I figured I’d try this out since the it’s free for up to 2 per asin, and being in handmade jewelry in 2025…tired of removing stuff only to store it at home. Let’s send it into the wild for some goodwill!
Ah…
Couple of things have changed - first, they count the item in your sales as revenue (bad, I don’t want that). I still get charged the full fulfillment fee (is that new? Can’t remember).
Anyway, 9 lovely little handmade earrings went out, and it’s been at least 3 weeks since the oldest one shipped…and I got 2 reviews.
For that it’s very not worth it. Won’t bother again… Was I just unlucky?
Ok thanks. I did this a little while back and it seemed a much quicker turnaround, but maybe that was just the luck of the draw. My sample size is admittedly small. Hopefully things will trickle in!
The program works and is well worth the ROI especially for high volume sellers but there are caveats to be had
Even for handmade sellers it is safer to use influencer marketing then it is to use Vine - reviewers are akin to consumers and even with slight user error can tank a new product launch
Thus, I would not depend on it anymore when better avenues exist (they do cost more) but they almost always guarantee a better initial outcome.
I’ve had a couple more come in since this thread, so I think I came in pretty decently, now in line with expectations.
Still, vine reviews are odd. They aren’t “Ooh happy I bought this!” they are generally more clinical “this is just like the ad and it’s nice and the size is as described” - so the stars are good, but the wording is always less enthused.
In my case these were things that just weren’t selling, so we’ll see if it helps.
This is very important. And remember, the reviewer didn’t go “ooooh! I like that I want it I’m willing to pay money for it” and the reviews can reflect that.
I had 3 reviews on 3 new items from someone last time I did this - all of them were weak-sauce 4stars that said basically, not really what I like but it’s ok. She bought faceted gemstone handmade jewelry and complained on each one that she prefers smooth polished stones, while basically then saying that I guess they are ok for what they are.
It sounds like the buyer that gave me a 2star feedback because they wanted the item in steel.
I sell it in steel, they you bought the one that says in the title in big letters “IRON”. I can see how that is a faulty product.
I took a jewelry design course in college. I wasn’t very good at it, but I had a blast. We all designed and made pieces that we liked and that appealed to our own style and sensibilities. There was quite a wide range of variation in the pieces we made. The teacher had to grade us on how well we executed the design and manufacture, and not how much she liked the piece.
Oh also, not vine, but I just got a review on a popular item after two years - name is unusual and matches from april 2023…complaining that she’s sad her necklace “rusted” (it didn’t, it’s sterling, which will tarnish, so I include a nice note with all orders on how to care for your jewelry because silver will do its thing…)
I didn’t realize that - probably because I so-rarely shop via a smartphone/dumbed-down mobile device - Product Review replies weren’t displayed that way.
I do remember that not being the case 9-10 years ago, but as you’ve noted, there’s been an ever-increasing migration to ever-more capable such devices across Western Society (and elsewhere), so I think that paradigm likely played a role in the decision to make that so.
Yea… I used to spend time commenting on reviews when that was allowed. Only to find out on the OSFE that they weren’t visible outside of desktop. Then I stopped, then Amazon stopped. haha
He’s got cameras all over… I even have one in my boiler room… Need to make sure that art easel for the kids that we never had the heart to toss doesn’t burst into flames…
