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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

I feel guilty for doing this, it feels wrong. Is it?

50 replies

MrsSnape · 11/12/2008 09:34

My ex (children's dad) owns an online game media site. It's quite popular and so game companies send him brand new games for free in return for him reviewing them for the website.

He can't do them all on his own so he gives some games to other people to review...so in exchange for them reviewing the game, they get to keep it.

I'm one of those people. Now a while ago he gave us an xbox 360 game, I reviewed it...the kids played on it...got bored of it...and so it was left gathering dust. Until I decided to stick it on ebay with a load of other stuff I was selling and I got ALOT more than I was expecting for it. The money went towards the kid's christmas presents.

Since them, I have stuck a few more of these games on ebay and made a decent bit of money (all of which will go on christmas or to pay off our holiday).

Now, last week I went one step further and told him I'd review as many games as he wants me to (with the sole intention of sticking them all on ebay ). One game he gave us is BRAND new, just out, very popular and selling for great money on ebay. Ex doesn't know I'm selling all the games but doesn't want them back so does it matter?

Am I being really out of order here? I'm trying to justify it by remembering that EX is a twat usually, doesn't help us with ANYTHING, doesn't want the kids half the time so in a way, this is him benefitting the kids, only he doesn't know

Be honest, is it bad? should I stop doing it? It's not as if I'm pissing the money up the wall on beer and clothes for myself...

OP posts:

Original poster

MrsSnape · 11/12/2008 10:06

Sorry that should say there are NO contracts saying he can't sell them on.

OP posts:

AnAngelWithin · 11/12/2008 10:06

well he isn't paying you anyway for a job that HE is supposed to be doing anyway! If I was you I wouldn't feel guilty about it one bit! And anyway, you are using the money to buy stuff for yours and HIS kids.

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 11/12/2008 10:10

Ignoring the contract issue (which is with him not you) I think it's fine. What else are you meant to do with them?

I doubt very much that he doesn't realise why you're offering to review as many as he can send you, given that he sells them himself. He can't possibly think you're doing it out of the goodness of your heart.

wannaBe · 11/12/2008 10:10

fair enough if there's no legal requirement for him to not sell on the games and if he does it himself then you're not doing anything wrong.

DoesntChristmasDragOn · 11/12/2008 10:11

Oh, if there are no contracts go ahead. As I said, I bet he knows you're selling them and I doubt he cares much provided the reviews are done - more reviews = better website = more revenue.

RubberDuck · 11/12/2008 10:23

No - morally fine. I've done reviews for websites before (sometimes for pay, sometimes for free stuff). The companies who send the stuff for review know the score.

You're effectively being paid £30 for your time and writing (as that's how much it would cost to buy the game new in store) and what you do with the review copy afterwards is your business.

TinselianAstra · 11/12/2008 10:33

Let me get this the right way round: YABU to feel guitly. YANBU to sell them on.

tiredsville · 11/12/2008 12:10

Your kids are benefiting from the extra cash, go for it. Like you said, we're not talking about huge sums of money.

thenewme · 11/12/2008 12:23

If you don't think you are doing anything wrong, why not just tell him?

BabiesEverywhere · 11/12/2008 12:33

How do you get to review computer games my DH would love to do this ?

Any links RubberDuck / MrsSnape ?

Original poster

MrsSnape · 11/12/2008 12:46

Babieseverywhere, I can ask ex if you want? I'm sure he'd be glad of having more people on board...

OP posts:

RubberDuck · 11/12/2008 13:12

I haven't reviewed computer games, I have reviewed chocolate and various (minor) pieces of camera equipment though.

Had a long term blog that has reviews on it (with stuff I bought with my own money) - eventually companies offer you free stuff to review as well. It comes and goes.

Chocolate review site was with Chocablog - have done some occasional reviews with them, again most bought with my own money, but some free stuff sent as and when.

TBH, the best way to do it is build up your own site and get a good reputation for well-written and fair reviews Expect it to take a while though.

tiredsville · 11/12/2008 13:14

at reveiwing chocolate.

RubberDuck · 11/12/2008 13:21

tired: you reach saturation point fairly quickly, truth be told

BabiesEverywhere · 11/12/2008 14:34

MrsSnape, Yes, please. DH has most of those console things (left over from when we both worked and wasted money on such things) playstation, x box, PC etc.

Rubberduck, I can not review chocolate Sounds fun mind

MincePirateCat · 11/12/2008 14:37

i'd do the same, in my situation as my ex doesn't pay me anything for our child.

it's a win win situation.

thumbElf · 11/12/2008 14:38

sounds like you're taking all necessary steps to make it ok anyway, so I wouldn't worry about it. Youre not selling them pre-release, they're not pirate copies, you have the copies as payment for reviewing (a perfectly normal practice) - if you don't want to keep them, why not sell them?

Can't see a problem with it the way you are doing it. Dont be tempted to sell any pre-release and you'll be fine.

MissAnneThrope · 11/12/2008 14:40

They are your earnings, to do with as you will.

sticksantaupyourchimney · 11/12/2008 14:40

Wannabe: what crap. Selling review copies is and has always been a perfectly legitimate and acknowledged perk of a reviewers' job.

TwoIfBySea · 11/12/2008 14:43

I don't understand why you would feel guilty after all you are providing an extra income for your (meaning you and him) children.

Sycamoretree · 11/12/2008 14:45

I'm really interested in this thread, because I get given a similar kind of corporate type box of gifts every couple of months and DH and I have been wondering the legalities of selling them on - at the moment we keep what we want, give to friends and family and charity shop the rest. But I could really do with the extra ebay cash as we are on a single income at the moment.

These items are also on release - if they're gifted to me, is it legal to sell them on?

LynetteScavo · 11/12/2008 14:45

As long as you are reviewing the games, and the reviews are being posted, you have absolutely nothing to feel guilty about!

RubberDuck · 11/12/2008 14:46

Sycamore - if you didn't sign a contract, they don't have a label on saying "Not for Resale" and they're not pre-release items) then I'd say you were within your legal rights to dispose of them as you wish!

Sycamoretree · 11/12/2008 14:55

Thanks Rubberduck - no contract per se re the items, just my contract with the giant company I work for which I suppose might say something about this - would have to check.

Harrumph. They are def not pre-release. We get them once they are released.

BabiesEverywhere · 11/12/2008 18:00

MrsSnape DH is home from work and pointed out the older boxs won't have new games out. He does have an Xbox 360 and a PC.

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