Example of ethical full disclosure - new rules from FTC

[Questioner]

Apparently there have been many people who used their web sites and blogs to give reviews which appear unbiased, but are actually calculated to drive sales which result in commissions for the authors - without any acknowledgment of the business relationship for the reviewer. New rules in the U.S. require full disclosure of any commercial connection with reviews.

The link I provide here is an excellent example of how an ethical site describes the business relationships involved in reviews. Although I am considering starting a photography business, and being a customer of the seminars provided by this review site, I currently have no connection with the site or any of the photography products and services they mention. I'm linking to it here to provide an example people can use when evaluating other review sites. I believe that if customers only buy from other sites as straightforward and open as this one, they'll be honoring the principle of full disclosure.

I hope this is useful for people considering shopping based on online reviews.

The link is:
http://luminous-landscape.com/about/disclosure.shtml

[Monica]

This is really good to know! I'm not always in favor of regulation, but this seems like a really good thing. We've had problems with competitors claiming to be unbiased, Consumer Reports type reviewing entities who were being deceptive about actually being competitors. I'll be glad when this is implemented. If only other companies/distributors/bloggers were as ethical as the one you posted!

Thanks for posting this! This is very useful to me and the other distributors in my company.

[Ali Quadir]

Openness would certainly solve a whole lot of problems. If companies were also forced to disclose their finances and show us exactly who profits when we purchase from them we might get a different dynamic. Where companies actually aim to make this list look good to the people. Which means working with smaller suppliers and avoid suppliers in bad reputation.

[Bring4th_Steve]

That is good to know! I had no idea it was a regulation, and I'd like to think of myself as being pretty tuned in to the web industry!

I agree, Monica, I don't like certain types of regulation, either. But I'm always for regulations that legitimately help arm the consumer with more information, and without taking "away" anything from me, whether monetarily or emotionally.

It would seem to be a good practice to use here as well, especially if we bring in art or products that belong to others.

Cheers,
Steve