When starting out doing reviews for companies on your blog, it can be pretty overwhelming at first. You receive all these ‘free’ items in the mail in exchange for your honest opinion of the item after trying it out. It sounds pretty easy doesn’t it? And so, people (mostly moms) flock to WordPress (as they should) or Blogger and create their own blog. Once you start pumping out a few reviews, more and more can come your way. Soon, your house may start to get a little crowded with all those items.
What’s a blogger to do?
Here comes the morality question of the day:
Is it ever ok to sell your review items?
After all, if you can’t make use of little Suzie’s diaper bag after using it to review for month, why shouldn’t someone else enjoy it (and why not make a few dollars on the side). What about that DVD you watched with your kids once and is now sitting on the shelf? It’s still on the shelves at the local department store, surely someone would want it for half price from you.
In my case, if I can’t make use of an item after it’s been reviewed, I pass it on to a friend or family member who is all too happy to have my used diaper bag, or even the half-used bottle of shampoo or body wash I tried. My friends love these small little gifts, even used, because it was free and they love trying out things too.
Innocent enough, right?
But what if a blogger decided the review itself was too much work, simply wrote a so-called “review post” ripping off information and PR Releases from the company’s site, and then turns around and sells the item “brand new” to build a nice little bank account?
Sadly, this happens.
But its shocking when you catch it….like I just did.
*cue Law and Order music*
Recently I was blog hopping and came across a review website with a few reviewing bloggers posting a variety of items. After reviewing for the past few months (not quite a year) it seems the girls have grown tired of it and would rather write a quick post using information from various websites, LIE ABOUT USING THE PRODUCT, and then sell the item on their handy Facebook Group Page-which all three writers are a member of at the time of this article.
Immediately I noted the ABC Family DVDs for sale. Good deal on them – brand new and sealed! But wait, didn’t they just “review” all these items? How do you review a DVD you haven’t watched?
Surely they couldn’t be lying with this disclosure statement all front and center on their blog.
Take a peek:
Get out the popcorn, it gets better… In September this blogger “reviewed” the O Yikes 24/7 Messenger bag. Here’s a screenshot of the so-called-review where the writer states that her husband “uses the bag all the time” and loves it.
Interesting since they’re now selling the bag on Facebook, brand new, for half the retail price.
Children’s toys are not safe from being sold off quickly either.
Here’s the December review of the very popular Plasma Car where the writer explains that, “The Plasma Car comes in a few pieces and it only takes a matter of minutes to put everything together. The included instructions were very easy to follow; there is an illustrated diagram for each step of the process.”
And then….are you rolling your eyes yet…the Facebook post where they’re selling the Plasma Car new in the box…
One final example, another laptop bag, this one from Melissa Beth Designs.
The writer states, “have taken my bag out several times in the rain (welcome to life in Nova Scotia) and was expecting the felt to go a bit lumpy or pill…not so, the Pocket Full of ‘Puter kept its beautiful exterior felt and did not disappoint me.”
She also shares that, “Almost every time I am out my Pocket full of ‘Puter, someone comments on how cute it is and or asks where I purchased it.”
The same bag is being sold on their blogs Facebook page, you guessed it, brand new with tags still on, for $120. So…are you lying to your visitors of your blog or the facebook buyers? Me thinks the blog since the tags would be soggy from the…rain.
As a blogger, I find this disgusting.
Not only is this blog not actually reviewing these (and likely many other) items for the companies as promised (remember, they are offering ‘an honest review’ in exchange for the product) but they’re also doing a huge disservice to their readers who read these reviews and make purchasing decisions based on them. Further, by selling the items, brand new and at a discount, they’re undercutting the hand that feeds them, selling the same item for less than the company that provided it!
While the writers at this blog were stupid enough to post their items on a public page, I wonder how many others are secretly doing the same. How are we to trust review bloggers now? Is this a case where one apple ruins it for the rest of us?
I hope not.
I know many bloggers, review bloggers, who work very hard trying out items and testing them for days, weeks, before writing an honest review. Some will include photos of the product being used too which should almost be standard for blog testers.
I would out them by name, but Trisha wont let me. You talk her into spilling who this is so you wont accidentally become a victim of this deceit. Oh, AND they are touting blog advice to newbies on their pages. I wonder if one of their upcoming blog posts will be “how to deceive your visitors and not get caught.”
The lesson here, I suppose, is that greed can get to bloggers and ruin what could have been a great blog with loyal readers. I know I won’t be checking out the opinion of this blog for any of my future purchases, but hey if I’m looking for a deal on brand new merchandise, now I know where to go…
~Anonymous Guest Writer
***************************************************************
*editors note.
I did not write this article, although its published under my name. This isn’t a frequent writer of ours so they don’t have an author tag.
Please note that this article came in with the bloggers info and links attached. I chose to take them out, and edit the photos -although I felt like leaving them.
Consider that my good deed for the year and don’t ask for more.
I verified these screenshots and all of the bloggers on the blog were also a part of the facebook page, so they were all well aware of what was going on…sad…sad.
BTW, if the FTC reads this and wants the info…..
Hey, I’m not *that* reformed.
~Trisha
Wow! So sad. Why not test the items then give them away to readers as gently used? Or even better, donate to a charity? There’s so much discussion about should bloggers do reviews? Should they accept free stuff? Should they earn money from blogging? I have no problem with any of that as long as you’re telling the truth, and not being greedy. I’d say making a buck from free stuff a company sent you in good faith, even if you didn’t lie about it, is crossing the line.
Very sad a person would take advantage of a company that way. Use the product and be honest and if you can’t find a use for the product after the review, then give it to someone who can.
shameful.
This is just ridiculous! As a review blogger I too work hard trying to use an item so I can give my readers a REAL opinion! I want to give them the best information about it that I can so they can count on me to be honest! If I know I won’t use something again then I have plenty of friends and family who love those mini gifts as well! I wouldn’t feel right about selling something I was given to review! Very disappointing to all of us who take reviewing items seriously!
This is sooo crazy! I have worked so hard to get my product reviews up and going. I’ve been doing book reviews for 2 yrs, but the product review part has NOT been easy to break into. To see that these ladies are taking what we’re doing HONESTLY and making others look bad is absolutely wrong. I would love for the FTC to get in touch with you about them!! I hope THEY see this post and decide to do the right thing! Makes me glad that I’ve been taking pictures with most of my reviews b/c I really want my readers to know I’m actually using the product, not just breaking it out of the bag only to look at it and guess how it will work! Time to see if I can find them on FB so I can avoid them!! You’re awesome!
wow this is insane what an outrage. i thought there were some deviant bloggers but this really takes the cake. does she think were that stupid? im outraged!!!!!
That is such a shame and so shady.
I find this absolutely appalling! As a review blogger who sometimes finds herself having to finish books that are POORLY written, use face creams that make me break out and push a vacuum around my house when I don’t feel like cleaning (not to mention, enjoying those great chocolates, wearing beautiful new earrings and watching some great DVDs) – I cringe at being put into the same category with someone like that.
There are plenty of opportunities to DONATE items that we no longer need (books to a nursing home or community center, toys to hospitals, etc).
Well, I can’t say that I am shocked about this. It seems that most everyone is out to make a few bucks these days – especially in this economy. You would that that “these” people would look for items to review that will help out their family in these rough times – not look for items to be sold for a few bucks. (ie..diapers bags, vacuums, toys, etc…)
I know that it upsets everyone that works hard to have honest reviews.But ya know what… PR and companies WILL catch on and WILL quit pitching to these bloggers. It WILL catch up to them!
Thank you so much for calling them out!! Myself along with the other 2 girls who do reviews on PB & Pickles work very hard on our reviews and try at all times (sometimes kiddos don’t cooperate) to provide pictures of us using the products. I would be leery of any review site that solely uses stock photos. How do you know they’re even using the products…just like you mentioned.
~ Lacie
I’d really like to know who this blogger was. I read a lot of blogs and don’t want to read bogus ones!
I don’t really want to weigh in on this much, but is it possible that the reviewers were given TWO of each product? One to use and review and one to give away? That, of course, doesn’t make it okay to sell the sample that they are supposed to give away.
i would bet my blog on that being no…
Even if so, that would mean they are STEALING instead of just lying.
WOW! It really pisses me off that she has so much traffic and a Page Rank of 4 and she is scamming everyone. I work my ass off to bring people honest and authentic reviews and this makes me look bad as a reviewer. This is just disgusting!
I am also sad that I have read this blog and entered their contests. I have their button on my blog and it is coming off immediately. Thank you for posting this Trisha and to whoever wrote it, thank you!
I’m not sure whats worse, the offense, or that they were stupid enough to post it on a networking site they know other mom bloggers are on. I mean.. way to keep it a secret, lol.
Wow! That’s nuts! And shameful.
This makes me so mad. I am a review blogger and do my best to give the most honest review of a product that I can. I’ve even received things that weren’t my “cup of tea” that I noted were reviewed by my son and his friends. This is what ruins things for others. I bet these are some of the same “reviewers” that think we should all be paid for what we do.
I hope they get “busted out” and lose all their PR backing.
That is so wrong. In fact it is so wrong it would never even occur to me to do something like that. I really shouldn’t be surprised but yet I am cause the lack of integrity just amazes me at times.
Thanks for calling them out! It’s not fair that those who don’t put in the effort should reap the same rewards as those who really tried their best to write an honest review. Gifting old review items to family and friends is certainly different than selling them brand new to strangers.
I am so mad right now! This is beyond wrong and unethical – she coming off my email list. I am so tempted to oust her and her blog right now. This really does give review bloggers a bad name. I have always wondered about bloggers who never show pictures of their stuff being used. There are some things that are hard to do – DVDs, the Seagate I reviewed, and a few other things but seriously people! This is wrong!
I was following that blog… I certainly won’t be anymore. hmmm…. I think we should all tweet about this fraud with a link back to this article.
This is bad for legitimate bloggers who review, so many of us put lots of time and effort into our reviews, and ensuring we disclose properly. Scammers like this will drive companies away from blog reviews.
I frankly don’t care what someone does with an item they review, once they have used it sufficiently to form a solid opinion. This is flat out fraud. They promised a service in exchange for the item. They did not provide that service. The FTC guidelines that most legitimate bloggers have been bending over backwards to abide by were not simply disregarded, but lies were made up to create the appearance of compliance.
This is disgusting on so many levels.
Wow! Thats Awful!