Consumer Questions & Answers

BiWeekly Reviews - Consumer Questions & Answers

Shoppers ask us the same questions again and again because there is some confusion about certain terms (eg, sponsorships, partnerships and affiliations) and also because shoppers have varying degrees of expectations of the role that review sites play (or should play) in the shoppers' buying choices. Questions that are essentially the same are grouped together.

How to avoid sponsored content when researching products? Or
How do I tell if a review site is paid by brands?
Where to find trustworthy product reviews without ads?
Which review platforms have no affiliate bias?

The first thing is to understand the difference between the three terms: 'sponsored by', 'paid by brands', 'partnered with' (same as sponsored) and 'affiliate'.

The review is 'sponsored' when the specific brand owner pays the 'partner' to promote their product, irrespective of whether or not the promotion leads to a sale. So, by the nature of that type of partnership, there is a distinct bias. There should be a disclosure to alert prospective buyers to this fact so that they may take that into consideration before they purchase. 

A product/brand promotion that is made via an ad can be sponsored or affiliated. Again, there should be full disclosure about the arrangement that's visible to the prospective buyer.

An 'affiliate', on the other hand, is not tied to a particular brand or product. They can review any product or service (whether in an article or video) of their choice without fear or favour. They can provide reviews of products that feature side-by-side and, in comparison, one with the other.

A commission (a percentage of the sale price) is only paid if the consumer purchases the product/service via the affiliate link(s). This commission payment comes from the platform (such as Amazon) on which the product is listed and has absolutely no bearing on the price the consumer is charged for the product or service.

Is there a review site that tests products fairly? Or
Which review sites actually test products themselves?

Fair testing means the same method for every product bought rather than hand-picked by brands and published results. Lab-testing organisations meet this standard for the categories they cover.

For the many other products, look for sites that explain their method honestly. BiWeekly Reviews, for example, focuses on researching bestsellers and consumer mentions of reputable companies and quality products.

Although each research is a time-consuming exercise, by addressing consumer questions about products and services, we aim to provide sufficient information about positive and negative features of a product or service, as well as prices, to help prospective buyers make an informed decision.

We do all this as objectively as possible whilst making full disclosure about any affiliate links that are used in a given review article.

As for testing, we are not aware of any review site (with notable exceptions) that has the resources to buy and test every product that they cite on their website, unless, of course, the site is dedicated to the review of a very, very small number of products or products that involve lab-testing (please see below).

Clearly, owners and team members of review sites (including BiWeekly Reviews) are consumers themselves. Their comments about their personal experience and preferences relating to any product or service that they may have purchased and used may feature in the overall review. You are at liberty to dismiss these personal references, if you wish.

Where to find objective comparisons of similar products?
What review sites give honest pros and cons? Or
How do I know if product reviews online are actually unbiased? Or
Where to find objective product reviews before buying? Or
Where can I find honest reviews before buying something expensive? Or
Where to get unbiased product recommendations quickly? Or
Need impartial product analysis before major purchase? Or
Best place for objective comparison of home appliances? Or
What site gives neutral product reviews for electronics? 

Whilst it would be inappropriate for us to comment on other review sites, here at BiWeekly Reviews, we are scrupulous about presenting reviews that are fair and honest. Our aim is to help prospective purchasers make an informed decision by being as objective as possible. Furthermore, we feature our disclosure relating to any affiliate links in a prominent place on the article page itself, with an added link to our detailed disclosure.

We are not sponsored by or partnered with any brand or platform.

We value the trust that our visitors place on our content. Trust in our objectivity would be lost instantly if we indulged in hype or bias, which was subsequently proved to be so.

Is BiWeeklyRevews.com biased towards certain brands?

No. Our review site is not sponsored by any manufacturer or shopping platform for any brand. So no brand pays to appear in our articles or to influence what we say. We choose products from each category's best sellers and consumer interest. Even in comparison articles that focus on two products, such as two lawn mowers or two brands of quilting machines, our links lead to pages that show other brands as well, so the final choice is always yours.

Affiliate links aren't the problem. Hidden motives are. Most free review sites, including BiWeeklyReviews.com, are funded through affiliate commissions earned only if and when a purchase results from visitors to our site purchases the item(s) via our links.

You are under no obligation to click on our links, although we hope that our visitors appreciate the quality of our content and are keen to support our ongoing efforts to provide useful information that is made available free of charge.