Alienware messing with reviewers

[Kevin Wolff]

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=7113

Basically, they told Hexus that they can't review any more machines from them, because their reviews weren't what Alienware wanted - and that it's been their marketing strategy all along.

[Bryant]

Figures.

[Drazula]

I think Hexus over reacted. If you got a bad review, would you send the same SKU back to be reviewed again? And why is Hexus surprised to find out that Alienware expects EVERY review to be positive. That's what marketing dollars are for. Would you knowingly send a product to be reviewed if you thought it would not be given a good review?

I agree with the Alienware guy: Hexus is naive.

And no, I don't like or own Alienware junk. It it too overpriced. But if I said that in a review, I would not expect Alienware to send me a second product to review.

[avatar_58]

On one hand I happen to agree with Hexus - Alienware is really uptight if they think every review is going to be positive. What would be the point in reading a review at all if its being sugar coated? I personally read reviews to see the good points AND the flaws, and I expect every review to contain both. Simply making a product sound worth buying isn't good review tactics.

However Alienware has every right to decline Hexus a review product. It doesn't matter the reason, it is their product and if they feel it hurts them why would they send an free copy to someone who is going to slander them? Sure its stupid for them to assume they would be biased, but if they want to cut them off its all legal and fine.


This whole thing just shows why many reviews cannot be trusted. If someone is paying advertisement costs to a website then its blatantly obvious, but things like this just make you shake your head. Why trust hardware reviews at all then? Is Tom's Hardware and the rest of them biased as well? This stresses the importance of looking up more than one review per product, that way you can get second and third opinions.

[Kevin Wolff]

However Alienware has every right to decline Hexus a review product. It doesn't matter the reason, it is their product and if they feel it hurts them why would they send an free copy to someone who is going to slander them? Sure its stupid for them to assume they would be biased, but if they want to cut them off its all legal and fine.
In this case, though, Hexus wasn't "slandering" Alienware at all - just saying that their products, while good, are too expensive. No "OMG SUX" involved. The interesting part, to me, is how upfront the Alienware guy was about it.

BTW, Tom's Hardware are, last I checked, Intel+nVidia fanboys. I can't imagine they are anywhere near alone.

[avatar_58]

The point is that the review product is not mandatory and if Alienware doesn't want to send one then they don't have to. I'm not saying their reason is a good one, but if Hexus thinks they "owe them one" then they are quite mistaken.

[8IronBob]

What? That Dell buyout didn't make Alienware reviews better?! ;)

[Duoae]

I'm with Hexus. Regardless of Alienware's right to send or deny products for review it can't expect a positive review purely for the privilege of receiving such a product. If this is expected then a contract of some sort must be drawn up before sending said product - as was said in the emails.

Though i think Hexus's chief acted rather childishly in reply...

[Hudson]

Alienware has always been a crock of shit anyway

[NutWrench]

Oh, Alienware. You guys used to be COOL. :cool:

[avatar_58]

Oh, Alienware. You guys used to be COOL. :cool:

They did? :insomnia:

[Duoae]

I think you meant UBER1!!111!!!1!!

[NutWrench]

What Duoae said. Uber Cool! :)
They made customized cases for each user and supplied really nice, high-quality manuals. They also custom painted the accessories (if needed) to match the case color.

[Water12356]

Untill they became money hungry whores.

[Bryant]

You're basically paying for the name; that and fancy, color changing paint that costs hundreds of dollars and has absolutely no benefit whatsoever other than looking pretty.

[Duoae]

...that costs hundreds of dollars and has absolutely no benefit whatsoever other than looking pretty.


Wait a sec, is this about women or computers?

;)

[avatar_58]

Wait a sec, is this about women or computers?

;)

Oh yeah well my PC has great personality.

[Foxy]

Colour-changing paint --> Women.

It's such an obvious transition. x|

[Mountain Man]

From the article, Alienware's response when asked for another machine to review:

I'm afraid, after the last review, our ability to send you any hardware for review is pretty much gone. When I have one of the executives in the US threatening my job on the telephone, my hands become somewhat tied in the future.

Anyway since...

"there are better and cheaper alternatives to the Alienware Area-51 7500"

... surely those would make a much better choice for a launch-day G80 review?

Certainly we'd have to have rocks in our head to come back for a second helping with the same SKU.
This response seems very frank, reasonable, and with a touch of deliberately self-effacing humor. Honestly, I'm not sure what HEXUS.net is bitching about.

Also, I think HEXUS.net has it backwards. As far as I can tell, Alienware isn't saying they demand a good review in exchange for a free machine; rather, they're saying that they're not going to waste their time sending out a machine that they suspect will probably receive a bad review. That's just common sense.

And while HEXUS.net posted the complete email exchange thinking it would vindicate them, it just made them look like a bunch of immature a**holes who flew off the handle with with no provocation. The rep from Alienware seemed very measured in his response in the face of open hostility and won my respect because of it.

Not to mention, HEXUS.net could be in some legal trouble for publishing the content of a private email exchange.

[Duoae]

Also, I think HEXUS.net has it backwards. As far as I can tell, Alienware isn't saying they demand a good review in exchange for a free machine; rather, they're saying that they're not going to waste their time sending out a machine that they suspect will probably receive a bad review. That's just common sense.

But the machine didn't get a bad review. It was just stated that you could get the same for less money... Is that a bad review? Or do they want the reviewers to leave out certain facts in future?

As i said before i think Hexus's response was very unprofessional and childish. They probably will be in legal trouble and if not, their reviewing business will suffer because other companies might not like to expose themselves to similar public airings...