I'm excited! (u-rate-it.com)

Member Name: offy

Product:	u-rate-it.com
Date:	12/01/03 (94 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great support, good community, you are able to add your own products

Disadvantages: More paying categories would be nice

Opinionated, moi? As soon as I heard about yet another site that I could voice my opinions on, I was off to check it out, and I?m excited by the results.

** What is it? **
U-Rate-It is in their own words 'an online community for sharing consumer reports and reviews on anything that you like including DVDs, movies, games, DVD players, MP3 players and websites'. Basically it is another consumer opinion site, based in England, but the main difference for me is the way that the site owners really listen to their users. These are their thoughs about the other opinion sites: 'We realise that we aren't the only site dedicated to reviews. We also realise that we are small in comparison to sites like DooYoo, Ciao and epinions. However, we believe that these sites have become so popular that they are unable to sustain the demand on them resulting in slow page loads'. It has been going for just over a year and started out life as a review site for UK businesses.

** Rewards**
When I started writing this opinion, U-Rate-It did not pay for writing or reading opinions. However, whilst in the middle of writing this opinion a 'Latest news' flash appeared saying ?earn money now!'. U-Rate-It now pay £0.01 per 'very useful' or 'useful' rating that you receive on an opinion in the following categories: DVDs, MP3 players and console games as a 'member credit read scheme'. It does say that these categories may be added to and/or changed. The minimum payout is £10 and you can earn shopping vouchers. For full details, go to their FAQ section. They also offer entries into prize draws. The number of entries you get depends upon the level of activity you have on the site, represented by tokens, as follows:

- Each Very useful rating = 5 tokens
- Each Useful rating = 4 tokens
- Each OK rating = 2 tokens
- Each Not useful rating = 1 token
- Each Useless rating = 0 tokens

- Each friend introduced = 2 tokens
- Each item added = 0.5 tokens
- Each comment = 1 token
- Each rating = 1 token

There are regular prize draws for Amazon Gift Vouchers, free DVD-Rentals-for-a-month, a hand-made wooden gift and an MP3 player. James has also promised other draws depending upon the level of sponsorship received, so get earning tokens ? it really is worth it (as Angelus has just found out by winning this month?s draw ? I was robbed!).

** Support **
I just had to get this in early in the opinion. This is the most interactive, willing support I have ever had from a site. James (support) is on-line most evenings and responds immediately to any questions/problems. I have never felt so appreciated on a site before! He welcomes suggestions for improvements, and almost as soon as you have suggested something, it is implemented ? magic! I can guarantee that a few days after you read this opinion, things will have changed again, so it is best to keep checking the link on the right called 'latest news'.

** Advertising **
Do you hate popups as much as I do? If so, just read what this site says about them: 'We also promise our users/visitors that we won't swamp you with unwanted advertising and dreaded popups that get in the way of what you want the site for as well as slow you down.' Yes! They also promise not to sell you e-mail address, so you won?t be flooded with spam (or at least not due to this site). There are a few advertising links around the site, but nothing too onerous, and you can choose to ignore them if you want.

** Home page and navigation **
The home page is quite busy, but not overcrowded. It has a white background with orange and navy blue navigation bars on the left and right, and black writing with coloured graphics in the middle. This displays various featured categories. The main headings from the home page are: Members, Reviews, Marketplace,
Search, Newsletter, Help, Buddie on-line, Newest members, Latest news, Award winners, Latest items, Token top 10 and U-Rate-It poll. Navigation is very easy using the static bars either side and there is a path navigation bar on most of the review pages. The site is generally quite quick, and when you add a comment or send a PM, etc. a brief message appears confirming that your action has been completed. It then directs you back to where you came from or you click when you want to go next.

** Signing up **
Signing up is as simple as it comes. Click on the sign up button near the top and enter a user name, a password and your e-mail address. You also have the option to receive their regular newsletter on this screen. They will then send you an activation e-mail to the address you have given. Once you have done this, you can use the site. You can also add profile information (text and a photo) similar to Dooyoo by going to 'my account'.

** FAQ **
It is worth visiting this Frequently Asked Questions section to learn about the site before you start using it. It is available from the home page from a button at the tip, and when you click on a question, it takes you straight to the answer. It includes a writing guide and a rating guide.

** Categories **
Very different to Dooyoo and Ciao, members can currently add their own categories and products by clicking the relevant buttons. No more frustrating waiting! The current main categories are: beauty products, books & magazines, cameras, cars & motoring, CDs, computers, consumer electronics, DVD players, DVD recorders, DVDs, films, finance, food & drink, games, games (console/PC), High Street shopping, kids? stuff, mobile phones, MP3 players, sports, television, travel and website.

** Writing opinions **
Similar to Dooyoo, just go to the relevant category and then click on 'write review'. There is currently no minimum word limit, but this is
also probably going to be introduced shortly to discourage churners (particularly in the paying categories). One advantage is that you can use emoticons and formatting in your opinions to make them look good. For full instructions on these go to the FAQ section.

** Rating opinions **
U-Rate-It have 5 ratings ? very useful, useful, OK, not useful and useless (LOL). Many Ciao members have been asking for more rating categories, and here they have one more. There is a brief ratings guide in FAQ, but basically it is similar to Ciao and Dooyoo. You simply click on the rating you want to give the review at the bottom ? no double clicking like there used to be at Dooyoo. You can also see who has rated the opinions ? no anonymity
here!

** Comments **
Like on Ciao and Dooyoo, you can comment on an opinion. Simply click on the 'add comment' button at the bottom and it will refresh the opinion page to show a comment box at the bottom. You can also read other people?s comments.

** Guestbook **
U-Rate-It have listened to their members yet again and recently implemented a guestbook facility very similar to the Ciao guestbook. You get a PM notifying you of a new entry and they are available for all to read. Use a PM if you want something to stay private!

** Buddy **
The buddy list is a bit like the notify me when a member writes a review feature of Dooyoo, as you will get a Private Message from support whenever one of your buddies writes an opinion. You can also PM them. To add a buddy, just go to a review they have written and at the bottom click on the ?add buddy? button. There is also a box on the right of the home page showing you which of your buddies are on-line (if they want this to be displayed that is).

** Private Messaging (PM) **
This is another great facility. Basically you can PM U-Rate-It members, similar to using AOL messenger or MSN. Angelus and I have already had some ver
y interesting conversations (but I can?t divulge their contents ? LOL). It makes the site very interactive if you want it to be and the PM system is very easy to use. You are notified of a new PM by having an envelope in your 'in box' and by e-mail to the registered address.

** Top 10 tokens **
On the right you can see a list of the ten members of the site with the most prize draw tokens. You can click on the member name to find out more about them and go to their reviews. I quite like this idea, as it makes for a bit of competition.

** Guides **
On the right of categories, you will see a button with the name of the relevant category guide. You can PM them to get advice on the category, the site or writing opinions. A full list of their responsibilities is listed in the FAQs if you are interested in applying to become one. You may notice my name under ?websites? if you visit that category. I have already made some suggestions about the headings, which are being implemented (I love it!).

** Can I reuse my Dooyoo opinions? **
The site owner has said yes, as he believes that you own your own opinions. However, he has requested that you change them a bit to make them unique, for example by adding emoticons or formatting.

** Summary **
I like this site! The site owner is extremely receptive to suggestions and there are no pop ups. It is a rapidly growing site, which I think will be nice to be a part of (a bit like Dooyoo in the early days). As it is smaller at the moment, they can implement changes easily, so you can ask them for everything you?ve ever wanted from Dooyoo but couldn?t get. The main disadvantage is obviously the financial awards (or lack of), but if the site expands, I hope the paying categories will be expanded too. At a time when Ciao and Dooyoo are reducing payment, this site is giving us pay rises ? can?t be bad. The draws and top token lists provide the incentive to write and
read, and I think it has the opportunity to be a very friendly site. Seeing as you can re-use old opinions, why not give it a go ? it really is a great place. See you there!

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