Saturday, November 3, 2007

New Amazon Video Reviews

  1. Has anyone seen one yet? If so, can you point me in that direction?
  2. WOW! I got an email from Amazon offering a FREE flip video camcorder (I'm sure I'm not the only one who got that email), I don't even have to pay freight! It looks like they want to encourage more reviews.

Not sure if I want to put myself on camera to the world yet, can't quite imagine a book review on video. I think krossd could do much better than I could :-)

17 comments:

Malleus said...

Haven't seen any yet. I think this idea is harebrained, technology for the sake of technology. What is it exactly that makes a talking review better -- or even just as good as -- a written one? I've no clue. I can read. I prefer to read.

Now, what would be cool is if Harriet Klausner switched to an all-video production mode, babbling out in person the jubberish that she posts. I'd also love to see W.Boudville and Robert Morris, just so I could recognize them on the street...

scotdog98 said...

http://www.amazon.com/review/R1311S1YX96L1W/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm/

Hope this works. The Dolphin made one.

Malleus said...

Oh yeah, for products in general -- other than books, that is, -- it's quite nice: you can show the product itself, so that's fine. On YouTube and vendor sites it's been done forever. But again, it's a DEMO, not a review. I'm amazed how Amazon keeps trying to sell every kind of promo as a 'customer review'. Well, doesn't matter, I suppose. No one would take a product demo such as the one you've pointed to for a customer review of this product. It's just info about an item. In itself, this is fine, quite useful if you're thinking of buying this thing.

Malleus said...

Come to think of it, just as a lot of Harriet's reviews, I suspect, aren't even written by Harriet and are simply publisher's blurbs probably posted directly (though under the brand name of 'Harriet Klausner'(TM)), vendors will be able to supply the same kind of reviewer with short videos demonstrating the use of their products. The only innovation is that those will now be posted right here, on Amazon, and uhmmm... under some person's name.

Malleus said...

I mean, how do you know it's really Mr MCCALISTER talking. :-) And how does this (nice in itelf) demonstration supports the rating given?

What I'm looking forward to is Harriet or Grady appearing in person on that little screen and delivering their usual drivel by way of verbal communication. Are they gonna take acting lessons, what do you think. So as to speak with distinction. Joe Blow has it all twenty three years old lawyer in the city. This is a fun terrific action packed chick lit vampire whodunit that is sure to please... :D

scotdog98 said...

I’m too impatient. This video didn’t even work properly on my computer (I had no audio). No way am I going to sit thru 8 minutes.

I did buy a can crusher & a video review would have been helpful – if well done. The directions for install were horrible. I still like people to get to the point quickly. The kicker will be video’s well done. Most will probably be horrid and long winded (like so many reviews).

Kelly

Malleus said...

Absolutely. Matter of fact, I don't think there will be many video reviews -- from regular folks that is; of course if this is just yet another channel for delivering commerical promos, there'll be tons of them. It's not so easy for a common Joe to produce a watchable video. We'll see.... and finally, still I'm not sure how video reviewing is applicable to books... "Look at that book! The cover's blue and says somethin on it... the binding is sturdy! Not bad! Let me see what's on the back cover... oh, it's also blue and there's some letters on it" and so on. W.Boudville style, maybe.

Stanley H Nemeth said...

Don't underestimate the entertainment this new mode might provide for those of us with a black sense of humor. Perhaps those suspected franchises of writers known singly as Harriet or Grady will insist, for reasons of vanity, on appearing as the groups they are rather than as dotty individuals, reciting yet another mediocre review, but this time chorally. Or Amazon will decide the original Harriet and Grady are now too old or fat for video and rudely put some sleek supermodels in their place. A book after all in our time is more than just its cover; it's equally as much the external beauty of the person hawking it.
Last but not least, the enigmatic Ghost could appear in a video featuring only a blue light (like in Shakespeare) and in an eerie, disembodied voice trash some Amazon Vine engineered bestseller. No doubt, all except this last will cause the sales of book-loving but even more market savvy Amazon to go further through the roof.

Malleus said...

:-) All good ideas! I'm looking forward to a blast of creativity from the Amazon constituency.

Cathy said...

I'm glad the camcorder comes with no obligations, I can't even imagine reviewing a book on video. I have one thought I might try if it's doable I'll post it.

I can see with toys and products that a person can interact with and use a good sense of humor in the mix there are possibilities here for some fun. I would LOVE to see krossd come up with something. However, eight minutes is too long, I'd say five tops.

Oh well, I get a free flip video say I'm a happy camper :-)

Malleus said...

Why should it be eight minutes?

Cathy said...

They have a requirement that it can be no longer than 8 minutes (8.3 I think exactly).

Malleus said...

Ah, "no longer", that's another story. So they gave you a camcorder?

Cathy said...

Yes they did, $150 retail (their price). I wonder how many they gave away to encourage the video reviews.

scotdog98 said...

I wonder that too - Since I was booted for spam early on I don't get any emails or promos from Ammy. After reading these posts I am almost up for trying a vid. What about copyright laws? Can I show a video of myself listening to a tape/music cd? Watching Braveheart? Creatively of course without worrying about licensing? !

Cathy said...

Inetesting comment about the copyright issue. Can you post that question on the DB's and see what others say? The videos do have possibilities, think of what someone could do with the baby merchandise and a cute baby. All those toys for Christmas. The shoes, the cosmetics. A creative person could have a field day.


Scotdog, try to get more active in book discussions, reviews and listmanias. Those were the topics they quoted me for being active and qualified me to the ABNA reviews and the free camera. I feel much better, I was a bit put out when I didn't get to do a Vine Voice, and saw similar reviewers in the same ranking as me get invited. Oh well. ;-0

Cathy said...

Here's a couple of more video reviews, one for a CD and one for a book,

http://www.amazon.com/review/R36QU7J2O9K9SU/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

http://www.amazon.com/review/R3T796MCKRG5D9/ref=cm_cr_dp_cmt/102-4421097-9253744?%5Fencoding=UTF8&ASIN=0785223584#wasThisHelpful