Like when the creator does their spiel for whatever sponsor.
Untrustworthy. Real reviewers buy the product. If you are reliant on companies to send you product to review then you cannot be impartial.
“Just to be up front I was sent this product free of charge for review. No money has exchanged hands and the company doesn’t get to review my video before I upload. “
So, if you write them a bad review are they going to send you one next time?
If they make a bad product do you want more of it, even for free?
Like, reviewers get to the point where companies send them free product for review from a long period of legitimate reviews that get them a large enough audience. It’s unlikely they’re getting their main profits from free products sent.
Obviously you shouldn’t take a single person’s review as gospel anyway, but just them getting a review copy of a thing isn’t a sole reason to discredit their opinion.
If the company is worthless, has no integrity, or is an idiot, no. Blacklisting an independent reviewer for a negative review says to me a company relies on dishonest shills rather than their own quality. “You didn’t like that one? Here, try this one.” at least takes some integrity.
Let’s use the example of power tools. A reviewer is sent a tool, doesn’t like it. Switch isn’t very good, too heavy, motor breaks. So he produces a bad review, recommends against it. A shit company tries to prevent this guy from talking about them again. A good company says “Hey, will you try our new and improved version?” A company that takes their Ls and even listens and responds to criticism is worth paying for.
