Amazon reviews...unethical?

12 years ago

No, not at all. Of course, if you are claiming personal experience with a product that you don't own, yes, that's unethical.

However, it is very easy and ethical to provide your own opinion pieces on products you don't own based on what others are saying or what you know about the niche in general.

I'm in the tech niche and I'm very familiar with many kinds of tech products. As such, I am qualified to give my opinion about certain products and how they tack up against others. I'm also qualified to talk about these products in non-technical terms, making my reviews easier to understand for non-tech people.

Think about it as reporting on products, rather than reviewing them.

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PassiveIncomeTeacher

12 years ago

Originally Posted by wolfmmiii

No, not at all. Of course, if you are claiming personal experience with a product that you don't own, yes, that's unethical.

However, it is very easy and ethical to provide your own opinion pieces on products you don't own based on what others are saying or what you know about the niche in general.

I'm in the tech niche and I'm very familiar with many kinds of tech products. As such, I am qualified to give my opinion about certain products and how they tack up against others. I'm also qualified to talk about these products in non-technical terms, making my reviews easier to understand for non-tech people.

Think about it as reporting on products, rather than reviewing them.

I agree. If you gather information, particularly buyer's reviews, and then present that in a readable format it is a review and there is nothing unethical about that.

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salegurus

12 years ago

Originally Posted by PassiveIncomeTeacher

I agree. If you gather information, particularly buyer's reviews, and then present that in a readable format it is a review and there is nothing unethical about that.

So are you suggesting its OK to copy a bunch of reviews and then paste them together as one?

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wolfmanjack

12 years ago

Originally Posted by salegurus

So are you suggesting its OK to copy a bunch of reviews and then paste them together as one?

I am not suggesting that at all. What i am suggesting is that you do proper research on the product then combine all of the data in your own words and add your own opinion based on your research.

1) Read the Amazon product Page.
2) Read all of the Amazon Reviews.
3) Read the manufactures website.
4) Read the user manual if there is one.
5) Read forum discussions about the product to find out what owners are saying about it.

etc.

If you do all of this then there is no reason why you should not be able to write an informed review of a product you do not own.

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Jay Campbell

12 years ago

I am in agreement with most of the posters above. There is nothing unethical about giving an honest and fair analysis of a product based on research you have done even if you don't own the product as long as you don't make the claim that you are a user of the product.

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wolfmmiii

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Jay Campbell

I am in agreement with most of the posters above. There is nothing unethical about giving an honest and fair analysis of a product based on research you have done even if you don't own the product as long as you don't make the claim that you are a user of the product.

This is exactly what I do on my own sites. I also add my own opinion on the technology the products use to round out my reviews. I've gotten very good feedback from my readers so I must be doing something right!

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theimdude

12 years ago

Originally Posted by wolfmanjack

I am not suggesting that at all. What i am suggesting is that you do proper research on the product then combine all of the data in your own words and add your own opinion based on your research.

1) Read the Amazon product Page.
2) Read all of the Amazon Reviews.
3) Read the manufactures website.
4) Read the user manual if there is one.
5) Read forum discussions about the product to find out what owners are saying about it.

etc.

If you do all of this then there is no reason why you should not be able to write an informed review of a product you do not own.

Sorry you providing information and not review. A review is based on you actually tried the product for yourself.

You know why I like Top Gear. They take a car and show actual product usage. That is a review. Imagine if they had a bunch of pictures on cars and saying this&that about the car. That is info not a review

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SirDrewski

12 years ago

Originally Posted by theimdude

Sorry you providing information and not review. A review is based on you actually tried the product for yourself.

You know why I like Top Gear. They take a car and show actual product usage. That is a review. Imagine if they had a bunch of pictures on cars and saying this&that about the car. That is info not a review

I guess the question then becomes, who says you have to actually review a product to offer relevant information about it and guide your visitors towards a sale? Is affiliate marketing synonymous with product review?

As long as you don't call it a review or intentionally mislead readers, is there really any harm in pitching a product you haven't used?

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BridgetSielicki

12 years ago

The key is in the writing. You can throw in facts and specs found in the user manual, but when you are discussing pros, cons, or any opinions make sure you specify that it isn't your personal opinion but rather that of actual users (use phrases like "consumers feel" and "users think", etc.).

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FNHPWR11

12 years ago

Agreed, don't try to act as if you own the product unless you actually do. I like to think of it as doing all the research for the customer and coming up with an overview of the product. Letting your readers know what first hand customers experience is what you are shooting for. Use the customer reviews at Amazon as a tool.

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jakecoop79

12 years ago

I agree with what everyone is saying. It's fine to write a review even though you haven't used it. If you are saying "this is my person experience with it" but you haven't used it, then that would be a problem.

When possible though, I think reviews on products you have tested make for the best reviews. You can personalize the review in so many ways and that comes across to readers, plus you can throw in a video of the product which people always love when reading a review.

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tomako

12 years ago

Hey, I also try to collect as much as information for potential buyers but also try to give info for customers who already bought. Like FAQ, how to assemble, how to wall mount the product, or where to find the user manual, this is good because this help your review to be more unique, and of course gives you extra traffic. Remember people that buy form amazon tent to buy again.

For example once a person bought a small 5$ fitness item (accessory for a big item that I promote) from my blog, but also he/she bought 48 cans of tuna.

Those were good days before .... penguin

.

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Qamar

12 years ago

I personally feel that no matter how you put it, writing product reviews especially for seo purposes in order to target certain product you are affiliated with is unethical.

As long as you didn't own the product you reviewed, but you make it seems that you really owned it to me that is lying no matter what you tried to calling it.

Zul

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wolfmmiii

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Qamar

I personally feel that no matter how you put it, writing product reviews especially for seo purposes in order to target certain product you are affiliated with is unethical.

As long as you didn't own the product you reviewed, but you make it seems that you really owned it to me that is lying no matter what you tried to calling it.

Zul

You obviously missed half the thread then. If we're talking about ethics, you might want to start with your sig. $0-$2000 in 10 days?? Have you used that program? If so, why are you trying to sell it rather than use it yourself?

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anwiii 12 years ago

ethics is all relative. people have been argueing the ethics in marketing before the internet came along.

as far as what the op was stating about not being able to evaluate every product and giving a review without actually evaluating a product being unethical, i have to disagree. how can you write a review on an amazon product? by taking the reviews that are already shown about the product on amazon and other places. that's how. how is this unethical? i don't know
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Qamar

12 years ago

Originally Posted by wolfmmiii

You obviously missed half the thread then. If we're talking about ethics, you might want to start with your sig. $0-$2000 in 10 days?? Have you used that program? If so, why are you trying to sell it rather than use it yourself?

First of all, did you read the thread title? The OP was asking about Amazon reviews....unethical? or are you having an eye-sight problem?

Secondly what makes you think that my sig is lying/unethical like yours? If you sig is all about lying please don't assume that mine is like yours too because YES, I did make $0-2,060 in 10 days selling simple WSO and for your info it's now climbing to 4k on autopilot! This is my blueprint of success and not some other marketer's product. Feel free to subscribe to my link below and I will gladly teach you how to do the same....

Your last question really make you look more like a clown and I am laughing out loud now...I am a marketer for goodness sake, of course I want to make more money selling my blueprint to other people apart from using it myself...what's unethical about that?

Zul

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Mark Coverdale 12 years ago

Originally Posted by Qamar

First of all, did you read the thread title? The OP was asking about Amazon reviews....unethical? or are you having an eye-sight problem?

If that's the question you are answering then how did you come up with all the other crap about pretending to own something you don't.

Amazon reviews....unethical? - No. There is nothing unethical about reviewing a product on Amazon.
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theimdude

12 years ago

Originally Posted by wolfmmiii

You obviously missed half the thread then. If we're talking about ethics, you might want to start with your sig. $0-$2000 in 10 days?? Have you used that program? If so, why are you trying to sell it rather than use it yourself?

I need to chip in here. You out of line here as I just downloaded that FREE WSO you referring to and it is a very good read. As far as I am concerned the owner did make that much. In the WSO he give excellent info on how to achieve the same and it is not a blown up money making story.

I am not into selling WSO's but the method he points out is getting me thinking as I am sure I can apply it and score from it. Also to me the WSO's he refers seems to add value for the buyers

Sorry but you need to apologize to this dude as you are wrong. As for his statement I agree 100% as how can you "review" anything if you have not used it and is in you hand.

That is providing here say info and is not a review.

Actually good example. You just reviewed the posters product without checking it out. That is here say

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wolfmmiii

12 years ago

Originally Posted by theimdude

I need to chip in here. You out of line here as I just downloaded that FREE WSO you referring to and it is a very good read. As far as I am concerned the owner did make that much. In the WSO he give excellent info on how to achieve the same and it is not a blown up money making story.

I am not into selling WSO's but the method he points out is getting me thinking as I am sure I can apply it and score from it. Also to me the WSO's he refers seems to add value for the buyers

Sorry but you need to apologize to this dude as you are wrong. As for his statement I agree 100% as how can you "review" anything if you have not used it and is in you hand.

That is providing here say info and is not a review.

Actually good example. You just reviewed the posters product without checking it out. That is here say

If you say so...:rolleyes:

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SirDrewski 12 years ago

This thread is right on time! I have been struggling with this same question, and it has really prevented me from considering affiliate marketing. How could I ever sleep at night knowing I "reviewed" and sold a product I haven't actually used myself? Woe is me! lol

A lot of the responses have offered a different perspective that will likely result in me changing my position on how ethical affiliate marketing is. Thanks much!
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wolfmanjack

12 years ago

There are many Amazon product pages that have very little information on them. Writing a review for these products where you gather a lot of information in one place is a service to the potential buyer of that product.

Of course do not claim you own or use a product you don't. If you want to be 100% up front about it you can state that you do not own the product but you have done extensive research for them so they do not have to search the web for all of the pieces of the puzzle.

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wolfmmiii

12 years ago

lol U mad bro?

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Qamar 12 years ago

Originally Posted by wolfmmiii

lol U mad bro?

Hell no! are you?

Zul
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wolfmmiii

12 years ago

I figured with all the name calling you were doing that you might be mad bro.

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Qamar 12 years ago

Originally Posted by wolfmmiii

I figured with all the name calling you were doing that you might be mad bro.

In that case let me give you a friendly advise. In future please watch how you write your post especially if it's pertaining to other people's signature.

Don't make assumptions and accusations as your habit bro. Nobody likes that.....

Case closed.

Zul
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wolfmmiii

12 years ago

Review | Define Review at Dictionary.com

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theimdude 12 years ago

Originally Posted by wolfmmiii

Review | Define Review at Dictionary.com

I suppose in a discussion with you on what is blackhat, greyhat and whitehat you will argue that blackhat is greyhat and greyhat is whitehat

In this case study I suppose it is greyhat. The thread was not about how to justify what the OP was asking but whether is was ethical yes or no. No it is not ethical that is the bottom line as the motivation for amazon "review" site is to manipulate the search engine and the product searcher to get them to read you info (which you manipulated) and you actually wrote the review in the fashion to give the impression you know so much about yet you yourself have not even touched the product
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- wolfmmiii 12 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by theimdude
  
  The thread was not about how to justify what the OP was asking but whether is was ethical yes or no. No it is not ethical
  
  The ethics is determined by how the site is laid out. I agree that it is unethical if someone is providing a review as if he owned the product.
  
  However, critiquing a product by comparing its price, features, and feedback from users to that of other similar products is by no means unethical. I'm not sure why some can't see that.
  
  I don't need to own the (making up names here) TomTom x42G GPS to know that it's 5" display is more appealing than the RoadMate 5300z's 3" display. Nor do I need to own them to tell you that the TomTom is the better buy because it offers lifetime map updates while the RoadMate requires a monthly subscription. Oh, the TomTom is half the cost of the RoadMate and has an average rating of 4.5 stars on Amazon while the other only averages 2 stars.
  
  See what I did there? Sure, the reader can just visit Amazon and hunt that info down. However, why not pull it all together for him in one place? This is the stuff I do with my own sites. It's very ethical and completely above board.
  
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Robert Bleach

12 years ago

Is it unethical to have a review site where the reviewer just compiled information from other sources, as opposed to buying and using the product himself? Hell, no, as long as the reviewer doesn't claim to have personally used the product.

When I'm researching something to buy for myself, I read existing reviews, check the user manual (if available) and then go looking for any relevant forum discussions as to potential issues. If someone does that work for me and puts all of the relevant information in one place, they deserve the commission on my sale.

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wolfmanjack

12 years ago

Originally Posted by Robert Bleach

Is it unethical to have a review site where the reviewer just compiled information from other sources, as opposed to buying and using the product himself? Hell, no, as long as the reviewer doesn't claim to have personally used the product.

When I'm researching something to buy for myself, I read existing reviews, check the user manual (if available) and then go looking for any relevant forum discussions as to potential issues. If someone does that work for me and puts all of the relevant information in one place, they deserve the commission on my sale.

Thank you Robert. Nicely said.

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imgeek2727

12 years ago

It is nothing short of shameful how many sites there are out there full of fake reviews. It's the internet there is no regulatory body that is going to make people prove whether their reviews are legit. It's disappointing how many people do this to boost their sales but if you're smart then you should always be just a little skeptical of what you read on the net.

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PLR Basket

12 years ago

You know, I've been struggling with the notion for a while and I've came to the conclusion that if the review is accurate, honest and based on real user experience, there's nothing unethical about it.

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Vlad Romanov

12 years ago

You see, I never review something from my perspective; I would say this product is a, b, c. Based on the manufacturers spect you can usually find on their site. After that I will write: "many positive reviews have been given about the durability" for example. So in a way I don't need to try the product, I'm just summarizing what others said

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Amazon reviews...unethical?

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