Flippin eck I am on Amazon Vine!!

[Helium]

Got invited on a couple of weeks ago - for FREE books!!!

It's made my decade-you get sent unpublished/recently published books to read and review.

Is anyone else on here on Amazon Vine?

I'm not quite sure why I was chosen -my book habit isn't that strong and I've only ever left a total of about 25 reviews but clearly I am filling some sort of criteria (I am avoiding thoughts around my buying preferences being closely monitored and the role of big brother because I am willing to put principles aside for FREE STUFF!)

Come on fellow viners-reveal yourself!

No - but I would love to be! Lucky you!

Free stuff? I'm envious.
But your obligation is
To read some right shit.

Me too! I've been on it since the beginning but I am a top 1000 Amazon reviewer.

Had loads of great stuff from Vine.

You don't have to read shit, they only send you stuff you ask for so if you don't want anything one month that's fine. If a book is crap I just put a review saying it was so bad I couldn't finish it.

I got invited to join this month, to my surprise, I'd looked jealously at those Vine reviews and reviewers on Amazon and I'd tried to post a few more reviews but as I still only had about 33 up..

It's not just books although that's really what I'm interested in. For my first Vine order I asked for some baby wipes as I thought it was going to be a big pack of my favourite expensive brand, and it was just one packet. In my second Vine order I was offered a Duplo set to add to my sons' collection, and that was excting.

What books did you get?

I've read and reviewed Sarah Winman, When God Was a Rabbit
and a YA novel by Karen McQuestion. I'm now awaiting new novels by Louisa Young and Paula McLain.

Glad you are getting the freebies.
I don't buy anything recommended by a Vine reviewer. Ever.

Cat isn't that a bit stupid? Because what if a book came out by your favourite author and it was reviewed by a Vine reviewer?

I'm on Vine too, and I think I got on because I have slated things and other people liked it. I think you get invited if people bother to comment on your reviews.

BTW I was rude in my first ever review, just because its free doesn't mean I have to like it.

"I don't buy anything recommended by a Vine reviewer. Ever."... from Amazon (to clarify)

Well Cat do you buy the ones that are slated? Just curious.

usually the ones I see are for things like small electricals.
if the manufacturer is in a promotional tie with the big beast Amazon so that freebies are being sent to Vine reviewers, I deduce that those (and its other Big Leading PRoduct) costs must be added into that item somewhere along the line.
I am not interested in a review of hair straighteners given to a baldy bloke (true story), no matter if he gives it to his GF & subsequently writes it up.
I'll buy something similar, from somewhere else, that's not loaded with a badly spent promo budget.
so , no, unlikely even to buy one reviewed by a Vine reviewer actually, but I think there's not a lot of honest slating going on, so usually Vine= recommend

Okay. I've only done books, and some of those are at the proof stage (so do beware if production is important, as we're told not to comment on that).

I have to say for consumer goods I would want reviews from non-vine, and preferably from other sites too. But then I often read professional reviews, and they are also often given goods free.

I have read normal Amazon reviews where the reviewer has't actually read the specific book, or see that film. I ignore (and badly rate) those ones.

I see quite a lot of critical Amazon reviews, though I don't think the site is the best source of accurate reviews of anything - there are other places where there are less likely to be horrible spoilers or where you can spot what to avoid.

Amateur reviewers often review books which are bypassed by the professional reviewers, and actually I've seen some "professional" reviews which were rubbish too.

All publishers/manufacturers have to promote their stuff somehow, and sending out review copies is actually not a very expensive way to do it. Also, I suspect amateur reviewers review a far higher of what they get sent than the professional ones, so it's more cost effective. Most retailers also have an advertising budget which you're paying when you shop there.

I can see lots of good reasons not to shop at Amazon but the costs of Amazon Vine really don't seem to me to be one of them....

First books I got from Amazon Vine were really good and then I wondered if people would think I was only giving them good reviews because they were free?

Nevermind.

Really enjoyed a werewolf book of late.

You can only say what you think - I get lots of free books at the moment and I've rated them everything from .5 (on another site where it's possible to give half star ratings! to 5 out of 5). People may think that but you can only be honest about what you think and why.

I've seen Vine reviews on Amazon.com ... Amazon.co.uk has them as well? No Vine reviews on any of the books I've had an eye on...

Publishers choose books for submission to the program so it's normally ones they want publicity for and think that will be a useful way to do it - part of the book's marketing budget.

You do all know that mainstream papers will delete reviews if they are unfavourable? This is so they keep advertising revenues. I review all the time for national papers. You soon get told what not to say.