Have An Opinion? Get Paid to Share It

Anytime I go to add something to my cart online that is not a designer or a brand I usually purchase, I always read the reviews. I read the reviews because I need to know a few things. For instance, I ordered a sweater from Nordstrom last week from a designer I don’t typically wear. I could list 10 designers right now and know exactly how their items fit me – size up, size down, perfect fit. This one was new to me, so I didn’t know. I relied on reviews from other customers to tell me that the item fits a bit on the large side and to be sure to order a size down. As an XS, that’s a problem for me, so I’m hoping it’s not too bad when it arrives tomorrow.

What I never really think about, though, is those reviews and the people who leave them. Sure, I use them from time to time and I really do go through them and make sure that most people say the same thing so that one negative review isn’t just some random hateful person without anything nice to say. But did you know that many companies actually pay their reviewers, such as Amazon? That’s right; you could get free swag or even money for reviewing items, you just have to know how to do it.

Sign up for an Amazon account, and get the app on your phone. You’ll need to start with things that you already have around the house to get a base review started. You might use the app to scan the barcode of things you have lying around that you know you can get on Amazon or that you did get on Amazon. Now you will write a very honest review of what you think of the product. Do this for as many as you can.

The key is to place reviews on items that have very few, to none. You want to check your spelling, your grammar and the usefulness of your review. As customers vote your review helpful, you become more noticeable to the company, and they are more likely to value your opinion more and you will begin receiving offers from sellers to review their products – and they will often send them to you free of charge.

It’s not a job that will pay your kids’ college tuition, but if you make it a habit to focus on reviewing things you need and use the most around the house, you’ll eventually begin getting those things free of charge and you’ll receive that compensation by never needing to buy those things again. That’s a big savings, which is nicer than payment in some instances.

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