Hey Do HiFi & Home Theater Magazines Get to Keep Items They Review?

[EdwardGein]

I'm thinking of starting up some online HiFi type site- don't worry, I'll have other people do most of the technical advice! & I was wondering when companies send their hi end products to be reviewed, is the magazine & staff allowed to keep & resell the merchandise or is it supposed to be returned. Anyone know anything about this. Obviously it has to look professional enough for a company to want to bother giving equipment to review or they won't bother in the first place.

Also, related, to anyone who is internet savy, can you provide links on a web site without asking the web site holder for permission first. I.E., I'm not sure if Matt Drudge had to get permission to put all his links on the Drudge Report.

Any answers appreciated.

[N. Abstentia]

Yes, magazines keep all the equipment they get and then resell it in their retail stores (like the Stereophile Stores or Sound & Vision Shops which are found throughout the US). That's how they make their money.

[superpanavision70mm]

Not always. I know that quite a few companies only let their product out for 90 days or so. It just depends on the manufacturer.

[Woochifer]

Yes, magazines keep all the equipment they get and then resell it in their retail stores (like the Stereophile Stores or Sound & Vision Shops which are found throughout the US). That's how they make their money.

Must live in a better neighborhood than I do, all I get around here are the High Times stores and their manufacturers' samples always seem to mysteriously disappear well before I arrive. Methinks it's an inside job.

[N. Abstentia]

Okay, okay, let me add this:



Jeez Ed, what the heck kind of question is that? Think about it. Why would a magazine KEEP any equipment then let an employee sell it for personal gain?? Think about these things before you post, man!

I got $10 that says the first thing you did when you read my post was to Google for a Stereophile Store in your area. Any takers? You Googled it, didn't you?

[robert393]

Okay, okay, let me add this:



Jeez Ed, what the heck kind of question is that? Think about it. Why would a magazine KEEP any equipment then let an employee sell it for personal gain?? Think about these things before you post, man!

I got $10 that says the first thing you did when you read my post was to Google for a Stereophile Store in your area. Any takers? You Googled it, didn't you?

OMG....now I got a smile on my face.....lol. I was thinking "now, NA is either 1) smoking some SERIOUS dope, or 2) me-thinks NA is pulling Ed's leg....

Anyway, thanks for clarifying for Ed that .... NOOOO. The manufactures certainly are NOT giving the reviewer the goods to KEEP (then resale for profit.....you gotta be kidding me....lol).

Robert

[EdwardGein]

Now I'm totally confused. I know music magazines let their reviewers & staff keep CD's that were sent to review. Now I know $500 plus equipment is not the same as a CD but what exactly does happen to the stuff. Is it the magazines property to do as they want or is the stuff supposed to be returned within say 90 days as mentioned in one post here. If it is the magazines to keep, there's a very good chance they do let their reviewers keep the stuff or distribute it to the staff. I don't see why this is such a bizarre question to comprehend.

[N. Abstentia]

The equpiment is 'loaned' to the magazines to review, then 'returned' back to the manufacturer when the review is done.

Why is that so 'bizarre' to 'comprehend'?

[bettercheddar]

My understanding is the equipment is loaned to the magazine, reviewed (free advertising), and then returned. I have read reviews where the reviewer made the choice to purchase the product from the manufacturer if s/he was thrilled with the product. I guess it's a win-win situation here. I, as a potential customer, get the opportunity to get a peek at a product, read another person's take about the product and then decide on whether I want to purchase. The manufacturer gets free advertising for the product. The magazine gets their cut from prescriptions and advertising. We all are better informed and enjoy the articles and pictures of the gear we are interested in learning more about. I have subscriptions to three audio magazines and read them from cover to cover. I know this sounds crazy - but I look forward to my audio magazines! I love movies and music and the equipment available to enhance my viewing and listening experience.

[drseid]

As N.A said, the gear is loaned and returned as a general rule. If I remember correctly, many companies will give the reviewer the option of purchasing the (now) used goods at a substantial discount to the new price instead of a return (maybe close to cost), but it is by no means free or anywhere close to it. This would most likely only apply to the more recognized magazines (print or Internet). I doubt for example, I could start my own page, review some VS VR-11s and have Albert let me buy them for half price (to my chagrin). ;-)

---Dave

[shokhead]

Manuf set a time they can keep it, 30 days,whatever before its returned.

[SlumpBuster]

The equpiment is 'loaned' to the magazines to review, then 'returned' back to the manufacturer when the review is done.

Why is that so 'bizarre' to 'comprehend'?

It's always the most basic concepts that are the hardest to understand when one is trolling.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

If a reviewer decides he wants to purchase the review sample, they get a nice factory discount in most cases. Manufacturers know that the reviewer will continue to list his reference equipment with their name attatched. Free long term advertising. This is mostly how Widescreen Review built the reference laboratory with such high end stuff. Most magazines could never afford what Gary Reber has put together as a reference system.

[N. Abstentia]

So to cut straight to the chase.... no, simply buying some webspace and titling it 'Home Theater Reviews' will not get you any free equipment.

[Jim Clark]

I'm speechless.

Thankfully I can still type.

jc

[yogo]

Edward,

I'e been reading your posts for quite some time and like in this post, somebody else will do the work and you'll garner the rewards.

I have never seen anyone work as hard as you to find ways to screw other people.

Who do you think eventually pays for all these things?
Someone has to and FYI it's the rest of us, mebbe thats why so many get irritated with you.

I have a co worker who abuses the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) system. He's not sick but takes off of work all the time. Guess who has to carry his weight when he's not there?

I rarely post but I had to reply to this post you made. Unbelievable...

[EdwardGein]

Your a doodoo chaser. Look it up It doesn't mean what you think Once more I asked an innocent question & once more I get a ridiculous stupid insulting comment that had nothing to do with the question. You need to get a life instead of venting your insecurities against. Excuse me for thinking about trying to start an online website about hifi that maybe will let me and anyone who is involved get free equipment as a result. I'm sorry I never realised that was a cardinal sin & God forbid I should even ask about how hifi magazines & sites get the stuff they review & what happens to it afterwards.

[JeffKnob]

Edward,

I'e been reading your posts for quite some time and like in this post, somebody else will do the work and you'll garner the rewards.

I have never seen anyone work as hard as you to find ways to screw other people.

Who do you think eventually pays for all these things?
Someone has to and FYI it's the rest of us, mebbe thats why so many get irritated with you.

I have a co worker who abuses the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) system. He's not sick but takes off of work all the time. Guess who has to carry his weight when he's not there?

I rarely post but I had to reply to this post you made. Unbelievable...

He also gets very defensive when someone criticizes his comments or questions. It isn't much incentive to offer any help.

[musicman1999]

ed
when an audio company sends a product out to be reviewed it is often a preproduction sample that goes out in a review cycle from one magazine to another,and as far as i know there is no pre set time limit(i have read many reviews where the reviewer said things like these speakers spent several months in my system)it would not be a good idea to tell a reviewer that he only had a set time to complete it,that would probably start the process on the wrong foot.I don't know how they decide who gets it first,probably something to do with advertising dollars and reputation.who knows.

bill

[shokhead]

Edward,

I'e been reading your posts for quite some time and like in this post, somebody else will do the work and you'll garner the rewards.

I have never seen anyone work as hard as you to find ways to screw other people.

Who do you think eventually pays for all these things?
Someone has to and FYI it's the rest of us, mebbe thats why so many get irritated with you.

I have a co worker who abuses the FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) system. He's not sick but takes off of work all the time. Guess who has to carry his weight when he's not there?

I rarely post but I had to reply to this post you made. Unbelievable...

I use sick days all the time and i'm not sick,so? My sick days.

[noddin0ff]

If you want to start a review site, you should go in with some one with years of experience. Some one like SVI, whose got a critical ear, some web savvy, and a top notch forum for discussing all things audio (and some dinosaur stuff too!).

[yogo]

I use sick days all the time and i'm not sick,so? My sick days.

FMLA gives many more sick days than the usual. More like 3 months a year.
Good program, many abuse it.

Hey, I use sick days when I'm healthy too, sick days are part of the employment package, like pay. I call em mental health days...

[shokhead]

I'm a non-suit Supervisor and have been told if my guys use a sick day on the same day 3 months in a row,i'm to write him up for it as the suits figure he must not be sick. I remewmber my first day as a Sup and a suit pulled me off to the side and said,just because we give you sick days{they are earned} doesnt mean you use them and now that your a Sup,your job come before your family. Never forgot that,22 years ago.

[EdwardGein]

The thing that I'm most proud of my 26 years as a Civil Servant before I took early retirement is that while we get 13 sick days a year which accumulates, you don't get paid for any of them if you accumulated them when you retire, other then the total time may be applied to your retirement base & I had a cumulative total of 2 days after 26 years. It basically was subsidary vacation time & I liked nothing better to take them on Fridays & Mondays when your supervisor knew that you were in all likelyhood lying, but couldn't do a thing. If you took 3 sick days in a row however, your supervisor had the option to ask for a Doctor's note. I think I was actually physically sick or had doctor & dentist appointments maybe 100 days during this 26 year period.

[shokhead]

Yep, the school district,being as kind as they are will pay me 15 bucks for each 8 hours of sickdays i have left when i retire. Pretty big of them.