Proposed "Product Review" Criteria

[Anthony O.]

Well as I had proposed, and it seems at least one other member agrees with me, a form of some sort for product testing would be great. Now I know I am not a moderator here nor the one who makes the rules but I think this would be a great way to better communicate ones review of a product to others and further set Autopia apart from other forums



Perhaps not so much a "form" but rather a pattern should be followed and required by every person seeking to post a review.



It can be as such -



Name of product:



Type of product (This is where one would list if the product is a "tool", "cleaner/polish", "glaze", "sealant and/or wax", etc.)



Application process: (This is where one explains how the product is applied, by hand, DA, rotary. With a damp applicator, dry, does it have a bonding time? Etc.)



Personal opinion: (In this area the product reviewer can give his or her own personal "subjective opinion" on the product.)



Pros: (This is where the reviewer lists the OBJECTIVE pros. I fully believe that one can be objective in this area if they so choose)



Cons: (Likewise one then needs to post up OBJECTIVE cons of the product.)



Rules:

1) No spamming

2) No reviews of products that are not ready for public sale

3) Products not ready for sale can be spoken of in a thread elsewhere but not reviewed.

4) All "con" comments must be free from any and all name calling, bashing and/or abusive language.





Can anyone think of anything else to add, modify?



Perhaps the whole idea stinks, either way please let me know.



Thank you,

Anthony

 

[Scottwax]

Sounds good to me.

 

[Corey Bit Spank]

I like this.



Mainly because it's basically what I said was needed a month ago. Maybe if enough members say we need it we will get a sticky icky icky?



edit: http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46912

 

[dternst]

We can always improve on it as it goes... great start though.

 

[Anthony O.]

Hey thanks guys for the feedback.



How could I forget a section on "Smell" ?



Also I believe a description of the container it comes in, is it easy to use and open? Difficult?



I am sure there is other areas or topics that should be covered but I am brain dead......need.. .. ..sle zzzzzz



Anthony

 

[Corey Bit Spank]

I think titles of specific reviews should have a standard to them as well.



Such as...



"Review: Shiney's Love Potion; polymer sealant"



I think this could help with searches and just viewing this section of the forum in general.

 

[RCBuddha]

I'd add the following to your list anthony:



Type of Car/Year

Type of Paint/Condition

Air Temperature

Humidity (if you can get it)

Detailed inside/outside

Show how much product you used on what pad (brand)

Before/after pics of panels

How long you worked product on paint



Personally, i'd like to see reviews be updated with durability updates (with pictures of course). I'd also like to see more pictures with either sun, flash or halogen flares to see if there are any buffer holograms or cobwebs. Reflections are nice, and make for some really nice pictures, but i'd like to see more direct paint shots if possible.



I can understand that in-depth reviews are very time consuming. However, i feel that if your giving a product review, you should be as articulate and detailed as possible (especially in a product discussion forum). Click and Brag are for those details that you do and want to show off results. Or am I asking too much? :nixweiss



Edit: I just read Corey Bit Spank's link and he addresses some of the same things! Doh! Perhaps a mod could merge his thread with this one?



One more thing: I'd also like to see product reviews of a company's whole line (if possible). For example, if a company has a SMR, Polish and Wax (or Sealant), I'd like to see all three on a review vehicle. Likewise, if they have any other products; e.g. tire or trim dressings; that should be included as well.



Just some ideas....

 

[imported_Burlyq]

I think reviews should be in free form. Reviews that are structured end up emphasizing what the author of the structured form thinks is important as opposed to the value's of the reviewer. For example you said it's important to you the packaging and smell, well I care about performance ten times more than these pleasantries. If a product out performs anything I've used before, I may not want to comment on the packaging and smell. I think you just stated in another post that you are basically a proffesional reviewer(on the side I'm sure). Maybe their should be a section for you proffesional reviewers and you guys can decide on the form. That would be OK with me, but probably not many people would admit that they have a stake in the review and to your credit you informed us that you recieve free stuff for your reviews.



There already is a review section that has a form to it here, so are you asking us to adopt this "form" in the product discussion area? If that's the case, I am not at all in favor of that. If you are proposing modifying the current review section that wouldn't bother me, but I like the current freedom of the product discusion forum.



I'm just curious Anthony if this was important to you why did you just review a product that wasn't available? Leading by example makes a stronger point IMO. I'm not sure what SPAM is, probably sometime of advertising, don't laugh? I know that's funny but I never cared to find out what SPAM is. But if you are a professional reviewer, wouldn't any of your reviews be a type of SPAM? Correct me if I'm wrong, I really don't know. Doesn't a proffesional reviewer have an agenda when it comes to reviewing? I mean no disrespect, I'm just pointing out what I percieve is a problem with hired reviewers in general.

For example, if you review for a site that sells optimum spray wax wouldn't you yourself chose to review that product, and not chose to review many other waxes? Unless perhaps the other waxes were a threat to the product line you represented, then you might want a head to head review. And you admitted that you don't post negative findings and I can't say I like that because I don't. I think that is the difference from representing another entity than representing the truth about detailing IMO. If I try something and I don't like it I say so, and if a few others also don't like it, together we might save some poor shmoe some money. I truly hope you don't say anything negative about other products that you don't represent in that case.



If you were a detailer like me who only cares in the quality of something and not what someone, person or corporation, thinks about what I'm saying about their product, then the review has more credibilty IMO. I understand, if you reported a negative finding, top-of-the-line would probably pick someone else to get the free stuff. I feel that when someone gets something free that product already has an advantage. Why do you think so many company's give away hundreds of dollars in free stuff???? They know they bought your opinion, or at the bare minimum their product has a leg up. I'm not saying anything about you personally Anthony, you seam to be a true detailer, but there are things inherently apparent when someone gets free products. There's nothing wrong with excepting them that's for sure I would too, and there's nothing wrong with this type of company promotion. But it is relevant that people often have agendas when it comes to reviewing and every review should be taking with a grain of salt. I believe a "form" type of review carries a certain authority that isn't necessarily there. Free style reviews state only what the reviewer values. It is very easy to ask questions to the reviewer to get more information for those interested. That's why I prefer free style reviews instead of the structured ones.



My personal addition to any "form" review would be to have a n/a option to any form question. That way if that line item isn't important to the reviewer, it wouldn't lower the rating of the product. Currently, if you review something here and it has bad packaging and you put a low score for packaging, it brings down the rating of the product, but the reviewer might not want that low rating for the particular product.



The thing that's most important to me is freedom to write what you want to write, whether you're a proffessional reviewer, a detailing pureist, or a newbie who wants to tell the world he/she is happy they just found the product that made detailing fun for them.

 

[Alfisti]

I think we do have a Review Form.



http://autopia.org/review :up

 

[JustinR32]

Alfisti beat me to it.





Tom

 

[Gonzo]

I think the purpose of a specific format for a review is a good idea.



FOR REVIEWERS: Think of it as a checklist of the points that need to be covered and things to be mentioned in the review. If it is free-format then it is all too easy to leave things out.



FOR USERS: It make side by side comparisons easy to evaluate. If someone is having problems with a given product, it should be easy enough to look up the reviewer's conditions to find potential user errors. For example, reviewer worked in shade, user worked in full sun; reviewer did work in low humidity while user worked in 90%; lot of product versus used sparsely; and so on....



I like the idea of a standard form. it shoud make things much easier for all.

 

[TortoiseAWD]

I think we do have a Review Form.



http://autopia.org/review :up

Quite right. The formal type of review that Anthony is proposing is the whole purpose of the review section. The purpose of this forum, as stated on the main page:

Please use Autopia Reviews for your personal review of a product. Use this forum (Detailing Product Discussion) to discuss products.

Detailing Product Discussion (DPD) was never intended for formal, formatted reviews, although people do occasionally post them, and we (mods) don't actively discourage it. IMO, there's no need to enforce a format for reviews in DPD; rather, we'd like to see more members use the Review page, and keep DPD for informal discussion of products (tips, tricks, troubleshooting, etc.).



We're open to suggestions, as always. If you think the Review pages can be improved, please let us know. In the meantime, if you have an in-depth review, please consider posting it using the Review pages that Alfisti linked to above. There's a mechanism to provide 1-5 star for various facets of a product, as well as a spot to enter free-form commentary. Also, if you're looking for reviews on a product, check out the same link . . . the Review section has its own search engine that will search only reviews, not the general forum. You can also browse reviews by category, manufacturer, best reviews, etc.



Thanks,

Tort

 

[Scottwax]

Originally posted by Burlyq

If you were a detailer like me who only cares in the quality of something and not what someone, person or corporation, thinks about what I'm saying about their product, then the review has more credibilty IMO. I understand, if you reported a negative finding, top-of-the-line would probably pick someone else to get the free stuff. I feel that when someone gets something free that product already has an advantage. Why do you think so many company's give away hundreds of dollars in free stuff???? They know they bought your opinion, or at the bare minimum their product has a leg up.

Good point, except if the products are crap, who cares if it is free? I know I wouldn't be using it regardless. Why give a positve review to get more free crap? Doesn't make sense to me. :nixweiss

 

[Anthony O.]

Hello, thanks for taking your time out to write this up.

I think reviews should be in free form. Reviews that are structured end up emphasizing what the author of the structured form thinks is important as opposed to the value's of the reviewer.

I personally see it the other way. If one has the freedom to write whatever, then they tend to emphasize the things they think are important. Holding to some standard would make it more objective and less subjective.

For example you said it's important to you the packaging and smell, well I care about performance ten times more than these pleasantries.

Packaging is important because some bottles and/or sprayers can be a pain to use. Some sprayers spray a fine mist only, some are adjustable. Explain if the tip clogs, is the bottle hard to hold, etc.



As for "smell", well that's just a thing most of us do. I mean would you rather work with a product that smells like solvents or one that smells like apples? You are correct in that "smell" does nothing for performance but it is an added bonus.

I think you just stated in another post that you are basically a proffesional reviewer(on the side I'm sure)

No, I am a professional detailer who gets to test or try out products

I'm just curious Anthony if this was important to you why did you just review a product that wasn't available?

I explained this in the "Recent Happenings" thread. At the time I was sent that product I understood it to be a "soon to be released" product. Sadly though by the time I got the product and finally got around to testing it (about two weeks it just sat in my product box) and then posting my review things changed. This is no ones fault, just the nature of the business.



In other words I, nor Chris from eShine, intentionally sought to misinform anyone about the product. At last word Chris is trying to get the ball rolling again due to the increased interest.

I'm not sure what SPAM is, probably sometime of advertising, don't laugh? I know that's funny but I never cared to find out what SPAM is. But if you are a professional reviewer, wouldn't any of your reviews be a type of SPAM? Correct me if I'm wrong, I really don't know. Doesn't a proffesional reviewer have an agenda when it comes to reviewing?

First, I am NOT a "hired" reviewer. I have never been paid to test products (although my wife would like that )



Secondly, "SPAM" is where one has an interest in a product, whether it be a manufacturer or a distributor, and they send out links to people in hopes that they buy from them. I have no money coming my way from my reviews. I have never sent out links to people in hopes that they buy that product. I have only sent out links to those people asking me where I get my products.



Let it be known here and now that the only payment I "MAY" recieve is from Cyclo IF and only IF these paint correction pads work out. I am not sure if this will create a conflict, if so I fully understand.

For example, if you review for a site that sells optimum spray wax wouldn't you yourself chose to review that product, and not chose to review many other waxes?

That's just it. I do NOT review for any Optimum website. In fact I posted up two websites where one can purchase Optimum.



I have also posted reviews up for all sorts of waxes, including Victoria which was pretty much an unknown wax then.

And you admitted that you don't post negative findings and I can't say I like that because I don't.

I also explained my reasons why I don't post up negatives. I would rather do that in private with the people who sent me the product. This way they can make the changes if they so choose.

If you were a detailer like me who only cares in the quality of something and not what someone, person or corporation, thinks about what I'm saying about their product, then the review has more credibilty IMO. I understand, if you reported a negative finding, top-of-the-line would probably pick someone else to get the free stuff.

Irene sends me stuff BEFORE she sells it. I either give her a positive review or a negative one. She is the final word on whether or not she sells it. She just sent me some products and I did not like them. She will not carry that line.



I give her plenty of negative reviews and your comment, If you were a detailer like me who only cares in the quality of something and not what someone, person or corporation, thinks is rather offensive as it suggests I am not a detailer that cares about quality. I am sure though that that is not what you meant.



I again wish to thank you for your input. It caused me to think about this issue in more depth. We can only learn how to improve from the input of others but it also needs to be understood that no one person can please everyone all the time



Take care,

Anthony

 

[imported_Burlyq]

Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions. Seems like we disagree on some things and agree on some things. And thanks for clearing some things up. In the end we are two guys who love to detail cars I'm sure. I didn't mean to suggest you didn't care about quality and I'm sorry if I offended you that was not my intention. I only made that point to say it's my opinion that a review that is written for the purpose of relaying all information, good or bad, is more credible then one that is not written that way. I would ask you to go back and reread that part, as that was the only point I was trying to make. We review products for different reasons. You review products for a corporation, I review prodcucts I'm interested in only, and if I find something negative I relay that information so someone might decide against that product if the negative aspect is something they are not looking for. Again, my main problem with the way you review is that the consumer doesn't get any negative information about the products that you get free. It's all good, I like the fact your being honest and I like Top-Of-The-Line, they are a very good vendor.

Peace Q

 

[JeffM]

I would like to see reviews initiallty from people of a pro level. Thats just me though.



If "he"/ "she" is fluffing the review, people will find out, and he will loose credability.



Its not complicated folks.



Its just goop you put on a car.