Would you review a product that you did not own? 2 Part Question

Contributor: tigerkate tigerkate
Wow, I agree with what other people have said. I could see writing a review on a toy or item that I do not personally own, but have used enough with someone else (like an ex, or at a party or something), that I feel confident in writing a review of it...

But not if I didn't own it, never used it, didn't intend on using it ever...
I'll be honest, when I read about the review program, this problem DID come to mind- like "Oh, but how do they know?" Then I realized, well, to write a useful/extremely useful review, you'd need to KNOW the product by using it. Probably more than once (come on! lol, one time is not enough).. In order to even write a review on something you didn't own, the only possible way I could see of doing it is by doing crazy amounts of research on the item or plagiarizing someone else's review from a different site.
If you plagiarize, you're probably going to get caught. And that's just personally something I am so against- stealing someone's ideas and words is like... god awful!
If you try to do that much research about the item & write a decent review, then damn.. you should have just bought the item. Because that's a LOT of time you wasted trying to "cheat" a system.

I wonder if someone has done it before, and if they have, would they admit to it? Probably not it's blatantly dishonest and wrong, it doesn't help the site or other possible buyers at all.
09/23/2010
Contributor: Sir Sir
I understand having used it at a play party. But even that is different from owning the toy, wouldn't you say? Using a toy, to me, permits making a comment and rating. Writing a review needs to be at least repeated general use, I feel. Ah, well.

I believe that I dealt with it already, I'm still just so..stunned. Why would anyone do such a thing? It seems so foreign to me.
09/23/2010
Contributor: Madeira Madeira
Um, the closest I've come is starting to come up with witty titles for reviews before the product has arrived. But, I would never review a product I didn't own
09/23/2010
Contributor: VieuxCarre VieuxCarre
Quote:
Originally posted by El-Jaro
"How can I review a product I don't own?"

"Buy it"
Wait, really? Spend money on a sex toy in order to review it? That's preposterous!



I'm not being disrespectful to the person who asked the question and, it could very well be a misunderstanding on the person's part. Eagerness to get reviews written and get our there in the community may be a factor. It is ignorance, but it doesn't necessarily mean that the person asked with malicious intent to write a false review.

At least said person asked before doing. That counts for something, right?
09/23/2010
Contributor: Owl Identified Owl Identified
Quote:
Originally posted by Madeira
Um, the closest I've come is starting to come up with witty titles for reviews before the product has arrived. But, I would never review a product I didn't own
I have so done this!!! I was thinking of things to rhyme Scrudy with long before it ever actually arrived...and when my Ophoria Beyond 3 was in the mail I was looking at pictures of it trying to think of what other stuff it looked like (besides an S...)
09/24/2010
Contributor: Alan & Michele Alan & Michele
We're still floored that anyone would even consider reviewing a toy that they didn't use.
09/24/2010
Contributor: PassionQT PassionQT
I have reviewed one or two products that I purchased elsewhere and subsequently threw away, but the experience with them was memorable enough (good or bad) to record, but I wouldn't just make something up on an item I've never owned up just to get more points. I certainly have the time to write more reviews, but I only write when I need turn in an assignment, or when I'm feeling inspired.
09/24/2010
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Owl Identified
I have so done this!!! I was thinking of things to rhyme Scrudy with long before it ever actually arrived...and when my Ophoria Beyond 3 was in the mail I was looking at pictures of it trying to think of what other stuff it looked like (besides an ... more
I'll admit to doing that too, I had review names for some products long before I ever bought them, lol
09/24/2010
Contributor: SexyTabby SexyTabby
What's the point? The review process is to share knowledgeable information obtained from personal experiences.

I realize I'm new here but the only reason I haven't begun reviewing is that I don't own the items I'd like to review yet. I couldn't imagine trying to guess how I will enjoy or react to a product just from some need to put up a review on a site.

It is really unfair to all those reading the reviews. I've read a lot of them and it's to decide if I want to purchase an item or not and if that information isn't based on the reality of the products abilities and pleasures I would be upset.
10/24/2010
Contributor: Danielle1220 Danielle1220
I would never do it. How can you accurately review a product without having it in your possession to touch, smell, and experience it.
10/24/2010
Contributor: cherryredhead88 cherryredhead88
Quote:
Originally posted by PassionQT
I have reviewed one or two products that I purchased elsewhere and subsequently threw away, but the experience with them was memorable enough (good or bad) to record, but I wouldn't just make something up on an item I've never owned up just ... more
I second this. My first two reviews were from the only two toys I had ever owned, and it was a while since I had used them, but I remembered enough to write on them. Needless to say they weren't the greatest reviews, but I have since learned! I remember being corrected on the material because I had no idea about materials then. But I would never write a review on something I didn't own or use enough. The closest I would get would be if I got something for a guy and would write the review according to what his perspective would be.

But I could never do that- it would be like plagiarism almost to me, because in order to write a fake review I am sure they would have to read others' reviews.
10/24/2010
Contributor: ScottA ScottA
There have been some where I've tried to review the product having left it somewhere else, and even that was frustrating and I wound up waiting until I had it most of the times.

It's just hard to do a good job without having the product in front of you, unless it was a very memorable experience (usually a bad one).
10/24/2010
Contributor: Bunnycups Bunnycups
I don't understand how you could. I've only written one review and it took me forever. So it's got to be extremely difficult or impossible to write a review on something you never tried. Unless you don't care if you get a bunch of bad votes.
10/24/2010
Contributor: Kim! Kim!
Quote:
Originally posted by Owl Identified
I have so done this!!! I was thinking of things to rhyme Scrudy with long before it ever actually arrived...and when my Ophoria Beyond 3 was in the mail I was looking at pictures of it trying to think of what other stuff it looked like (besides an ... more
I missed this one. Onto the ever-expanding wishlist it goes! It certainly looks like fun!

I had a little pocket rocket that's on here quite a few years ago. I don't remember enough to write anything resembling a good review.
10/24/2010
Contributor: ToyGeek ToyGeek
I assume this question refers to toys only, and not a book or DVD? It's entirely possible (not for me, the big antisocial prude, but for normal people) to borrow a book or DVD, and write a review.
10/25/2010
Contributor: cherryredhead88 cherryredhead88
Quote:
Originally posted by ToyGeek
I assume this question refers to toys only, and not a book or DVD? It's entirely possible (not for me, the big antisocial prude, but for normal people) to borrow a book or DVD, and write a review.
Touche.

I suppose this would be for toys, because a book or dvd, when borrowed, would constitute enough experience to write a review, in my opinion. Say you borrowed a book and read it, you could write the review while it was still in your possession.

Great point though!
10/26/2010
Contributor: Sir Sir
Quote:
Originally posted by ToyGeek
I assume this question refers to toys only, and not a book or DVD? It's entirely possible (not for me, the big antisocial prude, but for normal people) to borrow a book or DVD, and write a review.
Toys only, yes.

And I'm not talking about using it multiple times, writing the review, and returning it to a friend. I was talking about never owning it, never seeing it, never holding it. Ever.
10/26/2010
Contributor: Shh! Shh!
Quote:
Originally posted by Sir
I just received the most odd question and wanted to know an opinion from everyone else on this.

Would you review a product that you did not own and did not use? By all means, discuss this below. I am quite disturbed at the moment, to be fully ... more
The point of a review is to give your personal opinion of something you've used! I agree with everyone else, defeats the purpose of a review program!
10/27/2010
Contributor: ToyGeek ToyGeek
Quote:
Originally posted by Sir
Toys only, yes.

And I'm not talking about using it multiple times, writing the review, and returning it to a friend. I was talking about never owning it, never seeing it, never holding it. Ever.
So pointless dishonesty, then. Gotcha.
10/27/2010
Contributor: beautifulpierced beautifulpierced
I was like huh? When I looked and seen that someone could review things they haven't used or don't own. I don't know how it would be possible to give a review on anything you haven't owned or used I mean seems impossible to describe how something makes you feel and how its best used if they haven't used it. For those of us that do actually write our reviews it’s sometimes difficult to describe how we feel or how it makes us feel... I can’t believe someone would want to make up how they felt about a toy they haven't tried. It bothers me that someone would ever think about doing that... come on people please don't abuse our Eden... I wouldn't want to order a product due to a false review and im sure no one else would either.
10/27/2010
Contributor: Adriana Ravenlust Adriana Ravenlust
I am the "maybe." I don't need to own a product to use it nor do I necessarily have to use it on myself. I don't know if that's where you were going with this though.
10/27/2010
Contributor: ToyGeek ToyGeek
Quote:
Originally posted by Adriana Ravenlust
I am the "maybe." I don't need to own a product to use it nor do I necessarily have to use it on myself. I don't know if that's where you were going with this though.
He clarified above. "And I'm not talking about using it multiple times, writing the review, and returning it to a friend. I was talking about never owning it, never seeing it, never holding it. Ever."
10/27/2010
Contributor: mysecretcollection mysecretcollection
With as much detail as a good review requires, how could someone write one without using/having the item?
10/27/2010
Contributor: Beth D Beth D
I could see maybe reviewing a male oriented product vicariously through a guy but I'd still own it and have it for reference, and hopefully watch them using it. I can't even comprehend just fudging a whole review I haven't read any that seemed unreal and I hope I never do
10/27/2010
Contributor: ScottA ScottA
Quote:
Originally posted by Beth D
I could see maybe reviewing a male oriented product vicariously through a guy but I'd still own it and have it for reference, and hopefully watch them using it. I can't even comprehend just fudging a whole review I haven't read any that ... more
And you really should point out that it's being reviewed by proxy somewhere in there.

I'm getting to the point where I have an idea of roughly how well an item will work before I actually have it (I've had some surprises, so it's not perfect), but I couldn't review one I didn't have.
10/27/2010
Contributor: Beth D Beth D
Quote:
Originally posted by ScottA
And you really should point out that it's being reviewed by proxy somewhere in there.

I'm getting to the point where I have an idea of roughly how well an item will work before I actually have it (I've had some surprises, so ... more
Yes, of course I would say that it was reviewed by proxy
10/27/2010
Contributor: Persephone Nightmare Persephone Nightmare
Personally, I could never review an item that I didn't own or hadn't used. I think it completely defeats the purpose of actually *reviewing* something.

I think the only time I even thought about even *remotely* doing something like that is, for example:

I was just starting out here just over a month ago and I was trying to think of what to review after I did the review on the Large Ripple from Tantus. I personally own the Ophoria Ribbed K-balls that I bought at a local brick and mortar store. However, I have them in Mauve (light purple) and the only color that Eden has listed is a light blue. I actually debated reviewing it, but in the end, I decided against it, due to the differences in color and since I didn't think it'd be fully kosher to do the review.

In my eyes, that situation is somewhat of a grey area since the only real difference would be the color, but not even owning the product and then trying to pawn it off like you do actually own it and that you've used it is just plain wrong. I can't even imagine how one actually *could* write without owning/using it.

In my mind, here's how it'd go:
Reviewer: "Yeah, this is a great product and I love it! "

Commenter: "Oh really now? So what does it do? "

Reviewer: "Umm..... It goes buzzzz.... and stuff.... "
10/27/2010
Contributor: BBW Talks Toys BBW Talks Toys
Quote:
Originally posted by Mr. E
Sir,
Is it possible that the person was actually just trying to find out how to get started in the review program, so they could get the freebies for review on products that they did not own?

Did you seek clarification from them? It could ... more
I wonder that too. If they were saying, "But I don't own anything, so how can I review something if I don't own it?" I was posed this question in DM on Twitter, too, and I told the person that I was already placing an order on EF for items and saw the ad for the review program. I also reviewed items I had purchased, either from other stores in my area or that I had already purchased from EF a while ago, to get started.
10/27/2010
Contributor: BBW Talks Toys BBW Talks Toys
Quote:
Originally posted by Lady Venus
No No No...that's just...wrong. I have never, nor would I.

Hopefully they didn't mean what they said, and meant it in a different way. I do know that some people don't clarify themselves well and can cause ... more
I reviewed two products I didn't purchase FROM EF, but they are the SAME products. I say, the source doesn't matter, as long as you have the experience with the product (or you're speaking on your partner's behalf since I write reviews for my hubby's toys too... after asking him questions and manipulating the toy as well). Ultimately, my goal is to provide people with the answers they're seeking and I want them to purchase it (or not depending if the toy is worth it) here... after reading MY review.
10/27/2010
Contributor: Persephone Nightmare Persephone Nightmare
Quote:
Originally posted by BBW Talks Toys
I reviewed two products I didn't purchase FROM EF, but they are the SAME products. I say, the source doesn't matter, as long as you have the experience with the product (or you're speaking on your partner's behalf since I write ... more
Of course the source of the toy you're reviewing doesn't matter, as long as, like you said, they are the same products. I got my Ripple from Amazon.com and my Durex Allure from a local Walgreens and still did my first two reviews on them.

I agree with you 100%, experience from using the toy is more important than where you got it from. If anything, I know when I was writing my first reviews, I read that you do those on products you already have, no matter where they were from. And I liked your last sentence:

"Ultimately, my goal is to provide people with the answers they're seeking and I want them to purchase it (or not depending if the toy is worth it) here... after reading MY review."
10/28/2010