Merchant Reviews

[SunshineGirl]

Right now we have the place for each merchant where you can give them a rating. And then we have a lot of discussions here in the forum about merchants.

One of the ideas I have been tossing around since Affiliate Summit is incorporating merchant reviews into the actual pages on SR. I'm certain that it would not take too much coding from Kevin. But here are my questions:

1) Do you currently use the ratings either to leave a rating or to see what someone else has rated?

2) Would you bother to leave reviews of merchants....good or bad?

3) Is it worth the trouble to have us add it?

Thoughts?

[mia214jia]

I personally have not left a review. However I have read someone else's and of course read what others have posted here.
I think it would actually be a good idea. But I think everyone would have to join in and actually do it for it to work. And I think it would really help out when someone is debating a purchase. Just IMO.

[Hedy]

1) Rarely
2) Only if it was very good or very bad.
3) Honestly? I think people are more likely to use the forum for such things.

Would the reviews be edited to not peeve the advertisers?

[SunshineGirl]

Would the reviews be edited to not peeve the advertisers?

No. Not unless they were graphic or obscene in some way. That would be the risk that we would have to take. That there might be really bad reviews of some of the advertisers.

I wish that there were a better way to tie in the forum posts to the advertisers (and the blogs, too, for that matter) but there doesn't seem to be at this point. I think we could much easier tie in the videoblogs to the merchant pages than the forum. But I won't say that anything is impossible.

[StitchandPooh'smom]

I have not rated any merchants, but I have taken note of the ratings they have. I looked at a merchant yesterday that had a "2" - I would have liked to know why, but the info is not necessarily in the forum.

I think most reviews will still take place in the forum because it allows for interaction. I just wish there was an easier way to find the reviews, particularly for some of the merchants I haven't heard of before. Searching on a merchant can result in a lot of posts (particularly merchants like Disney Shopping :minnie: ) - they are not all reviews. Maybe there can be a merchant review subforum and all reviews of a particular merchant can go in one thread? I have no idea how much trouble that is! :sunshine:

[SunshineGirl]

Maybe there can be a merchant review subforum and all reviews of a particular merchant can go in one thread? I have no idea how much trouble that is! :sunshine:

Actually....that might not be all that hard. You have given me something to ponder!!

[spring]

I have left a review for a few of the merchants I've used and I'm very interested in other people's experiences, good or bad. I think having this available would be a huge help to me, and hopefully, for others. I wouldn't have any problem ordering from a well rated merchant, but I would think twice if there were multiple negative comments. Where the reviews were would not matter, but I'd personally would like it at the place you click on to go shopping through SR.

[bajam]

I would love this. I always want to know why something was rated high or low. The star system doesn't give me enough info. Maybe something that bothers one person will not bother the next.

I had a horrible experience in June when I shopped through a merchant here, but I didn't want to offend the advertiser so I never posted about it in the forum.

[SunshineGirl]

I would love this. I always want to know why something was rated high or low. The star system doesn't give me enough info. Maybe something that bothers one person will not bother the next.

I had a horrible experience in June when I shopped through a merchant here, but I didn't want to offend the advertiser so I never posted about it in the forum.

And I think that sometimes the rating is about the cash back and not the purchase, which makes a difference. Sometimes someone will love the merchant and the product but doesn't get their cash back and leaves a bad rating. Other people might not care as much about the cash back as they do the merchant and products themselves.

While I worry a little about negative feedback, one thing that I learned at Affiliate Summit is that allowing negative feedback makes the positive feedback even that more "real." I do agree with that.

[disney_girl]

I do like to read reviews or ratings- especially on new merchants. I'm not always good about leaving them though. I do like looking through the forum for reviews of merchants. I know this isn't directly related to your question...but is it possible for us to have a new forum just for rating merchants? Or is that redundant to what we already have?

Just the rating alone gives only a little glimpse because as you said, someone might rate them bad for not getting credit etc.

[StitchandPooh'smom]

Actually....that might not be all that hard. You have given me something to ponder!!

Always happy to create more work for someone! :rotfl: (At least that is what my kids tell me when they say they're bored and have nothing to do!)

[bajam]

I completely agree. I know you have had to watch it here so we were offending anyone, but I haven't felt like I could trust some of the positive stuff said about the merchants because that's all there is.

It might make merchants mad, but a good business would use the feedback to improve. Kind of a free way for them to get a feel for what their customers really want. And it allows the opportunity for those who do good to shine.

When I read reviews on other sites I can pretty easily weed people out who are negative Nellies about everything so they're never going to be happy with their purchase/product.

[kimbih]

yes, yes & yes. I definately read the ratings before ordering, have left ratings and appreciate seeing the feedback of a merchant from others who have used them before.

[kayjo]

I definitely use the rating system. I have left feedback on almost all my shopping orders. My only concern is that you cannot see why the merchant is rated that way. I recently gave a two star rating to a merchant based on their shipping. The items I ordered were in stock and it stated on the webpage they would ship in 24 hours and arrive in 3-7 business days. Well, they didn't and it took almost three weeks for them to arrive. The tracking info was of no use since nothing was ever recorded. I think this is the kind of info SR members would like to have.

[jl8595]

I definitely use the rating system. I have left feedback on almost all my shopping orders. My only concern is that you cannot see why the merchant is rated that way. I recently gave a two star rating to a merchant based on their shipping. The items I ordered were in stock and it stated on the webpage they would ship in 24 hours and arrive in 3-7 business days. Well, they didn't and it took almost three weeks for them to arrive. The tracking info was of no use since nothing was ever recorded. I think this is the kind of info SR members would like to have.

I agree - I would definitely be interested in this kind of detailed info. I'm very good at weeding out the one time problems that any business can endure, but when you see the same comments about the same problems, I'd really love to know about it ahead of time so I could make an informed decision.

I would LOVE the ability to leave verbal feedback with my merchant ratings (and yes, I do leave ratings). I'm also curious about how well a merchant credits SR shoppers, so I'd like that feedback in addition to the customer service/shipping/product quality feedback. I want it all, don't I?! LOL!!! :rotfl:

[PSL1013]

I agree - I would definitely be interested in this kind of detailed info. I'm very good at weeding out the one time problems that any business can endure, but when you see the same comments about the same problems, I'd really love to know about it ahead of time so I could make an informed decision.

I would LOVE the ability to leave verbal feedback with my merchant ratings (and yes, I do leave ratings). I'm also curious about how well a merchant credits SR shoppers, so I'd like that feedback in addition to the customer service/shipping/product quality feedback. I want it all, don't I?! LOL!!! :rotfl:

Ditto everything you said for me too!! :D

[~Kathie]

I agree - I would definitely be interested in this kind of detailed info. I'm very good at weeding out the one time problems that any business can endure, but when you see the same comments about the same problems, I'd really love to know about it ahead of time so I could make an informed decision.

I would LOVE the ability to leave verbal feedback with my merchant ratings (and yes, I do leave ratings). I'm also curious about how well a merchant credits SR shoppers, so I'd like that feedback in addition to the customer service/shipping/product quality feedback. I want it all, don't I?! LOL!!! :rotfl:

Exactly!!!

[chipndale]

I agree - I would definitely be interested in this kind of detailed info. I'm very good at weeding out the one time problems that any business can endure, but when you see the same comments about the same problems, I'd really love to know about it ahead of time so I could make an informed decision. Yes, having that kind of information would be very interesting. There are times that I will just go to the store and buy an item because I am not sure that it will arrive in time for when I need it. But, if I could read reviews that alot of others have ordered items from a particular company and that they are shipped and received in time, then I would be more inclined to order from that company.


I'm also curious about how well a merchant credits SR shoppers, so I'd like that feedback in addition to the customer service/shipping/product quality feedback. I want it all, don't I?! LOL!!! :rotfl: I would love to be able to see if others have had trouble receiving credits. Besides price, the other two factors in deciding if I am going to order something online is the ability to receive credit and free shipping.

[disney_girl]

I would love to be able to see if others have had trouble receiving credits. Besides price, the other two factors in deciding if I am going to order something online is the ability to receive credit and free shipping.


I agree with wanting to know if merchants are crediting well prior to purchasing. But I can see a potential downside to that if the crediting issue is one that has been corrected- would we necessarily know? If maybe there was some issue on the merchants side that was corrected through contact with Tricia/ Cindy/ Angie. Or if they were given a bad rating for not crediting, but later credited through a TT...would that rating be updated?

[askomsky]

I agree with what every one else has said.

First I do rate every every place (or almost everyone) that I've bought from. I based it on the ease of website navigation, customer service, shipping etc.
I really don't look at it when I'm looking to buy unless it's someone newer or one I've never heard before.

i'm not worried about getting credit as much bc 9 times out of 10 it'll come through even if it's through a TT. All of my shopping (knock on wood) only ONCE did I not receive credit, so I think my odds are pretty good