No Paid Promotions
I will not offer paid promotions. There will be no exchange of money or other valuable items to avoid any conflicts of interest or allegations of bias. The product is provided free of charge for review, this will be clearly disclosed in the video description. The product received must be equivalent to what an average customer would get when making a purchase. If I suspect that a product has been specifically prepared to secure a favorable review, I will disclose this in the video—which may be interpreted negatively by viewers. I also reserve the right to cancel the review.
Procedures When Encountering Difficulties
If issues arise, I will first consult the manuals, support documentation, and community forums—ensuring that my experience aligns with that of a typical customer—before contacting the company representative who supplied the product. Even if the problem is resolved, this aspect of the experience will be mentioned in the video. If the issue turns out to be an isolated case, this will be clearly indicated to highlight the company’s positive response in addressing the problem. However, if the issue is not resolved, it is important to share this information so that viewers know what kind of customer experience to expect.
Handling Negative Experiences
Once the review has been agreed upon, a negative experience during the testing phase is not sufficient grounds to cancel or delete the video. This measure is intended to prevent the propagation of negative publicity. Especially for less satisfying products, it is particularly important that the review remains publicly available in order to inform potential customers of any shortcomings. Customers expect that a product has been sufficiently developed and tested for performance, reliability, and safety.
Correction in Case of Mistakes
Should I demonstrably make an error in my evaluation process, I will—at the request of the respective company—remove the original video and upload a corrected version. In the video description, I will fully explain the issues encountered in the original video to transparently address my error with the viewers.
Disclaimer
I assume no liability for negative publicity, loss of sales, investment losses, etc., that may result from the review. It is the company’s responsibility to develop a product that can compete effectively in the market. If the product is not of sufficient quality, this will also be reflected in my review.
Typical Procedures for Evaluating Software and Hardware
Depending on the type of product, the following items—though not necessarily all—may be included in the final video:
- Summary of Advertised Features and Capabilities: Based on the product pages where the product is offered as well as publicly accessible content from the company’s website or social media channels.
- Unboxing, Assembly, and Initial Setup: Presentation of first impressions and the initial operation of the product.
- Evaluation of Included Materials: Analysis of the included manuals, tools, spare parts, and digital content (e.g., stored on an SD card or a similar medium).
- Installation and Functionality: For modification parts (e.g., for 3D printers), the installation process and integration into existing systems are documented.
- Performance Testing: Examination of the primary and supplementary functions with regard to performance, repeatability, and reliability.
- Safety Inspections: Testing all relevant safety features.
- Cost and Consumption Analysis: Assessment of ongoing costs and the need for replenishing consumables.
- Support and Community Evaluation: Review of available support documentation and the level of assistance provided by community forums.
- Publicly Available Improvements: Analysis of freely accessible modifications and possibilities for enhancement.
Principles for Fair and Transparent Reviews
- Overview of Positive and Negative Aspects: A summary of all positive and negative experiences may be provided.
- Performance Evaluation Relative to Marketing Claims: The actual performance of the product is assessed based on the seller’s advertising.
- Comparison with Competitors: Where possible, comparisons with similar products are made based on my own hands-on experience. Products that I have not personally tested are only compared using publicly available specifications—without speculation.
- Price-to-Performance Ratio: The evaluation always takes into account the product’s price level.
- Target Audience Orientation: A description of the customer demographic for which the product is particularly suited—or not—may be provided.
- Independence of the Review: My opinion is not influenced by whether I purchased the product or received it for free. The assessment is based solely on the criteria outlined in this document.
- Preventive Contact: If the product is in such poor condition that its publication could harm the company, I will contact them in advance and provide a detailed list of issues.
Publication Standards
To ensure clarity and transparency in the presentation of content while also securing the financial basis of the channel, the following guidelines apply:
- Metadata: The name of the company, the contact person, and the product name may appear in the title, thumbnail, video description, tags, and other metadata.
- Visual Elements: Product images and the company logo may be used in the thumbnail.
- Links and Affiliate Programs: Links to sales pages (often as affiliate links) may be included in the video description—as is customary on technology-focused channels.
- Monetization: The channel’s videos are by default monetized via YouTube advertisements—including the review video—unless the company explicitly requests demonetization before the review is agreed upon.
- Legal Notices: The video will be marked in accordance with applicable German laws.
