The perks of product testing

Women in the United States can now sign up to test-drive new products in exchange for their honest opinions and reviews at SheSpeaks.com. Similar to Cherrypicka, which we recently highlighted, SheSpeaks is an online forum for product reviews. Only at SheSpeaks, there’s no cost for product testers, and products are chosen for reviewers based on their interests. (At Cherrypicka, members do the picking.) And as the name indicates, SheSpeaks is for women only, which isn’t surprising since women control over USD 5 trillion in spending in the United States and are responsible for 83% of all consumer purchases. Here’s how it works: when users sign up, they complete a questionnaire about their interests, hobbies, likes and dislikes. SheSpeaks selects an appropriate product match, which the members receive in two to three weeks. Products are theirs to keep, as they try them out in their own homes and as part of their everyday lives. In exchange, members provide their candid feedback online on the SheSpeaks website. Discussion boards allow testers to exchange views and opinions with other women who have tested the same products. And after a test is complete, they can get the scoop on how their reviews may have impacted a product before it goes to market, which creates a nice feedback loop. Membership at SheSpeaks is free, and the site also offers free products, special offers and valuable coupons for members to pass onto their friends. Not only does this form of tryvertising equal efficient and effective product research for manufacturers, but it’s a great way for them to connect directly with their intended markets. Product testing and sampling combined with an online community: definitely a concept that easily could expand to other product categories, countries and demographics. As long as opinions aren’t filtered or censored 😉 Spotted by: Kare Anderson