Product Review Forum - Ideas and Suggestions

[Steve Machol]

In this poll, the most popular new forum idea is a Product Review Forum.

I can see a lot of value for a forum like this. It would allow OptiBoarders to benefit from the experiences of their peers when it comes to finding and choosing new products.

I also see some pitfalls. One of the things I would be concerned about would be reviews from people that have a vested interest in the product they are reviewing.

Given that this is a good idea and I'd like to implement it, what are your suggestions for this forum? Should there be specific rules for it? If so, what should they be? Should reviews be 'moderated' prior to publishing on the Board? If so, how would this be done?

Please posts your ideas and suggestions here.

[LENNY]

Unfortunately if not to many people used the product the best and the only review you can get is from people that have a vested interest!!

[Live Eyewear]

With a new product, not many people would have had an opportunity to use it, but the manufacturers could submit a quantity of product to an Optiboard appointed group of Reviewers for them to field test and then complete a survey form, which would be tabulated into an overall review rating system (ie: Quality 9, Value 3, etc).

At the same time, a second group of Optiboard retail volunteers would receive invenotry, POP, etc and would evaluate how the product sells in their businesses, (Price 9, POP 5, Consumer demand 7 etc).

Afdter a month or so, the survey results from the field testers (people who actually use it for a while) and the retailers (people who actually dispensed it for a while) could be formatted into a easy to read, simple product review rating chart or similar.

After a year or so, Optiboarders considering a new product, or looking for something that works, could flick through the reviews and see what sold, what didn't, what consumers liked, etc...

A valuable tool for Optiboard members and manufacturers alike

[Steve Machol]

LENNY said:
Unfortunately if not to many people used the product the best and the only review you can get is from people that have a vested interest!!

By 'vested intetrest' I mean people who work for the company that sells the product or who otherwise benefit from its sale.

[Steve Machol]

Live Eyewear said:
...the manufacturers could submit a quantity of product to an Optiboard appointed group of Reviewers for them to field test

That's a good idea - similar to what we are doing with the book reviews with Elsevoir. The problem would be the logistics and the turnaround time on even the simplest of reviews.

[Live Eyewear]

If Optiboard has the two groups set up, the manufacturer would be sent a list of people to send one product to for field testing and a list of retailers to send a kit to for sales testing. (1 day later the recipients would receive their packages) 30 days later the reviews have to be submitted and tabulated. -

[m0002a]

I volunteer to test progressive or computer lenses with a high plus (+4.50) and 2.00 add. I have no vested interest in any optical related company.

[Live Eyewear]

In fact, you could expand on this and create focus groups. Optiboarders could register for focus groups, selecting product types of their preference they would like to receive.

Then the manufacturer who wanted detailed feedback could send to some or all of the group, a product and their could be an online questionnairre, which the focus group members would fill out after receiving the shipment and evaluating the product.

The manufacturer would pay Optiboard for the results of the focus group, and the members of the focus group would receive complimentary products. This would save the manufacturers a lot of money (focus groups are awfully expensive) and generate revenue for Optiboard.

The online reporting service would allow quick collection of the data, which would then be used by the manufacturer however they saw fit.

[Steve Machol]

Keep the ideas coming. I want to see how this develops.

[Steve Machol]

While the idea of vendors submitting products for a review is a good one, this will have the unfortunate affect of limiting the reviews to less expensive, low ticket items.

How should we conduct reviews for the more expensive products, lab equipment (edgers, generators, etc.), office equipment (lensometers, computer systems, etc.) and all the other products where it's unrealistic to expect vendors to supply product to test?

[John R]

Steve Machol said:
How should we conduct reviews for the more expensive products, lab equipment (edgers, generators, etc.), office equipment (lensometers, computer systems, etc.) and all the other products where it's unrealistic to expect vendors to supply product to test?

For these types of products i think we will have to let people submit a review on the product in question. The more reviews on a product the better both good and bad, we need balanced views. Whether we need to pre-view these or not is open to debate. Personally i think we do. Maybe if there is a problem product the manufacture could be invited to add their comments.

[harry a saake]

:D I,ll volunteer to test any dispensing tools, on the subject of review i would think from the legal standpoint all would have to moderated in case something is said or implied that should not be

[PAkev]

Sounds Like you guys might be on to something like the CONSUMER REPORTS of the optical industry.

I dispense lens products on a daily basis for which I was given a RX voucher when the product was new. Probably something I would NOT have chanced spending money on to find out if it was snake oil or indeed something offering improved performance.

I have no affiliation or vested interest with a product. However, in order to accomplish the goals of meeting the needs of our patients, I think it is important to convey our thoughts to and hear explainations from those with a "vested interest"

Kevin

[JRS]

Personnel with "vested interests" would need to be up-front with who they work for. Albeit, this would be voluntary, most of us know who works for who. It is an honor system.

There are definitely many with experiences with lab/dispensing equipment, so getting reviews on new technology wouldn't be difficult to acquire. In some cases, it may even be possible to post (with permission) the actual users and contant names/numbers. Actually, there are some who would even let outsiders view the equipment in production.

Lens and frame products might be difficult to review on a large scale, unless the manufacturer(s) are willing to pass out some freebies. Done quite frequently, but not to 1000's of people (except lens vouchers, perhaps). Perhaps they would be willing to submit to an established commitee (something the members would need to vote in a select group of members to).

[Susan Henault]

Very interesting idea Steve, but from what I am reading, this could get very complicated, very quickly. Perhaps a simpler concept would be to pick one "new product" per month and solicit feedback in two separate threads - one for "users" and another designated for the "suppliers", who would as usual have to identify themselves and their "interest". After all, could be that a competitor wishes to contribute comments.

Since there are so many categories - equipment, frames, lens technologies, contact lenses etc., there could actually be one product from each category per month. Hopefully a month would be long enough -- if response is minimal, either the product is not being marketed very well - or it isn't working very well.

Perhaps there is also a way to tie this concept to drum up some new Optiboard sponsors. A supplier could make a one time contribution, and agree to either free-fit or let some ECP's test drive a new product to get some valuable feedback. I don't know, just a thought!

[hcjilson]

A different approach to this forum, and one which would allow the idea to grow from the beginning, is to solicit new product reviews from our members. Someone who bought an paid for the product and is either using it or selling it already.Obviously this forum would have to be closely moderated.

The problems outlined so far, are inherent with high ticket items, managability, etc. I see this as starting small, with whatever we can put together on our own. As products get reviewed (and forwarded to the respective companies) it won't be long until the manufacturers take notice and one of their bright marketing people will decide to introduce products through this forum. My idea would be to start with what we can start with and build the forum as we go along.

Right now I can think of someone who could review a new auto edger (cousin Robert would love this review:D :D. I know people who would love to review their favorite new frame. I am a Hilco nut and I am using their products and would love an opportunity to review one or two, as would just about everyone on the board. The main problem I see here is one of editing and organizing.The biggest problem you may have is one of too much content.

The view from Cape Cod this AM from hj

PS to grow the forum faster, we could have a blurb at the top of the page to the effect that Optiboard will be happy to consider any product for review by prior arrangement with the Godfather.

[Steve Machol]

Here's what I suggest based on the feedback so far. Please feel free to make suggestions and comments.

[bc]Proposed Rules for Product Review Forum[/bc]
The OptiBoard Product Review Forum is designed to allow members to get impartial information on ophthalmic products. There are two possible formats for submitting reviews to this forum:

Reviewers:
1. Members can submit reviews on a product they have used.
2. Reviewers should be impartial and have no financial interest in the product they are reviewing or the company that makes or distributes this product.
3. Reviewers must provide their real name, occupation and email adrress along with their review.
4. All submitted reviews will be considered by the OptiBoard Moderators prior to publishing on the Board. Only those reviews that are accepted will be published.
5. All reviews must carefully written and must stick to the facts about the product and refrain from less objective comments about the product or company.
6. Reviewers should be available to provide answerson the forum to followup questions from members.

Vendors:
1. Vendors can submit their products for review.
2. A panel of volunteers will be made available to review these products. The vendors will not know in advance who these reviewers are.
3. All OptiBoard members can apply to be on this Panel. To do so, they will need to provide their full name, mailing address, email address, occupation and overall qualifications. They should also list which product categories they would like to review.

That's what I have so far. Feedback?

[harry a saake]

:D Sounds good to me Steve, count me in as a reviewer of any dispensing products such as tools, i think you have my name ,address and email and know my qualifications. Would be proud to help.

[chip anderson]

I love toys sign me up.

But do I understand the ground rules. That we can't review the products that we use already? We can't say that the brand of frames used by the VA is garbage? We can't say that our servicemen are forced to use the cheapest junk that the third layer basement frame knock off lab in the middle east would reject?

Really, if we can't say brand X or line Y is trash. We can't say that the quality of brand A or B is exceptionally durable what's the point?

Chip

[Steve Machol]

chip anderson said:
But do I understand the ground rules. That we can't review the products that we use already? We can't say that the brand of frames used by the VA is garbage? We can't say that our servicemen are forced to use the cheapest junk that the third layer basement frame knock off lab in the middle east would reject?

Really, if we can't say brand X or line Y is trash. We can't say that the quality of brand A or B is exceptionally durable what's the point?

Chip

That's not what I meant. Certainly people can review products they've used and don't like. Otherwise the process would be a little too one-sided. We just need to make sure that people do not review products they have a vested financial interest in - either directly or through their competitors. Sound fair?

[hcjilson]

Sorry to be so late in repying but Columbus, in discovering the "new world", has provided us in at least RI and MA with a long weekend.

It sounds as if the ground rules have covered most of the bases. At least enough for a trial run. Steve can alter the rules at will so if we have missed any areas he can tighten up the loose ends if necessary.

hj

[Joann Raytar]

I can't think of anything that should be changed or added to the rules right now. I think your've done pretty good Steve.

Kevin may be onto something with the Consumer Reports concept. Perhaps there could be certain criteria that products would be judged on just to keep reviews semi-standardized from product to product.

[Foveator]

My only recommendation would be for ANYONE who is a rep or employed by a manufacturer put a specific disclaimer in the body of their message saying so.

Someone who works for another company might be tempted o put in a bad word for a competitor's product; not just putting in a good word for his own.

OTOH, a rep or manufacturer would be the perfect resource to tell us if we've misused a product or missed out on a special feature.

Jeff Palmer

[kgcopley]

This is really a great Idea! If I may make a suggestion, a downloadable form could be developed. It would include the reviewers demographics. The name of the Mfg. The name of the product. The product catagory ie lenses, frames, tools. equipment, instruments. A 1 to 5 rating system on; quality, ease of use, client acceptence, customer service of the mfg or distributor, price point, etc. Then the final written analysis of the good the bad and the ugly. Scoring and rating would be much easier and quicker, and the analysis would be easier to glean the important information from as well as moderate. The form could then be e-mailed back to Optiboard to addresses based on the product catagory.

great work and thoughts by all of you

[Steve Machol]

kgcopley said:
This is really a great Idea! If I may make a suggestion, a downloadable form could be developed.

Excellent idea!