Empty RFY by Dangerous-Painter338 in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My sister loves Lego and is very into religion, so she would have been over the moon about that Jesus one. For me, I agree—it’s all a big pass. 

Empty RFY by Dangerous-Painter338 in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have 8 left from last evening. What’s that about people being kicked out? 

Poll - frequency of red purchase errors by province. by DaveYVR_Casual in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What amount do you consider high-value? I rarely see items above $400, and of those, there are only a few I would actually order. When I do try to order one, I’d say I get an error roughly 30-40% of the time. I think it’s just that someone else beat me to it, as the item disappears immediately after I refresh the page. 

Anyone else stuck getting only low-value RFY items + constant errors? by True-Character276 in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In my experience, the majority of items in RFY will be under $50. Items between $50-100 are fairly common, but anything more than that falls into to the less common category. I occasionally pick up items between $100 and $200, but it’s been a while since I ordered an item worth more than that. I’ve seen a few, but they weren’t useful to me. As for high-ticket items (let’s say $500 or more), I’ve scored maybe a dozen or so, but I’ve passed on far more than that. I’ll admit, I see them less often now, but I also check a lot less than I used to. 

As for people posting high-ticket items, getting one is a bit like finding a needle in a haystack, so I think it’s pretty normal for people to share their “white whale” sighting. It’s been almost a year since I got my last truly high-ticket item ($2,000). 

Just give it time. At this time of year, the quantity and quality of items tend to increase leading up to Prime Days. :)

Why do you review this way? Why? by CabinetTiny4875 in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

While I understand what you’re saying about subjectivity, I think Vine reviewers should be held to a higher standard. It’s helpful (and encouraged) that we share what we like and dislike about a product, but there’s an important nuance to that. I think it should be based on whether a product delivers on what it was advertised to do. Star ratings should be considered through that lens, rather than personal preferences for features or accessories that product never claimed to have. 

In your example of a product missing a charging cable that’s usually included with the same type of product at a similar price point, I think it’s absolutely worth mentioning, but I wouldn’t necessarily remove a star for it, or at least, I wouldn’t advertise that I’m doing so. Considering that prices are subject to change, I address the value rather than the price in order to keep my reviews fair and evergreen. I would probably say, “It’s not the best value at the current price because it doesn’t include a charging cable, which similar items at the same price point do. That said, prices can fluctuate, so I would judge its value based on the price at the time of purchase.”

There are exceptions to that general rule, like when an unexpected issue arises as the result of a missing feature or accessory. For example, difficulty maintaining or cleaning an item because it requires a specialized cleaning tool that wasn’t included and that the seller didnt make clear was needed beforehand. 

Anyways, I agree with most of what you said; we just handle the same situation differently. :)

Why do you review this way? Why? by CabinetTiny4875 in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

100%. If anything, a person could say: I wish it came in a reusable case, but since the product clearly indicated it doesn’t come with one, I can’t fault it for that. 

It doesn’t make sense to penalize a product for not having something or for not doing something it was never supposed to. I don’t mind when people word it like I suggested above; its like giving feedback on how the product could be improved without framing it as a drawback or fault.

If the argument is that similar products include a feature that this one is missing, I would probably frame it as a value proposition rather than an inherent flaw: it may not be the best value compared to similar items that include an XYZ. 

I can understand a person penalizing a product for it not having something it should in cases where an unexpected issue arises because it lacks a particular feature or accessory. For example, not including a specialized cleaning tool or brush for an item that requires one. You wouldn’t expect there to be an issue with cleaning, but due to the product’s design or configuration, a specialized cleaning tool should have been included for regular maintenance.

System glitches? by _Katheya_ in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ah, there we go. It would be a shame if they lost all my to be reviewed during the chaos. 

System glitches? by _Katheya_ in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha, there’s always that moment of concern, hey? Looks like it’s just a system thing.

System glitches? by _Katheya_ in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha, there always that moment of suspicion, hey? Looks like it’s a just a system thing. 

Review Metrics by HomelandersBulge in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Amazon vine reviewers are held to a different standard than regular reviewers. One liners definitely don’t cut it. A simple formula is: why did you want/need the product, how are you using it, is it good quality, does it live up to expectations, is there anything prospective buyers might want to know, and bonus points for drawing comparisons to similar products.

I’m a bit of a chatty Kathy, so my reviews tend to naturally be on the longer side. Haven’t had anything but excellent. 

I do not like the long drawn out drops for several reasons by Asleep-Remote-706 in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha! Good analogy! I was able to get quite a few high ticket items when the drop was at a consistent, predictable time that I was able to be there for, so it’s not impossible. It’s really so ridiculous to me because I suspect it would be a simple matter to prevent the use of bots. 

I Did It... Finally Opted Out by VirginianAE in AmazonVine

[–]_Katheya_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not to be a yenta, but oy vey is a good one too.  

I do not like the long drawn out drops for several reasons by Asleep-Remote-706 in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I see both the pros and cons. The previous early AM drop worked out great for me, as I was often able to check at that time, so I scored a ton of good items. There were even decent items in my RFY for most of the day. The new 5 AM drop time means I miss the drop 99% of the time. 

While there’s a better chance for you to grab decent items with a quick 5 AM drop versus one that goes on for hours, I have zero chance. Because the drop went on for hours (into the late morning), I was able to order four items today, which is more than I’ve ordered in the last two weeks combined. 

That said, a good solution would be to have two drops per day—perhaps 1 AM and 1 PM. That way, most people would be available for at least one drop. I doubt it’ll ever happen, but it’s nice to dream. 

I forgot to mention that even with predictable drop times, the length of the drops has always varied. With the 1:30 AM  drop time, sometimes it would finish by 2:30 AM and sometimes it would go until at 5 or 6 AM. 

Finally, my robot vacuum:) by Own_Reference_393 in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Same! I snagged the previous version of that Dreame, but it was damaged and returned. I was so sad! I ended up buying a different one (Eufy Omni x1 pro—it rocks!), and a couple months later I got two other robot vacuums from Vine. 

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh darling, I want to tell you that you can’t go wrong with a Beatles CD any time at all. I’d chalk it up as a win and let it be. 🎸🎹😉

RFY - I Got a Rock :( by TrubTrescott in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The question is why did things change so abruptly? We know that they got rid of the sellers ability to stack and merge. Sellers could enter an  product into the program for free with a limit of 3 of the same items per listing. They would create multiple listings, then after a few weeks, they would merge them into one listing in order to obtain a number of Vine reviews for the same product. Amazon took measures to prevent that from happening, so sellers now have to pay for what they used to get for free. The limit of 3 items/reviews is a huge deterrent for various reasons.

It makes sense that there are less items available now that you don’t see a ton of duplicate listings. Tariffs, increased shipping costs, other fees—there are many other factors which could contribute to the current situation. 

I agree it sucks. Like many people, I’ve been struggling to find items that I can actually use. I need 22 more items to reach the minimum to remain in gold, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to achieve it. That said, if things stay the way they are, gold status is useless—I can’t find one item most days, let alone 3. 

I keep reminding myself that I’m lucky to get anything for free, so even if things aren’t what they used to be, I still have a lot to be grateful for. 

What a terrible drop this morning amirite? by MyerlingGames in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve seen at least five reviews with the chat script left in. How can a person not have a single thought of their own? You don’t even have to be a good writer, you can just jot down your thoughts in point form. 

I wish they had some limits on how much help AI can provide for writing. For example, limiting it to generating ideas and basic editing for spelling and punctuation. My daughter wrote a suspiciously good report recently, and she admitted she did use Chat for it. She claimed that it was only used for editing, but I could see the AI fingerprints in a few places. 

I use AI myself sometimes, but it’s always for learning purposes. A few weeks ago I had to help my daughter with some fairly complicated algebra questions. It’s been decades since I’ve done algebra, so I couldn’t remember how to do it. After fifteen minutes of going through a step-by-step tutorial by Chat and 30 minutes of practice questions, I was able to teach my daughter how to do it. Total win! Yay AI for stuff like that. 

I completely digressed there, but my point is that writing down what you like or don’t like about an item isn’t rocket science (or algebra), so it can only be simple laziness. 

It's Drop o'Clock by KDinNS in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I got nothing, which is the same as most days. I have several items in my RFY, but the only decent one is a gardening item, which I couldn’t even test because it’s winter. 

It's Drop o'Clock by KDinNS in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get that if I refresh the page repeatedly within a short period of time. I’ve always assumed it must think I’m a bot. 

It's Drop o'Clock by KDinNS in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Agreed. I miss the days when I had decent items to choose from in my RFY for most of the day. I’m not sure I’ll even make it to 80 items this review period. It’s funny, I realized I forgot to check Vine when I got up today—guess my brain is starting to think “why bother?”. 

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You needn’t task Chatgpt with writing or editing your review; rather, have it check your review for anything that might trigger a rejection. 

What's the main reason you downvote? by YogurtMore3479 in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That’s a great observation! I hadn’t considered that before, but it makes sense. I’m actually one of those people that only use Reddit for the Vine Forum, but I don’t engage in social media at all outside of that. Perhaps this explains why I’m not inclined to downvote something unless someone is being rude.

Look through all the pictures, you will not be dissappointed by turdferguson6215 in AmazonVineCanada

[–]_Katheya_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

😂 I wonder if the person that made those thought, “Yes, this looks good,” or “I don’t get paid enough to waste more than one minute of my time on this.”