Negative reviews for products

LizT

Did anyone read the beautiful truth’s article about negative reviews? Quite shocking, I didn’t realise brands would contact bloggers and order them to take down negative reviews. Well to be fair, it was only one brand but she said it was a large one.
http://thebeautifultruth.ie/the-ugly-truth/

The beautiful truth is one of the few bloggers who’s not afraid to be negative reviews but I always find her reviews balanced, she doesn’t rip apart stuff for the sake of it. It’s refreshing as a lot of bloggers now seem to just mention stuff they think is great and most posts read like ads. Beautynook is another blogger that I love that will give honest feedback about products.

dudara

It can be hard to write a negative or poor review. You’ve got to find a wa of giving fair critique, and not stray into the territory of hyperbole and/or false statements. It’s a fine line, but if you can do it, then you should have nothing to fear.

Brands have to accept that there will be negative reviews along with the positive.

Sunny Dayz

There should be a balance of negative reviews in blogging. Now not slating, brand bashing reviews, but just non-positive or neutral reviews. A lot of bloggers now especially when they show something on social media, everything is fab, they love it etc. But honestly, you can't love everything! I've bought clothes, make up and beauty products and on using them I've realised that I don't like them for whatever reason. It's just, well, normal!

Sunny Dayz

LizT wrote: »

The beautiful truth is one of the few bloggers who’s not afraid to be negative reviews but I always find her reviews balanced, she doesn’t rip apart stuff for the sake of it. It’s refreshing as a lot of bloggers now seem to just mention stuff they think is great and most posts read like ads. Beautynook is another blogger that I love that will give honest feedback about products.

Two of my fave bloggers, I do trust them and respect their person opinion.


Lovely Girlie Bits is another who IMO is honest. She has often said if she doesn't like a product or if it just doesn't work for her. She has a few youtube videos up of disappointing products which she does well.

Sunny Dayz

dudara wrote: »

It can be hard to write a negative or poor review. You’ve got to find a wa of giving fair critique, and not stray into the territory of hyperbole and/or false statements. It’s a fine line, but if you can do it, then you should have nothing to fear.

Brands have to accept that there will be negative reviews along with the positive.

That's a fair point to make and something I wouldn't be aware of as a reader of blogs, not a blogger meself. But if you are a writer of blogs it's just something you should have to just try and do, moreso if you are a "professional" blogger. We all have stuff in our jobs or our hobbies that we might not like doing or are more difficult to do but you do them for a challenge and a chance.

cee_jay

I find The Beautiful Truth one of the few bloggers I can trust with reviews as they are always quite balanced. I would trust Laura's Views also.
I have seriously grown quite jaded over the blogger reviews everywhere all gushing over the same product at the same time - in fact, when I see this, it instantly turns me off a product, and I won't buy it.
Now, if I am looking at a new product, I will use sites like Sephora or Amazon (or the beauty forum on boards) where people who have bought the product have left reviews - I find these a lot more balanced and truthful than anything any blogger will say.

Sunny Dayz

I don't see how having one or two less than positive reviews of a product could really do that much harm to a brand? Look at movie reviews - some movies don't get a great review in the newspaper but people still go along to watch them. I've read less favourable reviews of products and hotels online but also on the same page read more positive ones - it's just a fact of life that people have different tastes and different opinions on things. And you just take them all into account when you are forming your own opinion.

duffman13

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

I don't see how having one or two less than positive reviews of a product could really do that much harm to a brand? Look at movie reviews - some movies don't get a great review in the newspaper but people still go along to watch them. I've read less favourable reviews of products and hotels online but also on the same page read more positive ones - it's just a fact of life that people have different tastes and different opinions on things. And you just take them all into account when you are forming your own opinion.

Tbh the power of bloggers is actually fairly surprising these days. A lot of people buy or dont buy based on whichever blogger they follow and based on their reviews.

I get where your coming from with film reviews but bloggers are influencers and people follow them closely. I work in a beauty retail and its amazing how quickly sales of a line rise if its featured by some bloggers

retro:electro

Is it an Irish thing, do ye think? Because I follow a lot of UK/US based bloggers and they would frequently do "disappointing products" videos and some of them can acquire their biggest hits. But I've yet to come across an Irish blogger/influencer (apart from those mentioned above) who says "I tried this and I didn't like it- here's why". Most of them swatch things on the back of their hand, say "wow, so fab, can't wait to wear this".. before it disappears into the Ikea drawers never to be seen again.

It seems to be a fear of shaming a product for fear you'll be left of their PR list. I saw it mentioned elsewhere that Sinead from TBT had a negative review about a Smashbox product last year, and coincidently was left off their PR list for the massive box of lippes that everyone got sent.

In particular I would love to know who the brand was who hounded her during work and wouldn't let up even when she was ill. I'd avoid them like the plague. What a horrible way to conduct your business.

meeeeh

I think it depends a little bit on the product. Sometimes a meal in a good restaurant just won't work and harsh review could be a bit unfair when they have a bad day. Similarly a haircut or a facial. It's different when there is constant bad service. Product line items are different, they are what they are and honest review is best. That being said many are not bloggers they are just influencers and they are paid to sell stuff not to be honest. I wouldn't expect much from them.

Edit: as for behaviour of companies, it does more damage than good.

pc7

Does anyone know the review she removed over gossip?

wolfmoon87

pc7 wrote: »

Does anyone know the review she removed over gossip?

It wasn't a review. It was a facebook post asking people's opinion on Pippa's planners and candles.

GingerLily

I just watched on YouTube - Tati's Worst products of 2017 - it looks like she has been harassed by a few companies over negative reviews, I really respect that she doesn't care about staying on PR lists.
She tries a lot to be neutral which I like

Pistachios & cream

GingerLily wrote: »

I just watched on YouTube - Tati's Worst products of 2017 - it looks like she has been harassed by a few companies over negative reviews, I really respect that she doesn't care about staying on PR lists.
She tries a lot to be neutral which I respect

Just watched it too. It’s ridiculous pr companies giving out about negative reviews as she states she’s not reviewing the brand in total it’s just individual products. I like that she mentioned one of the brands too.

Really liked how She also gives a shout out to a brand, a couple of whose products she reviewed negatively who asked her to try more of their products and gave her a gift card so she could do it.

That’s how you deal with negative reviews, ensure reviewers can try more products and hopefully better ones so there are more positive reviews out there. consumers can see that it’s just certain products that don’t work and not the whole brand.

GingerLily

ahayes84 wrote: »

Just watched it too. It’s ridiculous pr companies giving out about negative reviews as she states she’s not reviewing the brand in total it’s just individual products. I like that she mentioned one of the brands too.

Really liked how She also gives a shout out to a brand, a couple of whose products she reviewed negatively who asked her to try more of their products and gave her a gift card so she could do it.

That’s how you deal with negative reviews, ensure reviewers can try more products and hopefully better ones so there are more positive reviews out there. consumers can see that it’s just certain products that don’t work and not the whole brand.

Completely agree - most bloggers (and people to be fair) don't want to be negative so if you give them a chance to say something positive to balance out a negative review they'll most likely take it.

My favourite videos are always 'empties' and 'worst products' because they're the only ones that you can trust aren't only PR freebies.