Someone a while back criticized advicesisters.com, because there are no negative reviews on the site. I work so hard to make my stories useful, informative, and honest. But as I considered what this person said, I realized that it could look like I never see a product or service I didn’t like because I won’t trash a company, person, or service. Here are my thoughts on this topic and why you won’t see any negative reviews on this website.
The $2,500 Tootbrush Test:
My goal is to direct my readers and followers to products that will enhance their lives and make them easier, more successful, interesting, beautiful, and fun.
I see lots of products and services I simply can’t see myself suggesting. One such product I tried recently was a toothbrush that promised it could clean all my teeth in 10 seconds. It sounded great and I wanted to test it out. When something seems too good to be true, it usually is.
I tried it but it didn’t work as promised. Worse, I ended up with a large dental bill due to a cracked molar and a chipped front tooth. I wrote back and told the company what had happened. I got a mild apology. I asked if they would like an honest review or none at all. For both of us, it seemed to be the best course of action. I will always offer a company the option to get my honest review, or not write about it. If something doesn’t work (e.g. tech items often have glitches) I will work with the company to figure out what is wrong. If this happens, I will mention that I had to try several times or contact support to get it to work.
In All Honesty:
I could write horrible reviews but my experience is that of just one person. Just because I didn’t like something doesn’t mean that others will feel the same way. In fact, realized early on as I reviewed products on advicesisters.com that this is true. Read }there is a lid for (almost) every pot, below:
That doesn’t mean it’s all positive. If something is greasy, leaves a residue, or has ingredients that might be compromising or even harmful to some people, I will mention it. I might say I don’t love the color or the consistency, but am careful to say that is just my personal opinion. I don’t put the same wording on every product review but if I think it might be problematic for some people, I will suggest that they consult their doctor before trying it. In addition, this is also found in my disclosure document in great detail.
But…There is a Lid for (Almost) Every Pot:
Some years ago I received a set of fragrances to review that were from a celebrity. The bottles were classic, but the fragrances were so awful (in my personal opinion) that I simply wrote about the fragrance notes and said I loved the bottle. That left the door open for my intelligent readers to decide whether they wanted to pursue learning more about the fragrance or purchase it.
A fragrance is a highly personal choice, but these scents, each and every single one, made me want to um..puke. They smelled so awful. But I was chatting with a friend and she wanted to smell them. I gave the entire set to her. The next she called me to say that these were some of the most wonderful scents she had ever tried! I was humbled as I realized I could have really trashed these products. I’m glad I restrained myself!
To learn more about what advicesisters.com does and how I do it please go to https://advicesisters.com/privacy-policy/ and check out the A Sample is Not a Gift nor Compensation and the Our Reviews and Safety sections.
Your comments are most welcome.
Alison w. Blackman
