We have this AMAZING hair/skin cream that we got from Etsy.

[conuly]

So I ordered more products from that seller.

Some of them smell wonderful. Mmmm. And others... *sighs*....

See, one of the products I ordered is jasmine scented. I got it for my grandmother, who wanted something "flowery". When I first smelled it, I recoiled and capped it as quickly as possible, assuming my "ick" level was because it was so strongly scented. When *Jenn* smelled it she called Ana over, and Ana's eyes lit up. I was called upon to take another whiff, and I still didn't like it - and this time I knew why.

Jenn nearly killed her when I told her. I didn't like it because, upon reflection, I realized it's the same scent used in Raid bugspray. Just what I want on my skin, LOL!

We haven't told Ana. I don't think she needs to know this.

Comments

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

ROFL, when I was about 10, my Dad gave my Mom a bottle of Joy perfume (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_(perfume)), and I thought it smelled exactly like bug spray.

I note that Joy is also jasmine-based. I would surmise that the bug-spray manufacturers are using synthetic jasmine scent to cover the chemical odors of their other ingredients, since jasmine is a pretty overpowering fragrance. Kinda not fair to the folk using real jasmine oil to make nice products; nobody wants to smell like Raid.

[conuly]

I would surmise that the bug-spray manufacturers are using synthetic jasmine scent to cover the chemical odors of their other ingredients, since jasmine is a pretty overpowering fragrance.

Yeah, I figured as much. It's not this person's fault - had I realized that jasmine is "that stuff they put in bug spray to make it stinky-like-it's-totally-not-bug-spray-but-really-is" I would never have bought it in a million years.

So I left a neutral review. Now she emails me asking if I can edit it to be positive, and I'm just thinking "Look, I very kindly didn't say it smells like bug spray. If I'd been honest, I would've given it that negative review. I think neutral is fair" but I have to find a way to express that... *politely*. Because, you know, I didn't say this on the review so she doesn't know what I really think yet.

[gingembre.livejournal.com]

How about just editing your review to say "I didn't realize that I *personally* dislike the smell of jasmine (my niece loved it) but if you like jasmine scented things you may enjoy it."

[conuly]

Mmm. I'm also in a pissy mood because of how long it took to ship. Another thing I didn't mention on the grounds that it's probably a one-off aberration that won't ever happen again.

And any rate, customers buy more when there are a few negative reviews. Apparently, when people see a string of five-star-ers they don't say "WOW, THIS PRODUCT MUST ROCK!" but "Yeah, right - I bet she's going around after people leave negative reviews and asking them to change it".

[lizziey.livejournal.com]

Wait. So you left a review of a product that You don't like at all and worded it to not be negative, and she's asking you to pretty much lie and give her a Positive review? Yeah, I would edit my review to say "After the seller was unhappy with my neutral review and requested I change it, I have decided to be honest. It smells like bug spray." I can't believe someone would think you should actually change it. What the hell. How dishonest.

[conuly]

Yeah, but I like other stuff she sells, so I'm not gonna do that.

[conuly]

And really, every time I leave a negative review on an individual's product ANYwhere - etsy, amazon, wherever - they come around and ask me to change it. I don't hold it against them unless they really suck at it. This person didn't bribe me (which is maybe good or maybe bad, I can't decide) and she didn't give me a badly-written sob story, and I do like her stuff *in general*, so my dilemma is in telling her no politely.