To review or not to review . . .

FaintlyMacabre

nord_drache said:
Nice to see replies coming and the responses being positive.
I see mention of unboxing videos which leave me going . . . huh?!?!
Its not something I would do or I even think to view. In my opinion I don't see video images being better than released images as I would think deck publishers are consistent with their quality of artwork and for me a sample or even an honest review is enough to decide if I am financially able.

I guess this is another aspect of reviews - perceived value. Is this overpriced? Price doesn't mirror product quality etc.

Jim
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I think the strength of "unboxing" videos is that they can show all the cards whereas you can't in print. Of course sometimes there might be other touches that are interesting to some people (not me so much).

As to the perceived value, I suppose that is a personal choice. If you describe it well, then I can decide if I think it is worth $50 or whatever to me but you can give your opinion. We just had a go-round. It wasn't the price for me but I never connected with that particular city.

Diana
 

Le Fanu

FaintlyMacabre said:
I think the strength of "unboxing" videos is that they can show all the cards whereas you can't in print. Of course sometimes there might be other touches that are interesting to some people (not me so much).
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I honestly think that unboxing videos serve a kind of sublimated, surrogate "I've-just-bought-a-deck" purpose. I think people watch them vicariously if they can't buy decks themselves or have maxed out the credit card or whatever. It scratches that itch for a new deck. You can almost smell the shrink-wrap.
 

MissChiff

I can't stand to watch people open the shrink wrap with a machete.....
 

Obsydian

Le Fanu said:
I honestly think that unboxing videos serve a kind of sublimated, surrogate "I've-just-bought-a-deck" purpose. I think people watch them vicariously if they can't buy decks themselves or have maxed out the credit card or whatever. It scratches that itch for a new deck. You can almost smell the shrink-wrap.
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For that reason it's one of my guilty pleasures. [emoji7]

I normally only buy decks maybe twice a year
 

FaintlyMacabre

Le Fanu said:
I honestly think that unboxing videos serve a kind of sublimated, surrogate "I've-just-bought-a-deck" purpose. I think people watch them vicariously if they can't buy decks themselves or have maxed out the credit card or whatever. It scratches that itch for a new deck. You can almost smell the shrink-wrap.
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I was thinking of some of the decks where the artist put in a "note" or stickers or something which I had just seen (and I am going "move it along").

Geez, I don't unbox my own promptly half the time. I have two sitting here. As long as they're in the package, there's no problem. Pentacles people don't max out their credit cards :bugeyed:!
 

nord_drache

Le Fanu said:
I honestly think that unboxing videos serve a kind of sublimated, surrogate "I've-just-bought-a-deck" purpose. I think people watch them vicariously if they can't buy decks themselves or have maxed out the credit card or whatever. It scratches that itch for a new deck. You can almost smell the shrink-wrap.
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I agree about the "I've-just-bought-a-deck" purpose - it tends to be prevalent in society in general, though I guess that for some who have been anticipating the arrival . . . As for living vicariously isn't that a theme of our world as well.

Seeing how this thread has developed it was never my intention to critique review methodology but more to suggest that when we get a new deck - especially one that doesn't get much exposure - we should maybe take a few moments to let people know its out there and our perceptions of it. This could extend to a used deck we lucked into at a flea market / garage sale that may have been out of print to help other interested people keep hope for locating that deck.

Jim
 

mabcosmic

Opinions are just that... opinions. Social media wouldn't exist if nobody wanted to know anyone else's opinion about things. :)

With that said, this must be the funniest tarot review ever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfG0p412cdI

Enjoy! :joke:
 

Philistine

If I post any of kind of review, whether it be a restaurant, auto mechanic, or tarot deck, I usually only bother if it's an "under reviewed" subject. Either it will serve to expose somebody or something that deserves more of an audience, or it will give a potential customer at least some idea if there are not many other reviews.

I don't understand people on, say, Amazon, that post the 3,456th review of something. Does anybody wade through that many posts for a $25 decision? For better and worse, the internet allows us to have opinion diarrhea.

The other reason I might post a review is if it something I find (as objectively as possible) to be overrated. Expressing the rare, dissenting opinion can be of value, and I always appreciate it among a sea of unqualified praise.
 

Grizabella

Le Fanu said:
I'd argue both sides - a review is always nice and I appreciate the trouble that people go to.

But to be honest, rather than watching someone unbox for 15 minutes on you tube (and do things I never do with a new deck - i.e. waffle for 5 minutes, go first to the book for a flick through - I mean who doesthat ??), I'd rather check out the hastags on Instagram.

If I see a selection of images from a deck it's often enough for me. I do like a good, detailed review though, but most YouTube videos take ages to cut to the chase and I can't be bothered. Plus so many of them set the camera rolling before they think what they're going to say, so you have to wade through all those "ermmm. er... yeah... it's really cool.... oh my god... yeah..."

Not my prefered medium for succinct reviews.
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I agree. My most disliked video things are hearing a person suck spit and swallow all the time. Maybe that's picky, but for heaven's sake. That's not a nice thing to hear every few seconds.

What I look for in reviews is mostly 3 things---is it a RWS themed deck or Thoth or Marseilles.

I also look for comments on size (in inches) and card stock. Cardboard is not easy to shuffle, so when a deck comes on card stock thicker than a cereal box, I just don't use it.

I can see from just a few images whether or not the deck will be to my taste but I don't use the metric measures because I never learned them, so it's always nice if a reviewer includes inch measurement. If they're used to using metrics, then posting both would be nice.
 

MaeWasteland

I'm not really confident enough in either my taste or my ability/understanding to write reviews, I have Goodreads and am trying to push myself to at least write a paragraph about each book I read but even that's tough, and I've been reading books for 30-something years longer than tarot cards! I don't think I have any decks that don't have a review up already, though, or I might try and write something at some point. I do definitely appreciate others' reviews, though!
 
Ever regret Ignoring the Card's Advice.. Possibly really stupid question(s)