Dear fellow bloggers and readers,
This morning while surfing on a friend’s website, I saw that she had reviewed a fun puzzle from Chris Yates.
So being a reviewer, I decided I could ask to review one of his products… I mean if I don’t ask, how would I know if I would have the opportunity to review it.
So here’s the email I send EVERYTIME I request to review a product. I have sent this email dozens of times in the past.
Good morning,
My name is Isabelle but I am known on the blogosphere as the Canadianladybug. I stumbled on your site this morning and I was wondering if you would allow a Canadian mom who blog to review your products.
Since about 3 years I am doing various reviews for products and books. It all started when I participated to the viral marketing project from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. I was part of 100 participants who had to review homeschool products from many publishers over a period of 9 months. When the time was up, I had re-discovered a love to tell others about books and products. So I contacted other publishers and started reviewing book. At the end of 2009, I had also included other products. I would love to continue to expand my review opportunities.
In case you are interested, here’s a bit more information about us. We are a bilingual homeschooling family of 2 adults and 4 kids ages 9 (Boy), almost 7 (boy), 5 (boy) and 3 (girl). My kids are involved in various aspects of product testing when it touches them. In a way, it is an interesting homeschool opportunity for our kids to get involved in the reviews. We also RV during the spring, summer and fall seasons. As a family we love to discover new places and explore together.
My blog is increasing in readers and my posts feed through to my Canadianladybug Reviews! Facebook like page. I also tweet about the review I do on my Canadianladybug Reviews! Twitter account. When it is possible I also post on amazon.ca and indigo.ca.
I do not charge for reviews. However, I request a full-version sample of the products to be reviewed which I get to keep. If you would let a Canadian mom review some of your products, I would be interested.
I am also open to do giveaways on my blog. However, the only request I have if you choose to do a giveaway is that the product by shipped to the winner by you.
I look forward to discover your products and work with you!
Isabelle aka Canadianladybug
Visit me at Canadianladybug Reviews! or Mouthworthy
Like the Canadianladybug Reviews! on facebook
Follow me on twitter.
Clear. Simple. Straightforward. Sometimes, I don’t hear back from the companies I contact. Other times I get a simple No or Yes. But never in the past three years during which I have been doing this have I received this kind of a reply.
This afternoon, while I was preparing supper I received an email from Chris Yates saying:
You don't charge for reviews??? And you're on facebook *and* twitter??? Wow, I should just send you all kinds of free stuff for your kids to play with!
-cy
To this I replied to him with the email below.
Yes I don't charge for reviews. However if you do decide to send anything please make sure that you do send media mail to avoid charges when it cross
the border. If you send UPS please mention you will pay for charges as well...
That is all I ask. I could do a giveaway as well but I ask that it is shipped by the company who is making the product. I could limit the giveaway to US or or US and Canada. It is up to you.
I think the whole family would enjoy your products.
Thanks for considering it.
Isabelle aka Canadianladybug
To this he answered me… (dear reader and fellow blogger – please sit down before continuing)
I think someone forgot to turn on their sarcasm detector today.
Excuse me?
Granted I might be a little bit gullible but at first it actually sounded like a compliment. What can I say?
Should I permit this person to walk over me and make fun of the whole request. If Mr. Yates is not interested he just have to either delete the email and be done with it OR email me stating that thanks but at this time he is not interested.
Would I recommend my blogger friends to approach this guy to request to review his product? Definitively not.
Would I consider purchasing products from Chris Yates? Not anymore. As cool as the products might be, I do not appreciate being treated as a door mat and being ridiculed this way.
This person obviously needs some lessons on how to treat people. How can you expect doing business with others if you are treating them with sarcasm.
So fellow readers and bloggers, if you are considering either reviewing or purchasing his products, please don’t.
Gullible and proud.
Isabelle aka Canadianladybug
WOW! When I read his response, I would have taken it as a compliment too. When I read said compliment, I'd wondered why you put BEWARE! Having read it all...I can see why now. Instead of viral marketing, he'll be getting viral boycotting. Sheesh!
ReplyDeleteI just find it so sad. Why do we have to treat others with indignity? You know I think, unfortunately, we're just seeing more and more people who are not willing to be kind to others. It's a terrible shame.
ReplyDeleteWow!!! What a jerk!!!! He will NEVER get my business!!!!
ReplyDeleteWOW - that is so rude!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that he would be so nasty! If he doesn't want to work with you - that's okay - but like you said, he could have hit delete OR he could have been polite.
That is just tacky! I'm a pretty sarcastic person as well but there is a difference between being sarcastic and downright nasty and rude!
Hmm, that was quite interesting. It is a bit confusing if he meant it as a compliment or a jab. That's too bad :(
ReplyDeleteActually, since I wasn't the one to get a weird email, just the one reading them, it sort of cracks me up. But maybe I'm in a weird mood today. . . .I think a followup - would be - you also do paid reviews, $50.00 per review that will hit hundreds if not thousands of people - AND you insist on two samples for product quality and consistency. :)
ReplyDeleteLOL! What Pebblekeeper said!
ReplyDeleteThe guy was totally rude - no doubt about that. In my head I'm going back and forth between hitting delete of his response or 'giving it to him' in a response email....
If given the benefit of doubt, maybe he didn't realize how his response would come across. But, unfortunately, I'd have to fall to my husbands usual response to things like this: tell it like it is and no b.o.d: and say he's just not a nice person and not deserving of a free review anyways.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you should send an email saying:
ReplyDelete“Mr CY, You have an interesting point of view.
Please check out the following blog commentary as the perspectives expressed would be beneficial to your future endeavours.”
Then send him the link to this posting, so this rude man can read the opinions expressed and gain some perspective on his poor communication skills....hopefully your blog will help him learn the importance of etiquette!
That's crazy! I've sent out similar letters and have never gotten a response like that! He should apologize!
ReplyDeleteI agree with "Anonymous". I'm not going to speculate why he chose to respond to you in that manner, but I wouldn't want to work with someone on a review who acted like that. I wonder if he doesn't understand how the whole viral advertising thing works these days? What was Heidi's response?
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, Isabelle. I thought his response could have been taken either way in the first email. I would have responded similarly to the first response he gave.
ReplyDeletePerhaps he was having an off day, but his rudeness really shouldn't be overlooked. I hate to say it, but it was probably bound to happen sooner or later with as many reviews as you do write. Too bad that this individual decided rudeness was his course of action today. He probably could have gained quite a few potential customers from a favorable review from you!
So far, I have sent very few 'cold call' letters. It's so unfortunate that he could not respond with grace and dignity or just ignore your request altogether.
ReplyDeleteI would link to your post. And I would mention thanks to him that he has given you a topic to blog about this fine day... and mention the thousands of homeschool families who are blessed by the forewarning that you were able to provide to the entire homeschool community. Mention that each of us will be CERTAIN to pass on the information to our friends, and tweet about it, and that of course all the hundreds of thousands of potential readers of the TOS Review Crew blog will be blessed by stumbling on your warning while checking out other most positive reviews.
ReplyDeleteWhat a complete and utter jerk... seriously. He won't be in business for long with that kind of attitude.
I'm so sorry, Hun... that wasn't a nice email to receive.
(((hugs)))
Shannon
Yeah I would have thought he was seriously happy to hear someone would give him basically free advertising. Definitely rude and stupid if you ask me because now all your readers will be thinking twice before buying from him.
ReplyDeleteVery rude. As a review editor for a homeschooling magazine, I'm appalled at such an unprofessional response on the part of a vendor. Evidently he's unaware of the potential sales from this kind of advertising -- not quite free, but for the cost of one copy of a product plus shipping.
ReplyDeleteSo what if it's a fun game? There are plenty of "fun games" and educational games already on the market, and more coming out every week.
Thanks for posting!
Poor man. He obviously doesn't realize the power that Facebook and Twitter, and blogging, has on the buying community.
ReplyDeleteI am definitely forwarding this post to my 175 FB friends - at least 3-5 of whom will forward it to their 100+ FB friends, etc, etc, etc.
Even without FB and Tweeting, how absolutely rude and degrading of a businessman to present himself in such a way!
I go out of my way to not do business with people like that. In fact, I dislike one store in town so much (for many reasons, degradation only being one part) that I spend more money to go to a different store that has class and a more friendly, personal approach.
I will make sure to let people know to avoid this man's company in the same fashion.
What a poor, foolish man. :(
I also suggest sending him a link to this post, so he can see what even one momentary lapse in common courtesy can do to a business' appearance.
This man clearly doesn't know the sucess of marketing to review blogs, the stats prove it. It has been very sucessful and it is why blog conferences are filling up with bloggers but more importantly companies that are begging bloggers to share about their products and causes. He may be very sorry later when he realizes he has missed the boat, LOL
ReplyDeleteAngela
With his first email I too thought he was just trying to be friendly but serious all the same. So I would have written the same 2nd email you sent. Then reading his reply really through me for a loop. I have a strong feeling he just may have made a big booboo..he has underestimated the power of Bloggers. Take heart my friend and hopefully you will not come across too many other jerks.
ReplyDeleteDeborah
How awful. I think Mr. Yates has bought himself the kind of publicity he really didn't want!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry. How very rude and insensitive. Simply hitting delete would have been a kinder option. I will be forwarding on the warning.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a jerk. He just doesn't understand the power of bloggers or friends of those bloggers. I, too, will link to this on my FB. He should enjoy the fact that he's getting loads of free advertising without ever sending out the first product. Oh, wait. Does bad advertising count? LOL
ReplyDeleteDon't let it get you down or keep you from asking other companies.
What a nimrod! I do hope you forward this to him and also that the blogger that prompted you to be interested in his products in the first place.
ReplyDeleteThis guy sound like a real jerk. If he wasn't interested, he didn't have to reply :/ I appreciate you posting this. Mr. Yates certainly won't be getting mine or my families business.
ReplyDelete