Great question. Some products we receive, like the CZUR book scanner and the AYO wearable, cost hundreds of dollars. Yet companies are sending these for review because they are convinced that the xl8 review is reaching the right audience for their products. In return for sending your product for review you will receive wide coverage on the internet. A sound review can increase your sales numbers, which will compensate for the price of your review unit. Most product reviews are also ranking high in Google for ‘product name review’, which increases the trustworthiness and customer journey for your product.

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That’s true. However, these reviews are often placed when a product is introduced and not yet produced. In many cases these products do not make it through the full production cycle. By sending a real sample for review you show that your product is ready for production – or is being produced already. A product review can then give your product a head start at the beginning of your marketing journey.

Nope. The xl8 review project mainly targets translators, but there are many other freelancers who show an interest as well, like designers, copywriters, editors, and so on. In addition, marketing managers are also sharing the reviews, so xl8 reviews are spreading to all kinds of businesses.

We write one xl8 review each month. This gives us plenty of time to test a product for a whole month, often for five days per week. During this period we can make up our minds about the pros and cons. In the meantime we publish a reminder or progress update on social media weekly to spark curiosity within the translator community.

Many of the xl8 reviews are ranking high on Google, thus improving the marketing and customer journey for the product. Reviews are shared on social media like Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin as well. You might offer a discount to readers if you want to. There are, however, no opportunities to advertise.

Absolutely. The product is tested for a full month without any contact with designers and developers. After that an independent review is written and published at xl8.review. While product designers might opt to offer a discount for the audience, there is no marketing or advertising whatsoever. Furthermore, all products are reviewed according the same criteria to counter potential bias.

Every last Wednesday of the month we publish our monthly review. In the weeks leading up to the review we place some pictures and thoughts about the product on social media, but we do not actively promote it until then. Let’s face it: while an initial thought can be positive or negative, longer use of a product can completely shift minds. That is why the main conclusion is only shared in the final review.

The upcoming months offer a wide range of reviews, from a wearable to boost energy levels to a business bag and a scanner. Do you want to join in? Drop an email to us!

Because of the cost of shipping, samples are not returned after review. They may, however, be retained for promotion in media such as national newspapers or on various websites. In some cases they will be discarded or passed on  to people who can test or use them.