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Question for Review Bloggers Regarding Giveaway Products & Compensation

I spend a lot of time promoting and advertising giveaways so I feel like since I don't ask for monetary compensation I should be compensated somehow for my time...as in the product itself. So I've had several sponsors send me sample size itty bitty stuff (although they will give full size to the giveaway winner) or give me a much smaller or lesser quality size/style, etc. I find this totally irritating and quite frankly rude.

So my question is...how do you handle giveaways? Do you charge? Just get the product? What do you do when you feel jipped (although you may still like the product itself)? I personally do not write reviews on products I do not like. I just skip them and move on.

Thanks for your time and help!

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Permalink Reply by TGFTG on September 3, 2011 at 9:53pm

I'm sorry to hear you've received some samples to review, rather than actual items.

I personally don't charge to host giveaways, but when I pitch a company, or agree to accept a product to review, I make sure I receive the exact same item I'm giving away. If I receive an item that I didn't like, I review it honestly, as I want my readers to know the truth.

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Permalink Reply by Carla Schmeing Bruns on September 3, 2011 at 10:36pm

I think I need to be clearer about what I will accept to review. The reason why I don't review items I don't like is because most of the time it has to do with taste as opposed to quality of the product. Although right now I have a rug here to review that I really don't think is good quality especially for the price. I keep going back and forth on posting this since it does have to do with quality and not personal taste.

Thank you for replying!

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Permalink Reply by Rachel on September 5, 2011 at 4:14pm

I make it clear up front that I should receive a full size product, same as giveaway prize, in order to write an accurate and detailed review. If you're only getting a sample, then you are getting ripped off. It takes me about an hour just to write a giveaway post and insert all SEO links, Rafflecopter form, etc. and my time is worth more than a sample sized product.

Also, about reviewing items you don't care for after reviewing - I think you should still post your honest opinion, but do it in a neutral manner. Use phrases like "I felt...", "in my opinion..." "I think there's room for improvement in the following areas..." instead of just declaring that it was awful.

If you only post glowing reviews, you're doing a disservice to your readers. If the product is downright terrible, you may want to give the company a heads up to see if it was a defect with that one product, and they may send a replacement. I actually posted a review recently where I listed some areas I thought they could improve on, and the company thanked me for my feedback.

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Permalink Reply by Carla Schmeing Bruns on September 5, 2011 at 4:54pm

Thanks Rachel. Given the two responses I think I'm going to move forward with some of the products that I'm not that crazy about. I'll try to do it in a way that is not too hurtful. For example right now I have a $30 rug that I've received a lot of compliments on. However, I would not have paid $30 because it is very thin and I would just expect more for $30. But I like the look of the rug and everyone else does too!