Epinions Review

www.epinions.com

Overall 1.83 of 5 view all 6 reviews

vivasuzi
Livonia, MI

The only good about Epinions is that it led me to Viewpoints!

a member of many survey sites, looking for some extra cash, enjoying surveys

Pros

There are a lot of good friendly members, My epinions friends led me to viewpoints

Cons

Nasty members, Personal attacks, Strict rating system, Site errors and technical issues, It's hard to know who to trust

MAY

2008

I wrote at Epinions for approximately 7 years from March 2000 through sometime in early 2007. I started out addicted and loving it, and ended angry, upset and hating it. The site changed a lot over the years and based on the random visits I make to it now, I know it hasn't gotten any better.

Epinions is a review site, similar to viewpoints, but much harder to navigate, and with a much more high-school like community. I'm not even going to go into how the site works, etc, as I think once you see why I no longer visit you won't want to visit either.

Reasons why I no longer visit

The pay wasn't worth it - When I started I got paid per hit, that didn't last long and now you get paid by some random formula. My pay was around 4-5$ a month, if that, even if I posted 20-30 reviews. Right now they are offering 1-2$ per review as a special, but even with that, it's not worth it to write there due to the other problems.
Technically, the site sucks - When it comes to the actual technology behind the site - it just play stinks. The search engine hasn't worked properly for years, and they are still "working on it". Other problems are you could post a review and have it mysteriously deleted or removed from the site. You could post a review but be in the "wrong" listing for that product so the review never gets hits. On top of all that, the site is just plain outdated.
A High School run by High School Students - I think a lot of people on the site are stuck in high school. They join cliques and they stick by those cliques no matter what. They gang up and bully people who they don't like. If they don't like what you are saying, you are suddenly the bad person. If they don't agree with your opinion, then your opinion is stupid and useless.

Whenever I got attacked on the message board because they didn't like my idea or didn't like what I was saying, it was like I was digging a hole for myself. Every argument I made in my defense became something they would use against me in the future. There are certain members that made me quit the site. There are certain members that seriously need to get a life and stop harassing every person they don't agree with. Or even worse are the members who take the threads off topic with jokes, sarcasticly rude comments, and personal conversation that only people in their clique understand.

IT IS SAD that when this happened, I would get A TON of support through email, but those same members were too intimidated to post their feelings on the board. These members were nice people like me, that were not in the mood to get attacked on the board so they told me their feelings in private. Is that how life should be? Should people be afraid to discuss their opinions in a discussion board?

This behavior was not only on the message board but on reviews themselves. I had times were I wrote a review that maybe disagreed with the mass opinion and people would rate me down for it, or comment that I must be dumb to think that. Yet here on Viewpoints I've never gotten any rude or mean comments like that!

*Don't get me wrong, there are members of the site whom I still respect and I wish they would just leave the site and join me over here!! The problem is that for every 10 good members, there is 1 bad member who makes more damage than those 10 good members could ever make up for.
Some "leaders" who you just couldn't respect - There were some leadership visible on the message boards who I just couldn't respect. I felt they were very inconsistent with their treatment of members. If Member A posted a complaint on the board, said leaders would be super nice about saying how they are trying to fix that problem. If Member B posted a similar or even the same complaint on the board, said leaders would be sarcastic, nasty, and rude.

There were a lot of times where I felt like I posted a seemingly harmless thread asking a question. Yet said leaders, and others on the board who had no life, would go hunting down who I might be talking about. Then they would attack me for attacking another member. I once asked how someone could get a Top Reviewer title if they haven't written anything in a category during the 3 months which the Top Reviewer title was supposed to cover. That turned into them saying I was attacking someone for getting the title and I should mind my own business.
You can't complain about the site - because if you do the epinions cheerleaders will come out of the woodworks saying you are being too harsh and epinions is awesome, etc, etc. I want a site where I can make suggestions for improvements without being told I am wrong. It's ok to say they are going in a different direction, but to blatantly state that my suggestion is wrong is just plain rude. I saw many newbies who would pop in to the message boards with a suggestion here or there, and a lot of times they were instantly squashed by people telling them why they were wrong or their idea was stupid.
Overall the site plain sucks - and I'm over it. There is no way I would ever return to write there as long as the current behavior continues from some of the members. Even if they turn around and offer $10 per review, it wouldn't be worth it! Epinions is based on the "in-crowd" philosophy. You're either in or your out. I tried to fit in, but then I just plain quit! It's not worth it!! DON'T VISIT!

It's about respect
If you want a site where people RESPECT your opinion, no matter what it is, come to Viewpoints where the members act like adults and not children. Not to mention the fact that the site runs much better and has much more advanced features.

Last edited on May 30, 2008

Epinions is not recommended by vivasuzi

Review inappropriate? Copyright violation?

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Comments about vivasuzi’s Review

In response to MellaView's comment from Jun 10, 2008 at 1:20PM:

I don't know why I never replied to your comment, must have missed it :) Well even though this is over a year old... Yes I do remember how angry some of them would get if you dared write at another site! Now I write at a few sites and know the good folks here at VP wouldn't ever be mad about it.

I've visited the boards as of late, just to see. I think things seem a bit nicer there but ONLY because many people have left and now it seems a lot like the people who are friends are just talking to each other. I laugh everytime I see a thread there about a problem that they've had for the last 10 years and some newbie actually thinks they can make a difference :-D It's been messed up for years, you aren't going to make a difference now :)

Another gripe- when rules only apply for those the herd does not like. If the herd likes you though, break, break, break away with no worry about consequences.

Suzi, I couldnt agree more. Its not the sites crappy search engine, or messed up missing reviews that keep me from it, its the childish junior high behavior Ive recieved from HIGHER THAN THOU members. lol. I know exactly what you mean... and hey did you know that if you write for another site, they get their panties in a bunch, and tell you to 'GO BACK TO (NAME OF SITE)' if you post in their boards. They have truly turned it into a 'only members we like can post' board. lol. Its so sad and disturbing, especially when they stalk you out on other sites, and make up false accusations about you. So sad, so so very sad, and pathetic.

In response to williampinn's comment from Jun 5, 2008 at 3:40PM:

Those are excellent points. I knew from the start that the staff here was FAR friendlier than Epinions. In fact it's a very warm feeling here...more than any of the other review sites I've been to so far. I just wish I had the time to write reviews. There's a lot of people from Epinions who have joined this site. I know quite a few. Some are folks who I have always liked and respected and some who were quite rude to me on the Epinions boards...but seem to be nice enough here. I guess it's like you said, many of the people at Epi follow the tone set.

In response to krus54's comment from Jun 5, 2008 at 10:47AM:

***"I've noticed that even some of the people who could be quite nasty on the message boards on Epinions are as friendly as they can be on THIS site. Now why is that?"***

My theory is it comes down to leadership or the lack thereof. The staff at this site set the positive, welcoming tone right from the start. Those who have a herd mentality follow that lead. By contrast, the staff at epinions are generally rude and uncaring--setting a negative tone for the herd to follow. Speaking for myself, I am much better here than I was at epinyawns. I respond much better to fairness and mutual respect than I do to blatant hypocrisy and double standards.

In response to vivasuzi's comment from Jun 5, 2008 at 10:37AM:

I've also gotten almost all VH's on my reviews. I'm so disillusioned with Epinions now. Between the pennies paid out for reviews, the crummy search engine that never really gets fixed after all these years, the petty and not so petty fights that go on between members and the cliques, it is as you mentioned...a high school type, childish environment. I've noticed that even some of the people who could be quite nasty on the message boards on Epinions are as friendly as they can be on THIS site. Now why is that? Despite all that, Epinions still has a fairly good reputation as a place to go for consumer written reviews. Maybe that will change, maybe not.

In response to krus54's comment from Jun 5, 2008 at 9:20AM:

Thanks for your thoughts :) I always got VH ratings on all my reviews but still the "Top Reviewers" would show up first, therefore I wouldn't get as many hits. I hated how in some cats the top reviewers would write on everything so that the regular reviewer like me rarely got first spot. I never understood that sorting, basically bumping down reviews based on status, didn't make sense to me.

If they were to instead sort the reviews based on # of ratings, or # of VHs, I bet you'd find some of those TRs that aren't so great start sinking out of view.

I couldn't agree with you more. It's almost like they were my words! A couple of things I might want to change. The formula for payment isn't "random" though it sure seems like it. For instance, reviews on hotels, restaurants and movies will earn only a few pennies, while electronics reviews and specifically newer items will earn quite well.

Plus people who have what are called "hats" or titles will earn a lot more than the rest of us. The more reviews (and highly rated reviews) you have, the more likely your review will come at the top in someone's search so they will get more 'hits' and thereby earn more money.

I think if a person wants to just write reviews, not care about the money and just wants to socialize (because they don't have a life outside of a computer), Epinions may not be so bad.

I'm impressed how you so accurately captured the essence of the current Epinions.

In response to mrkstvns's comment from Jun 4, 2008 at 11:35AM:

Haha, so it's worse then sucks? What would that be?

"Technically, the site sucks"

Oh come on now. Don't go telling everybody that Epinions' technical competence is higher than it really is. They're not all THAT good.

In response to vivasuzi's comment from Jun 1, 2008 at 8:51PM:

Things must be getting worse. I see some of the biggest epinyawns Kool-aid drinkers posting at other sites now.

In response to jazzybean01's comment from Jun 2, 2008 at 1:57PM:

:) I am glad to be here! Funny thing is some of my friends signed up a long time before me and I was like "nah, let me know how you like it". Well they couldn't say enough good stuff so I joined! Couldn't be happier. Even this responding to comments thing from our own profile page feature is awesome!

In response to ChrisJarmick's comment from Jun 2, 2008 at 1:11PM:

I agree I also had some good times there, especially in the beginning - pre message boards :-D But even outside of the message boards I found problems so it's not like it's 100% the fault of the boards. I wish more of the nice people there would switch over to here :) Unfortunately not everyone sees the problems, and then there are some people who simple can deal/ignore them. I can't!

I'm so glad you found us here at Viewpoints. I must say it is a very cheery and helpful crowd here. I discovered Viewpoints through Mypoints. Enjoy!

Well I had a lot of ups and downs at Epinions and can say some of the journey was very good but ultimately I bowed out of there, tired of the never working search engine, the hypocrisy of some of the rules and the way they are enforced. There are some wonderful people at Epinons and some great writing there too. Proceed there with caution and know it is very very cliquish. Good review.. enjoyed

In response to vivasuzi's comment from Jun 2, 2008 at 12:21PM:

I know what you mean. I have one of those "greyed out" reviews, or better put, one that I know of. I also have reviews that appear on my member page but...for some bizarre reason, don't appear in the proper product page. As you say, the bug is annoying...to say the least.

In response to Fardreamer's comment from Jun 2, 2008 at 12:07PM:

Yeah I've heard of the newer bugs coming out, especially about reviews that completely disapper or become grayed out! I'm glad I left before all of that b/c I would have been super annoyed to write reviews and end up losing them, or not getting any hits.

In response to vivasuzi's comment from May 31, 2008 at 11:42PM:

And even the $10-4-10 promo is a bit...stress-inducing. It's sort of nice to see that Epinions will pay out the bonuses to reviews that wouldn't ordinarily gain traction, IS-wise, and it's sort of cool to see that some members make it interesting by setting goals and supporting other members in reaching theirs, but at times it's really hard to get motivated, especially with a new bug (the /review/ bug) that plays havoc with how many hits reviews really get.

In response to Jo's comment from Jun 2, 2008 at 6:54AM:

Well I'm just glad to hear from so many people that they agree with me! At least I know I wasn't crazy :)

In response to Jo's comment from Jun 2, 2008 at 6:54AM:

Well I'm just glad to hear from so many people that they agree with me! At least I know I wasn't crazy :)

In response to GeorgeChabot's comment from Jun 2, 2008 at 8:37AM:

Except he's not really gone. He's still alive and really into the msg boards, and I've heard he's still taken to emailing members. But I agree if you stay away from the msg boards, it's a lot easier to deal with. Then it's just the technical glitches, reviews disappearing, search sucking, and other tech problems you have to live with :)

In response to GeorgeChabot's comment from Jun 2, 2008 at 8:37AM:

The message boards are a swamp and should be fumigated to get rid of all the insects. I still write because I don't go in for the "high school confidential" schtick all that much. There are still some good folks, as you said. I think with Garrett gone it might take a turn for the better. We'll see.

These reviews must be the buzz of that site! Good for you. Jo

In response to williampinn's comment from Jun 1, 2008 at 7:11PM:

Lord of the flies is a good comparison :) Yep I've heard worse things since I left as well, makes me glad I left when I did! Many people told me that the day they stop paying 10 4 10, they are all leaving.

Wow! Someone who thinks like I do! Can I bookmark this page? I think it helps a lot that this site lacks designated trolls with tiny blue wieners. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. You certainly don't wanna give it to high school kids--you end up with "Lord of the Flies."

I have friends over at epinyawns also. I guess they really need that exra dollar/per review. LOL! They could make more if they write a cardboard sign that says, "Will work for food." My friends over there tell me things have actually gotten worse since I left. How is that possible? Leave it to epinyawns to figure out how to make a pile of doo doo stink worse.

In response to kid-kansas's comment from Jun 1, 2008 at 4:16AM:

I actually have an idea for a funny review about the "drama" of Viewpoints. I told Kevin about it making it sound like an old time radio soap opera. Made him laugh. I'm hesitant though because I'm not sure evryone else will think it's funny. Still...I'm tempted. Cheers!

In response to kid-kansas's comment from Jun 1, 2008 at 4:16AM:

In response to LadyMagic's comment from Jun 1, 2008 at 1:56AM:

Writers stutter would describe me very well....lol I get in moods where I just can't think very straight.....but that happens, I have 3 partly finished ones that my mind just won't focus on....;) Here's to a drama free but comedy a plenty site, where all writers are created equal....CHEERS!! ;)

In response to vivasuzi's comment from May 30, 2008 at 9:06PM:

I agree. It can also be a growing experience.

In response to kid-kansas's comment from May 31, 2008 at 1:36PM:

What? No drama...with all the mishaps people go through that lead to reviews. And the joys....and the anticipation of what the next review will hold, not to mention the suspense of the dreaded writers' block (of which, alas, I'm am working on overcoming, or maybe I should call it writer's stuttering - I have the reviews I just am challenged at getting them out). No drama???!!!!! Hehehe Sorry I couldn't resist! Hope you didn't mind. : ) Thank God no clicks.

In response to Fardreamer's comment from May 31, 2008 at 2:31PM:

It's amazing how many people tell me they left the site for the same reasons, yet a lot of those at the site still think there is nothing wrong with it! I still have friends at the site b/c of the 10 4 10 and all that, but I know a lot of them are going to drop off it if the 10 4 10 ever stops.

Hello there...and Wow!...this was an awsome point of view...You go Girl :)
I'm a newbie here, But I'd still like to say "Welcome" to VP :)

Ah, so that's why I stopped seeing your name at Eps. I'm still there, but my best friend left the site in the summer of '06 because she was tired of all the drama and really unkind behavior of some people there.

In response to vivasuzi's comment from May 31, 2008 at 10:51AM:

No it shouldn't and that's why I left, if I wanted drama or cliques I would have went back to high school. ;)

In response to LoveisJoy's comment from May 31, 2008 at 10:01AM:

It was most frustrating for me that even when I thought I was doing and saying everything right, there were still those who would be mean. Even in High School I got along with people if I had to! Oh well, if it wasn't for the friends I made at Epinions, I probably would have never found VP!

In response to kid-kansas's comment from May 31, 2008 at 1:17AM:

Yep! And so what if I happen to disagree a lot, it shouldn't be a reason to be outcast!

I completely understand your sentiments. Years ago, I had only written a couple of reviews on Epinions when I began to sense the "high school clique" mentality. I hated my high school social scene and I certainly didn't want to return to a virtual one, so I promptly quit. Of course, if my high school had been more like the Viewpoints community I probably would have enjoyed it. :)

I left there in 02' for those very reasons, when you disagree with the status quo you become dirt!

In response to LadyMagic's comment from May 30, 2008 at 8:38PM:

Yep I've had a blast at Viewpoints! I feel like everyone, new members and old members, are all welcoming and just looking to have fun!

Thank you for sharing. Viewpoints is the best! You can be yourself and express your honest "viewpoint" and discover new friends. : ) Your review is an eyeopener of Epinion - thanks.