Vendor Reviews: Anonymous ratings/reviews?

**packetjunkie** · August 13th, 2003, 10:17 AM

Looking for some feedback on an idea. I think the Vendor/Product Reviews section offers ViperAlley an excellent opportunity to provide a research tool not available anywhere else on the web (for this kind of thing). But, to make it valuable we need user participation - people adding reviews, uploading products/vendors.

I can make it so that people have the option to post their reveiws "anonymously" - while the user information is recorded, the only thing displayed in the reviews section would be an "Anonymous" tag next to a review. I've held off doing this because I want the reviews to be as "honest" as possible, but this compromise ensures the Mods know who posted a review, but allows people to not have their name attached to a review.

I considered allowing anonymous voting (vote, but not filling in any review information) of products/vendors, but allowing anonymous voting, in my opinion, would unnecessarily enable product/tuner bashing. By having people actually fill in reviews, we can help ensure that it isnt abused.

Do you like the idea of being able to post a review and having the user be able to mask their name? Or should all reviews be as they are not with a name attached?

And, finally, how do you think we promote this section so that people see the value in the vendor/products review system?

City · August 13th, 2003, 10:25 AM

Good questions!
Regarding the "anonymous" voting....I have serious concerns about reviews without responsibility. Sort of like having a right to see one's accuser. If someone has serious concerns about a vendor and expressing them without identifying themselves, perhaps that person can simply say that they "have a strong opinion - please PM me if you would like to discuss"....or something to that effect.
Regarding promotion...we just need to get the word out. MP...visit as an AE troll and while you're getting torn apart keep telling everyone to post reviews [img]/images/graemlins/supergrin.gif[/img].

**_Mark_** · August 13th, 2003, 01:24 PM

I'd be happy to add reviews of stuff. Reviews should only be allowed with names attatched though. I mean, I can go to Amazon and see the person's name who wrote the review for whatever book or cd I'm about to buy. This anonymous crap goes too far.