My view on Bview (bview.co.uk)

Member Name: shopaholicleo

Product:	bview.co.uk
Date:	28/06/09 (32 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Useful local information, paypal payouts

Disadvantages: Low rewards, lesser quality reviews, lack of privacy

Now here's another one of those review sites we're all so obviously fond of, being members of Dooyoo. Bview allows you to review local businesses galore, not just shops and restaurants, but also doctors, dentists, builders and whatever else you may be using in your vicinity. The idea is to support local businesses and to share your experiences with them, with a view to helping others, and there's the added bonus of vouchers being on the site. Of course you can also review major companies such as Ebay and Asos, but the emphasis is on keeping everything local. You can also earn money for writing reviews, I believe there was a special promotion a few months ago, where you could earn 30p per review but I believe that they system may have changed (though there's no mention of it on the site). They pay out monthly using Paypal which is also a bonus.

I'm in two minds about bview. Although I welcome the opportunity to earn money over the internet by writing reviews, the payout is quite low due to not receiving extra points when reviews are read. The minimum payout is low, at just a fiver, but to earn that I'd have to write 17 reviews, whereas with Dooyoo I could get by on writing a few less and relying on review reads. The amount you have to write is 150 words, and most reviews stick to this, but I feel like the quality is not the same as a Dooyoo review as people don't spend as much time on a well thought out review. There is also less of a community aspect, and people rarely seem to read my reviews, and are more concerned with writing reviews of their own. I also don't like the fact that they will use your full name on the site (I have had to put my initials), as I prefer to use an alias on the internet.

I believe that Simon Miller is the community manager on the site, and I regularly receive e-mails from him about site promotions, such as getting £5 for writing ten reviews. They always respond to any e-mails, and it seems like the site has a very personal touch as you're encouraged to send any questions or queries. I like the idea that you can add photos and videos to your reviews, though I don't really use this feature, I feel like perhaps Dooyoo could benefit from this.

I think the premise of Bview is admirable, as many local businesses are struggling at the moment, but something needs to be done to encourage the community aspect, so people respond to reviews more. I also think the rewards need to be consistent, such as Dooyoo where you get standard amounts for reading and writing reviews. I will probably only use the site again when they send me a new incentive.

Summary: Another way to earn some money on the internet