Product test blogs.

Getting daily request to "test" my products and shop from bloggers..

[jecasc]

I am getting requests from bloggers wanting to "test" my shop and products nearly every day now. Asking me to send them something for free and write about it. Not from established blogs but usually from private bloggers where the only purpose of the blog is to write about the products they have received and get more free products.

Have you received requests like this? Do you support this modern form of beggary and send in some products or samples in exchange for a short review and link from a blog? Or do you decline or ignore? I am not selling Plasma TVs but consumer products between 5 and 500 EUR.

[WillG]

I have had many of these. I have yet to send anyone anything. If you choose to do so you need to take a hard look at their blog make sure whatever link you get back will be targeted for your niche. If you sell tires and they are a fashion blog other than the link its not going to be relevant or send much traffic. Make sure they have been around for a few years and not one that just popped up a few months ago. Look and see how many reviews of other peoples items they have done. After you do your homework its all instinct after that.

[jecasc]

take a hard look at their blog make sure whatever link you get back will be targeted for your niche.

I had a look at the blogs, and the only "target" I can usually see is to get something for free. From cat food to lipstick they "test" what they can get for free.

[WillG]

That is the problem I always run into. Funny thing is they always pick the most expensive things on my site. Dead Giveaway

[dpd1]

I've never done it. I've actually sent free stuff to good customers who are very well connected, and that has actually created more business. Most people who try the "review" scam, don't have the traffic or juice to create real sales. At least, that's been my experience. I had a guy asking me to send him stuff who runs one of the top magazines for my biz. My gut told me don't do it. One way or another he got one of the products anyway, and put it in the magazine... It was actually very positive, but I saw no real sales boost at all. So my gut was right.

I think it can possibly be worth it, but it better be like... the top site in the niche, with very good traffic. But most of the time, I think you can get paying customers to do the exact same thing for free. And that means more to people anyway.

[Planet13]

I think if you are going to work with bloggers it might be a good idea to be proactive. Find out the ones that really have a crowd of enthusiastic people following them. If their posts generate lots of comments, it is probably a good sign.

I mean, big companies pay BIG money to Kim Karsashian to have her tweet about their products and services, so their is probably something to it.

But yeah, I am sure that probably most bloggers who contact you first are just trying to score a free product.

[Luxoria]

I get eBeggers every once and in a while and I simply do not reply to them. However, I just received a request from a product reviewer which makes videos and posts them on YouTube. I actually replied back to him because he has the beginnings of a solid brand and also his videos are near a professional level. I told him when his average views per review video increases to a certain point I will give him any thing he wants. =)