[theme-reviewers] Question: Someone Want to Take Benefit From a 'Top Reviewer of the Month'.

[esmi at quirm dot net]

on 29/01/2014 14:44 Chip Bennett said the following:
> For the sake of discussion: how is this any different from commercial Theme
> shops paying their employees to perform Theme reviews, with the expressed
> intent of ensuring that one of the Theme shop's Themes gets listed as
> featured?

1. Theme shops are upfront about this. I know just by looking at a 
review ticket where the reviewer "pagelines"[1] is from. I understand 
that there may a commercially-orientated agenda in such a reviewer 
aiming for one of the top reviewer slots but that's OK. We all are aware 
of it. The same cannot be said for this "arrangement".

2. I think it would be safe to assume that the reviewer "pagelines" gets 
paid irrespective of whether s/he is a top reviewer or not. The same 
presumably would not be the case for anyone working under this "scheme".

If this theme shop is so keen to get involved in reviews, why aren't 
they being upfront about it and getting involved in theme reviews 
themselves? or hiring someone and letting them review themes part -time 
like the other theme shops?

> In other words: why is it acceptable for commercial Theme shops to engage
> in this sort of financial transaction to gain a benefit from WordPress.org,
> but not for non-commercial developers?

Because it's far from being transparent. Given the basis of the offer 
and the way the proposed scheme would work, it's tantamount to bribery 
from where I'm sitting.

Mel
-- 
[1[ And please forgive me, pagelines, for using you as an example. It 
was the only one I could think of off the top of my head. :-)

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