Even a creature from outer space should know you can't buy a good review on HEXUS

[Zak33]

If it's ok for me to suggest, can we leave the Soundcard out of the rest of this thread? It's a good point, valid and important, but it's not gonna progress this any further I don't think.

thanks

[transgenic452]

Seems to me, the real trigger-issue in all of this was the system's price-point.

It looks like had the Alienware system been priced competitively, the review would have brought that up and everyone would have been happy. Similar systems...similar prices...PLUS the value of the reputation Alienware has established behind their products.

The way I interpret what Bettison shared in his notes, is that something was happening within Alienware and/or Dell to involve the executives to that degree...something NOT related to one review.

Corporate politics and division/project budget squabbles are the usual suspects.

The biggest marketing mistake Bettison made, is that he should have responded ONLY with discussion about the post-sale value-add that Dell and Alienware bring to the customer (without actually saying it's to justify the prices) He should have reinforced that it's not just about the hardware.

A GOOD marketing opportunity was wasted.

The biggest mistake Bettison made overall, is assuming all others share his perspective on how to conduct business.

[ernestrome]

Re-read the article. It states that they chose to aompare it to mesh and vadim, simply because core2duo was a new technology at the time of the review and the mesh and vadim systems were the only comparable systems reviewed by Hexus at the time worth using in the review

My question remains about the r'ship between hexus and mesh, scan etc.

[dave87]

AFAIK, (though someone like David may be better placed to offer an answer) the deal is purely to provide the Support forums on Hexus.

In Scan's case, the readership (us) gets free delivery, which seems quite a nice perk

[Blademrk]

indeed at the time of writing, and despite our insisting that he personally no longer communicate with HEXUS, Mr. Bettinson has stated to HEXUS that in “in two hours time I'll be speaking to Alienware's legal council”. we’ll let you guys know how that pans out…

How did this go?

[beej]

Followed the traffic right on in here to this thread. It's been a while!

Hey, the parts of the opinon piece referring to Alienwhore being Walter Mitty are just... well, its a bit amateur hour. You're plastering in bold text trying to dig the knife in to an evil corporation with all this pride of your integrity, with all this horror about how terrible it is that someone is happy with your honest review.

You guys have an idea what PR and Marketing is for. So by extent you can figure what their aims are, how they fit into a business. And you're genuinely shocked with the e-mail trail? Look, it don't smell great for Alienwhore when you read the piece, but you think this is "corrupt" and they should be "held accountable"? Stop it, you're killing me

Influencing how journalists shape a piece is inherent in the marketing job and I've seen plenty of it when I was in your shoes (different medium, not a semi-hobby semi-meainstream website, hell I know I was victim to some marketing bull**** a few times when I was a slip of a lad). It happens in every industry all the goddamn time. You think (random example) EA spend big on marketing and invite journos to piss-ups because the games are good or something?

This is all a bit mountain-molehill. Journos get cut loose by corporate marketing all the time and journos stand by their integrity (standing at the bar, holding a free bottle of beer most likely!).

It's a two way street, right? That's basically what Alienwhore should have said, then they might not have come off looking slightly unprof.


Beej

[Stoo]

My question remains about the r'ship between hexus and mesh, scan etc.

Trust me, if Scan or Mesh etc submitted hardware for review which was a bucket of pants, HEXUS would say that it was a bucket of pants, and tell them exactly why.

Then they can reply with the HEXUS.right2reply feature and plead their case.

HEXUS gives any manufacturer the opportunity to resubmit a revised product (as long as it is a representative sample of what will be on offer to the public), and update the review accordingly - which has happened numerous times in the past with a variety of products, both hardware and software.

[trolldax]

It's nice to see that some people prefer to keep their toungs red.

... again my name is Lodney Leynolds .. and ovelall this is a lick-ass ploduct!

[Stoo]

It's nice to see that some people prefer to keep their toungs red.

... again my name is Lodney Leynolds .. and ovelall this is a lick-ass ploduct!

que¿?

[chuckskull]

que¿?

Seconded.

[asteroth]

It's nice to see that some people prefer to keep their toungs red.

... again my name is Lodney Leynolds .. and ovelall this is a lick-ass ploduct!

hahahaha!!! oh well done son, you just made my night.

for any one who didn't get it; it's a reference to this site

http://www.3dgameman.com/

[yamangman]

I thought you were rather harsh on the guy, I mean, if he's in the employ of company under such a position then his communication with you was foolish at best, but I would have written the article within a view to the company rather than the individual, which it very much smells of. This kind of whistleblowing should be left internal.

[RoganJosh]

oops! You called him a moron

So where do I have to go to get an Alienware review these days?

[fredered]

I agree from the whole moral side of things, but if I made stuff and I didnt expect it to get a good review I wouldnt submit it. Let the fan boys and the like buy it and try not let a review show the product in real light and put anyone off.

but I geuss this could be an explanation for when you cant find a review of a certain product anywhere.

[ronsavoy]

I'm clearly in the minority here but I'm not sure what the problem is - first off I think it's stretching things to say that Alienware is asking for a guaranteed good review before sending their product to you for review. What actually happened is this:

1. They sent you their product for review.
2. You reviewed it.
3. They didn't like your review.
4. You asked for more product to review.
5. They said they wouldn't send you any more product because of the previous review.

So they didn't ask for a good review before giving you hardware, they refused to give you more hardware after a bad review. There's a big difference there. As a manufacturer they're under no obligation to give (or lend? I'm not sure how the review business works) hardware to you just because you asked for it. They're only giving you hardware in the hopes that it will improve their image and sales. If they have reason to believe the review will be bad (which they do) then why on earth would they send you anything?? It's like giving someone bullets so they can shoot you with them. Now THAT's moronic.

Of course there's nothing stopping you from going out and buying the bullets (in this case, the hardware) yourself is there? If we're so intent on maintaining a high moral standing perhaps the review industry should stop relying on freebies from the manufacturers (even on loan) and buy their own hardware. That would ensure an unbiased review. Just an idea.

[Steve B]

point 4 didn't happen though did it