I always said free gear didn't bias me, but a recent email proved me wrong

I got a drone to review for free, and the company's follow-up email suggested they expected a favorable write-up. I realized my reviews might not be as neutral as I thought. What's your take on accepting free stuff for reviews?

4 comments

4 Comments

karen_hill31mo ago

Oh please, like anyone's truly neutral with free stuff.

rosepark1mo ago

Watch someone get a free phone and try to tell you it's not the best thing ever. They'll praise it to the skies even if it barely works. Free stuff messes with your head, plain and simple. It's like getting a gift, you feel bad criticizing it. So yeah, neutrality goes out the window. People just don't want to seem ungrateful.

path4711d ago

Got a free toaster once that only toasted the middle of the bread. Still told everyone it was great because, hey, free toaster. You're right, it's a weird mental block. My brain just shuts off the critic part when the price tag says zero.

rayc941mo ago

But what if getting free things doesn't always mess with your judgment? I mean, consider how often people take free samples and still give straight feedback if the product is bad. It's like getting a free coffee from a new shop, you might still say it tastes bitter if it does, right? @karen_hill3, I see your point, but sometimes folks can keep a clear head even with no cost involved. They just look at the thing itself, not the price tag, and call it like they see it. So maybe neutrality isn't totally impossible when stuff is free, you know?