No Experience Required Vs. Experience Necessary

Contributor: Ms. N Ms. N
Since I have been on the editing rotation this time, I have been noticing that the vast majority of Standard Reviews have no experience listed. Now, I realize that the section says that experience is optional, but should it be? Do you prefer to read reviews that include experience? Do you rate a review lower if there is no experience included?
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
Experience should be required in a Standard Review.
12
The Experience section should remain optional in Standard Reviews.
32
I prefer to read reviews that include the reviewer's personal experiences with the product.
37
I don't feel that experience adds significantly to a review.
4
I may rate a review lower if there is no experience included.
13
I rate the review based on what is there, rather than what is lacking - no experience is necessary.
25
Bacon is awesome.
23
Total votes: 146 (66 voters)
Poll is closed
05/22/2012
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Contributor: ToyTimeTim ToyTimeTim
Damn, missed the last option, PORK FAT RULES!!!


I like to see experience in all the reviews but I do not feel it has to be in that section. Many times I have red reviews that include it in the main body and that was great, mostly because the review flowed real nice.
05/22/2012
Contributor: Rossie Rossie
I prefer to read reviews with experience included, it helps us understand how effective the item actually is; I always include that in my own reviews.
05/22/2012
Contributor: Beck Beck
I prefer experience added in the review, but I think if you talk about the performance of the item; they can be really similar. I try to include a performance/experience in all of my reviews. It's important for me to read that. And I did say I might vote a review lower if no experience is included. However, that would depend on each review.

One more thing:

05/22/2012
Contributor: Master DarkWolf Master DarkWolf
Should remain optional, I don't mind when it's missing, but it is interesting in some reviews to add accuracy to the description.
05/22/2012
Contributor: Vegan Silk Vegan Silk
Sometimes writers include their experience while writing other sections. so the section shouldn't be mandatory. but each reviewer should include their personal experience with the toy.
05/22/2012
Contributor: DreamWolf DreamWolf
Quote:
Originally posted by Master DarkWolf
Should remain optional, I don't mind when it's missing, but it is interesting in some reviews to add accuracy to the description.
Agreed, it doesn't matter to me if experience is included or not, as long as I get to know the positive and negative qualities of the item(s), based on the reviewer's insight...
05/22/2012
Contributor: deltalima deltalima
Quote:
Originally posted by Rossie
I prefer to read reviews with experience included, it helps us understand how effective the item actually is; I always include that in my own reviews.
Same here.
05/22/2012
Contributor: aliceinthehole aliceinthehole
Quote:
Originally posted by Ms. N
Since I have been on the editing rotation this time, I have been noticing that the vast majority of Standard Reviews have no experience listed. Now, I realize that the section says that experience is optional, but should it be? Do you prefer to ... more
mmm, bacon. and i wish ALL sections were required.
05/22/2012
Contributor: wetone123 wetone123
I enjoy reading the experience of the reviewer. It makes for an overall better review in my opinion. And yes, bacon IS pretty awesome!
05/22/2012
Contributor: Peggi Peggi
Mmmm bacon!

I think experience should be optional, but that you should somehow make up for it with the rest of the review. As in, you don't have to talk about when you used it, but at least specify how it feels on your skin and the vibrations some other way.
05/23/2012
Contributor: Breas Breas
I usually include my experience with the item throughout the review. I think it's important to add your experience, especially since most of the product specs can be found on the product page.
05/23/2012
Contributor: ksparkles16 ksparkles16
I do like experience to be included in a review...but a lot of times my experience with the toy is melded into the performance section.
05/23/2012
Contributor: Gunsmoke Gunsmoke
I think the experience section is the single most important section and routinely vote my dissatisfaction when its not there.

I don't want to read a repeat of the product description - unless you find a significant variation between what is claimed and what your toy is like.

Tell me how you and/or your partner used the toy plus what worked and what didn't. I can plug those experience factors into what I'm looking for make a purchase decision.
05/23/2012
Contributor: Geogeo Geogeo
I find that people add in their experience during the rest of the review, so I don't find it necessary.
05/23/2012
Contributor: gloomybear gloomybear
i beleive that throughout the whole review ur explaining ur experience in the different categories mentioned and and sometimes the experience category would just be repetitive
05/23/2012
Contributor: Annemarie Annemarie
I honestly don't think the main body of text of the standard review allows enough text for a review to be 100% complete without using the experience section...
05/23/2012
Contributor: GONE! GONE!
I just want to know if it works for them. Too many people use that section to basically write erotica and all I want to know is whether or not I should buy it.
05/23/2012
Contributor: BlooJay BlooJay
I like to read reviews with the reviewer's experience.
05/23/2012
Contributor: chantalgiardina chantalgiardina
Quote:
Originally posted by Ms. N
Since I have been on the editing rotation this time, I have been noticing that the vast majority of Standard Reviews have no experience listed. Now, I realize that the section says that experience is optional, but should it be? Do you prefer to ... more
i dont rate them lower but it helps us see if it is something we would wnt to purchase.. even though not every toy works for everyone.. it gives a general idea
05/23/2012
Contributor: Zombirella Zombirella
Quote:
Originally posted by GONE!
I just want to know if it works for them. Too many people use that section to basically write erotica and all I want to know is whether or not I should buy it.
I couldn't figure out how to word my answer. But Gold Lion did it well. I agree with this.
05/23/2012
Contributor: Zombirella Zombirella
Quote:
Originally posted by Beck
I prefer experience added in the review, but I think if you talk about the performance of the item; they can be really similar. I try to include a performance/experience in all of my reviews. It's important for me to read that. And I did say I ... more
This too, performance/experience . I don't know if I always write in the experience section but if I don't I more than likely described how it worked for me in the performance section.
05/23/2012
Contributor: DeliciousSurprise DeliciousSurprise
If you've included it somewhere else, no need to have a section devoted to it--it should really be covered in performance, anyway.

I hate reviews where I get the whole way through it and don't actually know how it worked for them and if they liked it.
05/23/2012
Contributor: TheSinDoll TheSinDoll
I don't want people *just* to read the experience part of my reviews. So many toys will work great for one person and not for another. Don't buy a toy based on what one one person's experience is. Everyone is different. Anatomy plays a huge role. How sensitive one is, experience level, the attraction to girth, texture... all of these things attract people to different types of toys.

My experience will undoubtedly be different that others.

While reading that section can be entertaining, I do want to represent the product to the best of my ability. I think people should keep that in mind when writing reviews.

Just because a toy doesn't work well for me doesn't mean it's not a great toy.

I also love the fuck out of bacon. Not too crispy, please - and none of that rubbery fatty shit on the side.

Good day.
05/23/2012
Contributor: LoveBug721 LoveBug721
Quote:
Originally posted by Ms. N
Since I have been on the editing rotation this time, I have been noticing that the vast majority of Standard Reviews have no experience listed. Now, I realize that the section says that experience is optional, but should it be? Do you prefer to ... more
Either way
05/23/2012
Contributor: Allison.Wilder Allison.Wilder
I have never written a standard review, just the extended version, but a lot of the reviews I have read that were written in standard format included experience. It was a little hard to find, but I've always found it tucked in there somewhere, to some degree.

I don't think I'd ever rate someone down for leaving experience out, but I do prefer to know how it worked for them.
05/23/2012
Contributor: js250 js250
I prefer that it remain optional. I try to include experiences in my reviews, so I feel it would be redundant for me to rewrite them in that section. I do use the section for added extras, though.
05/24/2012
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
I don't put anything in the Experience area when I write DRs. Most of the reviews I write are DRs, and our individual experience is really NOT part of writing a DR!

Also, although I do like to hear about how a toy worked for someone, the
Performance area may cover that. One thing I don't like is when someone writes erotica for their review. I don't want to hear about how many times you "cummed" or how your girlfriend "went crazy" from a toy... really.

I don't care for redundancy, and often the same information is covered in the "Performance" "Experience" and "Personal Comments" sections. It makes the review too long and often repetitive, IMO.

As long as how the toy worked for the reviewer is covered in the Performance section, and it isn't a DR (which, when the DRs go into regular reviews, most people don't even realize they ARE DRs) I don't NEED the "Experience" section. IMO, it's often the same as "Personal" or "Performance" section.
05/24/2012
Contributor: sexxxkitten sexxxkitten
I think it is helpful.
05/24/2012
Contributor: unfulfilled unfulfilled
Yumm, bacon!

I think it should remain optional because some include the experience throughout the review such as when they're describing the size and mention if it was too big, too small, just right. Or when they comment in functions about if it powerful or not powerful enough for them to achieve satisfaction.
05/24/2012