The Energon Pub

Ok I found a sponsored reviewer that I actually like!

Thew Adams sponsored by Omegalock.co.uk did a great review of KFC Transistor without any sugarcoating and blatantly showing off (and making fun of) the negatives of the figure. He admitted it was a test shot indicating he most likely got it for free. But he also took the time to show the actual price of the item from his sponsored site. (Unlike some reviewers who are openly clueless about the price) Another big plus in my book was that this guy shows his face proving he has nothing to hide about who he is or the facial expressions he makes when showing the toys flaws. [/quote]

Notice how in your face he was about the following flaws:

• Holes in the white visor cartoon head
• Floppy arms that drop with gun in hand
• Easy to break the fingers if you collapse the hands wrong
• Official MP cassettes don’t hold tight in alt mode

This guy gets an A+ in my book for keeping it real. He gave a good solid review of the figure without sugarcoating it. He didn’t suck up to his sponsor by being “polite” about the flaws. He put the flaws “on blast” as we would say here down south. None of the US based sponsored reviewers have a set of balls like this guy does. I totally respect him. I like the way he put up pictures of known KFC figures that have been dogged with problems. I like the way he even posted the word “warning” when showing off the broken finger. I love the way he admitted that the reason to buy this figure is “because it exists” in lieu of no Takara Blaster being announced yet. “Because it exists” is a much more honest sales pitch instead of trying to tell a bunch sugarcoated crap. He also seems to know how to actually be funny instead of breaking out the dry humor or silliness we get from the other guys. On a separate note, it’s also nice to see that they’re sporting the Rick Ross style beards up in the UK doing it Miami Style.

ive been preaching thew for a while now. you... didnt know he existed?

Rated X wrote:Ok I found a sponsored reviewer that I actually like!

Rated X wrote:Another big plus in my book was that this guy shows his face proving he has nothing to hide about who he is or the facial expressions he makes when showing the toys flaws.

You're watching TF review videos for some dude's face?

Suspect since it was a test shot, That's why the shoulder joints and other parts were loose or brittle.

We have to wait till a few buy the final product to compare what QC problems this toy might have.

Vangelus Video Review of Gigantic Action Scorponok From Sentinel Toys.

some are Labeling this, a Third Party toy, So I figured I'd post this video here.

The smoking gun

Just noticed Maketoys Utopia was in stock at BBTS and TF Source so I decided to check out the non Asian reviews. Surprisingly, I only found one. It looks like the retailers decided to be greedy this time and only TJ Duckett was lucky enough to score a production sample. (Which he clearly stated in the review) I guess the other reviewers didn’t suck up hard enough to get a free Utopia. At the end of the review around 15:50 he gave a nice plug to TFSource and said “Order yours today, let em know that I sent ya, maybe they’ll swing some cool stuff my way”. He went on to glorify TF source and the family that runs it and uses the word “awesome” 4 times in 5 seconds. I guess you cant blame him, after all he got a free Utopia. But more importantly, he straight up admitted on camera that using him as a reference could help him get free stuff in the future. While I’m against the practice, I kind of respect TJ for saying it so blatantly. No top secret “how did he get it” mystery here. He also confirmed that he gets it from the retailer as I suspected these guys do, not from the company directly. I really doubted that any of these sponsored reviewers speak or write Chinese. So there you have it, the smoking gun. Read em and weep !

On a side note it was amusing to see TJ show his face several times. That also makes me respect him more because he isn’t trying to hide from his groupies or haters at conventions. You go TJ !

smoking gun... i dunno. maybe.

does TJ actually say he is allowed to keep it? i recall an older thew review where he claims the figure is on "loan" specifically for the review.

First let's get this minor point out of the way:

shajaki wrote:does TJ actually say he is allowed to keep it? i recall an older thew review where he claims the figure is on "loan" specifically for the review.

Yea, at 7:55 he says he's keeping this one.


Now, then...

Rated X wrote:The smoking gun

Just noticed Maketoys Utopia was in stock at BBTS and TF Source so I decided to check out the non Asian reviews. Surprisingly, I only found one. It looks like the retailers decided to be greedy this time and only TJ Duckett was lucky enough to score a production sample. (Which he clearly stated in the review) I guess the other reviewers didn’t suck up hard enough to get a free Utopia. At the end of the review around 15:50 he gave a nice plug to TFSource and said “Order yours today, let em know that I sent ya, maybe they’ll swing some cool stuff my way”. He went on to glorify TF source and the family that runs it and uses the word “awesome” 4 times in 5 seconds. I guess you cant blame him, after all he got a free Utopia. But more importantly, he straight up admitted on camera that using him as a reference could help him get free stuff in the future. While I’m against the practice, I kind of respect TJ for saying it so blatantly. No top secret “how did he get it” mystery here. He also confirmed that he gets it from the retailer as I suspected these guys do, not from the company directly. I really doubted that any of these sponsored reviewers speak or write Chinese. So there you have it, the smoking gun. Read em and weep !

How is this a smoking gun?

Your point is that reviewers will dishonestly refuse to state anything negative about a toy on camera, because that would cut off their sponsorship/compensation. The whole they-get-free-toys thing is an ancillary point that doesn't necessarily support what you're really trying to get at.

That said, on this review:

(1) He never says he got Utopia from TFsource. TJ implies he received the sample directly from MT:
(a) He references how he was communicating with MT directly. At the beginning of the review, he says he spoke to MT about not transforming Utopia on camera.
(b) Later (around 7:30) TJ talks about communicating with one of the folks at MT about how the paint apps on this sample may change for the final retail product.

(2) On the TFsource plug:
(a) OMG! He plugged his sponsor. Isn't that typically what sponsored reviewers do? I'm not sure how that constitutes a smoking gun of any kind.
(b) He said maybe. Maybe they'll throw stuff his way. Not "this is how the sponsorship works" or "I get free stuff all the time" just a "maybe."

So, again, how is this a smoking gun? More importantly, what is this a smoking gun for? Because it certainly does not prove your central assertion that reviewers will skew potentially negative reviews to appease their sponsors.

megatronus wrote:First let's get this minor point out of the way:

shajaki wrote:does TJ actually say he is allowed to keep it? i recall an older thew review where he claims the figure is on "loan" specifically for the review.

Yea, at 7:55 he says he's keeping this one.

alrighty, my bad.

back to X:
if youre so hell bent on exposing these guys, why dont you just email them with some questions? keeping in mind you can appear neutral and have broad questions so's not to arouse your intentions (if you fear no repsonse or BS responses). to which worst case scenario, what? they ignore you? and even if they reply and you call BS, you could still post your findings to try and "prove" your case.

all that would be easier than pouring through video reviews you dont care about.

shajaki wrote:smoking gun... i dunno. maybe.

does TJ actually say he is allowed to keep it? i recall an older thew review where he claims the figure is on "loan" specifically for the review.

7:55 he says “I am keeping this one”

megatronus wrote:First let's get this minor point out of the way:

shajaki wrote:does TJ actually say he is allowed to keep it? i recall an older thew review where he claims the figure is on "loan" specifically for the review.

Yea, at 7:55 he says he's keeping this one.


Now, then...

Rated X wrote:The smoking gun

Just noticed Maketoys Utopia was in stock at BBTS and TF Source so I decided to check out the non Asian reviews. Surprisingly, I only found one. It looks like the retailers decided to be greedy this time and only TJ Duckett was lucky enough to score a production sample. (Which he clearly stated in the review) I guess the other reviewers didn’t suck up hard enough to get a free Utopia. At the end of the review around 15:50 he gave a nice plug to TFSource and said “Order yours today, let em know that I sent ya, maybe they’ll swing some cool stuff my way”. He went on to glorify TF source and the family that runs it and uses the word “awesome” 4 times in 5 seconds. I guess you cant blame him, after all he got a free Utopia. But more importantly, he straight up admitted on camera that using him as a reference could help him get free stuff in the future. While I’m against the practice, I kind of respect TJ for saying it so blatantly. No top secret “how did he get it” mystery here. He also confirmed that he gets it from the retailer as I suspected these guys do, not from the company directly. I really doubted that any of these sponsored reviewers speak or write Chinese. So there you have it, the smoking gun. Read em and weep !

How is this a smoking gun?

Your point is that reviewers will dishonestly refuse to state anything negative about a toy on camera, because that would cut off their sponsorship/compensation. The whole they-get-free-toys thing is an ancillary point that doesn't necessarily support what you're really trying to get at.

That said, on this review:

(1) He never says he got Utopia from TFsource. TJ implies he received the sample directly from MT:
(a) He references how he was communicating with MT directly. At the beginning of the review, he says he spoke to MT about not transforming Utopia on camera.
(b) Later (around 7:30) TJ talks about communicating with one of the folks at MT about how the paint apps on this sample may change for the final retail product.

(2) On the TFsource plug:
(a) OMG! He plugged his sponsor. Isn't that typically what sponsored reviewers do? I'm not sure how that constitutes a smoking gun of any kind.
(b) He said maybe. Maybe they'll throw stuff his way. Not "this is how the sponsorship works" or "I get free stuff all the time" just a "maybe."

So, again, how is this a smoking gun? More importantly, what is this a smoking gun for? Because it certainly does not prove your central assertion that reviewers will skew potentially negative reviews to appease their sponsors.

Actually this was a “smoking gun” for my assertion in which I implied they are getting the figures for free. Several people suggested we don’t know it unless the reviewer says it themselves. Well you heard it straight from the horses mouth. Around 7:55 he states “Im keeping this one”.

Around 7:25 he states “this is a pre production model” but never says where he got it from. Around 7:45 he did say he was “talking with one of the guys from Maketoys”. We don’t know if that implies he was communicating with somebody in China or if he was talking with their English Speaking rep at TFCon. He could be talking about the guys from the “Ages Three and Up” booth who we know actually are in touch with Maketoys designers in China from their videos showing resin prototypes. But I didn’t catch any Ages Three and Up Plugs. All I caught was him sucking up to TF Source with a lot more than a screen caption at the beginning of the review. And we do know that TJ does imply in this video he gets free stuff from TF Source by saying “Order yours today, let em know that I sent ya, maybe they’ll swing some cool stuff my way”. You really need to read behind the lines rather than taking that statement so literal. If it was a "maybe" why would he waste his breath saying it?

I couldn’t find any evidence in this video where he implied that he got this “pre-production model” from Maketoys directly rather than TF Source which he so graciously sucks up to around 15:55. If you can find a part of this video where he specifically states that he got the figure directly from Maketoys, please tell me the time of that segment so I can hear it for myself. (Just in case you caught something I missed)

And as I stated earlier in this post, this is the “smoking gun” that they’re getting these figures for free from the retailers they suck up to. I never said this was the “smoking gun” that they were being dishonest to sell figures. But if they were being dishonest, we now know they have a motive to do so. Whether he keeps the Utopia or sells it on E-bay, he has a lot to gain by saying what he has to say to get you to buy one from TF Source. That’s a reasonable motive. Nuff’ said.

Were not going to get a signed confession from these guys for being dishonest to sell figures and get free stuff for doing so. They don’t owe us any explanation to how they conduct business because they have everything to lose and nothing to gain. Were lucky we got this from TJ as far as free stuff is concerned. That’s why I gave him credit for being so blatant about it. It’s almost like he was thinking “f**k it, who am I kidding?”

OK - so if reading between the lines is required... it's clearly not a smoking gun, right? Because the definition of a smoking gun is that, it's well, really super obvious.

I'm reading it as him getting the sample from MT. You're reading it as him getting it from TFsource. Either way, it's not clear, and he doesn't mention it explicitly. Since this is your axe to grind, the onus is on you to dig up proof, not reading between the lines. Reach out to him through TFW, Seibertron, or some other means. Otherwise... there's no smoking gun here.

Just to be clear, I'm not trying to be overly aggressive or contrarian. I respect you and what you're trying to say. You just need to back it up.

shajaki wrote:

megatronus wrote:First let's get this minor point out of the way:

shajaki wrote:does TJ actually say he is allowed to keep it? i recall an older thew review where he claims the figure is on "loan" specifically for the review.

Yea, at 7:55 he says he's keeping this one.

alrighty, my bad.

back to X:
if youre so hell bent on exposing these guys, why dont you just email them with some questions? keeping in mind you can appear neutral and have broad questions so's not to arouse your intentions (if you fear no repsonse or BS responses). to which worst case scenario, what? they ignore you? and even if they reply and you call BS, you could still post your findings to try and "prove" your case.

all that would be easier than pouring through video reviews you dont care about.

Well you got to understand that if I'm right, disclosure wouldn't benefit them. They have nothing to gain and everything to lose by disclosing any shadiness on their part. Maybe if I was drinking buddies with one of them I could get the scoop. But would you risk loosing your hookup to appease some guy on the internet? Why should they? What's in it for them?

Maybe if more of the fandom stood behind me in the possibility that they might be dishonest, somebody might come clean. I'm sure there's somebody that knows something and would be willing to speak if they had the right incentive. A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. Sooner or later a disgruntled former employee or a friend turned foe might have something to say about how the major retailers or their associates conduct business. That's why I need people to stand behind my intuition and make it matter to the fandom. I fear a lot of people on here are purposely turning a blind eye because they fear the reviews would stop if these guys were exposed. No free toys = No reviews. People on here like reviews so that makes me the villain.

megatronus wrote:OK - so if reading between the lines is required... it's clearly not a smoking gun, right? Because the definition of a smoking gun is that, it's well, really super obvious.

I'm reading it as him getting the sample from MT. You're reading it as him getting it from TFsource. Either way, it's not clear, and he doesn't mention it explicitly. Since this is your axe to grind, the onus is on you to dig up proof, not reading between the lines. Reach out to him through TFW, Seibertron, or some other means. Otherwise... there's no smoking gun here.

Just to be clear, I'm not trying to be overly aggressive or contrarian. I respect you and what you're trying to say. You just need to back it up.

The only "smoking gun" I'm putting out here is that TJ did indeed get Utopia for free.

Earlier in this thread people were saying I had no proof the reviewers were getting the toys for free.

Well I found proof (at least with Utopia) that it was given to a reviewer for free. (and a pretty expensive freebie I might add)

That's a "smoking gun" to a sidebar argument that started on this thread. It is not a smoking gun on the main argument this thread was created for. (this dishonesty part)

Hope this clears up the "smoking gun" reference I made.


I also find it funny that TJ says the date he filmed the review (Nov 23) Here it is Dec 10 and the figure is in stock at TF Source but no review from Peaugh (TF Source's #1 guy) Did TF Source play favorites this time and only hook up TJ? He did say he was keeping it. Or does TJ really have a direct Maketoys hookup and Peaugh doesn't ? Seems kind of funny because Peaugh does more reviews for TF Source than TJ does. TJ has plugged dual sponsorship before in certain reviews but in this one only plugged TF Source.

Rated X wrote:The only "smoking gun" I'm putting out here is that TJ did indeed get Utopia for free.

Earlier in this thread people were saying I had no proof the reviewers were getting the toys for free.

Well I found proof (at least with Utopia) that it was given to a reviewer for free. (and a pretty expensive freebie I might add)

That's a "smoking gun" to a sidebar argument that started on this thread. It is not a smoking gun on the main argument this thread was created for. (this dishonesty part)

Hope this clears up the "smoking gun" reference I made.

It doesn't really clear that up, because it's not clear where he got it from. If it were clear he received Utopia from TFsource, his sponsor, that would be your smoking gun. As it is, there's no smoke and no gun.

Rated X wrote:I also find it funny that TJ says the date he filmed the review (Nov 23) Here it is Dec 10 and the figure is in stock at TF Source but no review from Peaugh (TF Source's #1 guy) Did TF Source play favorites this time and only hook up TJ? He did say he was keeping it. Or does TJ really have a direct Maketoys hookup and Peaugh doesn't ? Seems kind of funny because Peaugh does more reviews for TF Source than TJ does. TJ has plugged dual sponsorship before in certain reviews but in this one only plugged TF Source.

That TJ got it and Peaugh didn't is circumstantial evidence it came from MT. Just like how Peaugh always tends to get the MMC stuff before anyone else. Some of these reviewers have relationships with the 3Ps, and TJ's relationship with Fansproject & Maketoys has been well established.

You know what, as much as I hate to admit it, on some very minute possibility, X might be right?

If per chance some of you also are video gamers, well last September 2014 give or take, there was a scandal where video game media staff like Kotaku and game developers had this "unhealthy" union of advancing a certain political narrative and having reviews/news slanted in their way of thinking/favor.

The bruhaha has died down somewhat but it did happen (try googling it). So maybe, no matter how far fetch or Area 51, tin foil hat wearing scenario X is beating............who knows, there just might be a possibility.

We now see how Rolling Stone dropped all journalistic A,B,C, to print a fake story or how media covered up for Bill Cosby etc.

megatronus wrote:

Rated X wrote:The only "smoking gun" I'm putting out here is that TJ did indeed get Utopia for free.

Earlier in this thread people were saying I had no proof the reviewers were getting the toys for free.

Well I found proof (at least with Utopia) that it was given to a reviewer for free. (and a pretty expensive freebie I might add)

That's a "smoking gun" to a sidebar argument that started on this thread. It is not a smoking gun on the main argument this thread was created for. (this dishonesty part)

Hope this clears up the "smoking gun" reference I made.

It doesn't really clear that up, because it's not clear where he got it from. If it were clear he received Utopia from TFsource, his sponsor, that would be your smoking gun. As it is, there's no smoke and no gun.

Rated X wrote:I also find it funny that TJ says the date he filmed the review (Nov 23) Here it is Dec 10 and the figure is in stock at TF Source but no review from Peaugh (TF Source's #1 guy) Did TF Source play favorites this time and only hook up TJ? He did say he was keeping it. Or does TJ really have a direct Maketoys hookup and Peaugh doesn't ? Seems kind of funny because Peaugh does more reviews for TF Source than TJ does. TJ has plugged dual sponsorship before in certain reviews but in this one only plugged TF Source.

That TJ got it and Peaugh didn't is circumstantial evidence it came from MT. Just like how Peaugh always tends to get the MMC stuff before anyone else. Some of these reviewers have relationships with the 3Ps, and TJ's relationship with Fansproject & Maketoys has been well established.

What is clear is that the Utopia was given to TJ for free.

As I said before this was only a smoking gun to my side argument about the figures indeed being free.

It is not a smoking gun to my main argument of the reviewers being dishonest.

But if you put the two together, you have a possible motive for dishonesty.

I really want to believe that these white and black guys from middle America all speak or write fluent Chinese. But my street smarts just aren't buying it. At best I think they know American based representatives who translate and speak on behalf of the third parties. Kind of like the Ages Three and Up guys. That's just my opinion. If Google translate was worth a s**t we would all have Weibo accounts and be communicating with 3rd parties.

Thinking about it further, if TJ got Utopia directly from Maketoys, why was there a TF Source plug ?

Here's a recent TJ Duckett review of the Steelcore Trailer in which he left out the TF Source plug. This indicates he doesn't do free plug just for the love of TF Source.



If Maketoys hooked him up with Utopia, wouldn't the review be plug free like this one ? I think so personally...

edit: Youtube is trippin so heres the link to the Steelcore video from TJ:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We5BAQO ... c6GcI4M0RA

It's not news that they get stuff for free. We already knew that. X is just clutching at straws and being very vocal about it. Well, to people who can see his posts anyhow.

Rated X wrote:

megatronus wrote:

Rated X wrote:The only "smoking gun" I'm putting out here is that TJ did indeed get Utopia for free.

Earlier in this thread people were saying I had no proof the reviewers were getting the toys for free.

Well I found proof (at least with Utopia) that it was given to a reviewer for free. (and a pretty expensive freebie I might add)

That's a "smoking gun" to a sidebar argument that started on this thread. It is not a smoking gun on the main argument this thread was created for. (this dishonesty part)

Hope this clears up the "smoking gun" reference I made.

It doesn't really clear that up, because it's not clear where he got it from. If it were clear he received Utopia from TFsource, his sponsor, that would be your smoking gun. As it is, there's no smoke and no gun.

Rated X wrote:I also find it funny that TJ says the date he filmed the review (Nov 23) Here it is Dec 10 and the figure is in stock at TF Source but no review from Peaugh (TF Source's #1 guy) Did TF Source play favorites this time and only hook up TJ? He did say he was keeping it. Or does TJ really have a direct Maketoys hookup and Peaugh doesn't ? Seems kind of funny because Peaugh does more reviews for TF Source than TJ does. TJ has plugged dual sponsorship before in certain reviews but in this one only plugged TF Source.

That TJ got it and Peaugh didn't is circumstantial evidence it came from MT. Just like how Peaugh always tends to get the MMC stuff before anyone else. Some of these reviewers have relationships with the 3Ps, and TJ's relationship with Fansproject & Maketoys has been well established.

What is clear is that the Utopia was given to TJ for free.

As I said before this was only a smoking gun to my side argument about the figures indeed being free.

It is not a smoking gun to my main argument of the reviewers being dishonest.

But if you put the two together, you have a possible motive for dishonesty.

I really want to believe that these white and black guys from middle America all speak or write fluent Chinese. But my street smarts just aren't buying it. At best I think they know American based representatives who translate and speak on behalf of the third parties. Kind of like the Ages Three and Up guys. That's just my opinion. If Google translate was worth a s**t we would all have Weibo accounts and be communicating with 3rd parties.

Thinking about it further, if TJ got Utopia directly from Maketoys, why was there a TF Source plug ?

Here's a recent TJ Duckett review of the Steelcore Trailer in which he left out the TF Source plug. This indicates he doesn't do free plug just for the love of TF Source.



If Maketoys hooked him up with Utopia, wouldn't the review be plug free like this one ? I think so personally...

edit: Youtube is trippin so heres the link to the Steelcore video from TJ:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We5BAQO ... c6GcI4M0RA

Hey Guess what? TJ also sells the toys he gets for free! (and possibly so does others). I remember he got a sample Hexatron before it was released and after he reviewed it he put it up on ebay for like $700 bucks! I don't think it sold and he pulled it after fans were bitching about it to him. Anyway with that being said who cares? lol they are free to do what they want with it as it is given to them to promote. all promotions are is to sell it to you anyway, as long as you know that? who gives a sheit?

mooncake623 wrote:

Rated X wrote:

megatronus wrote:

Rated X wrote:The only "smoking gun" I'm putting out here is that TJ did indeed get Utopia for free.

Earlier in this thread people were saying I had no proof the reviewers were getting the toys for free.

Well I found proof (at least with Utopia) that it was given to a reviewer for free. (and a pretty expensive freebie I might add)

That's a "smoking gun" to a sidebar argument that started on this thread. It is not a smoking gun on the main argument this thread was created for. (this dishonesty part)

Hope this clears up the "smoking gun" reference I made.

It doesn't really clear that up, because it's not clear where he got it from. If it were clear he received Utopia from TFsource, his sponsor, that would be your smoking gun. As it is, there's no smoke and no gun.

Rated X wrote:I also find it funny that TJ says the date he filmed the review (Nov 23) Here it is Dec 10 and the figure is in stock at TF Source but no review from Peaugh (TF Source's #1 guy) Did TF Source play favorites this time and only hook up TJ? He did say he was keeping it. Or does TJ really have a direct Maketoys hookup and Peaugh doesn't ? Seems kind of funny because Peaugh does more reviews for TF Source than TJ does. TJ has plugged dual sponsorship before in certain reviews but in this one only plugged TF Source.

That TJ got it and Peaugh didn't is circumstantial evidence it came from MT. Just like how Peaugh always tends to get the MMC stuff before anyone else. Some of these reviewers have relationships with the 3Ps, and TJ's relationship with Fansproject & Maketoys has been well established.

What is clear is that the Utopia was given to TJ for free.

As I said before this was only a smoking gun to my side argument about the figures indeed being free.

It is not a smoking gun to my main argument of the reviewers being dishonest.

But if you put the two together, you have a possible motive for dishonesty.

I really want to believe that these white and black guys from middle America all speak or write fluent Chinese. But my street smarts just aren't buying it. At best I think they know American based representatives who translate and speak on behalf of the third parties. Kind of like the Ages Three and Up guys. That's just my opinion. If Google translate was worth a s**t we would all have Weibo accounts and be communicating with 3rd parties.

Thinking about it further, if TJ got Utopia directly from Maketoys, why was there a TF Source plug ?

Here's a recent TJ Duckett review of the Steelcore Trailer in which he left out the TF Source plug. This indicates he doesn't do free plug just for the love of TF Source.



If Maketoys hooked him up with Utopia, wouldn't the review be plug free like this one ? I think so personally...

edit: Youtube is trippin so heres the link to the Steelcore video from TJ:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We5BAQO ... c6GcI4M0RA

Hey Guess what? TJ also sells the toys he gets for free! (and possibly so does others). I remember he got a sample Hexatron before it was released and after he reviewed it he put it up on ebay for like $700 bucks! I don't think it sold and he pulled it after fans were bitching about it to him. Anyway with that being said who cares? lol they are free to do what they want with it as it is given to them to promote. all promotions are is to sell it to you anyway, as long as you know that? who gives a sheit?

I do. If I can expose the BS to the point where the retailers dump the concept of sponsored reviewers, why shouldn't I ? If these guys are doing such a service to the fandom out of pure love, lets see if they continue to do it without the free toys.

Gauntlet101010 wrote:It's not news that they get stuff for free. We already knew that. X is just clutching at straws and being very vocal about it. Well, to people who can see his posts anyhow.

Earlier in the thread, weren't you one of the guys who said I had no proof the reviewers were getting free stuff ?

There's your proof.

Wish I got free TF toys mailed to me

Rated X wrote:

Gauntlet101010 wrote:It's not news that they get stuff for free. We already knew that. X is just clutching at straws and being very vocal about it. Well, to people who can see his posts anyhow.

Earlier in the thread, weren't you one of the guys who said I had no proof the reviewers were getting free stuff ?

There's your proof.

Your argument is that reviewers essentially have a corrupt conflict of interest where they won't give negative toy reviews for fear of having their sponsorship compensation, whatever that may constitute, pulled.

But that argument is only served if free toys come from retailers, which remains unproved. And even if you do prove this in this instance, you would then have to prove that this is an industry norm. AND THEN you would have to prove that where it is true that reviewers receive free toys from retailers (because it may just be some and not others) that the conflict of interest is corrupting, which has an even higher burden of proof.

So, yea... Gauntlet is looking for proof reviewers get "free stuff" --- from retailers. Also, reviewers plural, as in more than one. Right now, you've proven that TJ got a free production sample from somewhere. Just like you proved Peaugh got some free production samples from somewhere. But neither of those facts support your core argument, so.

Rated X wrote:
I do. If I can expose the BS to the point where the retailers dump the concept of sponsored reviewers, why shouldn't I ? If these guys are doing such a service to the fandom out of pure love, lets see if they continue to do it without the free toys.

All this stuff is already known. You're not exposing anyone here. If you really want to make some noise why not comment on their channels on youtube? or facebook or something? They're not going to see any of your questions here.