If you’re looking for something for free, scroll to the bottom of this post. Lazy bastards.
I mentioned last week that I decided to launch a review site about the things women buy and the things women want to buy. I have to assume that, if you’re anything like me, you gave at least a little groan at the idea of yet another fucking review site.
Review sites, in general, are stupid.
Seriously.
No offense to anyone who has one, but with few exceptions, they’re like the QVC of the blogging world. All commercials, all the time. Except worse than QVC – the blogosphere is choked with page after page of mommy reviews. Because the world just can’t get enough of talking about strollers and diapers and educational toys while we’re trapped at a baby shower. GAH!
And you know what? I get it. “Mommy bloggers”, I hear, are bombarded with offers of free stuff and amazon gift certificates in exchange for “product reviews”. Rather than kill their main blogs (or give up their Review-free BlogHer ad revenue), they set up a mommy review blog.
I get it. I do. But I am not launching a mommy review blog.
To be honest with you, the very idea has always pissed me off a little bit. The idea that women sit around and swap stories about the latest style in nursing bras annoys me. Everything you see out there that’s targeted to women is targeted to “women with small children”. And it’s not even targeted to the women – it’s targeted to the small children.
Is that the bulk of our economic value?
Are the 5 years from childbirth to kindergarten (for those of us who even have kids) the only time we exist as influences in the market place?
Bullshit.
We’re more than women with children. We are, in many households, the major decision makers when it comes to finances. And not just when it comes to buying diapers.
The Today Show did a segment yesterday on Digital Moms – and all they could talk about was a woman who twittered her labor. And Dooce. And how we talk about our kids all the damn time.
Screw. that.
I am a digital mom and I’m not just talking about my kids. I’m not spending all my time commiserating with other mothers about motherhood so I don’t “feel alone”. And I’m not spending all my money at Toys R Us.
I researched the election online. And I bought both books by our now president.
I follow fashion trends online. And I buy designer clothing when my budget allows it.
I travel regularly. I research, plan and book my travel online. And I happen to get paid to write about.
I have an SLR camera and an iPhone and a Flip. I found out about (and learned to use) all of them from the Internet.
I am more than a mother. The women I know are more than moms – and some of them aren’t mothers at all. And their financial contributions to this economy are valuable. In fact, together we spend a hell of a lot more money on anything but diapers than Pampers could ever hope to milk from us.
So, that’s what I’m talking about over there. And I’m hoping to do it in a way that will actually be of interest to the women I know. I’m hoping that it will be as useful and entertaining as when we talk about where we got that in the real world.
And I’m hoping, if you’re a consumer whore like I am, that you’ll join me.
Or at least let me give you free sex toys.
People under the age of 50 still watch The Today Show? You should all be ashamed of yourselves!
@avitable, well, we watched it ONLINE, if that helps.
For the record, I read the whole post. Now, on to the free sex toys!! I may be a mom, and a mommyblogger (and a reviewer!), but I’m a woman too. A woman with needs, dammit!
And MOMMA needs some new toys!
@Shash, you didn’t enter!!!!
Dear Adam,
Britt has the word SEX in her post title and all you can reply isabour the Today Show??
ADAM!!! You were my Rude Internet brother !!!
My hopes and dreams are crushed…luckily my
BlackAmex isn’t!!!!
@Kim, hahahahhahhaha
You’re right, a review blog is just a Shopping Channel on the internet. They evolved from people wanting to do more reviews but not over-commercialize their site, or some other reason probably tied to the mutual exclusion between review and personal blog content that marketing types don’t understand.
What makes no sense to me is that they clearly have MUCH lower traffic than the personal blog, yet marketers are keen to have parents review their products nonetheless.
I may be the exception because I’m a dad blogger (and for whatever reason sometimes I get treated like a mommy blogger, and other times like “a man”), but I don’t just get kid toys and stuff. I think it all depends how things play out for you. I got a “cold call” email from a PR firm that has resulted in an ongoing relationship for a lot of home products (cleaning, food, personal hygiene – adult stuff, not kid stuff).
I also believe that the review blogging “industry” is still evolving, and that marketing and PR are still figuring out how to best leverage their products. I know that it’s changed for me since I started doing reviews back in late 2007, and I’m seeing a change in the landscape even recently.
@SciFi Dad, I don’t think marketers care about the content or the traffic as much as the link back. That’s all I can think.
I think you hit this one right on the head.
I don’t read review blogs. I think they are awful.
That segment – was even more awful. They barely covered what a digital mom really is.. I think people seriously need to get a clue.
@Frances, I’ve heard that today’s was better, although I haven’t seen it yet.
I read the whole post before clicking the link….. Only because HHH used to work in a “Hot Shop” and I have seen almost every sex toy on the market today. You’re right though, about how most review sites write us women off after our children turn 5. WTF?? I buy stuff for me too, not just for my kids.
@Blondefabulous, me too – and my youngest is still 4!
I saw Dooce, too! Ugh.
@Sybil Law, and she did fine – I’m just tired of seeing her as the only face to represent personal bloggers.
What”s the point of a mini vibrator? Fits in the pocket?
@Poppy, or the purse? *shrugs*
All those review blogs are annoying. My biggest gripe about them is that not only are they mommy-centric… but they will give rave reviews IF they get to keep the product, but a product they can’t keep won’t get the time of day… so essentially those are all paid reviews but the review sites are NOT transparent about this fact.
The best is when they recommend something that gets recalled for safety… and they make no mention or update about it. Yeah… real great service there.
@NYCWD, wait – how do you know that if it isn’t transparent? I hadn’t heard that.
I’ve decided that the new site isn’t going to be based on free stuff people send me. I mean – if that works it’s way in, fine. But you’ll know up front. The rest of it will be stuff I chose and actually bought myself.
With affiliate links, of course.
@Miss Britt, I know it because alot of them aren’t too bright… for once I won’t name names… but I’ve overheard them talking about it as well as read comments that indicate the same. It’s really interesting to listen to some of these peopled talk about it… as if they’re “owed” the products for their review. It’s obnoxious really.
You’ve always been transparent when getting stuff (like the soundtrack and the hoodie) and I have no doubt you will continue to do that (b/c it is the ethical thing to do) which is why your reviews will carry more weight… at least with me.
@NYCWD, thanks.
I think it’s also why PR people call me snotty or “in my own world”. But at least *I* know I’m not full of crap.
I love you for this.
While I can enjoy a mommyblog or two, I don’t really relate to them. It sucks hearing about this baby product and this kid-safe toy and the latest nursing bra CONSTANTLY. Honestly, that’s why yours is a blog I read more consistently. It’s not all about teh babbies. You were a person before you had children; why does that seem to change? (Amalah comes to mind, although I still kind of love her.)
Mommyblogs have definitely been pigeon-holed and I think for the less traditional bloggers, it’s pretty restricting.
@steen, I know a TON of women bloggers who don’t have kids. Some are married, some aren’t, some are straight, some aren’t. And the closest thing they have to a “group” is the mommyblog group. Which is stupid.
I’m glad you feel like you can come here.
I am leaving a comment in hopes to win! Not that you need to know this but I have the We Vibe and its rechargeable instead of needing batteries and I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!! So, um…I hope I win
Single mother with two kids….I need all I can get
Moms use technology. They make friends online and seek support and advice! YAAAAAAAAAAAWN! So do dads, college students, teens, grandparents, businesspeople, etc.
Wake me up when animals invade Twitter.
@always home and uncool, yeah – lots of other people do. But when they do it the today show doesn’t run a special about how AMAZING it is that women are using the internet.
Oops, dads got vanquished to the Web only. We’re crashing through the glass floorboards of the kitchen!
@always home and uncool, I saw that, too. ACtually. And the piece was about the gadgets dads use. Not their experience in social communities online.
In other words – BOTH pieces missed the mark.
Sorry – were you saying something? Bossy was too distracted by the Today show segment; yet another that would never ever vever feature Bossy.
@BOSSY, me too sister. Me. Too.
Wow. After reading your post, I gathered up all my bras and burned them on the front yard.
Off to look at your site.
@Faiqa, wait – don’t get rid of the ones with good support!!! That’s just crazy talk.
THANK YOU! I read alot of blogs by “mommy bloggers” but I don’t have kids, don’t want kids and sure as hell don’t want to read about kid products, blah blah blah. So, Yay! Vibrators! I’m looking forward to your review blog.
@ballerinatoes, it’s amazing to me how often women WITHOUT kids are totally overlooked in the marketplace.
Talk about an untapped gold mine.
Consumer whores unite!
@Finn, yeee ha! LOL
Fuck yeah, dude.
I run a “mom review blog” with a couple of local friends. Right now we all have small (or fatass, in my case) babies. So a lot of our reviews are stuff we’re really using. So far we’ve only reviewed things we already owned. I guess the free shit will come rolling in soon? Or something.
But I won’t hesitate to review things I use just because I’m me, not because I spawned a couple of boychildren.
Including sex toys. And yogurt. But not at the same time.
@Maria, and I get that when your babies are little, it IS kind of all consuming. At least for a while.
But in the grand scheme of things? That is such a small portion of who we are as consumers (and people, obviously)
i am a woman who makes ALL of the buying decisions in my house. coz i don’t live with other people!
also because the dogs certainly are not willing to turn their nose up at any toy or brand of food. they are easy to please.
so these ads need to cater to me, dammit!
(yes, sex toys are awesome. i had better win. dammit.)
@hello haha narf, you’re ALWAYS one of the people I think about when this stuff pops up.
How funny is it that most of the people I’m closest to on the Internet have no kids and in many cases, no spouses?
How funny that you’re all Digital Power today and I’m all “down with technology!” today. Anyway, I like product review sites if they are run by people that I *know* because I value their opinions and stuff. Like Becky, I make all of my own decisions and love the extra input, blah blah.
Cleanin’ out the ol’ dildo box eh? Or was it drawer?
I wish someone would ask me to review vacations to Bonaire.
*Sigh*
Kick-ass review site, BTW, hon!
I think I’m going to love your review site. Because you have awesome taste.
It kind of makes me want to take you shopping with me.
I’d check your review site out. I think you’d be honest about products and tell us if they sucked ass or not.
Count me in!
You KNOW the Today show is all about us digital moms. ‘Cause we only talk about potty training and look for coupons, right? In a way, the big MSM shows are still just like the old school marketers — they don’t get the “new” moms. We’re SO inscrutable!
Damn straight woman!! I totally agree. But really what’s worse than all these mommy review blogs are the lame reviews on them! I don’t mind learning about a cool new product- just give it to me straight and honest! I’ll head on over to check out your scene…sounds good.