Reviews, ratings and the sharing economy

falconbueller's Avatar
I just read an article about the "sharing economy". Services such as Uber, Lyft, Airbnb, etc that allow people to share their stuff/service/things.

I found it particularly interesting toward the end (of a long article) the section on ratings and reviews. It discussed how those reviews can impact someone's ability to participate and that they can potentially stay with them forever.

Immediately after reading that a thread in co-ed with what is surely to be another drama filled "he said she said" moment based on a bad review. That led me to wonder what the ladies think about this article and it's viewpoint from a provider.

This article has NOTHING to do with the hobby but I couldn't help but see it that way.

Thoughts?

http://www.wired.com/2014/04/trust-i...share-economy/
pyramider's Avatar
I am not sharing my 1.3" of dangling death.
Bueller? Bueller? anyone?

My first thought was....., this is long.
My second thought was...., this has a lot of big words.
My third thought was...., someone actually wrote this drivel?
My fourth thought was...., ah ha! this was written by a 60s hippie left over trying to tie a generational knot.
My final thought was...., WTF. That was 5 minutes I'll never get back.
falconbueller's Avatar
Bueller? Bueller? anyone?

My first thought was....., this is long.
My second thought was...., this has a lot of big words.
My third thought was...., someone actually wrote this drivel?
My fourth thought was...., ah ha! this was written by a 60s hippie left over trying to tie a generational knot.
My final thought was...., WTF. That was 5 minutes I'll never get back. Originally Posted by Jarvis
Fair enough Jarvis... it is certainly long. Everyone should return to their regularly scheduled programming...
Bueller? Bueller? anyone?

My first thought was....., this is long.
My second thought was...., this has a lot of big words.
My third thought was...., someone actually wrote this drivel?
My fourth thought was...., ah ha! this was written by a 60s hippie left over trying to tie a generational knot.
My final thought was...., WTF. That was 5 minutes I'll never get back. Originally Posted by Jarvis
Some people don't have to worry about their history following them (all they have to do is create a new handle).


Recently in another thread, Jillian (one of Jarvis' two reviews) made it a point to highlight that the internet is a permanent record or someones thoughts, mood, intention, troubles, triumphs, etc at any given moment. Reviews are a permanent record of good or bad service. The good thing about reviews is that they are compared against one another and the reviewer. If you are familiar with how someone reviews then you know whether you can trust their perspective. Similarly, if a well-reviewed lady gets a bad review it will likely be chalked up to an off day, provided she continues to get positive reviews.
Bueller? Bueller? anyone?

My first thought was....., this is long.
My second thought was...., this has a lot of big words.
My third thought was...., someone actually wrote this drivel?
My fourth thought was...., ah ha! this was written by a 60s hippie left over trying to tie a generational knot.
My final thought was...., WTF. That was 5 minutes I'll never get back. Originally Posted by Jarvis
And my first thought is I like the way you think.
Some people don't have to worry about their history following them (all they have to do is create a new handle).


Recently in another thread, Jillian (one of Jarvis' two reviews) made it a point to highlight that the internet is a permanent record or someones thoughts, mood, intention, troubles, triumphs, etc at any given moment. Reviews are a permanent record of good or bad service. The good thing about reviews is that they are compared against one another and the reviewer. If you are familiar with how someone reviews then you know whether you can trust their perspective. Similarly, if a well-reviewed lady gets a bad review it will likely be chalked up to an off day, provided she continues to get positive reviews. Originally Posted by thathottnurse
Correction: make it 7 minutes I'll never get back.
Prime Time's Avatar
Hmmmm...yea, I don't care.
Chevalier's Avatar
Interesting.

Boards like this are a rudimentary attempt to gain some of the benefits for P4P. But the benefits will always be limited by the circumstances of an underground economy.

No "centralized system to protect their interests." ECCIE or similar boards have always been reluctant to take on the risks of more active involvement like EBay or similar parts of the "sharing economy."

Pseudonymity. Because it's illegal, no one here is going to link our account to a Facebook page. That increases the ability to engage in bad behavior with no or reduced consequences. And therefore the level of trust.

Lack of reciprocity. Providers are reviewed and invest a great deal in their pseudonyms, so it's not as easy to discard the pseudonym for another. But hobbyists are not reviewed and can take on a new identity without as much downside. References provide some control, but not as much as reviews, and often can only confirm a baseline of "safe to do business with" but not the full range of the quality of the experience. So boards like this work much better for the hobbyists than the providers.

*shrug* But boards like this may be the best solution available. And they're much better than the bad old days without them.
FalconB, I think it was a great article. You are lucky I had the time this morning...

I think this is most definitely a part of that 'sharing economy'. I do love the term 'hyper-accountability'. As procuring companionship is concerned (I loathe calling it 'the hobby') I feel reviews are a necessary evil. They're definitely necessary for curbing bad behavior. And the more ladies that endeavor into this aware that there's accountability for their bad behavior the better.

But as with every product, you can't be sure of everyone's intentions in writing reviews. And I think in this arena, because of the largely YMMV/WALDT subjective nature of this business, along with the fact that we're talking intimacy with human beings and not rides to the airport, nothing will ever be that simple. For that reason, I'm not a fan of a rating system.
Tip's on deciphering the truth of reviews:


https://shopping.yahoo.com/news/how-...224942287.html
Boltfan's Avatar
Tip's on deciphering the truth of reviews:


https://shopping.yahoo.com/news/how-...224942287.html Originally Posted by Jillian Price
Amusing. Applying consumer reports logic to hooker reviews by white knights.