Amazon Vine... Does this make me a shill?

OK, First off, I guess I should ask if anybody here is participating in the Amazon Vine program?

I do a decent amount of shopping and crap purchasing on Amazon. I also tend to go throw up reviews for things I either really like, or really dislike. Apparently the machine spotted me out for this and invited me into this program where apparently I can request these free items with the implication that I'll try it out and write a review. You don't get paid for the reviews, but you get to keep the stuff. Right now the "all items" section on Vine has around 30k in items needing a review, so I can select up to three a day and have them shipped to me. Max $100 value on items. If I jump through some hoops (review 100 things in 6 months it looks like) I get upgraded and can request as many things as I want a day and no price limit. Looks like you get reviewed and can get kicked out of the programs if you review less than 50% of the things you request. But outside that looks like a nice way to get some of my "impulse shopping" covered without actual cost to me.

Things I've reviewed so far :

• A bracelet for the Mrs...
• A pet food bowl mat.
• Some patio/deck lighting.

I'm not really going out of my way to give positive reviews, that seems dishonest, just basic 'Here's what was in the box, here's how it's held up, here's how much I do or don't like it' reviews.

hory said:

How did they send you the invite ? I have most amazon mail blackholed because we order so much junk. I write reviews on good stuff.

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I got a banner on Amazon mentioning it, but when I went back and looked sure enough there was email about it as well.....

Email to the account that normally routes all my Amazon mail into a "shopping" folder. Kinda random luck I saw it. Just search your inbox for "Amazon Vine" apparently.

There is one catch....

At the end of the year you get a 1099 form from Amazon for the value of all the stuff you were given to review. So technically you do have to pay tax on the value of the "free" stuff you get for reviews. Still, it's like getting 60%+ off so long as you're getting stuff you'd be buying anyways.

Rais said:

I look forward to reviewing everything now. This seems like a good deal. Worse case you can sell the shit or use it for presents.

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Yeah, talking to a friend who is in this as well.... apparently it's triggered if enough people read your reviews and click the "I found this helpful" link. Which I have found seems to come from reviews that are at least entertaining, if not funny.

Rangoth said:

‘that seems waaaay worse, does it not? If I impulse buy shit(I do) I pay whatever for it + tax, but it’s out my pocket and I’m solid. If you think you’re getting “free” shit all year and actua get into this you could easily “make” 10k+ on that 1099. So now instead of spending money you shouldn’t have, you are effectively getting an untaxed raise of freee deal you probably don’t want that youll need to true up at the end of the year….

daddy govt always gets its cut I suppose…..

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Depends on your impulse control...

Let's say hypothetically you're in the 25% tax bracket. If you can look at it and say "I'm getting this item for 75% off it's list price which I'll pay at the end of the year" and it's still worth it so you buy the thing, then you're OK.

If you look at it as "FREE STUFFS, GIMMIE DATS!" then you're probably going to have a bad time come next tax season. Of course if you're making so little that you're in the "These people don't pay taxes" you're just reducing the amount of your refund.

I just got this as a recommendation for me to review.... I think the algorithm needs a little tweaking...

Izo said:

Yes.

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I will admit I am wondering if I get somehow scored against if I give a bad review, but it does say to be honest. heh Maybe I'll meter out my bad reviews to maintain an "anti-shill" ratio....

In today's suggestion list to review.. Apparently Christmas is really in full swing already :
Amazon product ASIN B0CLHZVSLP