see matt run

I wrote this editorial piece for MacDirectory.com in response to this Wired article.

iPhone app site lies about trading reviews for cash - and I can prove it
by Matt Marquez

Apple’s iPhone App Store is filled to bursting with more than 150,000 apps so it’s no surprise that review sites have sprung up to help the overwhelmed masses choose their next download. And as Wired pointed out in a recent article, some of these sites ask developers for money in exchange for a review. I know this firsthand because I once applied to write for one.

Soliciting payment for reviews is a questionable practice that the FTC rightfully frowns upon, but it’s not illegal per se. As long as a site discloses this arrangement, the FTC says that consumers are able to make up their own mind whether the review is credible or not.

Developer Michael D’Ulisse told Wired that one site, TheiPhoneAppReview.com, refused to review his app Pocket Labeler unless he ponied up a $25 fee. TheiPhoneAppReview does disclose on its About page that it offers an “expedited review service” for a “small fee,” but the site’s editor in chief, Shaun Campbell, told Wired that TheiPhoneAppReview does not require developers to pay a fee for a review.

“I have never once sent a request for a fee to a developer to review their app,” Campbell said. “That is not our policy, which is why that is not stated in the About.”

That second sentence is a flat-out lie.

I don’t know whether Campbell has or has not personally requested a developer to send him a fee in exchange for a review, but I do know that at one time it was most certainly the site’s policy to ask for one. How do I know this? When I inquired about writing for the site back in September of last year, Campbell told me this in an email:

“Our business is centered around providing coverage of new and interesting iPhone applications to assist with the marketing and promotion of our clients (the developers). Currently, we charge a nominal fee of $20 to review an iPhone application, though this is likely to grow in the near future as website traffic continues to improve.

We are looking to take on independent contributing authors that, through the use of iTunes, contact iPhone app developers to offer their review services. Due to the sheer volume of iPhone applications out there, and the need to stand out in the marketplace, the response rate is generally quite favorable.”

Now in full disclosure, I still pursued this writing gig. I’m not proud of this, but I was in need of money and I was also not aware that TheiPhoneAppReview did not clearly disclose their pay-to-play practice. Fortunately, I was spared an internal moral quandary because Campbell never responded to me after his initial email.

As a freelance writer, I can appreciate the challenge that Campbell faces in seeking compensation for his and his editors’ work. But Campbell’s disingenuous claim that his site does not seek payment not only harms the credibility of his site (which is deserved), it also casts doubt on the legitimacy of all other review sites.

I can proudly say that everything I’ve written here at MacDirectory.com has come without any solicitation or expectation of money in exchange for coverage. And I can only hope that Shaun Campbell (and anyone else employing similar practices) understands the disservice he is doing to his craft and the public and changes his ways.

Forgive me for the added length, but here is Shaun Campbell’s entire email to me:

Hi Matt,

Thank you for your interest in writing for The iPhone App Review.

We are in the middle of a phase of rapid expansion and I would like to take the opportunity to outline the opportunity available at The iPhone App Review in greater depth. To give some idea of the scale of our market - there are currently upwards of 60,000 registered iPhone software developers and over 1.5 billion apps downloaded from the iTunes App Store.

Our business is centered around providing coverage of new and interesting iPhone applications to assist with the marketing and promotion of our clients (the developers). Currently, we charge a nominal fee of $20 to review an iPhone application, though this is likely to grow in the near future as website traffic continues to improve.

We are looking to take on independent contributing authors that, through the use of iTunes, contact iPhone app developers to offer their review services. Due to the sheer volume of iPhone applications out there, and the need to stand out in the marketplace, the response rate is generally quite favorable.

We will set you up with your own personal @theiphoneappreview.com email address (requires POP email application, i.e outlook, entourage etc), as well as an author account at http://www.theiphoneappreview.com. Please note that you will require either an iPhone or an iPod Touch for this position.

Compensation is initially 50% of the nominal fee, increasing to 75% of the nominal fee after the completion of 20 published reviews although this rate is negotiable based on performance. Thus, we can offer you the capability and opportunity to write as much as you desire - with the only limit on how much you can earn being the amount of time you are willing to put into the job. All payment is processed via PayPal. You are also free to write reviews on apps that you have a personal interest in - which enables you access to a free copy of the app via the iTunes promo code system (App developers are given 50 promo codes to assist in promotion).

If you are interested in the position as outlined - please forward an
example review of an iPhone/iPod App of your choosing (free apps are fine). Please take a look at recent reviews on the website to get an idea of the kind of length and format that we’re looking for. As a general guide, 300-450 words is an appropriate length for a review, depending on the application.

If your writing meets the required standards then I will publish your review and we can start the process of setting you up as an author at TheiPhoneAppReview.com

Best Regards,

Shaun Campbell
Editor in Chief
The iPhone App Review