EXPLAINING THE DIFFERENT RANKS ON EPINIONS.

Can a member please explain the different ranks on Epinions, how they work and how people achieve them. Thank you.

If you mean Category Lead, Advisor, and Top Reviewer, that's something you have to be chosen for by the powers-to-be at Epinions.

Category Leads are in control of that particular category that have be chosen for by the staff at Epinions. They are the people who take the mebers concerns to Epinions. They also add new product items in their respective category. If an item you want to review isn't there. then just e-mail the category lead and ask them to put it up.

Advisors are chosen by the Category Leads and they help sort through and rate the reviews on Epinions according to the guidelines. They are there to help consumers find top quality reviews on any given subject and are supposed to leave constructive criticism on how to make the reviews better if they are already not. This position is supposed to be re-evaluated, I think, every 3 months, but I don't think that happens.

Top Reviewers are selected by Advisors and it's really a reward for those members who have written quality reviews in a given category. Their reviews will always be at the top of the search list, along with Leads and Advisors, for people to see.

If you have any of these "hats", as it is commonly referred to, the chances of people finding your reviews are higher. Plus, I think the payout is a bit better, especially for Leads and Advisors.

Members can alert the Leads and Advisors on people they think should get a hat. I don't know when the next re-evaluation is but I know it's long overdue.

Much like it is on dooyoo I suppose with guides, and one can see why things need sorting and that you do need some kind of leader but what worries me is that most stuff I read has a very helpful ratings. There doesn't seem to be a lot of lower rating on there although the option is available.

Thingywhatsit wrote:

what worries me is that most stuff I read has a very helpful ratings. There doesn't seem to be a lot of lower rating on there although the option is available.

But then the standard is infinately higher IMHO.

steerpyke wrote:

Thingywhatsit wrote:

what worries me is that most stuff I read has a very helpful ratings. There doesn't seem to be a lot of lower rating on there although the option is available.

But then the standard is infinately higher IMHO.

I would disagree. Even some of the leading reviewers opinions would be U at best on dooyoo yet are VH all the way on eps.

maybe, but the minimum standard is much higher, wouldnt you say? None of these half baked three line attempts that say very little.

I post and run, and I do that infrequently. I hardly ever read on Epinions.

I have never liked the site, partly down to some unbelievably anal feedback I got once!

That said, I have managed to acquire $32 in my account, and having just been to America, I have about ten reviews in the pipeline that are worth posting over there. I want to see if I can make the big $100 and cash out...next to impossible I fear....(especially as I don't know how to add products!)

elvisdo wrote:

...

Top Reviewers are selected by Advisors and it's really a reward for those members who have written quality reviews in a given category. Their reviews will always be at the top of the search list, along with Leads and Advisors, for people to see.

If you have any of these "hats", as it is commonly referred to, the chances of people finding your reviews are higher. Plus, I think the payout is a bit better, especially for Leads and Advisors.

Members can alert the Leads and Advisors on people they think should get a hat. I don't know when the next re-evaluation is but I know it's long overdue.

Actually, Top Reviewers are also selected by the Leads, and there are official criteria for Top Reviewers and Advisors, which the leads are supposed to follow. Never having been a lead, I don't know whether they do. Leads get a list of people rated by the mechanical criteria, and apply their own opinions, which then need to be approved by management (Most information and rumours are from 2004 -- I haven't talked to a lead about the selection procedure since then, but as a Top Reviewer and an Advisor, I can testify I was never asked to provide input on others' ranks.)

Advisors (and possibly Leads) have a bonus payout for rating reviews in their categories; I think only Top Reviewers and Leads get more prominant placement for their reviews, although all three types have an option to appear in the "Featured Reviewer" display rotation.

Reviews seem to be about every 6-9 months -- at least, that's how often I get notices that my status is maintained.

Spelling corrected

When I went on there, I foudn that the established members closed ranks and made new members very uncomfotable. I remember other people saying the same thing.

Do you know if this has stopped now and the "cliques" have gone?

Angus wrote:

When I went on there, I foudn that the established members closed ranks and made new members very uncomfotable. I remember other people saying the same thing.

Do you know if this has stopped now and the "cliques" have gone?

I'm not in one of the cliques any more, so I'm not certain. I attempt to welcome new members even if I think their reviews stink, but I'm fairly harsh on violators of the rules, including some I'm not absolutely certain are official rules.

Sorry not to be of more help.

Arthur.Rubin wrote:

...............................but I'm fairly harsh on violators of the rules, including some I'm not absolutely certain are official rules..........

So why be harsh then? That's whats wrong with many opinion sites, members make up rules, and then enforce them!!!!!!

I actually wondered the same thing but thought it was a typo !

steerpyke wrote:

maybe, but the minimum standard is much higher, wouldnt you say? None of these half baked three line attempts that say very little.

That is true, even newer members tend to string a few useful paragraphs together. I am liking eps at the mo although the US led products means I sometimes feel like I cannot join in.