Biagio's, Niddrie, Melbourne
12/09/2019
12/06/2019
User Testing (Online Platform, Paid Tests)
I've tried many user testing companies and this has been the best for me so far. I've made some bucks on this site, and they have been paid, as promised, within a week of performing the tests. This company is the only one that, at least for my demographic, provides me with tests mostly every day.
Some major business and companies use this site, and not the others, and I think they are already established and well organised, so one can see how things flow here and not elsewhere, at least for me.
HOW TO BECOME A TESTER
Like most user testing companies, you have to perform an entry test, which isn't paid, to see if you qualify. What they ask you to do is similar to what you would be doing as remote website tester.
Once you are accepted, you will be given access to your member dashboard and see a list of tests offered to you, from which you can choose from. There is a constant stream of tests, and it is up to you if you try any or all of them.
HOW IT WORKS
The first paid test you do is examined by the UT team. They will give you the initial rating. It takes them between 6 and 9 days to do that, but they do it; not only that, they even comment on your performance, and things needing of improvement in the future. Getting a high rating from them is very important because, the higher your rating is, the more in demand you are, and the more tests you are offered to take part in. You will be rated for each of your tests, but after the first one, the ratings will come from the companies that paid for them.
Like similar sites, customers are companies with specific requirements. They won't tell you what they want directly, but will screen you to see if you are what they are looking for. They do so by asking you a series of questions with answers to choose from. You need to answer honestly or might find yourself in trouble. If you qualify you can take the test. The screening takes just a few seconds to perform.
Before you enter the test, your task is mentioned. The system gives you 15 minutes to start the test. That's great if you have your kids around, you are cooking and need to put things aside, or have to go to the loo. Also great in case the recording program is misbehaving and you have to reinstall it. You have to allow their desktop app (actually a Chrome extension) to run, that is, to record your micro sound and share your screen. Once you do that, you press enter and the test starts. You have to read the instructions out loud, and verbalise your thoughts on the tasks you are doing, and do that continuously.
In the member area settings you can decide whether you want to receive emails for incoming tests, or just hear the ding when you are logged in. I think the latter is best, because, as I've said, there are plenty of tests coming in at times and you don't want to flood your inbox with emails. To hear the beep, needless to say, you have to have a tab open, logged into your account and the dashboard "Take Tests' open.
DOWNSIDES
>> The extension/program they use on the Chrome desktop is not always reliable. I lost plenty of tests for which had qualified because the recorder was malfunctioning. They always tell you to check this and that, but most testers have already done that when complaining to CS; they are testers after all! When it works, it is great, but when it does not, it makes testers lose money and UT customers get annoying silent recordings and waste their time. Just fix the recording or just provide with an alternative.
>> You might have problems with your microphone or the app during the session, and if the recording cannot be heard or has poor quality, your test will be rejected and you won't be paid. Or they will give you the lowest rating, which directly damages your prospectives of getting good tests offered to you. I mean, why not allowing the tester to repeat the test for free?
>> You don't qualify for 90% of the tests coming at you, as they are targeted to specific industries and consumers. They might want a person who is bilingual in Korean. A person who uses a certain airline, bank, supermarket or store. A person who doesn't know anything about a certain product, or a person who has kids, just to mention a few examples. This varies from test to test. You have to take the screener and be honest because, otherwise, you will be in trouble and won't be paid.
>> I have the strong impression that many of those screeners are archived and added to your profile, so they profile you to the core and quite accurately. I am never happy with that, especially because you aren't really working for the company, you are working for rewards not for a salary. Yet, they will have so many details about you, besides your voice. If something goes wrong, the site is hacked for example, your whole life info could be used for fraudulent purposes. I am not sure if their security system is really good, either.
>> Some tests have between 12 or 60 steps and, although enjoyable, they are time consuming; you might spend 30 to 60 minutes on a test and still be paid 10 bucks. That is unacceptable. I dont blame the site for allowing that to happen. I also blame those customers from big companies and corporations that run on the cheap when it comes to paying, and expect a tester to go through their demands for alms. Dear UX designer if you test is 50+ steps is because you don't know how to design an US remote usability test, as simple as that.
>> Unless you live in a country where 10$ USA is a lot of money, that's a very low per-hour fee. At the moment, the duration of the test is not mentioned, so it could take you 10 minutes, which is the best case scenario, or 60+.
>> They mostly work on Chrome, so you can't perform the tests on any other browser unless the test is specific for that browser.
THEIR PHONE APP
>> In addition, the app didn't allow me to log in, rejecting my login email as incorrect, which is totally bananas!
>> I removed the app and I don't do tests on the phone, which is a pity, because there are tons of phone tests coming in.
>> There are simple apps out there that capture sound and screen and aren't invasive at all. I actually tested one of them for another company, and it was fantastic. Why not using that instead?
CUSTOMER SERVICE
CS is useless. It takes ages for you to get a reply, and although they reply, eventually, it is first with a Zen desk robotic message that shows that the officer hasn't really read your query and acted on an impulse by reading the subject. When you complain about some of the companies testing requiring a huge amount of time for little money and for not explicitly saying that at the beginning, they blame you for staying in the test; but for some people this income is necessary and they put up with bad behaviour out of desperately needing extra cash. I had CS officers who needed four of my messages being as blunt as it gets for them to actually read my emails and respond to what I was asking not what they wanted to reply to. It is not acceptable that a company that trades in the stock market has such poor service for those who make possible the site, which are the testers. The worst part is that customer service has grown worse at the same pace as the company is growing up and cashing in.
Tresor EDT by Lancome
Lancome has reinvented Tresor in the last years, but the fact remains, the original Tresor, is still a great fragrance that smells of groomed woman, that is feminine and seductive. Tresor is a classic for a reason. In a world that discards perfumes every two years, having a perfume like this still being sold, says something about any perfume. For the younger generations, Tresor smells of their mothers and grand-mothers, so it will have an old-lady sort of attached prejudice; yet, if they didn't see the bottle and smelled the fragrance in a blind testing, many of them would still like or love the scent.
Tresor is the essence of femininity: intoxicating, velvety, powdery, warm and floral. It has an unique distinguishable scent that you won't find matched anywhere else. While I have found that some scents by designer houses smell the same, I mean the same, as other perfumes with different names from another designer house, I have still to find a perfume that smells like Tresor. It has never been and will never be. Amen.
This is one of those perfumes that I don't overdo, because, if I do, I get a headache and I cannot stand it. A tiny amount of spray or rubbing on the usual spots goes the long way and brings up the woman in you even in those days that you feel a bit crappy.
Bottega Veneta EDP by Bottega Veneta
Bottega Veneta EDP was Bottega Veneta's first ever perfume and the result was a brilliant contemporary fragrance and an instant classic.
We leave in a time in which perfumes are launched every six months, a time in which fashion trends have turned perfumes into another accessory, and in a time where mediocre or bad perfumes are packaged in pretty bottles and sold at high prices. Discovering Bottega Veneta made me belief that there is still room for old perfumiers' savoir-faire, there is the space to take the time necessary to develop an unique fragrance that is not discardable in six months or smells like any other. Old perfumiers used to take years to work and develop a perfume, and you would get something unique, a great scent and a great quality one. This is what Bottega Veneta just did with their first ever perfume for women.
Bottega Veneta EDP is classified within the Chypre family of perfumes but smells more of an light oriental woody floral turned mutant on me. The scent is sophisticated, timeless, seductive, and feminine. It has a very distinctive smell that is modern and classic at the same time. It is nobility luxury not bourgeoisie luxury. If I had to describe the smell I would tell you a story that captures the world that this perfume transports me to. Imagine you have a hut in the forest somewhere in Western Europe, and your hut is furnished with very comfortable leather furniture that smell of new; your hut is surrounded by bushes, wild berries and moss are everywhere; you have a small lemon tree in your backyard and a jasmine plant on the ledge of your window; a small breeze enters through the window and you smell everything at once and you get a multilayered earthy organic smell that is fresh and deep at the same time, something that you feel all around you.
Every essence in Bottega Veneta EDP makes sense, complements each other organically, and it is not overdone. The fragrance tantalises your senses but does not overwhelm them. A priori, I am not a fan of patchouli because it reminds me of the stinky hippies of the 70s. A priori, leather is something that I would not want to smell in a feminine perfume. Although I love citrusy fragrances, I consider them summery, fresh and not very elegant. I usually define perfumes with jasmine as 'stinky'. Moss is something wintry that smells funny. Alas! All of those ingredients are part of Bottega Veneta EDP and this is one of my all-times favourite fragrances.
This perfume has a day-long longevity and, at least on me, it changes little from first outing, once of the lemony horses run away, to when the scent is sealed onto my skin. In a way, the fragrance is flatter than others I have, but also less deceiving when you smell it at first. The sillage is medium, enough to leave a trail when you pass by, but not too strong to make it unbearable to others.
I find this perfume perfect for autumn and winter, from morning to evening, and also good for night outings if I am not doing anything too formal. I have used for work as well, and it suits a lady-like suit.
The minimal packaging is elegant and timeless, it does not target any age, any class, or any type of woman. It makes you look inside, to the perfume. Nothing to show off, for sure.
Bottega Veneta EDP is timeless modern classicism, so the perfume is an honest representation of what the Bottega Veneta fashion house is.
The following variations on the perfume and the latest Bottega Veneta perfume suffer from the same sin as other fashion houses -- they are an object of commerce, not a perfumier's perfume and cannot compete with this little wonder.
The 30 mls bottle starts from 100+ dollars. It is worth it.
12/03/2019
Appliances Online (Online Shop)
I've bought two large appliances from Appliances Online, top brands, and at a better price than on any other online store I checked before buying them. I ended there just because of that, because of their free delivery policy, and because of their promise of next day delivery if the product is in stock, which was indeed fulfilled.
The guys who brought the appliances were lovely, They SMSed me early in the morning to give me a bracket time for their delivery, and then again half an hour before arrival. They installed one of the appliances, for free, as well.
Their website is very easy to navigate and shop from using your credit card or PayPal. There is plenty of info regarding measurements, materials, brands, pricing, in stock or not, and anything else. They have short videos with people showing most of the products, individually, mentioning their main features, something that I found really helpful. If the appliance needs of some work to be installed they quote pricing beside the price so that you can add it or not. Simple washing machines are installed and connected for free.
All the reviews are legit, as they email you the request for a review a few weeks after your item has been delivered, and you cannot review it without that invitation.
Appliances Online operates from Ebay as well, not just from their website. That's good news because they offer the same products, pricing and service, but if Ebay is running any promotion, you can save big. That was my case, I saved 80 bucks in one of my purchases just because of a promo on the site.
Their refund and exchange policies are more than good. I never expected that to be possible, i.e. to be able to buy a washer and be able to exchange if it didn't suit my needs. They give you 14 days from the day you request the exchange.
DOWNSIDES
The main downside of Appliances Online is that they have limited models of each appliance, and that they favour some brands, while good ones are missing. An example: you won't find a Hoover vacuum there, but you will find Hoover washers and dryers, which was puzzling to me. The same happens with other appliances.
Not all appliances have good quality shots of the electric panels, something I consider necessary.This is especially important for washers and dryers. The information on the site is collected from the appliances manuals, but some of the manuals are generic for the line not the exact model you've bought, so some of the information can be misleading.
IN SHORT
I wish they had more brands and more appliances. But they are really fantastic. I will buy from them in the future, for sure. Great products, great pricing and remarkable customer service both upon delivery and on the phone, if you have to call their Customer Service operators.
Target Au Online (Online Shop)
I've had a terrific experience with Target Australia online store, from where I've purchased many items, many times.
Their website is very simple, easy to navigate, and to shop from. You can use Paypal or any major credit card, which is what you get everywhere. You can save your fav items on your wish list and go there, directly, without having to browse for them again.
Dispatch takes a couple of days but, once is done, it takes barely two days for a metropolitan order to get home. They send you your shopping for free if you spend 80 bucks. Other similar cheap retailers don't offer free delivery at all. So that is great.
I actually prefer using their online store than visiting my nearer store because they online store can provide me with items that might not be in my local store, and they send them to me from wherever they are stocked. The downside of that is that your items might arrive separately in different days. If you cannot be a home, they will take the parcel to your nearest post office. I have never had a parcel lost or mistaken. And the fact that they have teamed up with Australia Post is good news because you will receive SMS with info about your parcel being on the way or being out for delivery.
Free click & collect (if you spend 20 bucks or more), a good refunds & exchange policy, and a variety of everyday non-fancy items available online, and terrific prices, make me go back to Target online quite often.
The reviews on the site are all legit. Once some time has elapsed since your product/s were delivered, they send you an email asking for your honest review.
Enrollapp (Online Platform, Paid tests)
Easy to join. Very fun and likeable website, with that lovely cow walking while you reply to the site queres.
They start profiling you, hard core, from the beginning, in ways that I don't think I would like to be profiled or I am comfortable with. Of course, they might come and say, it is all voluntarily, you do it because you want (no, I need money, mind you, that's why I am here). Supposedly, they are getting your info to provide you with the right test or survey. Questions are very specific about you and your finances.
I suspect that they are data collectors, a la Google, just done in a more fun way and having you replying directly to the questions, no machine involved. I know for sure that they don't need of all that info for you to take a test. Their privacy policy also seems legit, but if you read between the lines, you will see that very personal information is collected through the tests themselves, and also that they can share your data, just removing your name and personal details. It smells fishy. My impression.
They might provide legit work, but that sort of profiling shouldn't be allowed or legal! So, needless to say, I left soon after joining. I might be totally mistaken, for sure, but the questions about my bank account are too precise to be random or innocent.
Avoid.
