Random thoughts on Reviews

I would love to agree but I am afraid it is not, at least not always. A fellow perfume aficionado from bn had joined Parfumo some time ago and contributed lots of reviews. To me these reviews were thoughtful, witty and strikingly well phrased. Yet, a couple of members took exception to the author's style of writing, stating that it should be more factual and less creative - one did so publicly. Sadly the author has left Parfumo because of that.
Rather sensitive reaction? Possibly. However, this kind of criticism leaves a sour taste because it represents a presumptuous attitude I had not expected to be existent at Parfumo.

Mia, I really enjoyed his reviews. I am sad he is no longer here.

This is what just happened: I was scrolling through reviews when my finger slipped and I accidentally pressed a mouse button in a wrong place - and as a result, I "reported review" (to whom? where? did I get that person in trouble? can I get it reversed? the panic mode sets in).

Well, I can't think of this site as anything but amazing; a real tour de force with respect to the idea and execution. But if there is one thing I would like to change, it's the reviews system. It is simply too overloaded with options. "Helpful? Yes? No? Report? Award? Reply?" Seriously?

When I think of other forums that I read (no, not perfume-related), I find the most useful - and probably the simplest - system is when you can give a "plus" ("thumbs-up") or a minus ("thumbs-down") to a post/review. The resulting ratings like +10/-2 and +1/-10 are easy to interpret to any reader and they are helpful because they provide food for thought when you read the stuff.

I don't think the award system that we have here is necessarily bad, but it is incomplete. For example, if I read a review that says basically "this scent is fantastic. It's worth every penny and women love it. Go and buy it now", I wouldn't want to award it, but I would hesitate to "report" it either (really, the word "report" brings a bad taste to my mouth). I wouldn't write a negative comment either: why bother? But if a sufficient number of people read reviews and vote them up or down, the good and bad reviews will get separated naturally.

What do you think? Does making things simple makes sense? Or am I missing something?

@Epimedes:
The report button is for reporting reviews that either include obviously copied content, copied marketing descriptions or personal, sexual, religious etc. harrasment. When you report a review, the info will go to the admin and the report is checked. If it happened by accident, nothing happens. If the report is justified, the review is deleted.

The helpful yes/no buttons are to distinguish between helpful and not helpful comments of course. if enough people vote yes, the review will get a green top line stating (helpful, very helpful or greatly helpful), if enough people vote no it will get a red top line (not helpful). Nobody is dared to use those buttons.

Same with the awards. You don't have to award and the purpose is not to award everything, but to personally pick a review you like for a good description, style, whatever and leave an award. if somebody doesn't want awards he/she can turn off this feature in the settings.

Same with answers to reviews. YOu can leave an answer to a review if you would like to highlight something you really liked or give a short comment about the scent yourself. But you don't have to.

I don't see anything confusing in that. These are just multiple ways to react, but none is mandatory.

Hallo Epimedes, thank you for your thoughts, I think they hit the mark.

Along with the decision for a lean and clean design, Parfumo wants to stay simple and usable for everyone. On the other side, there are always new ideas for cool features. I guess one can have different opinions about the right balance.

As for 'Helpful' and 'Award':

I tick the Helpful button if a review contains some information that is new to me and so enhances my knowledge about that fragrance. I might vote not helpful if it does not give any account of how the fragrance smells like. This is very often the case with one-liners the style of "This is the best/worst fragrance in the world."

While I tolerate such statements by newbies I think it is necessary to give a hint that a little bit more effort is usual for reviews at Parfumo.

I tick the Award button simply if I like what I have read. It is the easiest way to give a feedback. If I see some awards on one of my reviews, I know that this review was read by somebody who liked it and not written in vain.

Please be generous with the awards!

Franfan20 says: "These are just multiple ways to react (to a review) but none is mandatory."

I like this. Read the reviews, and choose to reply, or not.

Parfumo - like all discussion boards - is a platform on which to socially interact ... which can easily misfire.

Positive engagement will go a long way.

Oui, subjectives ... mais polis.

Savoir choisir et exprimer les polis mots et opinions, tout cela pour l'enrichment d'esprit et de la passion partagee par tous les parfum afficionados.

Now I will switch into English - for the benefit of mostly English participants. Although I have a fascination with all things French, especially perfumes and love to practise,

the above text is translated as follows:

"Yes, subjective ... but polite.

To know how to choose and express polite words and opinions, all that for the enrichment of the mind and of the passion which is shared by all the perfume afficionados."

Cheers.

By the time I write a review I own the perfume; I do not write a review based on a paper strip or on perfume counter spritzes. At point of sale I have probably read everything there is to read on the fragrance. This is, largely, because I live in an isolated part of the world and can not take advantage of splits, swaps or decants from other enthusiasts.
I do, however, have a daughter/daughters in law who allow me to borrow and return their perfumes. I am always interested in the backstory of a perfume or the human response to perfume in a review. I am less interested in the notes, which can be obtained easily and are usually repeated in review after review. I want to know if you wore 'Joy' to a funeral or 'Let it Rock' to a wedding and what haunts you or makes you sing 'We are the Champions'. I want to know if you smell B Odour in Mauboussin or Burnt rubber in L'Heure Bleu, because that is not described in the actual perfume release notes. Oh no. Awards, ticks and helpfuls are juvenile, in my opinion, and as subjective as each individual. Being a resident under the Long White Cloud I will never benefit from samples or points. What I want is a piece of someone's soul, which, when all said and done, is why we wear the stuff. Am I quixotic? Often, but not always.

Very well said Omni. Thanks

Yes, Dianne and Cincy, thank you for your kind words of encouragement.
I love fragrance in all its myriad forms but especially when it makes someone feel happy or beautiful, or in love, or gloomy. I love that the local wine shop was burning a fig candle in a hurricane lamp. I know I bought the wine because the shop smelled so good. Suckered!

Great quote, florette.

Sylvia stuck her head in a gas oven to commit suicide. One wonders how many 'opinion's she had. Her poem 'Daddy'? is full of repressed opinions.
I wish she had lived. As a contributor to Parfumo at the very least

"Sane and intelligent human beings are like all other human beings, and carefully and cautiously and diligently conceal their private real opinions from the world and give out fictitious ones in their stead for general consumption." -- Mark Twain

I always thought Sylvia Platt was one of the few who chose not to give out fictitious opinions for general consumption.

Well that is unfortunate that the person left!

That's sad. I've noticed that a lot of reviewers leave reviews that are brillant and extremely well thought out and it makes it somewhat intimidating to begin reviewing myself. It is obvious that someone has put in lot of effort into making this a solid community and I hope that my contributions will be welcomed, not publically ridiculed for being 'creative'.

I think that it is good to be honest in the reviews. It's difficult to be polite beyond any criticism because some people will think that anything negative that is said about a perfume they love is rude, no matter how courteously worded.

I could say, "I find the blend to be, somewhat unpleasant." That statement could be interpreted as rude by a super-sensitive person that loves that particular perfume. So it is difficult to write anything if you consider anything that could be possibly construed as impolite.

Also, to say that XYZ perfume smells like something only a filthy drug addicted prostitute high on crack would wear is very insulting by personal association, but what if the person knows EXACTLY what that smells like, literally, and REALLY MEANS IT.

To use explicitly foul language and profanity is generally offensive and that perhaps is avoidable, although what shall we do if it is used in a complimentary fashion to express extreme delight?

So where to draw the line? It's an interesting idea but hard to be completely equitable in enforcing censorship without pushing your own personal socio/political views.

There are several ways to deal with this...
''...only a filthy drug addicted prostitute high on crack would wear...''
1. Perhaps, to be nice, I made this addition: "only a filthy drug addicted prostitute high on crack would wear...and a few more people''

Alternative approach - a little rough:


Finally: