A negative review at amazon.com

[Richard]

Hello Roger and everybody!

I'm also pleased to see that the review has been removed, and I've managed to submit a review of my own! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Best Wishes,

Richard

[Belinda]

Hi Richard,
I better just go and check your review out to make sure its all above board

Just kidding

Belinda

[roger]

Hi Richard,

Thank you for your fine review on Amazon. I voted that I found it helpful (even though I already have it so, for once in my life, am not in need of help!).

Roger

[nicola]

I'm not sure if I agree with all of you on this. Reviews vary in all shapes and forms and reviews like this CAN be very helpful. When I am looking for a CD online, I won't read all the five star ones (when is there ever a CD that deserves 5 stars?!) because the person is obviously biased in some way that won't dare say a bad thing. This is not helpful. I look to the negative reviews. If some of their bad points relate to how I don't enjoy music, I find that helpful. If, however, they are rambling in a manner as this reviewer did and don't bring up any valid points you know you are actually on to a winner therefore you buy it. I normally search for 3 stars reviews. They are the most balanced.

To get all offended at this guys review is pointless. I'm sorry, he is allowed his opinion. Like Portia said, you only post a review if you feel strongly about it and if this guy really didn't like Hayley or other artists in the genre, I think he should be allowed to say so. You are also manipulating the 'helpful votes'. Those votes are there if the review helped you make a choice about buying the CD or not. You guys weren't buying the CD. I'm actually fed up of making neutral reviews on CDs and their fans get offended and keep voting 'no'. Like, everyone should give it five stars. My reviews are quite sound (if I do say so myself) it's just when people come along and vote against you just because they disagree, it's really annoying.

As for being 'offensive', I have seen much worse and all you should really do is just laugh at their ignorance. Obviously, someone looking at a Hayley CD likes crossover - they are not likely to take this review seriously.

Let it be.

[Dave]

nicola said:

I'm not sure if I agree with all of you on this... I look to the negative reviews. If some of their bad points relate to how I don't enjoy music, I find that helpful
Let it be.

Hi Nicola, as far as I can tell, the problem is not that it was a negative review but that it did not meet acceptable standards for a CD review. Amazon have CD review guidelines and I think the "review" under discussion was removed because it didn't meet their guidelines i.e.

- it didn't focus on the music of that CD (he sprayed bullets everywhere)
- artists have separate review mechanisms from CD reviews (a review of Hayley should have been elsewhere)
- it contained (arguably) spiteful remarks.

If he wants to resubmit it to meet the Amazon guidelines (i.e. normal review standards) I am sure it will be acceptable and will stay there - negative or not, which is fine by me.

Dave

[roger]

Hi Nicola,

I have never (and would never) vote that I did not find a review helpful simply because I did not agree with the writer's opinion. I made it perfectly clear in my opening post to this thread that I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion and has the right to air it. But, as Dave has said, this particular review came nowhere near fulfilling Amazon's own guidelines. Moreover, it was offensive and hurtful which serves no useful purpose other than to antagonise and upset those of us who genuinely care about Hayley. I will not sit back and allow someone to describe her as a "musical prostitute out to make a quick buck" and let them get away with it. Opinions, be they positive or negative, is fine - verbal insults are not. The majority of people here and on the official forum have agreed with me and so, it seems, have Amazon.

Roger

[nicola]

I see that my point has been missed.

You are also manipulating the 'helpful votes'. Those votes are there if the review helped you make a choice about buying the CD or not. You guys weren't buying the CD.

Several people in this thread have said to cast it a 'no' despite them not being there to decide to buy the CD or not. Therefore, they voted because they disagreed.

Moreover, it was offensive and hurtful which serves no useful purpose other than to antagonise and upset those of us who genuinely care about Hayley.

Like I said before - there is no need to be offended. As several of you have already said, he was on a rant about the genre in general, it was hardly an attack on Hayley personally. Also, like I said before, it is useful, because this negative review doesn't justify what it is saying. That tells you something, doesn't it? I know it can be hurtful to read horrible things about your favourite artists, but reacting this way only encourages the attacker. They are trying to offend you, you see. Because you are the 'scum that is listening to fake singers' etc etc blah blah. Don't you see? They are not worth listening to:

Obviously, someone looking at a Hayley CD likes crossover - they are not likely to take this review seriously.

The majority of people here and on the official forum have agreed with me and so, it seems, have Amazon.

But I am allowed to disagree aren't I? Conformity is for capitalist dogs! (I'm kidding...)

The review got past Amazon guidelines when it was brought up there. Amazon, due to customer services, are going to take it down when people complain. Other than that, they let it up there. Perhaps you all took this a bit too hard? On another note, people are going to agree with you because you have posted negative comments about Hayley... to Hayley fans.

I'm not saying I agree with what this person said, and when it comes down to it, it most certainly was verbal abuse, but as they say when you were at school "Turn the other cheek".

EDIT: Why am I always the controversial one?

Ah well, I guess it adds spice and room for discussion.

EDIT: Again... I just found this:

On a side note... look at this carefully... (amazon.com makes me laugh)

Josh Groban (Special Edition) (+ Bonus D [IMPORT]
Josh Groban

Availability: This title will be released on January 1, 2010. You may order it now and we will ship it to you when it arrives. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

[roger]

Hi Nicola,

You are right in that I was not there to but the CD (because I already have it). However, I am still able to vote as though I was. I don't see why I shouldn't be allowed to vote simply because I had already bought the product.

Whether there is a need to be offended or not is irrelevant. The fact is, I was. I accept what you say about the reviewer not being worth listening to but other visitors to the site won't necessarily realise that. Many of them genuinely want other people's views ABOUT ODYSSEY and will be influenced by what they read. In this case, the reviewer was ranting on about the crossover genre; and not specifically about Hayley or Odyssey. Nevertheless, many readers may have decided not to buy it as a result. THAT is manipulation on his part.

My main concern was that this rant appeared in a so-called review of a CD by Hayley. It broke Amazon's guidelines and consequently, should never have appeared in the first place. For it to have done so makes a mockery of those guidelines. The voting system, amongst other things, helps to safeguard against strongly biased but inappropriate reviews like this one.

Yes, of course you're allowed to disagree. It makes for healthy discussion.

Roger

[Holger]

Hi everyone,


perhaps you find the reply helpful that I received from Amazon yesterday at 1:55 p.m. CET (You can read my message that prompted it all the way at the bottom):

Hello from Amazon.com.

Thanks for letting us know about a review that doesn't follow our
guidelines. We have already removed these comments from our
database, and the review is not showing on Amazon.com as it was out
of our review guidelines.

We want our review forum to be a place for constructive comments and
feedback that may be useful to other customers. We will remove any
reviews that fall outside of our guidelines.

I've listed additional information about our review policy and other
Communities features below.

Your feedback helps us maintain the quality of our site. I apologize
and thank you again for your comments.


Best regards,

Srivastava
Amazon.com Customer Service
www.amazon.com
==============================
> Date: Tue Dec 06 23:32:52 UTC 2005
> Subject; Other Questions & Comments
> To: [e-mail]
> From: holger
>
> ---------------
> 12/06/05 15:32:49
> NAME: Holger
> ORDER ID: 103-2558172-6147817
> ITEMS:
> Odyssey
>
> COMMENTS: Dear Amazonians, as you can easily see from my order
history, I
> am a faithful customer of yours. And no wonder, your online shop
is the
> best. However, I was utterly offended by a review written to a CD
by my
> favorite musical artist, Hayley Westenra. Here is where I had to
read it:
> www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-
/B000AXWHPI/qid=1133909777/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-5190228-4249402?
v=glance&s=music&n=507846
> ("Bland boring singer" by a certain H. Elliott)
> I understand that taste in music varies and I respect that the
music I
> enjoy listening to is not to everybody's liking.
> So if Mr. Elliott thinks that Ms. Westenra and others are "boring"
and
> "untalented", then I must accept it. Yet, I find it offensive if
he calls
> them "pseudo-singers" and "fakes", as this is insulting to the
artists. And
> if Mr. Elliott designates them as "musical prostitutes", I
strongly feel
> that Amazon must intervene by removing the review immediately and
by giving
> Mr. Elliott a reproof. I really want to continue shopping with
Amazon. Yet,
> I might start looking for alternatives if you allow for wonderful
people
> like Hayley Westenra (whom I have met in person twice already) to
be
> disgraced on your website. Best wishes from Germany, Holger
> ---------------
>

Regards,

Holger

(P.S. I deleted some of my personal information that do not relate to the matter.)

[roger]

Good for you, Holger. How come you got a reply and I didn't? Never mind, the result is all that really matters.

Roger

[portia]

nicola said:

I'm not sure if I agree with all of you on this. Reviews vary in all shapes and forms and reviews like this CAN be very helpful. When I am looking for a CD online, I won't read all the five star ones (when is there ever a CD that deserves 5 stars?!) because the person is obviously biased in some way that won't dare say a bad thing. This is not helpful. I look to the negative reviews. If some of their bad points relate to how I don't enjoy music, I find that helpful. If, however, they are rambling in a manner as this reviewer did and don't bring up any valid points you know you are actually on to a winner therefore you buy it. I normally search for 3 stars reviews. They are the most balanced.

To get all offended at this guys review is pointless. I'm sorry, he is allowed his opinion. Like Portia said, you only post a review if you feel strongly about it and if this guy really didn't like Hayley or other artists in the genre, I think he should be allowed to say so. You are also manipulating the 'helpful votes'. Those votes are there if the review helped you make a choice about buying the CD or not. You guys weren't buying the CD. I'm actually fed up of making neutral reviews on CDs and their fans get offended and keep voting 'no'. Like, everyone should give it five stars. My reviews are quite sound (if I do say so myself) it's just when people come along and vote against you just because they disagree, it's really annoying.

As for being 'offensive', I have seen much worse and all you should really do is just laugh at their ignorance. Obviously, someone looking at a Hayley CD likes crossover - they are not likely to take this review seriously.

Let it be.

Word. You go, girl.

[Belinda]

Hi Everyone,
I think this thread has run its course, there is no use talking about something that does not exist anymore.

[portia]

belinda said:

Hi Everyone,
I think this thread has run its course, there is no use talking about something that does not exist anymore.

I disagree. I think that how fans should deal with criticism of their artist is a good topic of discussion.

[Belinda]

Hi Portia,
Yes we all have agreed everyone has the right to their opinion about all Hayleys songs or other people for that matter.
But the review this thread was started about has been removed so whats the point of going on and on about it.

Belinda

[portia]

Well, I'm not an admin, but if so, I would have split the thread at Nicola's post so people can keep talking about negative feedback in general.