One thing that has become very important to me over the years is that I share information freely. I know that for many people, presenting information through blogging is a money-making enterprise. I don't necessarily see anything wrong with that. But a lot of bloggers present themselves as experts and use affiliate links or even actively market products. Now, it is absolutely possible that a blogger can be an expert and that it is appropriate for that person to earn money by recommending or promoting certain products, so I don't mean to imply that bloggers who earn money from their blogs are doing something unethical.
But one thing that I do a lot of in my job is look for conflicts of interest, so I tend to be more sensitive to the issue than the average person. In my mind, a conflict of interest can occur even if I simply earn money through affiliate links. It means that if a product or service is available in multiple places, I would be more likely to choose the affiliate link to share on my blog even if the product is available at a cheaper price elsewhere or from a business with better customer service. I'm not interested in having to deal with those kinds of ethical considerations every time I post a link.
I'm also not interested in earning money by recommending businesses or products, either because I already use them or because a business approaches me about doing some kind of product review. For one thing, I am absolutely not an expert in anything (with the possible exception of making a lot of mistakes!). Also, I know a lot of people think they can provide an unbiased review in return for receiving a product or service for a reduced price or even for free. I don't think they can, and I'm pretty sure I can't. There is research on how even receiving a free pen at a convention can subtly change a person's mind about the company that gave them that pen. That doesn't mean the review provided isn't useful, but a reader always needs to be aware of the built-in bias. I don't want that kind of built-in bias occurring on my blog.
So when you see product reviews, recommendations, and links on my blog, please know that they are never affiliate links. I do not receive any kind of compensation (monetary or otherwise) for posting this information. If I review a product, it will be one that I paid for with my own money and that I have actually used. I may, however, rely on other people's recommendations and experiences when I choose a product to buy, use, and review.
If I include a link, it will typically be to the business that I got the product from, unless I can't remember where I got it or it isn't available from that business anymore. But regardless of where my link takes you, I encourage you to double-check pricing and availability at other locations and consider your own experience with a business before you make a purchase.
I also encourage you to carefully consider any product before you buy it or decide to skip it. My needs and experiences will not be the same as yours. All I can do is tell you what my experience and thoughts about a product are, based on my personal use. Even if I give a product my whole-hearted and enthusiastic recommendation, I hope you will think through my criteria and compare them to your own before you make a purchase.
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