Overview

Reviews are available to all organizations manufacturing and/or distributing products intended for general consumer use.  Consumer Commentary is unique in providing testing for products not necessarily targeted by other media for review.  In other words, Consumer Commentary is as equally willing to evaluate a car or computer as it is to review a shampoo, lamp, or solar pool cover.

Examples of products Consumer Commentary tests include, but are not limited to:
 

Durable Goods Automobiles & Vehicles Household Appliances Home and/or Garden Maintenance Equipment Furniture Jewelry & Watches Small Business Equipment Watercraft Aircraft Other Durable Goods Non-Durable Goods Apparel Footwear Travel & Related Toys and Games Sporting Goods Printed Materials Optical Goods Recreational Equipment Home/Office Decor Outdoor Decor Other Non-Durables Consumer Electronics Computers & Related Cameras & Related Camcorders & Related Telecommunications & Phone Equipment Televisions Audio/Video Equipment Audio/Video Entertainment Content Software Other Electronics Consumables Food Beverages Ingredients Toiletries & Cosmetics Office Supplies Over-the-Counter Pharmaceuticals Infant/Child Products Paper Products Containers Other Supplies

All product evaluations are conducted on a stand alone, rather than comparative, basis.  We believe that comparative reviews generally tend to overweigh themselves in general trend and product class analysis rather than diving to the heart of the actual product being tested.  With our "depth rather than breadth" approach, Consumer Commentary's reviews tend to be among the most detailed and comprehensive available anywhere.

Once reviews are complete, they are posted on Consumer Commentary's public access area for a guaranteed minimum period of one year.  Organizations sponsoring reviews of their products have the opportunity to purchase reprints, reprint rights and, at Consumer Commentary's discretion, extended online posting periods (beyond the initial first year) for reviews on ConsumerCommentary.com.

Submitting Products for Review

Garnering reviews through Consumer Commentary is a two-part process constituting first, a product nomination, and second, a product sponsorship.

Nominating a Product for Review

Download the nomination form and submit it to Consumer Commentary for review.  We'll carefully evaluate how the nominated product fits into our current evaluation mix and whether we're equipped to develop educated and insightful commentary on the potential submission.  For instance, if we recently posted a review on an entry-level luxury sedan, we most likely will not evaluate another until the following quarter.  Or alternatively, if we're asked to review a snow blower in July at our headquarters in San Diego, California, we'll most likely have to decline given the lack of a proper and available testing environment.

The non-refundable application fee associated with submitting nominations for evaluation is $50.  If we decline your initial nomination, you will be provided with a thorough explanation of the reason(s) we were not able to accept your product at this time.  Additionally, you will be afforded an additional, complimentary nomination.  Such 'second-chance' nominations can either be applied to the same product for use within our recommend re-nomination window (typically next quarter, like the entry-level luxury sedan in the example above) or for an unrelated product nominated within 30 days.

If we accept your nomination, you will be notified with complete details on submitting and sponsoring your product for Consumer Commentary's review.  Typically, decisions regarding reviews are made within one week of receipt of the nomination.  Results of our review of your nomination are mailed via USPS Priority Mail to ensure timely delivery.

Submitting and Sponsoring a Successfully Nominated Product for Review

Submitting materials for review is easy.  Most products can be shipped to one of Consumer Commentary's two locations--we'll notify you with exact destination details and contact information.  Additionally, we'll confirm receipt of the product for review upon its arrival and provide a projected time of completion for the evaluation--typically within 30 days. 

We welcome the inclusion of supplemental materials describing a product's best use(s), features and benefits, and other information that will aid our staff in the evaluation of your product.  Should any questions arise about your entry during the review process, or if we are unable to operate the product as specified, we will contact you directly to resolve the matter before continuing our evaluation.

At your option, Consumer Commentary can either return your reviewed product via delivery service (we'll bill you accordingly) or arrange for its pickup by your organization and/or its agents.  Alternatively, depending on the product's suitability, we can either donate to charity or dispose of the materials as most appropriate.

Because of Consumer Commentary's commitment to provide ad-free and complimentary access to its reviews for everyone, it is the responsibility of the organization submitting a product for our analysis to sponsor the costs associated with testing the product, evaluating the results and compiling the written review.  To simplify matters, we've arranged a flat-rate sponsorship fee of $495, which is applicable to all submissions.  The fee includes the cost of hosting the review (typically around 700 words) on Consumer Commentary's web site for one year; a limited set of printed reproductions (reprints) of the article sent to the sponsoring organization; testing and review staff salaries and fixed capital costs.

This fee has been carefully calculated in order to fully cover operating expenses while also maintaining the ability of even the smallest consumer product manufacturers and distributors to gain affordable access to an independent reviews center.  Given the fee's low, "one-size-fits-all" price, Consumer Commentary is able to operate objectively and fairly without external influence on the review's results.

Consumer Commentary does make supplemental promotional materials available--e.g. additional reprints, reproduction rights, and web hosting of the review--however, these offerings cannot be ordered prior to completion and public posting of the finalized review and are processed by staff wholly independent of Consumer Commentary's testing team.

Publicizing the Results of Our Review

You are welcome to publicize the results of Consumer Commentary's review process.  Unlike other testing organizations, we do not stifle the voices of manufacturers and distributors looking to highlight excellent test results.  Further, a standard set of reprints is also provided to all organizations submitting products for review and more can be ordered for a nominal fee.  Reproduction rights and extended web hosting of the review on Consumer Commentary's web site are also available at low costs.

Consumer Commentary is amenable to participate in press releases and similar publicity sponsored by the manufacturer and/or distributor of the reviewed product.   We reserve the right to limit our participation to what would be considered a reasonable effort according to our own determination.

Should your review score highly enough, you will also be provided with an award logo ("bug"), which can be reproduced on your marketing and communications materials to highlight your product's accomplishment and overall excellence.

What You Need to Know

Consumer Commentary is unique in its approach to managing product reviews, providing a best-of-all-worlds service that educates consumers, free of charge and without advertisements, about the various products in which they're most interested.  Manufacturers and distributors, both large and small, gain access to an independent consumer review and analysis platform free of bias and influence.  Getting started is easy: simply take ten minutes to complete and submit Consumer Commentary's Product Nomination Form, and you're on your way to gainful insights about your consumer product to share with the world.