Deals that are linked to stores are not reviewable. Products are. For some products it can be very frustrating to try to write a review. You might have to scroll though a whole lot of deals to find a reviewable listing. Others don't seem to have any reviewable listing.

Some of use the "visit store" versus "see details" button to help differentiate the listings. Others are using the little "i" that appears when you hover your mouse over the listing's picture. In any case, if you want to write a review, you'll have to find a listing that's reviewable using one of these methods.

This is how it is on SDC right now, and it's not going to change in the near future. For sure, since there are to be no further releases, it won't change in 2010. It might, however, change in 2011. Damon gave us some hope here that at least the situation will be looked at.

That's the only official word we've received on the situation. Since multiple threads have been started about this same issue I am pinning this topic, and locking two of the others. This will help keep us to the "one issue/one thread" guideline.

For your reading pleasure, the other threads that talk about this same here are

here (locked but still available for reading)

here (locked but still available for reading)


and

here

although that last one started out talking about the beta rewards program, but morphed into this topic. I've left that thread open, but ask that it keep to its original topic.


Thanks for helping to keep the threads organized... It makes it much easier to follow the discussions!


MonaMod

My experience with writing reviews at SDC is that the little "i" provides a clickable link with more information about the product and that takes us to the store or to the product. It's not what indicates a reviewable product. The most reliable tool is the "See Details" that appears when you roll over, especially in conjunction with the statement of numbers of stores associated with the product. I think we're all eager for the day that all of the products have reviewable links associated with them. Yes, you're correct, not all products are reviewable. There are products that can be reviewed, but it takes time to find those that you have experience with. I've been creating a private list for when I come across some and adding them to that list.

patsy

Can you find anything to review in books? I spent a while trying today and it's really frustrating. Almost everything I turned up, even newer stuff, links only to stores and not to a place to review. I'm confused about why the Beta program has been launched if the site's not ready for writers.

Sorry if this sounds way behind the curve...I'm sure this has all been addressed in many other places. I've had the busiest fall of my working life and I'm not getting as much time as I want on Epinions, much less finding time to explore SDC! So when I finally took a while to try to figure things out today, I ended up feeling pretty stumped. I'm wondering if items in categories other than books/media are easier to find review links for -- I hope so!

When I wanted to find a book to review, my attempts through the SDC search engine were beyond frustrating. I resorted to using Google and found my link right away. Sure, it's a nice work-around for those of us who know to do that, but I really think this whole issue is a big problem for non-members not lucky enough to be "in the know".

Well in this case I typed the following into Google's search bar:

"book name" + "author name" site:shopping.com

And it took me directly to the listing that allowed a review.

Quite an understatement: maybe 5-10%?

There may be epinions orphaned from listings that exist, too.

I too have been having a tough go of it a Shopping.com. One can waste an awful lot of time searching for the product you want to review! I am just about at the point where the 1 dollar per review they are offering to post at the site is not worth the effort it take to try and post one!

Can you send me a link or a screen shot, or the product name, and I'll see if I can find out what's going on.

eta: Thanks for the additional info, Pops. I've sent it along - and will report back when there's an answer.

Hello

FWIW this is the same as the "related deals" problem on Epinions.

It would be "nice" to hear either "These 'deal' things will be merged somehow into product headings so people shopping for the product will see your review" or "No, that's not in the works." The appearance of "deals" a few years ago half-broke the site (from a writer's perspective), but so far, nothing but silence.