Client product testing?

martafontes · ‎03-29-2019

Hello everybody!

I frequently receive work translating e-commerce product listings, and sometimes the clients invite me to take part in product testings.

Until now I've accepted a couple of the gift variety (where they basically post the product to you, without any money exchange), but now they're offering me to test a product (which btw I like very much) by buying it throught the e-commerce site (to make it a certified buy, I'm guessing) and leave an opinion, and they would give me my money back through paypal.

So the question is, is this allowed? This is a trusted client that sends me work regularly, so I'm not worried about losing any money, I simply don't want to breach any UW rule! I guess I can always ask them to send me the money through UpWork + 10% to keep it the safest, but I'm not sure this could be tagged as work and seems a bit unfair...

Thank you for reading and for any answers!

Marta

petra_r · ‎03-29-2019

Marta F wrote:

Until now I've accepted a couple of the gift variety (where they basically post the product to you, without any money exchange), but now they're offering me to test a product (which btw I like very much) by buying it throught the e-commerce site (to make it a certified buy, I'm guessing) and leave an opinion, and they would give me my money back through paypal.

I guess I can always ask them to send me the money through UpWork + 10% to keep it the safest, but I'm not sure this could be tagged as work and seems a bit unfair...

They'd have to pay you through Upwork (and yes, you would pay the fee for it) - you can not accept any money from a client directly. I am not sure it is "a bit unfair" - think of it this way: You could cover the 10% yourself and get a product you say you really like at a 90% discount. Doesn't sound so bad to me.

Do **NOT** write any Amazon reviews, ever - this (writing reviews for money or even just a free product) is strictly forbidden by Amazon's Terms of Service and hence also forbidden here (as it violates another site's terms of service.)

And yes, Amazon do take this seriously and have already sued 1000 freelancers from another site...

martafontes · ‎04-01-2019

Thank you, Petra!

I told my client exactly that 🙂