I don’t like to give feedback unless it’s to very close friends who I know won’t take offense when I say, “What’s up with your skin tone? Why is it orange? Uhh your lips are uneven. I hate the brows… bla bla bla.”
I’m BRUTAL.
A lot of people ask me for feedback on new skins but I find it very hard to give honest feedback (like I said, I only reserve those for very close friends), because I don’t want to be the “mean critical one.” I’ve had instances in the past where people have said, “hey Gogo! Why are you such a bitch! You can’t even make skins, what gives you the right to tear people dowwwwwwwnn!” Well, they asked for it. And even if they didn’t, it’s for sale. I’m a customer, I can comment.
I find that honest feedback is very very hard to give. Many people think they’re giving honest feedback when they’re just holding back.
I hold back.
Unless I’ve known you for awhile and I know that you really want to improve (sell more).
I cringe whenever I see people saying “aww it’s gorgeous! I love it! SO SO HOT” when the item is obviously not? I know that my preference for something may not always be everyone’s preference, but generally MOST people can agree on what is fug, and what is not.
If you love your friends, give honest feedback.
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Maybe you should start LISTENING to me..grins! There is a way to be honest and give criticism without sounding like a bitch. Hugs you and goes back to searching in my inventory for something pink.
Hi Gogo,
I can understand what you mean, sometimes people don´t like to hear the unvarnished truth. But I would also agree to what Wilma said, it’s not what you say, but how you say it … 😉
I´m pretty much like you in that case, if I would ask for honest feedback I would prefer to hear somewhat like “Honey, you look like a creepy little bitch in that dress”, if that is the truth .. 😉 Better change dresses than running around with someting inexpressible.
So just my opinion .. 🙂 Best wishes and greatings from a satisfied German customer at Juicy Store.
Hepzibah
Hey Gogo, as an outsider to all of this I often wonder why you feel it’s necessary to ask these questions. Your opinions, which as you always stress are yours alone, always seem to be pretty balanced and unbiased. You subscribe to what you like, for which so many of us are grateful, and I dont mean that in a kiss ass sort of way, just that time is short in SL and it’s great to have someone point us in the right direction for new, cool stuff. But, more importantly, you also dont kiss ass. I think what I’m trying to say is that you ask these questions because you’re actually a nice person who cares and who’s just trying to do a job. Don’t hold back hon just keep telling us how it is, and get us talking to each other and then maybe everyone will just let you get on with it!
Sometimes when people ask for “feedback” they want kudos. Thats why I always tell people if you want feedback or advice from me don’t come to me if you want me to tell you what you want to hear.
I have read your blog now for well over a year and honestly I have never minded you being honest about skin reviews and such because I too am personally very picky about skins and many times if you like them, I know I will like them. As for clothing, every designer learns at different rates, and if they can’t handle the critisim they probably shouldn’t be making items in SL. Again I agree with with you for the most part.
However, I would like to comment on something maybe you don’t think of when you write your blog. I understand you defend your friends in SL, say you can’t stand drama on plurk. I don’t personally have plurk, and I don’t really care to. I am getting a little sick of reading your blog and having to read about the drama in SL on your blog. If you don’t like drama don’t write about it. You just give fuel to the fire every time you bring up people calling you a bitch and yadda yadda. I enjoy reading your reviews, not posts like these where you are constantly defending yourself. You are causing the drama, do what you do best and just ignore it.
This is all meant in love, and I really do enjoy reading your blog 🙂
This is the dilemma for all of us isn’t it. I side-step it by stating I only blog what I love and I stopped commenting on what I love .. the pics speak for themselves you either like it or don’t. That way I am a big chicken and don’t need to point out the flaws … (spitting out some feathers). That is my style.
YOUR style is that you are honest and I appreciate that and I am sure others do. I don’t see anything personal in your comments .. they are your observations about the skins and not about the designer. You do a ton of skins and have for awhile and you look at all the details. I always read your reviews and look at how they look on you because you are consistent. I kind of know whether a skin will work on me or not because of what works and doesn’t with you .. and we are not the same but it is a yardstick for me to measure by.
Anyone who spends 5 minutes on your blog can see your integrity in what you do. You never claim to be an expert just offering a consistent opinion which is now backed by experience. This is what you do best. Anyone who doesn’t see that is just complaining .. which is probably what they do best.
DON’T CHANGE!!!!
oh .. and btw .. .does this outfit make my ass look big??
How odd is it that you make a subject about Honest feedback. Especially when my recent comment on your review about the Boom Sabotage dress never seemed to make the cut. If I remember it right, I made sure to state that I meant no harm about my comment. But obviously, the creator that made the outfit is a friend so now I totally understand. Have a Happy Valentines Day! 🙂
I was always told that if i have nothing good to say, don’t say it all.
it’s hard to be honest and speaking your mind without possibly losing your relationship.
Hi gogo, I also agree with Wilma. As a designer I wish more bloggers would leave honest feedback. I think it a great way to improve by listening to constructive critism and who better to give that than the people who will be wearing your product. As I’ve said to u in the Past I long for a site and would even pay a small fee to get my product reviewed honestly by those who know what they are talking about. Kind of like a “I volunteer this pre release item for constructive critism”. It’s one true thing second life lacks is a forum for creators to get honeST feedback on their product. It’s a normally acceptable thing in the creative world to submit your work for review so why are so many afraid of doing so in sl? Afterall we learn by our mistakes, and I’d prefer to know beforehand so I can push myself to be the best possible designer I can be.
Khea stole the words right out of my mouth/keyboard (but probably in a much more eloquent way ;-). As a designer you kind of send your stuff out there into the void and try and judge how well you’re doing by the sales. However, sales (or lack thereof) don’t really tell you exactly what’s good or bad about your product, and certainly can’t offer ideas on how to improve.
I also agree with mitzy and Bliss. You have the experience to be able to point out things that work and things that don’t viz a viz your now years of experience blogging, and probably closely looking at, a huge variety of products and designers on SL. Aaaand, as to the whole bitch thing, I’m with Mitzy on this one, the fact that you actually worry about it means that you’re very likely a really nice person. If you weren’t you’d just be giving your critics a big “whatever, I do what I want, don’t hate!” but you don’t, you just keep doing what you do and doing it well.
the end 🙂
Rezzie