Wirecutter CEO Sells Top Reviews for Kickbacks (2014)
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Re: Wirecutter CEO Sells Top Reviews for Kickbacks (2014)
#2It's worth clarifying that this is from 2014/15. The New York Times bought Wirecutter in 2016, and Lam isn't CEO any more.
The site doesn't hide that it makes money from affiliate links:
https://thewirecutter.com/about/
FWIW, the XDesk post mentions The Wirecutter's response to their initial post, but doesn't link to it. That response is here:
https://thewirecutter.com/our-response-to-nextdesk/
They suggest the Wirecutter refused to review their desk (though the e-mails don't seem to actually say that?):
> We offered a review desk to your CEO and the response was basically “pay us a kickback”. So, the only NextDesk you’ve ever reviewed was our original model that is now 4 years old (2-3 versions ago)
When the current standing desk review page (https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-standing-desk/) features the "Terra 2", which appears to be the exact same desk XDesk's own site is promoting. And the page states:
> Xdesk did not return multiple requests for comment on our impressions.
Re: Wirecutter CEO Sells Top Reviews for Kickbacks (2014)
#3Not defending them, but it seems like a lot of online websites have kickbacks. I mean hell, you can set up an amazon referral link for your youtube channel in like 2 seconds. The intensives of the review "industry" are fucked...
it's not like movie reviewers make 10 cents if I see Star Wars
Re: Wirecutter CEO Sells Top Reviews for Kickbacks (2014)
#4(2014)
Wirecutter's response: https://thewirecutter.com/our-response-to-nextdesk/
previous discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16729408
Re: Wirecutter CEO Sells Top Reviews for Kickbacks (2014)
#5Not defending them, but it seems like a lot of online websites have kickbacks. I mean hell, you can set up an amazon referral link for your youtube channel in like 2 seconds. The intensives of the review "industry" are fucked... it's not like movie reviewers make 10 cents if I see Star Wars
As a reader of Wirecutter I am personally comfortable with the referral/affiliate model that they use to make money. It does mean that they only review products where they can collect the referral fee, so their choice will come from a constrained pool. But since that usually means Amazon, and most products are on Amazon, it's usually not a problem.
Re: Wirecutter CEO Sells Top Reviews for Kickbacks (2014)
#6I am Jack’s total lack of surprise.
Re: Wirecutter CEO Sells Top Reviews for Kickbacks (2014)
#7Can the mods add a "(2014)" in the headline for this one?
Re: Wirecutter CEO Sells Top Reviews for Kickbacks (2014)
#8Previous discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16729408
Re: Wirecutter CEO Sells Top Reviews for Kickbacks (2014)
#9I am Jack’s total lack of surprise.
Please don't post unsubstantive comments here.
Re: Wirecutter CEO Sells Top Reviews for Kickbacks (2014)
#10Not defending them, but it seems like a lot of online websites have kickbacks. I mean hell, you can set up an amazon referral link for your youtube channel in like 2 seconds. The intensives of the review "industry" are fucked... it's not like movie reviewers make 10 cents if I see Star Wars
At best, review sites are funded by affiliate referral fees. The other business models for reviews are even worse.
It sounds like the Wirecutter (under previous ownership) may have gone over the line, but NextDesk also comes across kind of holier-than-thou if they think they can survive without paying to acquire customers.