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Category Leads
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1.
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What are Epinions Category Leads?
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Category Leads are active members of the Epinions community who help Epinions
oversee a particular category.
There are three tasks which Category Leads are required to fulfill, they are:
- Ensure that new reviews in their category are rated by a Category Lead or a category Advisor
- Work to increase high-quality review coverage of key products in their category
- Assist with selection of Top Reviewers and Advisors for their category
Category Leads also perform other functions, but these are not required of them. These include, but are not limited to:
- Adding products which are not listed on Epinions and other members wish to review.
- Recruiting and mentoring new members.
- Acting as the point of contact for Epinions to discuss member concerns.
- Preview and offer feedback on new developments at Epinions.com.
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2.
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What are the benefits of being a Category Lead?
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Members chosen to be Category Leads receive the following benefits:
- More prominent placement of reviews in the category where they have Category Lead status
- More heavily weighted ratings than other Epinions members' ratings in a category.
- A greater role in determining which reviews are seen by new visitors.
- Indication of Category Lead status on their member profile pages, review pages, review listings in their category, in the ratings module on review pages, and comments pages in their category.
- Opportunity to appear as a Featured Member on the Epinions home page and category pages.
- Opportunity to appear in the Category Lead community list in the Member Center.
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3.
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Do Category Leads earn more Income Share than other members?
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Category Leads, like other members,
receive Income Share based on the reviews they've written. Category Leads' reviews are typically the top reviews
seen in their category because of their high quality. Their reviews are likely used more often to make a decision,
thereby earning Category Leads Income Share commensurate with their prominence, similar to Top Reviewers.
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4.
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How are Category Leads selected?
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Category Leads are selected by Epinions. Candidates for a Category Lead position are identified
through nominations from members. Epinions then does research on potential Category Leads and conducts phone interviews with the candidates.
Every Category Lead is:
- Enthusiastic and passionate about contributing to his/her category.
- A long-standing member of Epinions with a body of work that speaks for itself.
- Well-respected and mature, a member who does not create conflicts or dissension.
- A member who has exhibited impeccable integrity and strong values.
- Dedication to creating and supporting unique content on Epinions (see FAQ).
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5.
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How often are Category Leads selected?
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Category Lead selections are reevaluated quarterly.
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6.
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How long does Category Lead status last?
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A Category Leads term last 3 months. At the end of 3 months, if both Epinions and the Category Lead wish to renew, the Category Lead will continue for another term.
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7.
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There is a member who I think would make a great Category Lead. How do I let Epinions know about this member?
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Please use the feedback form which is available at the end of each Category Lead term to nominate any member you feel would make a great Category Lead. There is an announcement put in the
Member Center when the feedback form is available.
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8.
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There is a Category Lead who I think should not be renewed for another term. What can I do about it?
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Please use the feedback form which is available at the end of each Category Lead term to let Epinions know about any Category Lead that you don't feel should renew their term. There is an announcement put in the
Member Center when the feedback form is available.
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Top Reviewers
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9.
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What are Epinions Top Reviewers?
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Top Reviewers are active members of the Epinions community who help shoppers find the best products on Epinions by writing high quality reviews in their category of expertise. Top Reviewers' reviews have received the highest ratings from the Epinions community, and they carefully choose whom to trust.
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10.
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What are the benefits of being a Top Reviewer?
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Members chosen by the community to be Top Reviewers receive the following benefits:
- More prominent placement of reviews in the category where they have Top Reviewer status
- A greater role in determining which reviews are seen by new visitors.
- Indication of Top Reviewer status on their member profile pages, review pages, and review listings in their category
- Opportunity to appear as a Featured Member on the Epinions home page and category pages
- Opportunity to appear in the Top Reviewer community list in the Member Center
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11.
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Do Top Reviewers earn more Income Share than other members?
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Top Reviewers receive Income Share based on the reviews they've written. Top Reviewers' reviews are typically the top reviews seen in their category because of their high quality. Their reviews are likely used more often to make a decision, thereby earning Top Reviewers a disproportionate amount of Income Share each month.
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12.
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How are Top Reviewers selected?
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Top Reviewers are selected primarily on the quality and quantity of reviews written in their area of expertise. Top Reviewers' reviews have received the highest ratings because they meet aspects described in Epinions Rating Guidelines. Epinions members can impact Top Reviewer selection by Trusting or Blocking a member as well as by rating their reviews.
The Epinions community selects Top Reviewers in each category according to the following criteria:
- Quality of reviews written. An overall rating of "Very
Helpful" for the vast majority of reviews in a category.
- Review frequency. Regular contribution of high-quality reviews
to a category.
- Review minimum. Meeting the minimum number of reviews required
in a category.
- Number of first reviews written. Regularly contributing one
of the first few reviews on a product rather than the hundredth review.
- Quality of Web of Trust. A Web of Trust that only includes
other strong members.
- Dedication to creating and supporting unique content on Epinions (see FAQ).
- Compliance with the Epinions User
Agreement.
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13.
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Why doesn't Epinions give the exact criteria for being a Top Reviewer?
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Epinions does not release numbers for the minimum values required for Top Reviewer status or the relative weights of the different criteria in order to prevent members from "gaming" the Top Reviewer selection process.
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14.
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The community selected me to be a Top Reviewer. Can I decline the status?
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Yes. If you are selected by the Epinions community to be a Top Reviewer, you will receive an email notification from Epinions about the opportunity. If you do not wish to be a Top Reviewer, simply reply to the email and let us know. However, if Epinions does not hear from you, your status will be automatically implemented.
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15.
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How often are Top Reviewers selected?
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Top Reviewer selection occurs every eight weeks. At that time, all members, including the current Top Reviewers, are automatically evaluated for Top Reviewer status. Members will be compared to their peers on a category-by-category basis. New Top Reviewers will be selected at this time, and any current Top Reviewers who no longer qualify will be removed.
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16.
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How long does Top Reviewer status last?
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Top Reviewer status and the corresponding benefits are not permanent. Once a member becomes a Top Reviewer, all of his or her reviews will carry the quantitative influence that accompanies the role. However, all members, including current Top Reviewers, are evaluated on an approximately monthly basis. The reviews of Top Reviewers who lose their status will also lose their prominence, and will go back to having the same influence as those of any other member.
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17.
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If I have violated the User Agreement in the past, can I be a Top Reviewer?
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Yes, in some cases. Members found to be in violation of the Epinions User Agreement will be ineligible for Top Reviewer status for a minimum of two selection cycles. After the second cycle is complete, the member may be granted eligibility for Top Reviewer status again at Epinions' discretion.
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18.
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How are Featured Members selected?
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Featured Members are chosen periodically from the current group of Top Reviewers and Advisors.
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19.
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If I am a Top Reviewer, do I have to be a Featured Member?
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No. Once you are selected to be a Top Reviewer, you will receive instructions on how to become a Featured Member if you are interested in doing so.
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20.
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There is a member who I think would make a great Top Reviewer. How do I let Epinions know about this member?
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Top Reviewers are selected by the community, not by the Epinions staff. If you know of someone who you think deserves Top Reviewer status, add that member to your Web of Trust and rate his or her reviews highly. If enough other members agree with you, that person will likely have the opportunity to become a Top Reviewer.
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21.
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There is a Top Reviewer who I think is not meeting the criteria. What can I do about it?
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If you believe the member in question has violated the Epinions User Agreement, you should file an Abuse Report. If Epinions finds that the member has in fact violated the User Agreement, his or her Top Reviewer status will likely be revoked.
If the member has not violated the User Agreement, you should be sure to rate his or her reviews honestly and fairly. If you feel it is necessary, add the member to your Block List. If enough other members feel the same way, that person will likely lose his or her status.
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Advisors
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22.
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What are Epinions Advisors?
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Advisors are active members of the Epinions community who help shoppers find the best content on Epinions by rating (according to Epinions Rating Guidelines) reviews in their category. In addition, Advisors also provide constructive feedback via comments to reviewers on how to improve content quality, and they carefully choose whom to trust.
Advisors do not have the ability to directly edit the content of other members' reviews on Epinions.
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23.
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What are the benefits of being an Advisor?
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Members chosen by the community to be Advisors receive the following benefits:
- More heavily weighted ratings than other Epinions members' ratings in a category.
- A greater role in determining which reviews are seen by new visitors.
- Indication of Advisor status on their member profile pages, in the ratings module on review pages, and comments pages in their category
- Opportunity to appear as a Featured Member on the Epinions home page and category pages
- Opportunity to appear in the Advisor community list in the Member Center
- Potential opportunities to preview and offer feedback on new developments at Epinions.com
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24.
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Do Advisors earn more Income Share than other members?
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Advisors receive an Income Share bonus each month based on how well they fulfill the requirements to become an Advisor in their category. Advisors reviews are eligible for Income Share in their category. However, Advisors' reviews are not highlighted like Top Reviewers' reviews, meaning their reviews do not earn them a disproportionate share of Income Share each month.
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25.
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How are Advisors selected?
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Advisors are primarily selected based on the quality and quantity of ratings and comments given to reviewers' reviews in their category. Epinions members can impact Advisor selection by Trusting or Blocking a member.
The Epinions community selects Advisors in each category according to the following criteria:
- Quality of ratings. Selective rating of others' reviews with feedback ranging from "Not Helpful" to "Very Helpful", and appropriate use of the "Most Helpful" rating.
- Rating frequency. Regular contribution of high-quality ratings to reviews in their category.
- Quality and quantity of comments. Regular contribution of constructive, high quality comments to reviews in their category.
- Rating/comment minimum.Meeting the minimum number of ratings/comments required in each category.
- Quality of Web of Trust. A Web of Trust that only includes other strong members
- Review quality.While reviews are not a requirement for becoming an Advisor, if an Advisor chooses to write reviews they should have an overall rating of "Very Helpful" for the majority of reviews in their category.
- Dedication to creating and supporting unique content on Epinions (see FAQ).
- Compliance with the Epinions User Agreement.
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26.
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Why doesn't Epinions give the exact criteria for being an Advisor?
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Epinions does not release numbers for the minimum values required for Advisor status or the relative weights of the different criteria in order to prevent members from "gaming" the Advisor selection process.
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27.
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The community selected me to be an Advisor. Can I decline the status?
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Yes. If you are selected by the Epinions community to be an Advisor, you will receive an email notification from Epinions about the opportunity. If you do not wish to be an Advisor, simply reply to the email and let us know. However, if Epinions does not hear from you, your status will be automatically implemented.
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28.
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How often are Advisors selected?
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Advisor selection occurs every eight weeks. At that time, all members, including the current Advisors, are automatically evaluated for Advisor status. Members will be compared to their peers on a category-by-category basis. New Advisors will be selected at this time, and any current Advisors who no longer qualify will be removed.
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29.
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How long does Advisor status last?
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Advisor status and the corresponding benefits are not permanent. Once a member becomes an Advisor, all of his or her reviews and ratings will carry the quantitative influence that accompanies the role. However, all members, including current Advisors, are evaluated on an approximately monthly basis. The ratings of Advisors who lose their status will also lose their prominence, and will go back to having the same influence as those of any other member.
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30.
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If I have violated the User Agreement in the past, can I be an Advisor?
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Yes, in some cases. Members found to be in violation of the Epinions User Agreement will be ineligible for Advisor status for a minimum of two selection cycles. After the second cycle is complete, the member may be granted eligibility for Advisor status again at Epinions' discretion.
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31.
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How are Featured Members selected?
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Featured Members are chosen periodically from the current group of Top Reviewers & Advisors.
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32.
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If I am an Advisor, do I have to be a Featured Member?
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No. Once you are selected to be an Advisor, you will receive instructions on how to become a Featured Member if you are interested in doing so.
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33.
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There is a member who I think would make a great Advisor. How do I let Epinions know about this member?
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Advisors are selected by the community, not by the Epinions staff. If you know of someone who you think deserves Advisor status, add that member to your Web of Trust and rate his or her reviews highly. If enough other members agree with you, that person will likely have the opportunity to become an Advisor.
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34.
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There is an Advisor who I think is not meeting the criteria. What can I do about it?
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If you believe the member in question has violated the Epinions User Agreement, you should file an Abuse Report. If Epinions finds that the member has in fact violated the User Agreement, his or her Advisor status will likely be revoked.
If the member has not violated the User Agreement, you should be sure to rate his or her reviews honestly and fairly. If you feel it is necessary, add the member to your Block List. If enough other members feel the same way, that person will likely lose his or her status.
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35.
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Can a member hold both the Top Reviewer and Advisor titles?
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Yes. If a member excels at both rating and writing reviews in their area of expertise, he/she can earn both titles on Epinions. However, the selection process for becoming either a Top Reviewer or an Advisor is more stringent than the review-writing and review-rating requirements used in the previous Advisor selection process. Thus becoming both a Top Reviewer or an Advisor requires focused time and effort on the requirements for each.
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Most Popular Lists
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36.
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How are the Most Popular Reviewers determined?
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Most Popular Reviewers are determined by the number of total visits to their reviews. Most Popular Reviewers in specific categories are based on the members' total number of visits in that category. These pages are updated on a monthly basis.
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37.
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Why are there some discrepancies between total hits and the number of hits posted on the Most Popular lists?
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Hits posted on Most Popular lists do not include hits earned on archived, retired or deleted reviews and topics.
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Can't find the answer to your questions? Contact community care.
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