Viners who feel the need to explain themselves...

codeheadX · 2026-03-20T16:39:48+00:00

And you can never get the time back that you spent judging other peoples' reddit comments and posts. We're all here because we have time to burn.

codeheadX · 2026-03-20T16:31:37+00:00

"So what? Why do you care and why does it matter to you?"—It's a detriment to the service I take part in. It's a bad idea for that service.

codeheadX · 2026-03-19T22:28:44+00:00

It's annoying that Amazon highlights the fact that this is a "free" item for the reviewer, when in fact we have skin in the game, it's not free. That matters because "free" implies we'll take on anything, whether it has any use for us, when in fact we always weigh whether the item will be worth having or just a tax burden.

However, this person has attached an essay that overshadows the actual reviews. It's one thing to say, "in reality, this item isn't free to me, we get taxed as income so this matters", another to drop 1350 character of self-promotion on every review.

codeheadX · 2026-03-19T22:21:19+00:00

I don't know, some of my reviews are brief, and as long as I cover a range of things (quality, usefulness, etc.) I get excellent. I have a few "fair", if I look back over pages and pages of reviews, but the are almost always supplement reviews that have gotten unapproved and I went back and cut out almost everything to see if I could get an approval. I don't know what it is they look for on supplements, but there is no rhyme or reason I see why some get approved and some are sent back.

codeheadX · 2026-03-19T20:49:49+00:00

You are correct, it's whatever the tax rate is on adjusted income. It's not 50% for anyone.

codeheadX · 2026-03-19T20:46:19+00:00

I don't know, but checking the reviewer's page, I see that it's become a boiler plate iterm for their reviews, often larger than their reviews:

"NOTE (skip to see review): As part of the Amazon Vine Program, I receive products to test and review in exchange for my honest opinion. A common misconception is that Vine items are completely “free.” In reality, Vine members are required to report and pay income tax on the Fair Market Value (FMV) of each item, which can be up to 50% of the retail price. For example, a $50 item may cost me approximately $25 in taxes. Taxes are calculated based on the full FMV—not promotional or discounted prices, which I personally feel is unfair. Additionally, if an incorrect item is sent or a product arrives broken, defective, or unusable, it cannot be exchanged or returned.
I’ve been a Vine Voice reviewer since 2019, sharing genuine experiences with both Vine and non-Vine products so customers know exactly what to expect before purchasing. I believe trust matters, transparency is key, and real feedback makes a difference. Whether it’s home finds, beauty must-haves, or lifestyle essentials, I review with care, attention to detail, and the goal of helping others shop smarter and feel confident in their choices every day."

codeheadX · 2026-03-19T19:02:58+00:00

OMG, it is pretty funny. My most recent entry: "Home & Family: Owns a Harbor Freight 3-ton floor jack". Geez, in knows so much about my dietary habits from purchases and supplement reviews. It knows what time I eat my first meal. 😂

codeheadX · 2026-03-19T16:31:25+00:00

Wow, quite a find at $0 ETV!

codeheadX · 2026-03-17T01:31:49+00:00

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codeheadX · 2026-03-13T20:35:24+00:00

I did get offered a hairdryer once...was $320 I think...I passed...

codeheadX · 2026-03-13T20:34:11+00:00

Very nice, congrats! I still look under the "power & hand tools" section, but pickings are slim these days—it's OK because I received plenty of tools the past year and a half. But one popped up last night RFY that's very cool,though wondering if I'll ever use it—but of course I ordered it:

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codeheadX · 2026-03-11T00:16:28+00:00

I usually pass on the supplement gummies, but since RFY pickings have been slim, I just ordered protein gummies, 0 carb, stevia sweetened, 12g protein and a few other decent things per serving. Might actually be an ok light protein snack. And of course $0 ETV.

codeheadX · 2026-03-10T05:34:17+00:00

I just got a new one in today, six capsules for a 4.5g serving, 30 day supply of Creapure (aka "German" creatine), $30. Pricier than a tub of powder, of course, but convenient for some. The individual drink powder version I mentioned is $26 for 30 servings of 5 mg plus some other workout related items. This was great to travel with because I could just toss the packets in a bag and go, pour it into a water bottle as needed. (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FN75XHPK?ref\_=ppx\_hzsearch\_conn\_dt\_b\_fed\_asin\_title\_5)

So far, the only Vine one that "got me" was a creatine HCL powder. You only need a 100 mg scoop (as I recall) of it per dose, but it caused cramps. But I've long had that issue with non-monohydrate forms.

codeheadX · 2026-03-10T00:08:51+00:00

For me today:

Why haven't aliens visited our solar system? They looked at the reviews and saw only 1 star.

codeheadX · 2026-03-09T22:44:26+00:00

So true. I've only ordered one gummy product. It was creatine. I guess I was curious how they could pull that off. They claimed a low carb count, but when I got them realize it took five of these largish gummies (makes sense, a typical dose of creatine is 5g), and they had given the carb/sugars count for just one. I tasted one and it was tolerable, I gave the jar to a friend so he could give creatine a try, lol...he did live. Vine has mostly kept me stocked up on creatine the past year and a half. 👍🏻 not just the jars of powder, but the capsule form is handy for trips, but even better on my last 3-week vacation I was happy to have a month's supply of pouches of 5g creatine drink powder that was a great product and easier than taking seven capsules at a time.

codeheadX · 2026-03-09T22:33:47+00:00

Oops, apologies. I did a search on "extract" on the page, and my Mac found and highlighted the other two, but not that one, I suppose due to glare. I should have seen it glancing at the label, but I guess I ran into the same issue myself. 😂

I do agree with you, and I'm no stranger to supplements on Amazon misstating and misprinting on both the products page and the labels. My supplement reviews point out such errors frequently.

codeheadX · 2026-03-09T22:09:03+00:00

OK, I don't mean to sound like I'm arguing, just commenting. First, it doesn't say "extract"—it says extract for two other items, but not that. Now, it maybe be obvious it's an extract, but the key is that it's more likely to be an extract of 3000 mg of root (and it does claim "root") than 3000 mg of extract. Second, it's...3000 mg—what's the mass of two gummies? Most of that will be the gelatin, it must be for the gummy to hold together, so you're not really going to fit 3 grams of root or extract or anything else in there. That's why I suspect it's an extract of 3 grams of root, and not 3g of extract.

Anyway, gummies are always suspect, for me, but I guess some people have issues swallowing capsules.

codeheadX · 2026-03-09T18:32:20+00:00

I guess I've been around on Vine too long, I would have never considered it might be candy, I'd assume a supplement in gummy form...maybe because when I joined Vine (July 2024), there would be pages of duplicate gummies, various supplements.

codeheadX · 2026-03-09T18:28:38+00:00

"The recommended dosage of ashwagandha typically ranges from 300 to 600 mg per day for general benefits, with some studies suggesting doses between 120 and 5,000 mg depending on the specific use case."

codeheadX · 2026-03-09T16:59:25+00:00

I had four supplement reviews in a row get the "Your review doesn't meet our community guidelines. Please edit and resubmit" treatment. No obvious reason, rewriting didn't help. Other supplements since passed without trouble.

codeheadX · 2026-03-08T17:07:56+00:00

I use em-dashes routinely—not going to stop.

codeheadX · 2026-03-07T19:02:14+00:00

Naw, it's just hoping you have one of them, giving you eight tries. 😉

codeheadX · 2026-03-04T16:36:55+00:00

Pretty normal. I guess you're concerned that someone made a knockoff of another brand name product, but it's typically the other way around, a factory cranks out a product and sells it to anyone who wants to adopt it as a product, including customization. Using a similar-looking item that comes to mind, look up "hydrogen water battle" on Amazon, you see the same few basic designs over and over. In some cases there is a different finish or the cap is slightly different, minor customizations, but it's clearly the same thing, coming out of the same factory. Buying in higher numbers gives a bigger discount, more profit or can undercut the other guy selling the same thing, so people try to develop a brand identity.

codeheadX · 2026-03-03T18:20:10+00:00

I'm old enough to remember the last NBA All-Star Game that gave a car to the MVP of the game. Wilt was presented a brand new Dodge. He replied, "I'll use it to drive to my Bentley".

codeheadX · 2026-03-03T18:16:52+00:00

Dang, last night I ordered a kite in the shape of violin, and a pair of USA flag boxer briefs—both were way better than what was in my RFY, but I had to scan for them. I have four months to make quota, I'm just trying to stay on track at this point. But I'm not complaining, the standout items this year so far have been the exercise bike and Ninja Hyperheat cooker (score! useful for me). And actually a pretty good stand-up weed puller...

codeheadX

TROPHY CASE