Do all reviews have to be good?

[lasttango]

MY reviews...my honest opinion.
I understand...that everyone is different. I may love a particular E-Liquid, whereas you may NOT, it will vary from person to person.
I read A LOT of E-Liquid reviews...some have left me wondering...
Does this person work for that company???
I received an e-mail not too long ago, this person wanted me to post my reviews for a specific company...
I agreed, but I am IN NO WAY going to post reviews...to make a company look good...I am going to be HONEST!

I have very mixed feelings on this...
...I'll be honest...
Not that I lie...
...but I do seem to consider the feelings of others...

I am a pragmatist...
I don't believe in this holy horse cra* that everyone is entitled to their opinion and every opinion is equal etc...
If that were true, we'd live in an idiocracy.

no...no...no...
Really, some opinions are more informed than others...
Whose opinion do you want about the health of your heart? A doctor or a bellhop from the Sheraton in Cincinnati?

...and whose opinion do you want regarding e-juice? An inexperienced vaper that doesn't understand steeping, their equipment or how juice is flavored?

Most reviews positive or negative are relatively poor because they are not even reviews...
They contain little valuable information about the juice because most of the people reviewing it lack the experience and frame of reference to describe the juice.

Reviewers almost never have knowledge of the flavorings used... which is the most important aspect of a review to me... If the vendor uses flavourart for example, then I can imagine what the juice will taste like without even trying it... and the tobacco... only so many ways to produce these flavors... absolute? steeping? artificial flavorings? combination...

...and reviewers often leave out another key component... Performance... WHo cares what a juice tastes like if it doesn't sizzle and produce vapor?

...lastly, many reviewers don't give us any frame of reference for their personal tastes...

For example, I don't vape dessert flavors...
so, is it fair of me to start a negative review thread on Ms. T or tasty Vapor? Of course not... because I don't like dessert vapes!

Another example... as a BWB fanboy here... I cringe when I see a negative review about how the given BWB liquid lacks flavor... and then read on to learn that the reviewer loves "in your face flavor."

If you are going to take the time to review something, at least have some familiarity with what the vendor is trying to accomplish...
BWB is crafted without in your face flavor... it needs to steep... so don't complain that your mr. goodbar has peanuts... geezzz...

I know vendors are in it to make money... I am not an idiot... but I still view ECF as a community... and while some vendors use it exclusively as a means to make money, I find that most enjoy what they do and are part of our community...
...and I wish before people took the time to post a review that they at least took the time to post a RESPONSIBLE review (particularly when it's negative)...

There are some folks reviewing here regularly that don't account for their own Biases in their review...

I'm no expert reviewer... but I try to compensate for it by painting a picture of myself so that people can get a sense of whether they'll like the juice or not.

I'm rambling...

and it will do no good...

The review section is relatively poor these days.

Wanna see a good review... cyberwolf just did a good one last night on goodejuice... billherbst's RY4 Round-up... I think my Boba's official thread was good too... a good review invites the reader to make a judgement... everything else isn't really a review... it's more of a rant or lovefest.

 

[Newbz]

Really, some opinions are more informed than others...
Whose opinion do you want about the health of your heart? A doctor or a bellhop from the Sheraton in Cincinnati?

You’re right, to a point. Context matters, especially in terms of experience with vaping.
Newbie reviews have value to others who are similarly situated in the time frame of their vaping journey. We all know tastes are going to change as the months from smoking a PAD to vaping full time roll on. Therefore it makes perfect sense for someone who has been vaping for two weeks to talk about their experience in that context for others who are in the same boat. Is that kind of review valuable to all? Maybe not, but for the people that are still struggling to kick the butts to the curb, there is value.
.

Most reviews positive or negative are relatively poor because they are not even reviews...
They contain little valuable information about the juice because most of the people reviewing it lack the experience and frame of reference to describe the juice.

I haven’t drawn up a pie chart or anything, but I think I give more negative reviews than any other reviewer I’ve read on this forum. I’ve taken some flack for that, and that’s fine. However, if a vendor uses a heavy hand with their sucralose or other artificial sweeteners, I’m going to talk about it. I understand that most people can’t taste what I’m talking about, but for those who can, my reviews can save them time and money spent on a product they may not like. I realize that my little taste bud quirk is a niche inside or a niche market. It’s important that I remember to always remind readers that I am going to give a thumbs down to any flavor that uses saccharine-esque additives. I’m also going to give a thumbs down to tobacco flavors that taste like peanuts. My cigarettes and cigars didn’t taste like nuts and to the best of my knowledge, neither did anyone else’s.

So do my negative reviews have value? They do to the people who share my flavor profile just as much as my positive reviews have value to the same group of people.
I’m also reviewing on a less subjective variable, which is presentation of product. Did my stuff come tightly closed and protected against breakage? Were the labels correct, readable, and easy to understand? Did I receive a business card or some point of contact information? Were the ingredients list, PG/VG, and nic content displayed? Were there lot numbers or expiration dates?

That stuff may not affect the taste of the e-liquid, but it tells me a lot about the backend operation of a vendor. If they can’t be bothered to be professional on the finished product side, it’s a good bet they aren’t doing the things on the backend that we can’t see like keeping their labs clean, utilizing safe handling procedures, or wearing gloves while handling the liquid I’m going to inhale. That stuff matters just as much if not more than the performance of a juice. IOW, if the e-liquid is poorly prepared it could make a person sick, and who gives a damn what it tastes like at that point? So yeah, that stuff matters too.

If you are going to take the time to review something, at least have some familiarity with what the vendor is trying to accomplish...
BWB is crafted without in your face flavor... it needs to steep... so don't complain that your mr. goodbar has peanuts... geezzz...

I would tend to agree with this.

I'm rambling...

and it will do no good...

The review section is relatively poor these days.

I’ve rambled a bit here as well.
If your assertion is correct, then it is up to us as a community, to provide, advise, teach through example, and support better e-liquid reviews on this forum. Unlike many reviewers, I don’t receive complimentary product and the time I spend reviewing isn’t reimbursed in any way. I review product to help people who share my preferences make a purchasing decision. It’s my way of giving back to the community that helped get me smoke free after 15 years of sucking down coffin nails. I don’t think I’m that unusual in that regard and for the most part, reviews are a reflection of people trying to give back for what they’ve received here at ECF.


[FONT="]As always, thought provoking commentary, LT. Thanks for the read. [/FONT]

 

[lasttango]

Newbz, I don't think I could take issue with a negative review you post... that was great...
I am thinking more about bashing I guess... that "tasty vapor is puke" thread really pi**ed me off and I am not even a tasty vapor user...

If your assertion is correct, then it is up to us as a community, to provide, advise, teach through example, and support better e-liquid reviews on this forum.

True... it takes a village...

reviews are a reflection of people trying to give back for what they’ve received here at ECF.

I can't bring myself to do that either...

Reviewing takes responsibility...

There is only one vendor that I regret not doing a negative review on... and I let my community down last year when I didn't give them the zero they deserved... because there were more after me that were left wanting.

in any case... I pretty much just review juices I like...
I'll post a negative review if the vendor goes above and beyond to disappoint... but that is rare... twice in two years.

 

[Newbz]

Reviewing takes responsibility...

There is only one vendor that I regret not doing a negative review on... and I let my community down last year when I didn't give them the zero they deserved... because there were more after me that were left wanting.

in any case... I pretty much just review juices I like...
I'll post a negative review if the vendor goes above and beyond to disappoint... but that is rare... twice in two years.

And I know many reviewers feel the same way. When I first started doing reviews (almost 100 flavors ago now) I considered using the same tact. But then I reasoned through it. IMO only writing positive reviews gives people, specifically new vapers or vapers who have difficult taste buds, the idea that everything is roses, rainbows, and unicorn dust. We've both been at this vaping thing long enough to know that's not the case. I think that's when you get the angry reviews of "vapzalotjoose tastes like sewer waterz!!!!11!!!11" Expectations are so high because all a person sees is a long list of glowing reviews.

Now, I do not criticize anyone for only doing positive reviews. If you're donating time towards this forum to improve it as a resource for other vapers, you get a thumbs up from me.

I take a bit of a different philosophy which is that all reviews that are thoughtful, considered, and well written have value for the average vaper. Positive and negative hold the same weight. Therefore, why not post negative reviews if the experience was indeed negative?

I highly doubt vendors actually read the reviews on this forum, although I try to write mine as though they did. If the service was good even though the flavor wasn't for me I'm going to write about that, as an example. I know vendors are real people trying to turn a buck in a small business during a terrible economy. They need to know what they are doing right just as much as what isn't right. Vapers trying a new vendor need to know the same thing.

Regardless, I enjoy reading your reviews, LT, even though we do not share a similar taste profile.

Anyway, sorry for hi-jacking your thread, OP.

 

[lasttango]

Good discussion started by the OP... I hope it gets some reads.

In any case, I will always give my candid opinion if someone pm's me...and

I take a bit of a different philosophy which is that all reviews that are thoughtful, considered, and well written have value for the average vaper. Positive and negative hold the same weight. Therefore, why not post negative reviews if the experience was indeed negative?

I agree. I'll be better about that myself.