OFF TOPIC REVIEWS.

Following a question from a member today, whose responsibility do you feel it is to ask ciao to move a review that you have read to the right category when its been posted in the wrong place. I always believed it was the writers responsibility, but thinking about it, if I were a new member and was told that, would I know how to do it, and should we not be more understanding and help.

What are your views.

Sorry but I'm not going to ask Ciao to move somebody else's review. I don't mind pointing the writer in the right direction by telling them how to contact Ciao, but it's not that hard to post in the right category in the first place, is it?

I actually disagree because new members do it easily. I did it and was mortified when I realised. If it's a new member then don't we as members have a responsibility to help out ? Someone kindly helped me and I was very grateful.

That came out a little harsher than I intended, but tbh it really isn't that hard to find the right category for a product, and saying that the category wasn't there doesn't really wash either. On my first day on Ciao I managed to propose a category when I realised that there wasn't a category available for what I wanted to write about. And then I waited for it to be added before posting. I know everyone may not be as patient as I was, but if I could manage it as an absolute beginner, then it can't be that difficult.

Okay compare experiences. You are quite technically astute. I am not. You learned the ways of ciao quickly. I did not. Many members don't find their way around. Many are too busy writing reviews !! But I guess if we take balance over the whole site, and some help and some don't, we actually achieve a good state of affairs anyway.

Entirely the writers responsibility but if they asked me for help I would be happy too. Like Sandra says though it is relatively easy to put something in the right category.

Also I'm not saying I wouldn't help someone out if they asked me how to get a review moved (depending on how I was asked), because I have done on a few occasions. I've no problem when someone admits they've made a mistake, what I do have a problem with is when someone deliberately posts OT and starts their review by saying something along the lines of "I know this isn't the right category but it's the closest I could find..."

sandemp wrote:

Also I'm not saying I wouldn't help someone out if they asked me how to get a review moved (depending on how I was asked), because I have done on a few occasions. I've no problem when someone admits they've made a mistake, what I do have a problem with is when someone deliberately posts OT and starts their review by saying something along the lines of "I know this isn't the right category but it's the closest I could find..."

Usually a film in the walkers sensations category or something as close

Admin wrote:

Many members don't find their way around. Many are too busy writing reviews !!

I think part of the trouble with many new members is exactly that they're too busy writing reviews and don't spend anytime getting to know the site that they've just joined. I know I spent a while reading all the FAQs, checking the site out and then read some reviews before I even thought about writing my own. Now that's probably my suspicious nature, the idea of getting paid for giving my opinion seemed to good to be true so I checked all aspects of the site out before jumping in.

Following on from what Sirg said, is that a big problem seems to be that a lot of OT reviews seem to go un-noticed. There's been quite a few times where I've come across a review that's been rated ten or more times and I'm the first one to notice it's OT. Now one GB message I got from the author after I had given my rate, was along the lines of "Yes you're right, thanks for being honest, how do I move it?", that's the kind of person that I'm only too happy to help out.

Many of us don't though Sandra. Many just jump in thinking we can make a fortune, and I think that's where ciao fail, in that their activation email doesn't tell you much about what's expected of a new member.

sandemp wrote:

Sorry but I'm not going to ask Ciao to move somebody else's review. I don't mind pointing the writer in the right direction by telling them how to contact Ciao, but it's not that hard to post in the right category in the first place, is it?

Oooo you sound so harsh you bi**h. I'd never have worded it so blunt, uncaring and coldly But I am in agreement with you. I'll give them a hand and show them where to go but i'm not gonna wipe their bums for them aswell.

I do disagree with you in one respect though. It is or rather it can be hard to post in the right category in the first place. When I first joined I wanted to write about something (can't remember what) and for the life of me I couldn't find the category. That's when I came across the 'How To Write Opinions' category and stupid braindead me ended up posting my (very short) review using that category cos I didn't know any better. I've noticed lots of others doing the exact same thing in the last two years aswell.

sandemp wrote:

Sorry but I'm not going to ask Ciao to move somebody else's review. I don't mind pointing the writer in the right direction by telling them how to contact Ciao, but it's not that hard to post in the right category in the first place, is it?

I managed to post OT on Epinions, after having been at this reviewing lark for 3 years or more! It's still OT as I haven't a clue how to go about moving it, and I am never there anyway.

On Ciao, I will get it moved for the writer, if I have time. Don't always have the time though

sugarnspice wrote:

I do disagree with you in one respect though.

How dare you disagree with me, I'm perfect and am always right. Oh yeah this is the real world, yes mistakes can be made, but with a lot of OT reviews the author knows they're putting it in the wrong place. These are the one's that p*ss me off.