Ask HN: I am trying to give away free $130 products, need marketing advice

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10011092

5 6 11 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

My startup, ReviewFairy.com, gives away top products in exchange for high-quality product reviews. Right now we are giving away $130 home monitoring cameras:

https://www.reviewfairy.com/camera-products.html

Our general sign-up form for all products is: www.ReviewFairy.com

I see user acquisition as a function of traffic and conversion. Conversion is hurt by the trust needed for my business (reviewers pay first and then get reimbursed) and probably a host of other things. If you see any easily fixable trust-blockers, please let me know :)

I am most curious about traffic channels. Though. Does anyone have any experience advertising to heavy online-shoppers? I've tried ads but cost per customer has been pretty high. I've tried to apply the Traction framework, but it's been a tough battle.

I am new to the startup world, so any help or feedback would be most appreciated! And if anyone wants to get some of the coolest new tech products for free - please sign up :)

olegious• 11 years ago

I'm curious, how are you making money on this?

danieltillett• 11 years ago

I don’t think they are :(

Gustomaximus• 11 years ago

1) What's been your cost per customer? Maybe it's your expectations that are incorrect. That said from what I'll say below I doubt this.

2) Your website isn't appealing to sign-up to. Lack of information, or anything really. You need to rethink your landing experiences I cant see very good conversion happening.

3) You ask for a heap of personal information without establishing any trust - see above. Having a Gmail address as you contact really exacerbates that this is not a serious/legitimate business.

4) I feel this post is veiled attempt to bring exposure. I've offered some advice in the hope that im wrong.

5) I cant see this business working as is. But good luck.

sdernley• 11 years ago

Agree with this. At the very least i'd say you need a 'How it works' or something similar on the landing page and to drop the Gmail email as your contact email.

pki• 11 years ago

You say "giving away", I see "being forced to buy, then later apply for some form of or equivalent of rebate, which I've had really shitty past experiences with by virtually every single company ever offering a rebate in any way"

That's the biggest stopper for me.

---

On top of that, think of it this way: if someone writes a negative review, wouldn't they innately feel that you wouldn't reimburse them? So you are basically "paying for positive reviews" psychologically, rather than the more fair reviews if they were compensated in the first place IMHO

mtmail• 11 years ago

Not just positive, the reviews have to be "top-notch" so you never know if your review good enough.

Same experience here. Did one mail-in rebate in my life and of course that failed with no chance of follow up (they kept all the original receipts, no phone number etc). Never again.

Ask HN: I am trying to give away free $130 products, need marketing advice

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