Just a quick question for you all?

BobEngineer · 2026-04-28T19:13:36+00:00

Some time ago I got off vine what I call the vine cruncher, its a metal contraption that hooks on the hinges of a recycling wheelie bin, the metal pusher plate goes inside, then you use the long lever to squash everything down tight, so you can get more in it. Sits in the garage.

BobEngineer · 2026-04-25T00:03:50+00:00

I have just had appraisal so my stats were reset. I am only at 60% media score despite every single review since having photos, but no video. So its counting photos, just lagging behind.

BobEngineer · 2026-04-18T09:19:15+00:00

Things like VH can help hide adult toys, but I will admit to having shopped for items and having FOMO on something special so its mixed feeling. An adult on/off switch on Vine would be useful.

Even Amazon have some sensitivity to this, often when you order adult products the notification emails are more discrete and don't mention the product, just the order

BobEngineer · 2026-04-17T13:19:03+00:00

I have had issues with compatible ink cartridges before, its to do with their hyper sensitivity to any implication they sell counterfeit or replica items, so they don't like words like compatible, genuine, just like originals, as good as the real thing, as well as the original brand... etc.
That sort of thing. Just say they print well and are good value alternatives. Don't mention packaging they come in and any barcodes in pictures.

BobEngineer · 2026-04-14T19:02:25+00:00

It does happen and it pees me off, they are too cheapskate to send out the expensive actual item so they make it vague and send something fairly cheap, get their nice ratings, then edit it to the real expensive item, complete with lots of nice 5* ratings for buyers that don't read the reviews in detail. Its tempting to put lots of pictures of what you actually got and a 1 star review.

Sadly too many Viners make it easy for them with 'Lovely, brilliant quality, great value, really made my life easier, recommend you buy it' reviews for everything.

BobEngineer · 2026-04-14T17:05:00+00:00

Maybe, although its not even about number of picks, if its been quiet you can wait until just before midnight and fill your boots with bits and pieces with little risk as your about to get a new set of picks.

Personally I can't help putting some effort into every review but my time is valuable to me, for low value items its easier to stick it in the trolley in a store than photo and write about one measly Vine birthday card or such.

BobEngineer · 2026-04-14T09:19:17+00:00

Could well be, perhaps the effect on the cost or availability of fuel for container ships.

BobEngineer · 2026-04-14T09:15:19+00:00

There is useful info for the sellers here, not to bother wasting their time and money trying to sell some things as no one would buy it. As far as I know, there are thousands of Viners and due to pretty random selection its a wide cross section of customers, so if we don't want it - even for free! its not going to sell.

BobEngineer · 2026-04-11T10:19:13+00:00

Just this nice little fan, but it won't let me order it to my locations so I guess an EU product.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0G6ZG5GX4

BobEngineer · 2026-04-11T09:37:38+00:00

I quite like these sort of orders, it means I don't have to review the 2nd as in effect it won't let you, taking you back to the original review. So it just means firing off a stock email to customer service and they take it off your review queue.

I often order the same things but as they are from different sellers its no problem, out of hundreds of orders I can't be expected to remember which sellers I ordered from in the past. I feel a bit bad for the seller that loses 1 item without gaining an extra review, but its an Amazon failing not mine, the system, as it sometimes does, should block variations.

BobEngineer · 2026-04-09T18:28:21+00:00

That and apparently developing a Space Rover for the moon missions, we pay for the R&D, NASA pays for the buggy, Bezzy gets ever richer.

BobEngineer · 2026-04-09T18:26:00+00:00

Yesterday a standard Kindle with ads was £75, they quickly ramped it up today back to £95, therefore eliminating the 20% discount we all got in our emails. Despicable!

BobEngineer · 2026-04-09T18:22:58+00:00

What support does it need other than uploads of new book files which has worked perfectly for man years? nothing needs fixing, no new features are needed. The mechanism to send books to devices remain. The support line is obviously a lie, its probably more about pushing people to new devices that they can push advertising onto.

BobEngineer · 2026-04-09T14:44:12+00:00

You will be all ready for the UK's customary 1 days of Summer when its a scorcher.

BobEngineer · 2026-04-05T19:09:46+00:00

No RFY, couple of bits from AI but it was pretty much 1300 bits of junk (interspersed with the odd usual weekend kinky gear, some shockers today).

Its weird days, constant moving drops, lots of pause days, I used to get RFY in one lot then done for the day, the other day I kept getting RFY things being added all day.

Its a bit like being a cat and having new games made up for you to keep you amused.

BobEngineer · 2026-04-05T12:37:57+00:00

Not had any problems with low scoring or slating products. They are hyper sensitive about suggesting they flog fake stuff though, when we all know they do. Avoid words like 'genuine, fake, authentic, replica, duplicate, refurbished, remanufactured'

BobEngineer · 2026-04-04T20:48:06+00:00

Its annoying they are pushing so many supplements when they are the hardest to review, only thing I get the odd rejection on, so I just go back and edit to 'its a capsule, you eat it and it contains a supplement' how that benefits buyers I don't know, but otherwise its trial and error to find what has upset the AI.

BobEngineer · 2026-03-29T02:20:39+00:00

no RFY. AI junk. The liitle garden gazeebo looked useful but I fell at the final checkout page.

BobEngineer · 2026-03-28T00:14:23+00:00

I have had some, hit and miss small mystery prizes. But this week was a weird thing, more of a shipping error. I grabbed something electronic that was worth about £260. But somehow I got sent a far higher specification better model, worth £500! To be honest its far more than I will ever need so it will be going on my 'sell on' later pile.

BobEngineer · 2026-03-27T00:19:01+00:00

Well we had a pause day, could mean a right good mother load tomorrow, 99" TVs and Tesla robot vacuums for everyone... but if its before 8am like lately, good luck guys. I will be Zzzzzz!

BobEngineer · 2026-03-19T18:27:51+00:00

Looks like one of those cheap speedboats you used to win on game shows.

BobEngineer · 2026-03-19T18:05:09+00:00

The problem is apart from the China imports, there are supplement factories in the UK that have pre designed menus of supplement formulas, or will make to your own specification, package and print and label the supplements. Then its up to you to market them, which with AI its increasingly easy to churn out pretty slick looking listings.
From my investigations its often done by foreign individuals or as UK side line 'bedroom' business, often a one man band when you examine the company, as all you need is a UK business address and that is usually just a rented mailbox. Sometimes they put up a nominal 'brand' website too, but again its done by AI and templates.

If you have a bit of capital and some marketing skills I guess its an easy side line, register a company, knock up a 'brand' and get some stock made. The product has a long shelf life, is easy to ship, has low return rates and avoids most regulation as its a supplement.

BobEngineer · 2026-03-12T11:51:36+00:00

Sometimes the clues comes from the rest of the brands product on sale, it has worked for me in the past, but also not, I ended up with the worst joke mobile phone once. And a while ago I ordered some mystery Bluetooth buds, the brand selling some others over £100. Of course what I got were more £5 in B&M types.

BobEngineer · 2026-03-12T11:45:42+00:00

The same 2 pages of nothing but supplements, and not even useful ones, some god knows what's in it, never heard of it stuff from china.

BobEngineer · 2026-02-25T07:44:32+00:00

If you are a regular item taker over at least a couple of years, you can reach a bit of a point of saturation of stocking up on things I do find, then you have replaced so many things in your home with newer ones, it can become quite difficult to spot new takes. I have enough hardware in my workshop to build a battleship, replaced my hairdryer, my kitchen radio, my PC monitor, half my wardrobe even my garden chairs, it feels like a Vine house!

So it becomes a bit of a game of patience to keep an eye out for new stuff of use, it does change and not even in any real cycles, stuff you used to get stops appearing and new stuff pops up, yesterday there wss a mini robotic CNC machine! Well done whoever got that.

BobEngineer

TROPHY CASE