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Evangelist program

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    #1

    Evangelist program

    Originally posted by qz3fwd View Post
    I have been invited to the evangalist list, which appears to be pretty much zero risk for me, but I have a couple questions:
    Thank You
    Oh good .. an opportunity to bring this up ...

    How many other forum goer's are aware of this "Vudu Evangelist" program? I first saw the details yesterday:

    http://www.alleyinsider.com/2007/12/...ting-plan.html

    Does anybody else find this program somewhat disturbing? I mean - to receive a $400 discount ($99 box + $99 free movies) to spread glowing reviews to blogs, perhaps in this forum, and to possibly unsuspecting friends?

    Maybe it's common business practice these days, but I personally think it's shady ... (particularly by those that don't disclose the financial incentive they have when expressing their views)

    And to think that there may be a bunch of non beta-testers out there that only paid $99 for their box ...

    I can't help wonder how many participants of this program are posting in here? Glowing reviews, no doubt...
    Tags: None
    #2
    Re: Questions before purchasing VUDU

    WHY is it disturbing?

    Please answer that.

    Car companies give away cars to spokespeople all the time. Are you bothered by that? And then people like Tiger Woods get paid to do commercials as well.

    Oh my gosh! Vudu is advertising! Heaven forbid they actually pay for an add someplace or that a sales person gets paid to push their product. Oh my gosh.

    Mbustin, do you even know the purpose of the program? That blog is so un-factual it isn't even funny. You are going to believe some yellow journalist as opposed to taking the time to learn the facts before you impugn the system?

    The purpose is for select users who are very technical and who also didn't make it into the beta program to have the opportunity to get boxes at a reduced cost along with some movie credits. The purpose is to have them demonstrate the box to friends.

    *** NEWS ALERT*****

    We have just learned that MBUSTIN of the Vudu forums keeps his Vudu stuffed in his closet and doesn't tell anyone about it. He's afraid that it might seem like he is "pushing" a product on his friends. That would be bad. We don't want Vudu to succeed.

    ***** We now return to your regular progamming ***

    So the evangelists spread the word on Vudu by word of mouth and human to human sales contact.

    Hmmmm..I'm a sales person. I guess that must mean I twist people's arms and pressure them. Yeah, OK. Salespeople who do that are like a fast pooping dog who don't poop long.

    I think mbustin, that your post is purely sour grapes. Admit it: You are upset that you paid $399 for your box with no movie credits and some other schmo got it for $99 and $99 in movie credits. THAT is the real reason you are upset.

    What is it to you how Vudu markets a product? Who the heck cares?

    Comment

      #3
      Re: Questions before purchasing VUDU

      Oh and by the way, there have been a NUMBER of criticisms and concerns about the Vudu raised by Evangelists here in the public forum. Evangelists have raised concerns about image quality, network usage, etc. I'll let them speak for themselves since you, mbustin, seem so eager to attack them and impugn there integrity when you know nothing about what they do or why.

      Oh yeah, and by the way, I guess Sharp is in on the sleaze as well now. You can get a FREE Vudu box with $50 in credits if you buy a TV from Sharp's website.

      OMG! How dare they! Sharp charges list price on their website while Amazon sells for less! How dare they claim a good bargin with giving a Vudu box away with a TV at list.

      Oh my goodness. I cannot believe the sleaze!

      Comment

        #4
        Re: Evangelist program

        Dang NA9D... calm down buddy. I didn't take his post as negatively as you did.

        While I don't necessarily find the program "disturbing" in any way I do tend to agree with him that I think there probably is some sort of ethical issue when people post reviews of products online and don't properly disclose that they go the product for free (or some large discount). I realize that you don't HAVE to disclose that but I (personally) believe that you should.

        Having said that - I paid full price (actually - that's a lie... I got it during that strange short period that the price dropped to $249.99) and I"m extremely happy with it and I DO brag on it to everyone I talk to (whether they care or not) and I'd be happy to write glowing reviews of it. So I'm not saying that people who got it for $99 would be any more inclined to give it a positive review than those that paid full price.

        Can't we all just get along???

        Comment

          #5
          Re: Evangelist program

          FYI: The Bloggers that have reviewed the box (good and bad) have AFAIK, gotten the boxes as free demos. Yet, they have not disclosed that...

          Comment

            #6
            Re: Evangelist program

            Originally posted by mbustin View Post
            Does anybody else find this program somewhat disturbing?
            Not in the least. The way I see it, it benefits me in that it helps to ensure the value of the investment I made in my boxes. I expect that companies pay to advertise and this seems like a good way to do it.

            Comment

              #7
              Re: Evangelist program

              You're probably right. I guess my main question would be this:

              If you read two reviews that were polar opposites of each other in their opinion (one review loved the product and one hated it) but otherwise both very well written and similar in all other aspects. But the one that loved it stated that he/she got the product for free from the manufacturer to try it out and the other (the one that hated it) stated that they walked down to their local retailer and paid $400 for it. Would the fact that one person paid $400 for it and the fact that one person got it for free have ANY impact on your decision to purchase it based solely on the reviews?

              I could be wrong, but I'd say most people would discount the review (at least in some little tiny way) form the person that got their box for free.

              Luckily I don't think we (or Vudu) has anything to worry about b/c it's a damn good product whether you got it free, paid $250, or paid $400. But I still think there is an ethical issue here. And it's NOT Vudu's issue - they are doing a smart thing.

              Comment

                #8
                Re: Evangelist program

                Actually, when I read a review, I care more about what they base their opinions on than anything else. For instance, I have read some of the negative Vudu reviews that complain about the cost of the box, or the need to have a set top box, etc. Those things are not important to me at all, so I discount the review. If I read a review that talks about instant play capabilities that are specific enough (e.g. tell what the bandwidth requirements are) and relate their own personal experience, I consider that valuable, regardless of whether or not they got the box for free.

                I find the same thing is true for movie reviews. I don't need a reviewer to tell me if the movie is bad or good. A good review will tell me what they liked or didn't like about it and I can relate that to my own experience to decide if I think I will like it. My opinions differ from movie reviewers all the time. I discount reviews that care about things that I don't, not because it is a good or bad review, or who made it.

                Comment

                  #9
                  Re: Evangelist program

                  Originally posted by mebby View Post
                  Luckily I don't think we (or Vudu) has anything to worry about b/c it's a damn good product whether you got it free, paid $250, or paid $400. But I still think there is an ethical issue here. And it's NOT Vudu's issue - they are doing a smart thing.
                  I find it a stretch to call it an ethical issue. There is no intent to deceive anyone here. Sure, I may be more positive about a product I received at a discount, but that doesn't make me a liar or unethical. If anything, it makes me focus more on what is great about the product instead of how much higher my credit card has gone up!

                  But beyond that, the main purpose of the evangelist program is not to write reviews online. The main purpose is for the evangelists to show the box off to their friends and associates. The idea was to have them invite friends to their home for effectively a viewing party or demo. Let the friends see the box, let the friends use it and view movies together. Then maybe their friends would want it and go out and get their own.

                  If I am friends with someone, I implicitly trust their ethics (otherwise, we likely wouldn't be friends) so I don't see an ethical conflict there either. And the quickest way to end a friendship is to try to cajole or twist a friends arm to buy the product. There's no reward in it for the evangelists to simply get people to buy the box - there's no incentive for them to do that so the chance they'd tick off friends or associates is minimal.

                  There is the aspect of the program that the evangelists are supposed to chip in here in the forums and be a resource here for others. So they talk the product up. So do a lot of full paying customers. Yeah, so I've been a beta tester. Does that make me biased? I suppose it does except that if I didn't actually believe in the product, I wouldn't waste my time with it or expend as much effort online here trying to help customers get up and running, etc. Vudu doesn't pay the moderators to help out. So I may be exuberant and positive on the box but it is certainly sincere as I don't have time for things I really don't care about.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Re: Evangelist program

                    Wow! Where do I start?

                    First off, I don't appreciate being called names in your private messages to me ... I also don't appreciate your tirades toward anyone that questions the Vudu product or company. Anyone that criticizes any aspect of Vudu gets jumped on in here, particularly by you ...

                    I'm an average customer that has a legitimate right to ask questions, praise the product, criticize the product and offer constructive criticism - all of which I have done. I may have "beat a dead horse" with some issues out of impatience or frustration - but nowhere in the forum rules does it state that 'Thou shalt not consistantly blaspheme the great Vudu", I learned that the hard way. Now to address your points.

                    I like the product, I have praised it many times. I'm do not have an axe to grind the way Cjohn17 did ...

                    I just don't understand the level of anger that comes from you .... you take every negative comment about Vudu so personally ...

                    Originally posted by na9d
                    WHY is it disturbing?
                    Please answer that.
                    It's disturbing because most PAID "evangelists" most likely don't tell the blogs or friends or fellow forum goers that they have received a financial favor. They're less likely to point out faults, their view is colored by the implicit obligation they have. It's an opinion POTENTIALLY biased by cash.

                    There's no mention of this anywhere on the public Vudu site, no mention of this has shown up on the board. One member referred to himself as a "Vudu Evangelist" - I didn't realize he may be part of an organized program that the rest of us are unaware of. To find out about this program via another site and not haven't mentioned here makes it seem like it's not to be divulged to the general public. If it's so OK -- why hasn't anyone ever mentioned -- until yesterday?

                    You're right about one thing - Vudu can sell it's product anyway it wants. I won't dispute that. Maybe this is even common, I must be naive ...

                    Originally posted by Na9D
                    Car companies give away cars to spokespeople all the time. Are you bothered by that? And then people like Tiger Woods get paid to do commercials as well.

                    Oh my gosh! Vudu is advertising! Heaven forbid they actually pay for an add someplace or that a sales person gets paid to push their product. Oh my gosh.
                    The big difference here Na9D is that we KNOW that Tiger has received financial compensation for his services. It's clear cut. With a program like this, we don't know who has financial motivations ... can't you see the difference?

                    Mbustin, do you even know the purpose of the program? That blog is so un-factual it isn't even funny. You are going to believe some yellow journalist as opposed to taking the time to learn the facts before you impugn the system?

                    The purpose is for select users who are very technical and who also didn't make it into the beta program to have the opportunity to get boxes at a reduced cost along with some movie credits. The purpose is to have them demonstrate the box to friends.
                    No, I don't know the purpose of the program. How can I learn the facts - nobody has mentioned it, it's not mentioned on the public site as far as I know.Why don't you or Vudu enlighten me? It seems simple enough - regular users get $400 to help sell the product without seeming like salesmen....

                    Please tell me what's so unfactual about that article. If a friend invited me to a vudu viewing party and told me the company had given him a discount - I'd have no problem with that. If that friend didn't mention this, and I found out later though someone else that he "got paid" essentially to have viewing parties, I would feel that my friendship was abused. An old friend that invited me to a party, only to push Amway products at me - is no longer a friend.

                    *** NEWS ALERT*****
                    We have just learned that MBUSTIN of the Vudu forums keeps his Vudu stuffed in his closet and doesn't tell anyone about it. He's afraid that it might seem like he is "pushing" a product on his friends. That would be bad. We don't want Vudu to succeed.

                    ***** We now return to your regular progamming ***
                    So the evangelists spread the word on Vudu by word of mouth and human to human sales contact.

                    Hmmmm..I'm a sales person. I guess that must mean I twist people's arms and pressure them. Yeah, OK. Salespeople who do that are like a fast pooping dog who don't poop long.
                    I have told my friends about the product - because I like it. I'm not motivated by a $400 favor ... we all know used car salesmen want to stiff us, but we know that, we know they have a financial tie to the company and product they're selling.

                    I think mbustin, that your post is purely sour grapes. Admit it: You are upset that you paid $399 for your box with no movie credits and some other schmo got it for $99 and $99 in movie credits. THAT is the real reason you are upset.
                    Your damn right I'm upset that a bunch of people got a $400 discount....

                    But what bothers me the most Na9D is that we don't know who's on the "payroll" - that's what bothers me.... if I knew who was an "evangelist' I would definately take that into account when reading their comments -- as of now, we don't know who has been paid ....

                    Doesn't this bother any else? Go on speak up ... don't let people intimidate you ...

                    If you want to throw me out of the forum for asking legit questions, go ahead ...

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Re: Evangelist program

                      Wow I had to check I thought I was back on the avsforum.

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Re: Evangelist program

                        Originally posted by mbustin View Post
                        If a friend invited me to a vudu viewing party and told me the company had given him a discount - I'd have no problem with that. If that friend didn't mention this, and I found out later though someone else that he "got paid" essentially to have viewing parties, I would feel that my friendship was abused. An old friend that invited me to a party, only to push Amway products at me - is no longer a friend.
                        I could see holding that against your friend, but Vudu? Come on. That's a bit ridiculous. They give out a few free boxes to people who obviously like them to try to get more people to like them. I honestly believe you are getting yourself all worked up over nothing. My problem with it is, that you seem to be trying to get others worked up too.

                        I have a hard time seeing how your dislike of a Vudu marketing program being aired here is helpful to the forum users in any way. What are you trying to accomplish? Are you trying to make people who are happy with their box unhappy? Are you trying to convince people not to buy the box? Are you trying to convince Vudu to stop a marketing program, and perhaps an effective one to boot? If not any of those, then what?

                        BTW, I believe that Apple gave away quite a few iPhones initially to start the buzz. I believe some of those were reviewed as well.

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Re: Evangelist program

                          I also believe, correct me if I'm wrong, that they needed a bunch of users out there to accomplish the data downloads to each new Vudu sold in a timely manner. Each new Vudu acts a peer to peer server in the Vudu network.

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Re: Evangelist program

                            Originally posted by redwein View Post
                            I could see holding that against your friend, but Vudu? Come on. That's a bit ridiculous. They give out a few free boxes to people who obviously like them to try to get more people to like them. I honestly believe you are getting yourself all worked up over nothing. My problem with it is, that you seem to be trying to get others worked up too.

                            I have a hard time seeing how your dislike of a Vudu marketing program being aired here is helpful to the forum users in any way. What are you trying to accomplish? Are you trying to make people who are happy with their box unhappy? Are you trying to convince people not to buy the box? Are you trying to convince Vudu to stop a marketing program, and perhaps an effective one to boot? If not any of those, then what?

                            BTW, I believe that Apple gave away quite a few iPhones initially to start the buzz. I believe some of those were reviewed as well.
                            I'm not deliberately trying to stir up trouble - I'm trying to find out if others find this program as questionable as I do. Saying that Apple and other companies do it doesn't make it right.

                            If is sounds like I'm trying to stir up trouble by asking people to speak up is because I think there is an oppressive mood around here when it comes to dissent...

                            I have a box, I plan on keeping it, I want to see the company succeed since I do have a box, I enjoy seeing the new features coming out. What I don't like is people like na9d that post up their glowing reviews up to Amazon saying their not employees -- but they don't say that they have an affiliation with the company either.... say you're a beta-tester, say your a forum moderator ... don't pretend to be an average guy off the street... It seems to me this program somewhat encourages the same behavior ... no disclosure ...

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Re: Evangelist program

                              Just a reminder (a dose of prevention and all that), please read the Posting Guidelines announcement if you haven't already.

                              Comment

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