So I Became a Vine Voice on Amazon
Time and time again, we at Review Party Dot Com prove that we are the experts of reviews. We read them to have fun and make a goofy podcast, but we also read them just like the rest of you- to better inform our purchasing decisions.
AND, from time to time we also write some.
Of course, there is our ever-popular Me, You, and Meme Reviews series of segments and blogs (see those here, for big tastes of Banana Slicers, Gallons of Milk, and Sugar Free Gummy Bears), but Matt has also put the time in on Yelp, becoming an Elite three years running.
Now he has joined the ranks of the Amazon Vine Voice reviewers.
See? Proof!
If you need a refresher on what the Vine Voice program is, hit that link. But that was a few years ago, so- well. I’m on the inside now! Just let me tell you a bit about this.
How I Got In
I wrote some reviews! And when I say “some” I literally mean a handful. But critically, I wrote a good amount of text (granted, these were mostly my lengthy Me, You, and Meme Review reviews (which DO have real information!)). Websites like when you give them content, so if you write a lot and include pictures, I am sure you will be rewarded, given enough time.
Important note: if you DO receive an email like the image above, you might struggle with it as I did. That “get started” button didn’t really lead anywhere useful. Trust me, I clicked it about 50 times, but it really just brings you to a glorified FAQ page.
What you need to click is at the top of the image, the link that ends the sentence “Your invitation tp the Amazon Vine Community.”
Maybe they’ll change that in the future, but it was frustrating for me.
Be Ready for Rules and Tax Info
You’re getting free products in exchange for honest reviews. There had to be a catch, right?
Well yes, let me get the ugly out of the way. YOU WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE YOUR TAX INFORMATION.
This is the same deal that any gig worker, dog walker, or improv comedian understands: if you make over $500, you get taxed on it. In this case, it’s if you receive products exceeding that level of taxable value. Are you going to cross that threshold? Honestly, I doubt it, but maybe?
Now, the other thing to be prepared for is rules. You’re in a club, so there have to be rules. Honestly, I’m probably toeing the line here, as I’m not supposed to reveal too many details of the program, but what are the chances Amazon finds my little blog?
Notable rules are that you can’t order things just to give them away. This isn’t your gift-giving service. You also have to keep up on your reviews, or at least a percentage of them, otherwise your account can be limited (as mine is right now, yikes), and you can even be booted from the program.
If, on the other hand, you’re really on top of your game, you can go from the standard silver tier, up to gold, which really just means you can hit a higher dollar amount per day (again, I doubt this will be an issue).
Is it Any Good?
Yes and no.
As of this writing, I’ve only ordered two items. A self-tie bow tie and an ugly Garfield cat for an upcoming Me, You, and Meme Reviews segment.
What trips me up is that I’m not going to order things just because. I have to need it to want it, at least when it’s coming from Amazon (I just don’t want to create waste). The trouble is, there isn’t often a lot of things I need being offered.
When I see something I might want - some heavy duty gloves, a pair of Americana Minnie ears, a pair of polarized sunglasses - by the time I do a bit of research on the product, it’s already been totally claimed. It’s gone. I missed out.
If you need a phone case or accessory, they’ve got you covered. Even Casetify cases! I’ve also seen MeUndies and other brand names (sparingly), but it is mostly generic-ish stuff from companies you’ve never heard of.
So can I recommend it?
I mean, you’re not losing anything, other than time and I guess your identity if someone ever hacks Amazon and steals your info. But what are the chances of that?
