The Great Big Review and Testing Guide

Lovehoney_Brenna · August 4, 2020, 9:02am

Welcome to the Lovehoney Testing & Reviewing Guide!

Do you want to be a sex toy tester and get free sex toys?

This guide includes all the information you’ll need to become part of our pool of potential Lovehoney testers and reviewers.

Note: All information you need to join the testing program is here, please only email me directly with your sizing information. Any other questions feel free to ask them in Sex Toy Tester - Chit-Chat where established testers can help guide you.

You’ll be glad to hear you’re already on the right track by having a community account. Now you need to start/keep reviewing items you already own from us, as this gives us an idea of your writing style and what Testers you may be suited to.

You can submit a review for any product on the site by using the ‘Write a Review’ button in the Customer Review section of an item’s product page.

All reviews are checked by our review team before going live on the product page. Once published, these are referred to as ‘live reviews’.

If we feel that your reviews are well written, honest and informative, and that you have contributed positively to the forums, you may then be selected to receive free items to review for Lovehoney.

More Info: If you’re unsure on what makes a great review there’s a really good ‘How to Write a Great Review’ guide below that will help you see what we look out for.

Testers

Each week we send out free items for review purposes. In exchange for this review the item is kept by the recipient. Amazing, right?

International Testers
We ship testers to anywhere the item is in stock on that site (so the UK, US, AU, NZ, CA, EU), but we also offer some testers that are only stocked in our Australian and North American warehouses. So look out for those dedicated Tester Topics.

And it’s not just sex toys we send out for testing. We also need reviews on essentials, lingerie, bondage… well, actually, pretty much anything that we have, or will have, on our site can pop up in our Testers category:

When we have items we need reviews on we will bundle them up into a Tester Topic, and all you need to do is read the info and vote in the poll for the items you’d like to be considered for. Simple.

There are two important pieces of information to look out for in the Tester Topics: the Status, and the Deadline. The Status is either ‘ Regular’ or ‘ Secret’ (whether you can talk about it or not), and the Deadline is how long you have to test the product and write the review. This is normally One Month, but it can be less if we need a review ASAP.

Status:	Deadline:
Regular Secret	One Month Two Weeks One Week

There are no set days or times for when a Tester Topic is posted, but if you want to stay abreast of all the lastest ones you can set the Testers category to “Watching First Post” using the bell icon, and you will receive a notification every time a new Tester Topic is posted. You can find out more on how to do this in Notifications.

Regular Testers

The regular Tester Topics are marked with a emoji, and these are products that are already live on the site. As these are already publicly avaible for anyone to buy from us you can discuss these freely, like you would any other purchase.

If you are selected to test an item you will receive an email from community@lovehoneygroup.com, so make sure your email address is up-to-date to hear the good news.

You will normally have one month from the date of dispatch to give the product a good testing, and to submit your review.

To apply for these go to a Tester Topic in Testers, and vote in the poll for the items you are interested in. If you vote for something by accident, or change your mind, you can press Show Vote to go back and change your choices. If you want to remove yourself from consideration completely, leave all the other options blank and vote for ‘I voted by accident’.

Only the items listed in the Tester Topic are available to test. Any requests for any other products will be ignored.

Key Points:

Please be patient. Not everyone can be selected sadly, as we do have lots of members wanting this great opportunity.
Typically ten or more live reviews are helpful for us to consider someone for testing and reviewing.
Address! Make sure you have an up-to-date postal address in your account that we can ship to.

More info: Testing & Reviewing FAQs

Secret Testers

If you have been lucky enough to review as a tester we then have the next step… Secret Testers!

We will sometimes need to grab feedback or obtain reviews on an item that is not yet showing on the website. These are Secret Testers and are marked with a . Typically these are either items that are in development, ones we are considering stocking, or are a brand ‘spanking’ new range coming in, and we want to know what you think!

Secret Testers are hush-hush, and you cannot discuss them publicly anywhere (not even on the Lovehoney Forum).

The Secret Tester Topics appear in the same way as the Regular ones, but instead of having photos and links to product pages they will only have a brief description, and more information will be revealed by email if selected.

If you don’t like the sound of an item once you hear more detail then it is absolutely fine to say you no longer wish to try it. We would rather know this before we send an item out for delivery.

The Secret Tester Topics won’t have polls, so to apply for these items reply to the Tester Topic and include a list of the items you are interested in (in preference order).

As these items won’t have a product page live on the site, you will be emailed a link to where you can submit your review.

Key points:

To get to this level of testing we will expect more than 11 live reviews, and at least one of which has been a Regular Tester.

More info: Secret Testers FAQs

Lingerie Testing

Send Your Measurements

To be selected for lingerie testers it helps if we know your measurements. If you’re happy to, please copy and paste the questions below into an email, get them answered, and send them over to community@lovehoneygroup.com with the title ‘Lingerie Measurements’. That will help us match you to potential items.

Questions

Lovehoney Forum Username:

Gender:

(If male are you happy receiving female lingerie to wear):

Are the items for you or partner:

Height:

UK Dress size:

Bust & cup size/ chest (in inches):

Waist (in inches):

Hips (in inches):

Likes:

Dislikes:

Any allergies to materials: (eg latex)

Additional information about sizing: (eg long legs)

And here’s a useful ‘how to’ guide:

Check out this video where we introduce the programme!

And there you have it. You should all be set up and ready to rock. If you have any more questions there are some FAQs below that go into a lot more detail, and you can also ask anything not covered in those in the Sex Toy Tester - Chit-Chat topic, where I (or one of the more experienced reviewers) will try and sort you out an answer.

Thanks for reading, and Happy Reviewing!

Updated July 2024

Lovehoney_Brenna · November 10, 2020, 8:34am

How to Write a Great Review!

When you review your purchases on Lovehoney, your aim is to give other people the information that they can’t find on the product page: an opinion on how it performs and whether you think it’s worth spending the money on.

The best reviews are those that help someone else make an informed decision about the right toy for them. It doesn’t matter whether you loved a toy or thought it was awful, the most important thing is to describe how it made you feel and what someone else would find if they bought the same item.

Remember to use your item a couple of times before you pass judgement on it. First impressions do count, but you might find your opinion changes (for better or worse) after a couple of sessions.

When writing a sex toy review for Lovehoney, think about the following things:

If I could sum up a toy in three phrases, what would I say?

The main thing other people want from your review is your personal experience - in a nutshell. “Amazing when used as a clitoral stimulator during penetration”, “woefully lacking in power”, “incredibly and pleasurably tight” are important things you want to say about the toy and even more importantly, they’re things that customers want to know.

Is the information already covered on the product page?

If there are photos of the packaging, you don’t need to describe it for five paragraphs. If the measurements and materials are listed, you don’t need to state them unless there’s something important to add e.g. “6 inch circumference doesn’t sound much, but when combined with the material this feels like a really girthy toy”.

It’s much more important to comment on things people’s can’t tell from measurements - how noisy was it, how strong were the vibrations?

If you think Lovehoney’s got something wrong in the details, contact us so we can double check.

Am I waffling?

Lovehoney customers read a few reviews to get a balanced view, so don’t usually spend much time reading each one. Make sure your ‘pros’, ‘cons’ and ‘bottom line’ cover the key points, for the skim readers.

The best reviews are between 4 and 10 paragraphs in length, so if you wrote your review for your blog, cut it down to the most important points for Lovehoney.

Am I being too explicit?

Seems like an odd question to ask when you’re writing a review of a sex toy, doesn’t it? Other shoppers don’t want to know the ins and outs of your anatomy when it comes to a sex toy review, so try to keep it out of the realms of a biology class or a porno flick.

And finally

Re-read your review when you have finished and make sure you have:

Explained what the product does.
Described the product’s best/worst features.
Described your experience using the product.
Explained why the product would (or wouldn’t) be right for someone else.

Lovehoney_Brenna · November 10, 2020, 8:35am

Testing & Reviewing FAQs:

Who can be a tester?

Our Tester scheme is open to all our customers in locations we have sites! You just need to write 7-10 good reviews of things you already own to show us your writing style, and you can then be considered for free review items.

International Testers
As long as the item is stocked in your local store, it’ll be available in your location, but we also offer some testers that are only stocked in our Australian and American warehouses. So look out for those dedicated Tester Topics.

Do I have to be a Lovehoney Customer?

Yes, the Lovehoney Tester Programme is a perk for Lovehoney Customers. While you can review any item we stock, even if it wasn’t purchased from us, you do need to have purchased something from us to qualify for the Programme.

Can I test any product I ask for?

We carefully select the items we need reviews for before posting them to a Tester Topic. These items, and these items only, are the only ones we have available for testing.

Where are the testers!?

All of the current Tester Topics can be found in the Testers category.

How do I apply for an item?

All the instructions will be in each Tester Topic. Read all the information carefully, and put your name down for the items you’re interested in, using the method described in the post.

I applied for something by accident, how do I un-apply?

Not to fear, we won’t make you test something against your will.

If it’s a Tester Topic with a poll you can press the Show Vote to go back and change your choices. If you wish to be removed from consideration entirely leave all the other options blank and vote for ‘I voted by accident’.

If it’s a Tester Topic where you reply with a list of your preferences then you can edit your post if it’s still within your edit window (24 hours for Trust Level 1, and 30 days for Trust Level 2 and higher), or you can delete your post using the dustbin icon.

If you change your mind but have already received the selection email, contact us at community@lovehoney.co.uk as soon as possible and we will try and cancel the order before dispatch.

When are the Tester Topics posted?

The Tester Topics are refreshed regularly. There’s no set day or time that they’re posted, so check back often. To receive a notification every time there’s a new one you can set the Testers category to ‘Watching First Post’ using the bell icon. You can find out more about how to do this in Notifications

How long are the Tester Topics open for?

Tester Topics stay up for varying amounts of time. It all depends on how long it takes to find the right person. Some stay for a few hours, some for a week.

Do you need my measurements?

Specific measurements are really useful when it comes to lingerie reviews. Not everyone is comfortable with sharing that kind of detail, and that’s okay, but including your own in your reviews is probably one of the most helpful things you can do. Height, usual clothes size, hips, waist, chest, cup size, and any other element you think would be relevent (eg ‘long legs’). All of these give people a much clearer idea of why the item was a good/bad fit. And the chances are that if you found something that made you feel irresistible then all your body-buddies will too.

And don’t forget to include the size of the item as well.

If you’d like to be chosen to review lingerie, sending us your measurements will really improve your chances (especially for Secret Testers).

These should be shared before you are selected to review lingerie and only need to be sent the once - although having up to date measurements is helpful so if your measurements change please update me!

How will I know if I've been selected?

If you’re selected for a tester item you will receive an email from community@lovehoney.co.uk. For Regular Testers there’s no need to reply, your item will be dispatched automatically. For Secret Testers you will need to reply to the email confirming your interest, and agreeing to abide by the Secret Tester code of absolute silence.

My tester is faulty, shall I just review it?

No. If it’s faulty that means you can’t review it properly, as the tester reviews are for use, fit, feel, etc. If you are unfortunate enough to receive a faulty tester please contact Customer Care, and they should be able to sort you out a replacement.

Can I talk about my tester?

Most of our items are Regular Testers, meaning that they’re already live for sale on the main site. As they’re publicly available for anyone to buy you can discuss them as openly as you like, just as you would any other purchase.

The Secret Tester Topics are usually items that are not yet stocked on Lovehoney and we want opinions before they are. These are called ‘Secret’ for a reason - you must not discuss these, not even on the forum. You can find out more in the Secret Testers FAQs

In general, the rule of thumb for discussing tester items is that if it’s live on the site then you can mention it, and if it isn’t then you can’t.

Do I have to say that it's a tester in my review?

That’s up to you. However, we would rather you use the space to talk about the product itself. If you are testing lingerie maybe use that space to talk about your dress size/cup size/height and the size received - this is far more helpful.

Do I have to give a postive review?

Absolutely not. We need you to be honest and informative, so treat it exactly as if you’d bought it. If you don’t like a product for any reason put it in your review and tell us why you don’t like it. Including the reasons will be far more useful to other people than simply saying ‘not for me’, and one person’s negative could well be the next’s ‘must have’.

How long do I have to write my review?

Usually you have one month from the dispatch date to write your review. This should give you enough time to use the item a few times, and give it a fair review. Sometimes the deadline can be shorter if we need a review or some feedback pronto, but this will be made clear in the Tester Topic before you put your name forward.

Deadline Key:

One Month | Two Weeks | One Week

If you get close to the time limit you’ll be sent some reminder emails to ask if there’s anything wrong. If you haven’t been able to write your review for whatever reason, just let us know. If you don’t submit a review at all you will be put on the naughty list.

Where do I submit my review?

If the item is live on the site you can submit your review from its product page. The ‘Write a Review’ button can be found in the Customer Reviews section.

If your item is a Secret Tester that is not yet live on the site we will email you instructions on how to submit your review.

How can I improve my chances of being selected?

To increase your chances of being chosen the main thing you need to do is start writing reviews of things you already own. Don’t worry if you didn’t buy them from Lovehoney, if it’s on the site for sale then you can submit a review for it. The usual things to help you get going are condoms and lubricants, and you can submit a review for any item from its product page.

And it’s worth saying again, for lingerie testers it’s really helpful if you send us your measurements.

But you also have to be patient. There are a lot more testers than there are products. And remember… it’s quality over quantity. Anyone can rattle off loads of two line reviews, but we’re looking for something a little more thorough. Most people tend to have written between 7 to 10 good reviews before they’re chosen as a tester.

How can I improve my review writing?

Be honest, informative and detailed in your reviews. A review with three sentences is unlikely to get you chosen, neither is being overly graphic. The How to Write a Great Review Guide has lots of good advice on what we look out for. Basically, the more you write reviews the better you get, and the more chance you have of being selected.

I’m new to sex toys, does that matter?

No not at all. We like to see reviews from people who are new to toys, as it helps others that are new to toys too.

Obviously, only put yourself forward for items that you know you can give a thorough test, don’t add them just because you want a freebie (eg. don’t add normal condoms if you have a latex allergy). But if something interesting appears in a Tester Topic that you’ve never tried before then don’t be afraid to put yourself forward. A beginner’s perspective is often really useful.

In fact, when choosing someone to test the item we could be looking for a number of different things. Sometimes we want someone experienced, sometimes we want a newbie’s perspective, sometimes we want a couple’s view, etc. It changes with each item. So it doesn’t matter if you’ve been using toys for years, write a blog about them, or have never used one before. All opinions and reviews are helpful to someone.

Does it matter what items I buy, or how often? Will that make a difference to what I can be chosen for?

When we allocate items we look for people who would be best suited to test them. How much you’ve spent, and how often you’ve ordered, are not a part of that decision.

Similarly, you don’t need to have bought a butt plug from us to put yourself forward to test a butt plug. We look for beginners perspectives as often as experienced ones. The best advice is to put your name forward for anything you’re interested in, and that you think you can give a thorough test to.

Do I need to be active on the forum to be a tester?

You do need a community account to apply for testers, but apart from that, no.

Your message count or read total don’t contribute towards becoming a tester. We do say: “If we feel that your reviews are well written, honest and informative, and you have contributed positively to the forums”, but this is nothing to do with the amount of activity.

Your forum activity does give us an insight into your likes and dislikes, so joining in can help you be selected for the right item, but if you’re not the chatty type it certainly won’t stop you ever being selected. The only forum topics you need to engage with to be a tester are the Tester Topics.

My review isn’t showing yet?

If the item is live on the website then give it 48-72 hours to appear - if it still hasn’t appeared, then contact Customer Care. If it was a Secret Tester your review will not go live until the product does. This can sometimes take months. Sometimes it won’t even make it to sale at all, and in this case your review is counted as submitted but won’t be put on the site.

I haven’t had a tester for a while, why not?

As long as you’ve been submitting your tester reviews, and you haven’t spilled any secrets over social media, then you won’t be on the naughty list. So be patient. Just because you’ve had testers sent to you before does not guarantee you will always get them. There are so many people wanting to be testers that there are simply not enough products to keep giving everyone them all the time. Sometimes you can get several items in a couple of weeks, and then nothing for months.

In the meantime, keep enjoying your toys and lingerie, keep writing good reviews, and come join us on the forum to talk about all things sexual happiness.

Is there a way to see all my live reviews?

Unfortunately not, this is not a feature that we currently have.

But don’t worry, as long as you use the same email to review as you use to log-in to the forum then it’s all linked up, and we can see exactly what we need to to allocate testers.

How long are items available for?

If the post is still up, at least one (if not all) of the items are still available for testing. Usually when some items are sent but other not, the items that are no longer available will have a line through them. Once all the items from a post are sent, then the post is locked and hidden. So if it is still up - volunteer away!

Updated June 2024

Credit to @PurringTiger for the original FAQs.

Lovehoney_Brenna · November 10, 2020, 8:35am

Secret Testers FAQs:

What are the Secret Testers?

These are the products that we don’t stock to the public yet. They could be anything: prototype toys, first-look lingerie collections, magical lube. That sort of thing.

How can I be selected for a Secret Tester?

Secret Tester Topics crop up in the Testers category, just like Regular Testers. Follow the instructions in the post to put yourself forward for the item(s) you’re interested in.

Live reviews are a requirement, and typically we look for people that have had an item from the tester list before.

Sending in your measurements is also really helpful for the lingerie testers.

Can I share details of my secret item on the forum/social media?

No. And this includes images. They are secret testers until they go live (which they may not). Failure to keep them hush-hush can result in removal from the tester programme. If you have a question about a secret tester item please email me, don’t ask on Facebook.

When will the product be sent?

Sometimes on the same day as receiving the ‘you have been selected’ email. Though sometimes we find reviewers ready for the samples to come in. We will always mention if the samples aren’t ready yet in the tester topic. So if this has been mentioned please expect the item within a month. You will receive an email once the item has been dispatched.

Why is my review order showing as cancelled?

Sometimes we set the order up on the account for review chaser purposes, and then manually send the item to you. Unless we’ve made a mistake, and in that case we will email. haha!

What is the RRP?

Occasionally we know this, but not always. If we can share, we will. We can never give an exact RRP as this isn’t always shared until it’s due to go live. If you don’t have the RRP please continue the review without it.

Where can I see the product description?

You can’t. The item isn’t live, so we don’t have that access to give you. If there are special instructions they will be included in the email/parcel.

The product page link does not work, where can I review this?

The product page will not work until it is live. You will be emailed a link to where you can submit your Secret Tester reviews.

Have you got my review? Could you email me to say you got it?

Please give 72 working hours to allow us time to moderate the review. Please be patient. If the item isn’t live on the site yet, then your review won’t be either. For Secret Testers this can take months, and some won’t make it at all. Don’t worry though, we read them all.

Am I Blacklisted? I haven’t received a tester recently.

There are now email warnings for testers, much like rule breaking in the forum. This can be due to not keeping to the T&Cs (eg. sharing details of an item that is not yet live on the site). However, we’re not obliged to send warnings, so this will not always happen. If you’ve stuck to the T&Cs and deadlines it’s safe to say you’re ok and it is simply that you’ve not been suited to the recent testers. Please do remember it is a privilege and not a right.

Reasons you will receive a ‘black mark’:

Sharing data that is not yet shareable
Constant chasers being sent
No email communication to chasers
Quality of reviews has decreased (we may think you need a break from testers)
Indiscretion via social media in regards to Lovehoney. We need to trust our reviewers, especially as we are sending not yet released items.

If you think: ‘ah yes, this rings a bell’ you may have a black mark - sorry.

But don’t worry, you won’t be blacklisted for receiving the odd chaser email

If you do have any issues, or need a break at all, please email me at community@lovehoney.co.uk

@Lovehoney_Brenna

Updated Feb2021