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very interesting... (Reply to this comment)
by BeastieGirl
I wish you were still writing on this site- every once in a while I get quite sad and nostalgic for the 'good ole days' and wish I had really taken advantage of the 3 cents per page (remember that). As it stands, I am still contributing to the Epinions community, frustrated that I still can't crack the code and a little confused at all that has happened from then till now. Thanks for helping to shed a little light...
-Echo
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Jul 01 '06
7:29 pm PDT
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Still relevant (Reply to this comment)
by jackiechad
You may have written this a while back, but it's still hitting the mark. I've noticed that my own movie reviews are generally well recieved but make little money. My printer reviews aren't liked as much but bank a lot more. The interesting thing about my Somewhat Helpful to Helpful printer reviews is I began by writing about the ones I really liked or really hated (I work with them a LOT), the passionate side of it, in other words, as well as the particulars of my opinion (as would be expected). Without the fluff, though, people just don't seem to take as well to them. Anybody can list technical aspects of equipment, I would think observations of day to day use would be more valuable. Maybe that's just me. So I guess I will add a little BS to my reviews to pad them out some, but I feel more informed having read your insights.
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Aug 27 '04
8:56 am PDT
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I AM SO GLAD YOU R HERE!!! (Reply to this comment)
by carmenrae_v
You know i left a while back person al stuff, but you know the best thing to come back to is too see the people are still here with the right views the right attitude on this web site we write
because we love it we write because this is us and to take is to diminish from the very ones who have passion for this you always have since 99 when i joined ans i fell this says it best in your words
Epinions’ CEO announced that they want to build up the trust of their members again. Time will show what they will do. Putting the distribution of income share on a fixed date would be a very good measure. I believe that everyone could live with 0 base royalties if you knew on the first of each month, there will be some income share (no matter how little). Other non-monetary rewards are ‘top reviewer’ and ‘editor’ titles. Supposedly also given out on a monthly basis, this process should be fully automated as well.
stay here love you
carmenrae_v
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Jul 16 '03
4:34 pm PDT
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Brilliant Review Ptiemann (Reply to this comment)
by Bond008
You got it totally sussed.
This comment is just a sighing wind with no one to hear it.
Well done ptiemann.
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Jun 09 '03
7:41 am PDT
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deserves a "most helpful" rating, but the button disappeared (Reply to this comment)
by nailet
hey...that was a sweet review...i was actually taken in by it and ended up reading the whole thing when all i wanted to do was read the "how to write a review section"...nice work...i would have given the review a "most helpful" mark, but i don't seem to have that button, so "very helpful" was all i could go with
teli
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Sep 12 '02
8:37 am PDT
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Long Fluffy Reviews (Reply to this comment)
by scitaborca
I'm pretty new to the site and after having read this, have noticed that some of my own reviews may be a little longwinded; however, I disagree with the comment that said something to the effect of: The longer the review the less likely it is the person actually bought the product. Personally, I like to read engaging and passionate reviews. I think half the fun of the site is writing creatively and reading equally creative reviews written by others. I've had a lot of fun writing for this site since I haven't written anything creatively for some time. If anything, the addition of detail about the product and the reviewer's experiences with it enhances rather than detracts and gives me a better idea of what to expect when I go out to buy the product. That said, this review was a real eye opener for me with regard to how the site operates.
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Sep 05 '02
6:33 pm PDT
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The first review... (Reply to this comment)
by fartzarellah
I have read that is penned by the legendary Ptiemann. Impressive.
Not sure I agree that the most passionate reviews will win the most income share. Snappy titles and popular products earn IS. Of course the reviews do have to be well written, but it does not matter how well you write if the review is on...say...an obscure progressive rock band from the 1970s.
Tom
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Aug 30 '02
4:39 am PDT
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Excellent food for though (Reply to this comment)
by echolaine
I'm a new Epinions contributor and love the site. Don't have any illusions about quitting my day job, or adding much to savings, but I'm grateful for the forum and the community. PT - Thanks for your contributions.
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Aug 03 '02
11:17 am PDT
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Hey, Peter, Congrats (Reply to this comment)
by paramendra
Member visits: 111,619
Total visits: 934,815
---- Top At The Site ---- !!
I am impressed with the numbers. You are about to hit the first million mark.
I was back at the site after months of hiatus, and just happened to be checking on you. The last I checked BrianKoller had been leading. And you were still under 100,000, more like around 60,000. And look what time does.
Great. Do you still devote a ton of time to the site? Obviously.
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Jul 03 '02
10:03 am PDT
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Curious, (Reply to this comment)
by thedragonweyr
Peter wrote this review, his swan song, last November and it is still getting hits!
In that time, I am not sure much has changed. The new home page sure is not a good sign!
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Jun 19 '02
6:51 pm PDT
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ptiemann (Reply to this comment)
by murphy23456
Excellent writing man, why did you leave the site for good?
Loren
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May 23 '02
12:36 pm PDT
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Re: EBD? (Reply to this comment)
by conter7
LMAO!! Ill be laughing my head off for days for this last comment!
Rich (conter7)
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Apr 22 '02
10:33 pm PDT
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Finally! (Reply to this comment)
by GretaGH
I hardly ever rate epinions with a rating of "Most Helpful" but quite honestly, this deserved it!! I have finally, through this epinion, learned some answers to some questions I have had about this site. Since I have been away from this for some time now, I feel out of the loop. As you probably already know, the information we need is not right up front. It's difficult to catch up quickly. hanks to you, I have a much better understanding of why things are as they are between my last review back in 2000 and since I have written my latest review this week. I have been away for many reasons, but am back. At first, I was discouraged, but I think you make some great points that should keep me motivated (at least for a while). Thanks, as always...
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Apr 06 '02
11:14 pm PST
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Sorry you're gone (Reply to this comment)
by drchazan
I wasn't around myself when the changes came, but I'm really sorry to see that you've left. Hope you come back some day.
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Mar 20 '02
4:58 am PST
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I agree... (Reply to this comment)
by eyestar
I agree with you regarding writing long boring reviews that seem to get the most VH ratings. I see it more and more. I wrote one review on how much I disliked the Disney All-Star Music Resort hotel - it was truthful and written from the heart and I was given NH, SH, and H ratings because of it. Members replied with some nasty comments and gave me low ratings mainly because they disagreed. It made me very angry because I feel even if I like a product, if someone writes a negative review of it and it is a good review they deserve a good rating.
In my review I didn't go into immense detail about what the hotel offered, I just stated my experience and was rated poorly because of it. Later a few others wrote similar reviews about the hotel like mine and I loved it! That's exactly what I want to see on a review, not a product description!
I totally agree with you that I want to read the reviews from members who actually have something to say. I don't want a big long review of every detail of the product. If I wanted to know that, I could read the owners manual or research it myself on the internet. Yet it seems only the long boring reviews get the highest ratings. Actually that was one of the reasons I stopped writing for so long. It was boring to me to write long detailed reviews. It didn't seem fair when I actually wrote a review I felt was very helpful and was rated poorly because of it.
Epinions has definitely had it's ups and downs. I appreciate this review very much and miss reading your writing.
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Feb 26 '02
3:17 pm PST
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My two cents (Reply to this comment)
by voices220
I just did something I though I would never do, and will hopfuly never do again. I gave someone a "Most Helpful" rating. Personally, I think this is a stupid option, but Peter here has struck upon something I have been thinking myself, but could not quite put into words.
This editorial was very well done, and in my opinion, very very true.
Unfortunatly, it seems to me like Peter may be loosing passion for this site, and that's a damn shame, because he was one of the best writers on this site.
Thank you,
Robert
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Feb 16 '02
1:56 pm PST
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Thanks for Your Comment (Reply to this comment)
by lli_wright
I have definitely been in the dark. I noticed that the payment system changed and couldn't decipher what the heck it was, even after writing the company a couple of times, with no reply from them.
Epinions started out as a dotcom company and I think it's having problems staying afloat like other dotcom companies. They have to decide if they are consumers reports with expert raters or consumers reports with lay people. And how to compensate reviewers for their time.
You can tell the reviewers who write with passion and who really have strong feelings about the product.
When I visit a movie review and it's only 1-2 paragraphs short and filled with incorrect grammar, then I know the writer was just shucking.
I noticed that some of the top reviewers & editors are no longer on the Epinion boards, I guess they gave up also.
Somebody keep me posted as to what's going on. I don't get a chance to write like I used to -- busy schedule -- but I want to site owners to know I would like to contribute and hope they can get it together.
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Feb 03 '02
6:10 am PST
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Funny what happens when they pay us less money ... (Reply to this comment)
by Teardrop...
... we strive to be higher quality writers because maybe that will help. Who can blame epinions, then, for taking the nickels and dimes away and leaving us with pennies? I think most of us write to please no one but ourselves and don't bend over backwards to be actual product reviewers because we make so much more money at our real jobs. Maybe for struggling writers, it's a way to get a few clips, feedback, and a buck or two, but for the rest of us it's just a place to put our overflowing thoughts up on screen in an organized fashion. If other publications pay 10-40 cents per word, why would "in it for the money" writers waste their time here?
-Teardrop...
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Feb 02 '02
10:05 pm PST
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curious about the status of epinions (Reply to this comment)
by lindsee
why havent you written any reviews since this last entry? is epinions going downhill?
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Jan 27 '02
9:48 pm PST
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Thank you (Reply to this comment)
by rangerlover2
I have been away a long time with a dad who has terminal cancer. I can truly say I was unaware of these changes. May I ask do you earn any money anyore I am a bit confused? I do have some in my account I noticed I received. Do I understand right: you get royalties and not views?
"- Media
While people buy books and see movies, it seems that there’s not much money to be made by epinions.com. People who review for money will stop writing here since it’s not paying off. The remaining people will do it out of true passion, hopefully."
I have made some money on books and movies. I love to write about them even though it doesn't earn alot. I would rather do that than fake opinions on merchandise I never bought after all how much can you buy? :)
Great epinion.
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Jan 17 '02
9:49 am PST
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Thank you, thank you. (Reply to this comment)
by lzeitlin
I hope the "powers-that-be" read your opinion/comments on this site. Though it was a little long for me, it was well written as always, and it's the old timers like you that that make me want to stay with this site. I've always enjoyed and have gotten a lot of info from your written opinions. As long as you're here, I might just hang on awhile longer. I've not written much in the last year. There have been so many changes some good, some bad, and I've become slightly disenchanted, but I'll hang on because of members who write like you who write with, honesty and passion and with the consumer in mind.
Thanks,
Louise Zeitlin
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Jan 06 '02
7:50 pm PST
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Hope you Come Back (Reply to this comment)
by sherryminsfla
I have enjoyed reading your reviews over the past few years and I hope that your passion to write for Epinions has not died.
We need great writers like you to keep the foundation that was laid in the beginning from totally crumbling beneath us.
Still writing after all of this mess...
Sherry in Seattle :)
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Jan 06 '02
12:39 pm PST
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Hope you Come Back (Reply to this comment)
by sherryminsfla
I have enjoyed reading your reviews over the past few years and I hope that your passion to write for Epinions has not died.
We need great writers like you to keep the foundation that was laid in the beginning from totally crumbling beneath us.
Still writing after all of this mess...
Sherry in Seattle :)
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Jan 06 '02
12:32 pm PST
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EBD? (Reply to this comment)
by pblanco
By the way, everyone refers to the EBD write-off without spelling out this TLA (Three-Letter Acronym).
I guess I missed something - what does EBD stand for?
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Jan 06 '02
4:10 am PST
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On review length and "padding"... (Reply to this comment)
by pblanco
You expressed so well a frustrating phenomenon I noticed, namely that short-but-opinionated reviews are rated less than "padded" generic ones.
Case in point: My short review of the InStep ZII jogging stroller describes my experience with the product, and my own experience with using it, including some defects I had to fix. In short, I gave a unique opinion which you would not find anywhere else.
I did not describe: my trip to two Walmarts to buy it (the first only had a display model, blah blah), the size of the box it came in, or other details you can find by looking at pictures online or a model in the store. The result: Everyone (except you, interestingly!) gave me a Helpful rating.
Just recently, Epinions listed the optional seat pad for this stroller as a separate item. Since I had the seat pad, I reviewed in exhaustive detail (though one commenter still thought of additional questions, to their credit), and listed a few advantages/disadvantages. This time I could not believe the response - Very Helpful across the board, with a LOT of ratings!
Now my writing style may have improved with time, but I could not believe that my "padded" review (of a $20 seat pad) was more interesting or useful in making a decision than my very personal take on the $80 stroller itself!
I was quite passionate about the stroller review, but the seat pad - well it's a seat pad, 'nuf said!
Now I do not want to seem ungrateful to those kind folks who read and gave their honest opinions on my reviews, but like you, I do wish that more people would rate our opinions more on their usefulness than their encyclopedic completeness.
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Jan 06 '02
4:03 am PST
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Hi Peter.. (Reply to this comment)
by jo.com
I don't know if you are still around but I'm glad you still have your board! I threated to leave every other day at this point and had 1 wonderful week when I actually thought I quit. I participated in EBD. I now am..hold on I have to count..TR in 5 categories and Editor in 7. I spent hours and hours here before I hat hats in these categories. What the heck do they expect me to do for 50 cents an hour. It is really a totally nutty phenomenon and as I just said to someone I wish this site would go under so I could move on with my life. $80 for the month just isn't worth it! I should put it, though, towards counseling to figure out why I write these detailed reviews that take me an hour when some just write 200 words..sorry for the rant. jo
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Dec 27 '01
5:34 am PST
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... (Reply to this comment)
by adnetjm
I tried to give a MH...but it wouldn't let me. I would write more but feel pressured to write really long reviews. I would like to write to the point.
Like Martha Stuart pillows for instance, the feathers poke through the pillows so they pinch you.... period...but I would get low ratings. And I don't like low ratings as much as the next guy.
And people waste their time...Reading how Martha herself counts each feather and places them diagonally along each layer, like a lasagna lol
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Dec 22 '01
4:09 pm PST
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oh, thanks. (Reply to this comment)
by elsa70
I've just joined Epinions out of pure passion. I'm a travel agent and used epinions to coax or dissuade customers. Then started writing when I thought I could be useful somehow. I have $0.00 on my account. Don't care if I ever get a cent (I realized everyone could earn just yesterday by reading another epinion written by CyndiA).
I need Epinions just like I suppose others do, and always thought the info I found was really reliable. Guess I was a little gullable. Well, my hopes are the same as yours, and I still remain excited about this site even now that my vision is clearer and more realistic.
Thanks for sharing.
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Dec 13 '01
3:46 am PST
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Thanks (Reply to this comment)
by LatteChick
Thank you for your honest, “stand back and look at the big picture” essay. While I prefer to say “We’re all going to hell, but at least I know where my hand basket is,” it was really nice to read that someone out there who appreciated the bad and the logic in certain recent Epinions decisions.
Thanks for that.
~Becka~
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Dec 05 '01
9:20 am PST
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Yeah! (Reply to this comment)
by spendconscious
I agree. Your article has given me the inspiration to stop rating all the long, tedious articles very helpful. I write reviews to help consumers and learn more about the craft of writing. You are one of the few people in my web of trust because your articles consistently motivate me to write better.
Thanks!
Violet
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Dec 02 '01
8:47 am PST
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