|
Comment |
Sorted by
Date Written |
I deleted all of my reviews, and so should you (Reply to this comment)
by dmacioce
I had written several reviews for epinions, going back to 2001, when I first joined. My reviews got a fair amount of traffic, and I was suprised at how my royalties started stacking up. I made the mistake, however, of not cashing out when I could, and somewhere along the line, they implemented a policy that enabled them to take back your earned roylaties if you fail to log into your account every 60-90 days or so. So, guess what? I never got paid for the contributions that I made to this site.
This shows that for several years now, epinions has engineered their policies and terms of service to cheat reviewers.
If this has happened to anyone else, please let me know, as I'm looking into whether it is worthwhile to pursue a class action suit.
Thanks.
|
Mar 23 '11
4:21 pm PDT
|
|
A question (Reply to this comment)
by waldron32282
I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on making money here. I have been here almost a year and written 11 reviews (10 were rated VH and 1 was rated H) but I have not made any money on them. I was curious if maybe I am doing something wrong and how I could make some more money by making changes? Since my reviews are rated VH I don't think it is my reviews are bad. Any help would be appriciated!
|
May 26 '06
3:22 pm PDT
|
|
Why are we doing this? (Reply to this comment)
by dbcint
I've read over a lot of the comments on this essay, and I'm quite surprised.
I know why I'm here, and I always thought others were here for the same reason - to read and write reviews.
Because I don't live in the USA, I can't redeem my eroyalties until they reach $100. After 18 reviews, they currently sit at $0.11 - and apparently its going to stay that way.
I don't care. I'm not here for the money. Epinions is a hobby, not a job. From the quality of the reviews of read, a lot of people here could easily get jobs writing reviews for magazines and newspapers and such. However, the way people are talking in this comments section, it would seem epinions is their major source of income... or was anyway.
As for epinions taking away the update/delete option, yeah I'll agree that's pretty stink. However, I only ever updated my reviews when there was a major mistake in them. I don't update reviews just because they didn't get a good enough rating. To me that's covering up the fact I once did a bad job. Sure, I've got a couple of reviews that even I agree are nothing to be proud of, but everyone starts somewhere.
Don't leave epinions because of the money. Don't leave period. I agree they should give us back the right to update/delete our reviews, but I still don't think its worth leaving over.
|
Aug 11 '03
1:29 pm PDT
|
|
Well Stated (Reply to this comment)
by lorirobe
I find your comments to be sensible and reasonable and your personal examples further prove your point. Although, I do hope the death spiral can be prevented!
Lori
|
Oct 27 '01
5:07 pm PDT
|
|
Aargh! (Reply to this comment)
by miselainis
It figures. I finally start making friends and am getting added to some WOTs-- I'm even clearing in on my first $10.
And we're supposed to stay excited about the site why? Yes, I enjoy writing, and I've been glad to "meet" some interesting people, but I've been busting my butt the last week or 2 churning out reviews because I really wanted to become a hard-working member. I even started checking out content partner information this last week thinking it sounded like something I wanted to do.
I can't promise how much I'll be giving to the site after November 1st either.
A great and eye-opening review!
m.
|
Oct 27 '01
8:20 am PDT
|
|
Hmm (Reply to this comment)
by MichaelHatton
At the moment I can't take your opinion seriously enough to accept it. I mean, epinion dropping the eroyalties thing? This can't happen for I have my $230+ account which has been un-redeemed from day one. Please assure me that I will get the check before this thing happens. I've been reading about my check, and it'll take months before I get it. This cannot happen I will not allow it!
But I feel safe in the knowledge that epinions will dish the dosh to all those with some amount in their accounts.
Finally, thanks for pointing out, I would have never known about it until the site went down!
Mike
|
Oct 27 '01
4:52 am PDT
|
|
Sad News (Reply to this comment)
by kbmg
Your review Tom was the first I had heard of this. I am very upset by the news. It is not that I made a lot of money writing reviews because I really did not. I enjoyed reading your reviews and other writers on my WOT. I feel that epinions will be no more and I will miss you all!!!! Well, for what it is worth, I will continue to write because I enjoy it very much. Good luck to everyone!!!
Bernadette
|
Oct 26 '01
1:31 pm PDT
|
|
Poor Management (Reply to this comment)
by andaryl
The fact that you were the one to announce this to many and not Nirav or other offical is no great surprise.
It surprises me that other measures were not tried first. The creative thought just doesn't seem to be rolling over there. Instead of looking for new ways and incentives, they pretty much ensured the end of the site.
* Paying in Amazon or PayPal would probably have saved about 25%
* Not paying for 'unhelpful' reviews
* Raising the cash out to $30 would save a lot as abusers would struggle to get there.
So will we see a jump in IS? Will we see IS for member hits? Will the money saved go into enriching the site elsewhere? Will andaryl still be writing here?
I'll wait and see,
Cheers
Andrew
|
Oct 26 '01
9:27 am PDT
|
|
I have been through this... (Reply to this comment)
by Caprig
...once before.
My husband's job was like this. First decrease in benefits. Then decrease in work time. Then less jobs.
Then late paychecks. Then later paychecks.
Then parties and celebrations despite the lack of pay.
Then no job.
The owners ran the business into the ground.
It had been very well known and excellent business for 40 years, and the son in law that inherited it did not want it anymore after he cheated on his wife.
Sigh,
PLEASE keep in touch, though.
No matter what happens, OK?
Capri
|
Oct 26 '01
6:48 am PDT
|
|
One more reason why I trust you... (Reply to this comment)
by vonboob
Thank you friend. I spent this week's spare time writing a review I consider important. With the tiny grip of control over "my intellectual property" (like being able to edit or delete it), taken away... Well, I will think for a while if e-pinions is the place to publish it.
Best regards,
|
Oct 26 '01
6:44 am PDT
|
|
Have enjoyed reading your articles. (Reply to this comment)
by Susie-34668
If I stop writing here, I might as well give my computer away.
Thanks for the information although I had heard it before.
~Susan~
|
Oct 26 '01
6:02 am PDT
|
|
So... (Reply to this comment)
by ParisLemon
So how much money is epinions going to be making from advertisers since they no longer pay us anything? This is disappointing but not surprising.
-Matt
|
Oct 26 '01
1:24 am PDT
|
|
Re: Smart move... (Reply to this comment)
by Horswispr
methinks you're right, though I'm no lawyer.
|
Oct 26 '01
1:08 am PDT
|
|
Re: As usual a (Reply to this comment)
by Horswispr
The sad thing is, this probably is the beginning of the end, and we won't be able to enjoy each others' stuff. I'll miss jo.com, NFP, Sparkospunky, 4-1-1, Candidate, Sordid, mkp (who rates my brilliant music reviews down because I don't always provide copyright information) and all the rest. Never met one of them, and considered them all friends.
|
Oct 26 '01
1:04 am PDT
|
|
Is it LEGAL for them to hold our ideas hostage (Reply to this comment)
by Horswispr
if we don't want them to? There was virtually zero latency between the announcement and the deletions freeze. That is duplicitous at best. I am sad to see Epinions go the way of scam sites like WBM and BI.
|
Oct 26 '01
12:40 am PDT
|
|
Comment (Reply to this comment)
by dragonfire88
I actually found out about this last night. It stinks. I put a lot of time into the reviews I write. I haven't gotten much from the pennies, but it is more than I got from IS. The most I have gotten on that is a little over a dollar. So I'm not going to be getting squat after this, unless alot more people start reading my stuff. I am going to get as much posted as I can by the first, and after that, I guess I'll see. I do enjoy writing the reviews, and reading and rating, but it takes a long time. There should be some incentive for that.
|
Oct 25 '01
10:05 pm PDT
|
|
I feel like (Reply to this comment)
by lorace
I just lost a lot of good friends.
What a ripoff! I love what Mawsqaw said, AND WE WERE SO OVERPAID!
They've taken away our incentive. Guess they feel they can get along without US???
Well, great Review, as always.
Lorace
|
Oct 25 '01
8:58 pm PDT
|
|
Just when I was pondering to stay or not! (Reply to this comment)
by MzRizz
I, too, didn't make much on eroyalties, but also, with the Editorials/Essays section gone, there is not much chance of garnering the hits like before. Those editorials stayed visible for up to two days sometimes. There was a lot of info, now, I can't find them anymore, much less rate them. If I am not rating at the moment, I miss a lot! The site is truly troubled....MzRizz
|
Oct 25 '01
5:22 pm PDT
|
|
ajdlkjfllweppn = another one bites the dust!! (Reply to this comment)
by Mawsqaw
And we were so overpaid. I knew something was up when I saw the author notification this morning, and then I had to look every one up.
I guess we should still consider ourselves fortunate, we are alive.
|
Oct 25 '01
4:59 pm PDT
|
|
Although I love it here..the people (Reply to this comment)
by jo.com
and I love to write, when they took away the editorials (many) and the 3cents I was going to leave. This gives me the kick in the butt I need. At least my husband won't have to listen to me going back and forth on whether I should stay or not. I put in 150 hours last month on this site. I think I'd rather be in a Yoga class. I'll be here for awhile longer. I have some reviews in draft..I don't think epinions will be here much longer. This is just one more way companies go bust. jo
|
Oct 25 '01
4:13 pm PDT
|
|
Oh well... (Reply to this comment)
by Andrew_Lim
looks like we're reaching the end of the road...thank God all of us will still be side-by-side when it happens...*sigh*...now I'm trying to figure out my next course of action! :(
Thanks for the info, Tom! It was truly helpful.
Andrew
|
Oct 25 '01
4:06 pm PDT
|
|
As usual a (Reply to this comment)
by SurgRN911
Good posting, and I can understand where people get frustrated, and I know others depend on this extra cash. However, I write here because I enjoy it, and I enjoy the people (family) I have met through Epinions, so I must say for me I lost nothing and gained much. I would hate to see good writers such as yourself leave the site over pennies, and pennies is what it has boiled down to of late. I don't believe it is right not to be able to edit or delete an epinion if one so chooses though. Epinions can with hold my money, but they will NEVER own my thoughts. I hope to still see you and all my family till the day Epinions is a fond memory. Good Luck!!!!
Di
|
Oct 25 '01
2:29 pm PDT
|
|
#!@%$# (Reply to this comment)
by surferdude7
Epinions seems to be on the way out!
Thanks Tom for the info!
You can raise Hell at the Chat tonight!
Ron
|
Oct 25 '01
2:20 pm PDT
|
|
Re: Re: WHAT?! (Reply to this comment)
by meleahk
I think we should leave the lights on, it may help those brain cells at epinions. Then again, maybe not! They seem to be fried pretty bad already.
Leah
|
Oct 25 '01
12:59 pm PDT
|
|
nope (Reply to this comment)
by garym
Well, I just finished a long comment about this. I spelled a word wrong and went to edit. Gone..Erased...History... A waste of time.
I suggest checking out Mouthshut.com. BTW: check out the writngs of "gagu". He is an extraordinary writer and quite good looking. I havenīt redeemed my "points" there and I canīt vouch for whether they do pay as promised. But, there are several epinion members there, so maybe it is an option if everything goes to hell here.
I want to thank you for your well written and informative reviews, and for updates like this one.
Take care,
Gary
|
Oct 25 '01
12:28 pm PDT
|
|
Sieg Hiel! (Reply to this comment)
by bradybunch
Is it not that the Germans took away from the Jews their wealth during WWII just as Epinions is planning to take away from us? In the short 6 months that I have been with Epinions, I have posted 94 opinions and I only have $44 to show for that. I have never redeemed anything yet, I think that I will do that today while I know I still can.
Thanks for the tip off Tom. Maybe a someone making these decisions will come to their senses and reverse that decision. I doubt it though. Once Der Fuehrer has declared Blitzkreeg, I think that it is all over for us.
Mike Brady
|
Oct 25 '01
10:53 am PDT
|
|
My ideas. (Reply to this comment)
by jay1051971
Granetd, i'm all for free market capitalism, but there are more creative, and intelligent ways Epinions could have gotten the results they seek..
My ideas are:
Possible solutions:
1) Don't give eroyalties to reviews that get SH or NH ratings. (not reward poor quality)
2) Award eroyalties only after a certain number of VH reviews are posted, let's say.. 25 (to ensure consistancy)
3) Award eroyalities only to people who have been active for a certain period of time...let's say a month (to encourage loyalty)
4) Implement a quota system, where a certain number of reviews must be submitted in a period of time..no more, no less...
5) Only give eroyalty credit for actual ratings given, not just member visits.
6) Limit the number of ratings a member can give out in a day... Say, 50...This would encourage people to be more selective in who they give ratings to.
7) Give a sliding scale for eroyalties.. the full penny for a VH, maybe a penny and a half for MH, and half a cent for H... To encourage better writing.
|
Oct 25 '01
9:58 am PDT
|
|
what, what, what (Reply to this comment)
by ifif1938
I had no idea, Im off to read the member page..
This really stinks...
Barbara
|
Oct 25 '01
9:54 am PDT
|
|
It began looooong ago... (Reply to this comment)
by driver4t5
...with the site change back in February. It was obvious at that point that Epinions couldn't - and under Nirav's "leadership", wouldn't - generate significant revenue.
We're now smelling the final death poops eminating from a terminally ill and long-suffering Epinions.
While there's nothing I disagree with in your well-written editorial, it had more of a rant bent to it than I like to see and it'll become dated very quickly (not that Epinions will be around much longer). It reads more like an epitaph than a helpful guide...hence the H.
Cash out early...cash out often...
|
Oct 25 '01
8:05 am PDT
|
|
Smart move... (Reply to this comment)
by mkp51
...to eliminate the Edit/delete feature. But also the move that concerns me the most, since it takes away my editorial control over my own intellectual property. And I view that as an abrogation of my fundamental right to free expression.
Methinks Epinions-dot-com may eventually be forced to reverse themselves on this policy.
Excellent editorial.
mkp51
|
Oct 25 '01
7:53 am PDT
|
|
|
