+ 25 Open letter: Fair review rankings
A source flags his review with these comments.
I'd like to report what I believe is an unfair rating. It's about the review from 'exfanboy' The reviewer explicitly stated their experience was "perfect", yet intentionally left a 4/5 rating, not because of any issue with our products or service, but because they believe moderators are skeptical of 5-star reviews.
You can see his message yourself: "exfanboy:No, personally I think it was all perfect. But Greg/the mods always talk crap about reviews being nothing but 5 stars. So I don’t give out all 5s anymore even though I had the perfect experience"
We work very hard to satisfy our customers, and it's discouraging to receive a lower score despite delivering exactly what the customer says was a perfect experience. Ratings should reflect the actual experience with the vendor, not perceptions about the forum's review system. Thank you for your attention in this matter!
First off a 3/5 and 4/5 is a very good review. Look how much you guys spoiled these snowflakes. You turned them all into cucks. A pox on your houses for allowing this to happen. Bravo for "exfanboy" stepping up and adulting these spoiled kids.
The reviews flat line to mean absolutely nothing if everyone is is ignoring the language attached to the stars. Review rankings should be stoic, unbiased, critical and honest.
The free text boxes in the review is where you can express yourself freely (following the rules and guidelines) TD pics is another area where you can express gimp like devotion not to mention the sources discussion page.
My heart bleeds for this simp of a source. So here’s my call to action. Do not spoil these children. Cowboy up and start adulting. Make the 3 and 4 star review the standard and the 5/5 ranking the exception. Imagine how hard they'll cream their pants when you do give out a 5/5.
It's scarcity that creates value. You guys have over printed the 5 and devalued it so much it means absolutely nothing.
Let's change that.
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It doesn't matter. The change is within you. You liberate yourself from your selfmade prison and the power from the source to impose their will upon you.
The argument is flawed. It is part of the trap.
This happened to me as well.
One of my first reviews was positive overall, around 4.5-4.7 stars. It was a fully paid order, not a promo.
Within minutes of posting it, I received both a PM and an email explaining why the review should be 5 stars because of the BOGO deal, fast shipping, etc. I was also told my name would be added to a list if I didn’t change it. Whether that meant a do-not-service list or something else, I don’t know, but it absolutely felt like pressure to change an honest review.
What made it leave such a bad taste is that this wasn’t my first negative interaction with them. During the Vitamin E issue around New Year’s, I felt the situation was handled poorly. Communication was lacking, and despite being told replacements would be sent, I didn’t actually receive mine until about a month ago.
This is one of the more expensive sources on the board and has been in the global top two for a long time. I’m intentionally not naming them because I don’t think this is just about one source, it’s about the practice itself.
If a review is factually inaccurate, a source should absolutely have the opportunity to respond publicly. But privately pressuring customers to increase honest ratings, especially after a paid order, undermines confidence in the review system.
I'm thinking the source you "unnamed" is the same that did it to me. And I was put on their list! I haven't dealt with them since. So not only asking for a point change, but shunning those who do so. I was relatively new to the forum at the time and still wouldn't change it for them. Hindsight, I wish I had thrown them on blast for it.
There is a 'List' eh???!!
Sounds more like a thinly veiled Threat LOL
Not as thin as it may seem.
I feel the exact same way. I didn’t know enough then. I hadn’t memorized all the rules yet, and I was still learning the ropes of the forum. I was trying not to ruffle any feathers.
Now I’d absolutely put any source on blast if they tried that shit with me.
Back then I didn’t know who was who, who had credibility, or even what the culture was. Looking back, I realize standing your ground is the only way the review system keeps its integrity.
Similar experience & from different source (judging from the breadcrumbs in your comment & rating placement).
They can reply to your review and refute points but they absolutely should not be guilt tripping you in pm and emails or threatening blacklisting you.
The way it stops is you stand your ground like exfanboy. You have options and you have allies. They will capitulate to the new norm.
Has happened to me as well
Agree with press, the only way a source should be engaging me about a review is a public response to it, asking what they can do better if they aren't happy with what I gave them. Other than that, they should be reprimanded for either pm'ing me asking/telling me to change it because I hurt their rank, or publicly arguing with me over it.
I totally agree with what you are saying here Greg, but when I have tried to touch on this area before with a resolution to Sources pressuring members for 5 Star reviews you said it should be down to us to stand up to sources when they try doing this.
The problem here is, when we leave reviews with 3 stars on certain areas like product effectiveness or shipping - We are immediately jumped upon by the Source in question via PM and more or less told we are wrong in what we have experienced and that it will hurt them if reviews like this are left etc etc Almost put on a guilt trip and then made to feel (or in some cases literally told) that we are not welcome to participate in future promo's. The reality is that most members will simply cave in to this kind of pressure (especially those with no clout) and rather than arguing it out and standing their ground will just think I'd rather not have the uncomfortable hassle or frosty relationship with the Source and will put it up to a 5 Star review.
The ONLY way to get round this is to have some kind of system in place where by a member can contact you with what they have been sent, and that the Source is reprimanded in some way and are made aware that this is not acceptable behaviour (which it isn't). If Sources knew they are going to be heavily punished then they would stop doing it. Until that happens I really cannot see any of this changing. Its okay saying its time to get tough with the sources and stand up to them - But ultimately the ONLY person they will listen to as a point Authority is YOU and not us.
(Press now becomes Blacklisted on every future promo LMAO)
When we are told about what happens in PM, we absolutely take action. But, you guys aren't talking.
Secondly, who needs who more? If they start pressuring you talk about it on their source page. Tell them if that's how they feel you're happy to take your business elsewhere. They are nothing compared to the eroids collective. They have no power over you -unless you give it to them.
All you are doing is recalibrating the review scale from the extreme right back to the center where it belongs.
Many of these guys are massive operations you are being played. Your review rank, valid for only 6 months, is most certainly not going to effect their bottom line. It's an ego thing. Their egos will survive just as well with a 3 or 4 star norm. And eroids will be a better review site. Plus, the allure of the 5/5 review unicorn will make their service even better.
Imagine if all of you decided to self regulate that only 25% of your reviews will be 5/5? Only one in four... "Pick me! Pick me"
I'll push back a little on this and say that it happens quite a bit out in the open, and not seeing anything get done about it, I kinda assumed it was the norm. Except the second time it happened and I did friend request you to ask if it really affected their rank as much as he was making it sound. But I still didn't really give a whole Lotta detail with who it was, and you didn't really ask.
And yes, we should be standing our ground more, but how many are realistically going to, and how many new accounts are realistically going to? It really needs to start with mods taking harsher action against this behavior to make it easier for us to set the standard.
I can't do anything if you have a don't tell policy.
We have warned, they capitulate or pivot and do the same thing slightly different. If you don't keep us informed we can't keep reacting. Repeated abuse will and has had them de-ranked.
This is your site I will and have always supported members over sources (except for a few over the top vigilantes with their own personal agendas [parrot king e.g.]) You guys need to step up. Top down rules won't work here.
I know of one person exfanboy who is standing his ground (even if he threw me under the bus doing it) he's been unnoticed until this whiny source outed him.
So Cowboy up @sandman3698 do the right thing when no one is looking.
Fair enough.
Makes me happy when you have a spur under your saddle. It sounds like you have plans to revamp the system. I for one have several times not received my pack in the past and have found it frustrating when have delt with shit talk. Too many fanboys on here that are probably attached at the hip with their master. I personally dislike when someone is thumbs down gangbanged for speaking out. I get that they pay to stay on here, but I bet they do not respect or luv you like the members do.
I 100 percent agree bro. I've had this happen to me multiple times with a couple different sources. And when I wouldn't change my 4 to a 5, they shunned me. I just don't deal with them at all now. It's crazy how they have no repercussions for it. But who am I to say?
OBEY the almighty source
They suck our cock and we didn't cum. Now they harass us for a better rating or be blacklisted to all other stores.