A Cry For Help! Epinions Members UNITE!
Feb 20 '01
The Bottom Line Rate me however you like, just don't ever stop expressing how you feel.
Well, it looks as though the straw that broke the camel's back has broken mine. I have never yet, until this day, written an opinion on "Things To Know About Epinions.com".
You want to know why?
I'll tell you why. Because I always saw this spot as a lame and ever so sappy attempt at getting more hits, more money, and more attention. I saw so many people before write so many damn reviews under this topic, mostly to gratify themselves. I'm not here for this. I'm here to be heard and wake people the F*** UP! Ya, you heard right. I'm the underground girl and I guess it's about time I went mainstream and flexed my pipes. Call me a sell-out if you like.
I have seen so many good writers here, and so many writers that made an honest effort, but couldn't make the cut. The people that didn't make the cut were sometimes the one's putting in the most effort, the one's dying to reach out and help someone.
Epinions.com has went through a series of radical new changes. Many changes that I don't agree with and are enough to make me gasp on my own vomit with outrage!
I know many of you will agree with me, and many of you might know exactly where I'm coming from. Others may not hold my opinion, or may deny what is right in front of their eyes.
We as member's of epinions.com are slowly, but surely, losing our rights. It's like the very first steps, baby steps, towards communism. I know something smells foul when I hear of certain members letting go of people on their trust list. Why? Because they don't meet the standards of epinions.com. They can't write when they are inspired to write. They have to write when epinions.com thinks they should write. And how often epinions.com says they should. So before epinions.com dictates when I urinate and defecate, I want to help bring about a change for a brighter and beautiful tomorrow. I've been a member since Dec. 11th 1999. We deserve better than what we have been getting, and no, I'm not referring to money. Personally, I could give a sh*t about the money. I know not all of you feel that way, but that's good. If we were all the same this would be one boring planet. I thrive on what I can create! What I can do! We are the people helping build this site, we need to have more freedom to think and do for ourselves.
Below I am going to show you my letter to epinions.com. I wrote this letter to them in a state of outrage. Maybe I should have given a spoonful of sugar with my letter, but I couldn't calm myself down enough to do it. I've been keeping my mouth shut for far too long and now I think it's time that someone steps up to the plate and gives an honestly "brutally honest opinion".
My only request of all the read this opinion is that you unite with me to make epinions.com what it should be. Which is, being able to trust who you want, write when you want, write about the interests that you have and not have restrictions, for people to stop writing about things that don't interest only because the thing that they are interested in either don't pay well or don't have enough products in the database, to be able to redeem your eroyalties like the rest of the UNITED STATES (for those of you in Hawaii and places restricted like this that are still part of the good old USA), to be able to write in an environment that nurtures you, instead of limiting you. This is what I am talking about. Please, please, please, I beg of all of you to write to epinions now and tell them what you believe in, tell them what you disagree with, what needs to be changed, and MAKE A STAND! Do it with a spoonful of sugar, or be blunt and totally direct like I did. Use whatever approach you want, just make sure you're heard! Whatever you do, don't just take a back seat and remain the silent witness! EPINIONS MEMBERS UNITE!
This letter has not been altered in any way, shape or form. I wanted it to be in the exact same context. It may have typos, it may have misspelled words, it could have improper english or grammar. Get over it! If not, hurry up and NR me and get the hell out of here! Just don't forget to contact epinions to complain, suggest, question, or whatever your little heart tells you to do.
The Letter:
Dear Epinions Staff,
I have been absent from epinions.com for a while. When I returned I was more disgusted than even before.
I feel like all that I do will never amount to anything but a slap in the face.
Why is it that I wrote a review close to a year ago, and I can't find it any place? Where did it go? Why don't all my opinions show up?
I could understand if some of my reviews had been rated poorly, therefore they are not shown to the general community, but why of why can't I THE AUTHOR find them and view them.
There is one review in particular that really puzzles me. I had written a review about a Barbie doll that was designed by famous designer, Bob Mackie. The name of this doll is Fantasy Goddess Of Asia. Why can't I find this review? If I recall correctly I did receive good ratings on it. I also believe that when I added it to the database that someone said to me that it might take a while, but that they were working as fast as they could and that they would soon have the link working and fully added into the system. What happened? How long do I have wait? Did you know that this doll is still available through Mattel's Barbie Collectibles, many other shops as well, along with numerous auction sites that have her as well. The doll is not out of stock or sold out.
I will also add that your Barbie section on epinions.com is lousy. It screams for help! There are so many dolls that should be added to the collectible section that aren't there. Dolls from 2000, 1999 and dolls that have came out this year. There are still many dolls that will be released this year. Do you plan on adding them to the database? Barbie collecting is a big deal with a lot of people. It's practically a subculture! Some people travel all over the USA and other countries just to attend doll conventions!
Here's a link from the Barbie Collectibles web site that shows the dolls that have recently been released and are going to be released shortly. Maybe this will help catch this category up to speed.
http://www.barbiecollectibles.com/showcase/products_by_year.asp?iYear=2001&view=all
My final problem is the fact that I can no longer suggest a category or product. When is this going to change? I have a bag of catnip here that I would like to submit a review about, yet there is nothing in the database for it. You have quite a few catnip brands, but you don't have Cat Craft Catnip. If anyone else has this, they won't be able to review it either. This is very unfair.
But you want to know what is really unfair (besides life in general), the fact that you changed the policy on redeeming eroyalties. This was the biggest SLAP IN THE FACE OF ALL! You know say that Hawaii is outside the USA. It's not outside of the USA. It's part of the USA! Canada is NOT part of the USA, but HAWAII IS! I think that is a pretty insensitive, cruel and smarmy thing to do. You want brutally honest, well trust me, it doesn't get much better than this! I've been keeping my mouth shut for far too long! Seeing as you are going to have this policy that Hawaii (and a few other places) have at least 100.00 dollars before being able to redeem eroyalties, you should at least put "because you are located outside of the CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES", instead of "because you are located outside of the United States". If you're going to have lame rules, make sure you get it straight. Do you know how long it takes to earn 100.00 dollars on epinions.com? Do you? It might take me years to get to that amount! This is ridiculous! Everyone should protest this! I'm not here for the money, and who would be. The money never was very good, but I did used to enjoy writing at my leisure for epinions. But now I have restrictions being thrown on me, and experts kicking me off their trust list because the PEANUT GALLERY AT EPINIONS says the people they trust have to write this (fill in the blank) often.
I want you to look at this letter as #1. a cry for help, #2. a wake up call before epinions transforms itself into esuck, #3. a person who really does care, but finds it very difficult to express themselves because they are so angry and frustrated when their hands are tied like this.
Sincerely,
Renee aka botsybaby
PS: I know that whoever gets stuck reading and answering this letter is most likely not directly responsible for the things that my letter is regarding. Therefore, I do not hold anything against you personally, as I hope you do not hold anything against me personally.
Thank You.
END OF LETTER.
Don't forget what I told you. Act now before it's too late. Please feel free to leave me comments. I will answer all comments and questions. I do not guarantee that anyone will like how I respond, especially if you have something derogatory directed at me. Expect the same respect you give me, to be given back to you.
Update (later on 02/20/01)-
I received an e-mail from an epinions member shedding some light on the redemption problem for users outside of the continental USA. Here is what I posted in the comments section, being posted here as well to make sure all of you see it.
I would just like to thank cosmogirl for sending me an e-mail and informing me on what was wrong with her account. She is in Honolulu and experienced the same problem as me, but there is a solution.
For those of you living in the USA, outside of the continental USA, whether, state or territory, you may see that the redeem button gone and in it's place something about you living outside the usa and you need 100.00 before you can redeem your royalties. You can redeem them, but you need to go into "Update member info" and see if the country option is set on "other". If it is, switch it to the "United States".
So this is not a ridiculous rule of epinions.com, but rather another one of their irritating numerous bugs that they can't rid themselves of. I have no intentions of redemption just yet, but I always like to know I have that option available to me when I chose to use it.
Thank Cosomogirl for giving us the tip!
Renee
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Epinions.com ID:
botsybaby
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Member: Renee
Location: Prescott Valley, Arizona, Usa
Reviews written: 95
Trusted by: 140 members
About Me:
Not gifted, moody, chronic complainer, malcontent, emotional-basket case. That pretty much sums me up.
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