Member X Posted June 4, 2009 Report Share Posted June 4, 2009 Evening all Somewhat randomly, just at the point of waking up this morning, I had an idea. Bear with me on this one... We all like reviews of new watches, such as By-Tor's. But how often have we seen a watch on a site and wondered what it's actually like? Someone has to take the risk and buy it before anyone really knows (the recently reviewed $108 IWC Portuguese 1939 being an example) and that can be expensive... So, how about this for a proposal... Subscribers can opt to pay a little bit extra each month. This extra then goes into a pot. The subscribers who have ticked this option then get to choose perhaps 1 watch a month that they want reviewed, be it through general consensus or a poll if opinion is divided. The money in the pot is used to buy the watch and have it sent to a nominated reviewer, who then reviews it and posts the pics and detailed information on it in a review thread. Once it is reviewed, all the subscribers who have paid the extra are then placed into a hat and a name drawn from it. This person then 'wins' the watch, and the reviewer posts it on. (I imagine the pot will also have to be used to reimburse the reviewer for this.) This seems, to me, to be a win-win situation. The board wins because new watches are reviewed and knowledge is gained, and potentially a good new watch is found, and the subscribers win because for a small investment they get to find out about a number of new watches that they would otherwise have to take a risk on. They also win because they are in with a chance of winning the watch being reviewed! This would of course only work with a large number of subscribers taking up the option in order that a decent pot is gathered each month (I guess it would also be possible for the pot to 'roll over' into a second month for an expensive watch if the subsribers agreed) and I have no idea how big the numbers are so this may be completely unworkable lol I just thought I'd float it as an idea, though! I'm going to go back and hide under my n00b rock again now lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ammandel Posted June 4, 2009 Report Share Posted June 4, 2009 Cool idea, I got a feeling though that the admins will feel like this would open up a port for some kind of controversy and drama which the forum could do without, there would have to be enough subscribers each time also to satisfy the variable cost of the rep purchase also, which would cause issues for consistancy in payment. While a good idea in theory, and while I'd be up for participating; in my opinion I think its best just to leave it to the raffles and the user generated content which makes up the lifeblood of this hobby. Quick honorable mention to all the people that take the plunge for us in buying the reps first and reviewing them; By-Tor, Lani (Who must have stimulated sales for so many pieces that they should be paying him marketing revenue), Samurai, Noel, b16a2 and everyone else thats really making a good contribution! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fakemaster Posted June 4, 2009 Report Share Posted June 4, 2009 As long things like DOA issues and costs are covered and/or handled by the forum I think it's a great idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted June 4, 2009 Report Share Posted June 4, 2009 Just a point of fact. The Admin teams major concerns are when members want their ideas sanctioned in some way, in other words the idea becomes official and the team (and by extension, the board) becomes responsible when things go wrong. The idea does have merit if you can get the numbers but some points to think of... (1) The reviewer must be willing to do it for no financial benefit, we have been through the paid review debate before and don't want to go there again. (2) Someone needs to be the banker so it needs to be someone that you all trust. (3) It needs to be set up and run by the members, not the Admin team (4) You need to factor in the cost, and the dangers, of double shipping the watch. First to the reviewer then to the eventual winner. (5) If the watch is to be reviewed properly the it should first be reviewed by Ziggy or Vac so you know the motor is ok before the cosmetic review....which of course means shipping 3 times as well as the fact that if the movement is rubbish it may never survive the mechanical review. Don't want to rain on anyones parade but just adding more thought to the total idea. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephane Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 Member X that is a very nice idea and a cool way of envisioning the community sharing more stuff toghether. Congrats on that. I am with Ken though. It's too risky in my opinion too. But why not think deeper about such an idea, maybe some safer solution will be proposed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member X Posted June 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 I'm glad it wasn't a completely crazy idea! lol I agree that there are issues that will need to be dealt with but I'm not entirely sure how to get over them... Nothing's impossible though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikki6 Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 What about Fakey for a reviewer? Not much that he doesn't know lets face it?! Fakey, you up for some charity work man? There are a couple of guys onboard that I'm sure everyone would trust to play banker, look at Pugwash or maybe one of the Mods? I know you said you don't really want Admin to be involved Ken, but a Mod would be best to hold the pennies I think, none of you guys are going to run away any time soon! The members can organise the payments and which model they would like and from which dealer (think it would be unfair to use only one dealer in this game!) and whichever Mod is banker that day releases the funds and it's on it's way! How does that sound to folks? Sixx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 If it could be made to work, then I think it's an awesome idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fakemaster Posted June 5, 2009 Report Share Posted June 5, 2009 I'd have no problem doing it on my dime. But I'm not the guy. You need someone who's reviews are actually carried here. I would nominate Bytor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailboss Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 A great idea with promise but a LOT of work would be needed to tie it all down. Plenty of folk who could be trusted to be banker but would any be willing? Now, where are those used car adverts? Col. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChipSlap Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 What if we just requested reviews from the winners of the various raffles? Clearly we couldn't demand reviews, but it can't hurt to ask for it to be part of the deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapadeus Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 Why do we need to buy the watches ? Our trusted dealer may provide the watches for testing and get it returned thereafter. This would although cause double shipping costs. As such a review certainly is a marketing factor for the dealer, he may be willed to cover the shipping cost (at least one way). Or, as an refinement to member x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidBreitling Posted June 6, 2009 Report Share Posted June 6, 2009 Why do we need to buy the watches ? Our trusted dealer may provide the watches for testing and get it returned thereafter. This would although cause double shipping costs. As such a review certainly is a marketing factor for the dealer, he may be willed to cover the shipping cost (at least one way). Or, as an refinement to member x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailboss Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 I don't think it's right to expect dealers to supply watches at no cost for review purposes. However supplying them at cost would be another matter. As stated the watch could then be auctioned off with procedes to RWG. A link could even be put on the dealers page for that watch to the review thus increasing RWG's membership. The ideas are flowing on this and it just may amount to something after all. Col. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 I'm sorry but you still need to get over the banker idea, I know I don't want my PP account compromised by some disgruntled member and I will be very surprised if any of the Admin team would. Believe me I have had two major jobs done on me so far for a total of around 2.5K but what is very scary is guys will bring you down for the cost of a cup of coffee. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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