ciao.co.uk

Advantages: Community Spirit. Made Many Friends. Attractive Looking Site. Some Superb Writers. Photos.
Disadvantages: Constant Technical Difficulties. Maddeningly Slow. No Site Contact. Poor Remuneration. Rubbish Surveys!

In a sense I rather think of this review as the one that I wish I'd never had to write. I am not, in a fit of pique, sitting down writing this with steam percolating from my ears. Yes, I may be hammering my poor long suffering keyboard harder than ever over this one - but sheer damned frustration built up over the last year or so has brought me to the point where I find myself writing a review on the very site that has been my own literary "vehicle" ...
...actually put a date on the climax of my frustrations here, I guess the constant "drip, drip, drip" has been building up since Christmas as the site once again seems to become progressively more dysfunctional. It may well be the case that this review was finally triggered by the recent Ciao "meet" in Ipswich, the "meet" is not the subject of this review, but such social occasions have become a very enjoyable part Ciao for my wife and I. As many members ... Read review

Advantages: Knowledge, development, friendship and earnings
Disadvantages: Small minded people.

Last year I wrote a series of opinions on my encounters with Ciao; it's been 7 months since I wrote what I said would be a series of perspectives of the site from my view point. Now 9 months (almost) on from my original opinion I thought it a pertinent time to write a piece on my views of Ciao and what it can give the user. Finding Ciao I first heard of Ciao a few years back, but in honesty I never paid it much attention; you see I was under the ...
...until last October that in a conversation with someone that frequently uses the internet that I was told about the Ciao surveys. This person told me that they carry out several surveys a month to the tune of about £10 all tolled. I considered this quite a good investment of time for the return so eagerly went home to sign up. I signed up to Ciao on the basis of the surveys alone, probably like lots of people. But having signed up I looked around ... Read review

Advantages: Can be fun, a handy writing tool and you earn pin money
Disadvantages: Earnings are quite small. Niggles on surveys. Ciao's apparent arrogance and laziness dealing with them.

Today I'm going to be rated not helpful, off topic and generally slammed by all and sundry. You see, here in this Ciao section, I'm going to concentrate on one particular part of Ciao; the surveys. There is a reason for this, that is, that the chaos fairies seem to have hit Ciao again, or at least the bit that sends out survey invitations. I'm not given to moaning about this site, it's run by an amorphous corporate behemoth and anyone who thinks ...
...does or says is deluding themselves. Yep, we really shouldn't confuse the company as a whole with somebody who gives a smeg. Various individual employees might but the corporate entity itself? Nah. And yet fool that I am! I've done just that.. credited the people who run the surveys side with a heart! Ooo deary me! Conversely, a prime example of the individuals who are trying to sort us out are the Ciao help desk. When I've had a problem I've found ... Read review

Advantages: Earn money, Make Friends & learn about products and services you may want to buy or use.
Disadvantages: Chat side could be better and takes a lot of your time.

I first came across Ciao about 2 years ago when looking through a 'making money from home' magazine that I had subscribed to. The author of the magazine gave a great review of the site and explained it well. Like most people in life, I wanted to make money as simply as I could without having to work a hard days graft and as the author had explained that it was a consumer review and survey site, I thought it was something I would like to try. Unfortunately ...
...learnt that you don't really have to as most libraries in the UK now have PC's with Internet connection that you can book a 1 hour slot. However, when it comes to Ciao an hour is not enough, so I found myself deleting my old account and decided to save for one. You might think 2 years is a long time for saving to get a PC but it isn't when you still have to pay all your usual bills and you only work part-time. Anyway, 2 years on, I now have a PC ... Read review

Advantages: Ability to earn pocket money, meet people, make friends & enemies
Disadvantages: Inconsistent enforcing of T&Cs, community points, ability of abusers to prosper

It does, perhaps, smack of 'navel gazing' - the idea of writing a review of the site on which you are writing a review. However, given that 924 other folk have done the same, it would seem that we all have riveting navels. If you are reading this, you are probably aware that Ciao is a site with several aims, to wit: 1. to provide consumers with reviews of product written by the very people who use such products - other consumers; 2. to provide ...
...reviews written by consumers; 3. to provide to firms market research information through the use of surveys completed by members of Ciao; 4. to provide advertising revenue to companies through the use of various forms of advertising, including but not limited to on site ads, pop-ups, roll overs and the like. Ciao fulfils these goals by providing certain benefits to the members who use the site: 1. a chance to earn money (albeit pennies, usually) ... Read review