (10%)
Both, but Extended more than Standard
El-Jaro , Victoria , Gary , Jul!a , Passionate Pastor , TitsMcScandal , Owl Identified , bzzingbee , Kim! , softcoeur , P'Gell , David88 , ~LaUr3n~ , asdfg , Selective Sensualist , Love Buzz , Fanny , Hot'n'Bothered , PurpleBerry , ScottA , nolongerhere , SexyySarah , Sensual husband , Waterfall , PassionQT , Jenniae09 , Viktor Vysheslav Malkin , BBW Talks Toys , potstickers , Rckt56 , PussyGalore , leatherlover , OroNomi , PropertyOfPotter , TheSinDoll , Girly Juice , RomanticGoth , xOhxSoxScandalousx , married with children , charmedtomeetyou , Bleu , Sugarfina
42  (39%)
Both, equally
MuffysPinguLove , Ciao. , Sir , Kindred , Strider
5  (5%)
I have no preference
Total votes: 108
Poll is closed
06/09/2010
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Contributor: Annemarie Annemarie
(Is answering your own thread uncouth?)

I forgot to mention: This is for the on-site EF reviews, not the off-site. But, the off-sites can give their vote if they like.

I prefer the Extended over the Standard. It narrows my focus on what I'm supposed to write about in a particular section, and it allows me to work on different sections at a time, as opposed to just the entire thing. Also, the Extended reminds me that I need to talk about, say, the texture of a product, in which I may forget to write about in the Standard.

So, yeah, Extended, always.
06/09/2010
Contributor: MuffysPinguLove MuffysPinguLove
It depends on the product really. I think some items just work better in either the standard or extended format
06/09/2010
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
I've been doing this for so long the extended feels weird to me. I feel like my personality comes thru more on the standard, though I think extended is absolutely perfect for newer folks and for descriptive reviews.
06/09/2010
Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
For toys: extended
For everything else: standard
06/09/2010
Contributor: Victoria Victoria
I like Extended - it breaks it into chunks for. I also like Standard. It just depends on the toy and my mood, for the most part.
06/09/2010
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
For most things I prefer the extended format, just because that way I can elaborate extensively on things that might need it, and still make sure I cover everything I can about the product. For a long time it drove me nuts that the lingerie didn't have an extended format, but I managed to find a way to basically build my own extended format for lingerie while allowing it to still flow really well and not get broken up.
06/09/2010
Contributor: Ciao. Ciao.
Personally I like them both. Extended is easier to write I think, but Standard tends to flow better and feel more personal when I write it.
06/09/2010
Contributor: buzzvibe buzzvibe
I'm lazy and like the prompts in the Extended. Also, with kids around it's easier for me to do my reviews in sections during my pockets of free time. I rarely get the whole thing done in one sitting.
06/09/2010
Contributor: Alicia Alicia
Certain toys I feel benefit more from extended reviews. Like if there is a lot of functions to them or something. For most toys though I've been finding that I like writing the standard reviews because it allows me to just write what I'm feeling about the toy and feels more personable to me.
06/09/2010
Contributor: Sir Sir
Quote:
Originally posted by El-Jaro
For toys: extended
For everything else: standard
For everything else, there's Master card.
06/09/2010
Contributor: Sammi Sammi
I think the standard format is easier to use, but there are some products that work better in extended.
06/09/2010
Contributor: Miss Cinnamon Miss Cinnamon
I like to write with the Extended format most of the time, but when it comes to reading reviews, I prefer Standard.
06/09/2010
Contributor: LicentiouslyYours LicentiouslyYours
Quote:
Originally posted by Victoria
I like Extended - it breaks it into chunks for. I also like Standard. It just depends on the toy and my mood, for the most part.
It depends on my mood too, although I do like using the Extended for Description Reviews. Also I like using the Extended for doing a review of some kind of product I have not done before, so I think of everything that might be relevant.
06/09/2010
Contributor: Gary Gary
The extended tends to contain more information, where as the standards tend to be more entertaining.
06/10/2010
Contributor: Victoria Victoria
Quote:
Originally posted by Miss Cinnamon
I like to write with the Extended format most of the time, but when it comes to reading reviews, I prefer Standard.
That's an interesting point of view! I never thought of it that way
06/10/2010
Contributor: TitsMcScandal TitsMcScandal
I like the extended because I know I will remember everything [or mostly everything] but I am trying to shy away from them. I like reading standard more so I figure others do as well, so if I can make my reviews better to read, yea for everyone. So what I sometimes do is pull up an extended review I've already done so I see the headers, then write a standard review that hits all those points.
06/10/2010
Contributor: Annemarie Annemarie
Quote:
Originally posted by Gary
The extended tends to contain more information, where as the standards tend to be more entertaining.
Yeah, exactly! If only there were some happy medium.

I think I prefer reading the Extended reviews, because I can skip around all the stuff I already know (like, how to take care of silicone, or whatever) and get to the juicy information. With the Standard, I feel obligated to read all of it.
06/10/2010
Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
Quote:
Originally posted by TitsMcScandal
I like the extended because I know I will remember everything [or mostly everything] but I am trying to shy away from them. I like reading standard more so I figure others do as well, so if I can make my reviews better to read, yea for everyone. So ... more
At one point in time I actually saved the Ext. template into Word and worked from there.

Standard are easier to read for a personable touch. Extended are much more thorough.
06/10/2010
Contributor: Rockin' Rockin'
I like to take a peek at the Extended Template to see what sections it has, then I make sure to cover them when I use the Standard Template. I prefer the Standard one just for creativity's sake and so the reviews can have different orders for topics.
06/10/2010
Contributor: Miss Cinnamon Miss Cinnamon
Quote:
Originally posted by Gary
The extended tends to contain more information, where as the standards tend to be more entertaining.
Yeah! I actively seek out extended reviews when I'm actually considering buying the product and am looking for specific information. I read standard for fun and inspiration
06/10/2010
Contributor: Liz2 Liz2
Extended reviews seem to be more generic for me. Yes, they have "all" the information but end up not saying all that much at times but they are so easy to write...
06/16/2010
Contributor: Kim! Kim!
I think that it depends on the reviewer and their style which makes a better review to at least some degree. However the extended helps keep people from "tl;dr (too long; didn't read) syndrome" if they have a short attention span or are overwhelmed.
06/21/2010
Contributor: Miss Cinnamon Miss Cinnamon
Quote:
Originally posted by Kim!
I think that it depends on the reviewer and their style which makes a better review to at least some degree. However the extended helps keep people from "tl;dr (too long; didn't read) syndrome" if they have a short attention span or are overwhelmed.
I've actually seen some reviews with Extended Format that were much, much longer on the whole than Standard Format reviews. There's a balance between a review's being too concise and too wordy... The Extended Template doesn't really protect against either extreme.
06/21/2010
Contributor: gone77 gone77
Quote:
Originally posted by Carrie Ann
I've been doing this for so long the extended feels weird to me. I feel like my personality comes thru more on the standard, though I think extended is absolutely perfect for newer folks and for descriptive reviews.
Damn, Carrie, that's basically what I was going to say. :-p I plan on using extended for descriptive reviews only. Well, OK, unless I get something that just seems to fit better with the extended template. But my heart belongs to standard.
06/21/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Annemarie
When writing your reviews, which do you tend to prefer, if both Standard and Extended are available?
Usually I choose Extended, because I am too verbose.
06/23/2010
Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
Usually I choose Extended, because I am too verbose.
A long winded extended review is the worst to proof!
06/23/2010
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
I was reading an extended template review tonight and realized I couldn't even finish it.

I really like them for Descriptive Reviews, when the product is brand new and you want the info laid out a certain way. I like them for new folks to get the hang of what to include.

But other than that? They read so dry and so chopped up to me that I can't process the info and just stop reading. It's as annoying as sitting in stop and go traffic. The addition of tags between sections just makes it worse.

I totally "get" their purpose but I'm just not a fan. They actually lower the usefulness of some reviews for me.
07/19/2010
Contributor: Blinker Blinker
I like the extended option because I can really ramble and get off track when I write, and the template helps me keep my focus where it belongs. But I may try the standard template for other things like lingerie or DVDs in the future.
07/20/2010
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
Quote:
Originally posted by Blinker
I like the extended option because I can really ramble and get off track when I write, and the template helps me keep my focus where it belongs. But I may try the standard template for other things like lingerie or DVDs in the future.
Nothing wrong with a little rambling. That's what makes a review interesting sometimes.

We have to remember it's not just other reviewers with the standards we get from learning to write the reviews that are reading them, but customers who often like to feel the reviewers are personal and personable.
07/20/2010