Why should I watch video reviews?
You will get to see the reviewed product in use, in the hands of a user.
Seeing the product in this way for yourself makes it easier to evaluate if you are really interested in it.
The good and bad points are more obvious, which will help you make a better informed buying decision.
Why should I make video reviews?
Firstly, you will help the Ciao community to be better informed before deciding to buy a product - and consumers
helping each other has been the guiding idea of Ciao since its inception.
Secondly, for the next 1000* video reviews published, we will pay a special bonus of £7 for your active contribution (*altogether ciao platforms: DE, UK, FR, NL, ES and IT).
This scheme will only apply to the first video reviews for a product in specific product categories which you can consult.
How do I make a good video review?
We have created a little guide that will help you to start producing video reviews we can publish on our site.
It is highly recommended to read this guide first to make sure you will produce quality videos that
will be useful to members of the community.
What video formats can I submit to Ciao?
We accept ANY type of video format. However we recommend the MPEG4 format (DivX, Xvid) at a 320x240 resolution with MP3 audio.
Resizing your video to these specifications before uploading will make your video reviews easily viewable by other Ciao members.
Are there any requirements that my video review must fulfil?
Your video should be as detailed and critical as possible. You should make sure the below requirements are fulfilled in the video:
Provide basic information about the product: name, date of purchase, price, colours, accessories etc. –
be concise but brief as your experiences with the product should make up the biggest part of the review;
Include positive points about the product;
Include negative points about the product;
Include close-up shots of the product (focus on a specific exclusive feature, or on a feature that you liked/disliked);
The video should be at least 1:30 mins long but shorter than 10mins. We recommend 3 to 5 minutes long videos;
Resolution should be equal or higher than 320x240. As all videos will be shown on Ciao in 320x240,
you can achieve the best quality by sending us the videos in this resolution.
Please make sure, that you are visible personally at the beginning and in the end of the video review;
End the review with a final recommendation
Do not include music or other content for which you do not have the intellectual property rights (for more information, read
our Terms and Conditions).
The video must be in English.
Can I make a video review of a product or service that isn't listed on Ciao?
No, you can only write reviews of products that are listed in the Ciao product catalogue.
However, should you wish to review a product which is not yet on Ciao, you can always propose it for addition to the catalogue.
In each category, underneath the product selection, you will find a “Product not found?“ link.
You can even include a picture of the recommended product along with your proposal.
This should be sent as a JPEG file, 200 x 200 pixels large. The file size should not exceed 10KB.
We will process your request as soon as possible, though we cannot guarantee that we will introduce the product that you propose
into the product catalogue.
Can I make more than one video review about the same product?
Yes, it is possible to create several video reviews per product/service if you want to cover different aspects of the product.
Please be advised that the bonus program for video reviews only applies to the first video review for a product.
Does Ciao censor members' video reviews?
We have a strict policy of non-censorship: we believe that every consumer is entitled to his/her own opinion on a product or service
and we will not alter reviews if we, or the product manufacturer in question, does not agree with the author's opinion.
However, we cannot tolerate the abusive use of the review facility, as a means of publishing offensive or unlawful content.
So each video review will be checked by our editorial team before publishing it on the platform.
When a company contacts us claiming that a video review contains factual errors, defamatory statements,
or other legally questionable material, we have to make a judgement call to ensure the integrity of our website content.
Should you find any examples of abusive video reviews on the site, please report them.
We reserve the right not to publish video reviews submitted, without giving reasons.
Please understand that due to protection of intellectual property rights we cannot accept music in videos.Video reviews including
background music will therefore not be published. Please take this into account before producing your video review.
Can I edit or delete my video review later?
If you have produced a better version of your existing video review and want it to replace the current version,
please upload it on the video review upload page and add a comment to our editorial team.
If you want to remove one of your video reviews, please write an email to our community support team stating which video review to remove.
Please be advised that we will not remove video reviews which have been accepted for publishing on the site and for which a bonus has been paid,
unless it breaches our Terms and Conditions.
How will Ciao use my video review?
Your video reviews will not be sold on. It is possible, however, that we may authorise one of our partners to use your review but,
in this case, we guarantee that we will not pass on your personal data, unless legally obliged to do so.
Do my video reviews have to be critical?
The best reviews are neither entirely positive or negative: they present a balanced view and evaluate both good and bad aspects of a product.
Please do not "sensationalise" your experiences using the product: the reviews that are most appreciated by other members are those
which provide useful, real information that helps them to decide which product to buy.
How long will it take before my video review becomes visible?
Once you upload your video review on the upload page, the Ciao editorial team will check it to make sure it does not breach our
terms and conditions and then publish it on the Ciao site. As this is a process involving real people, it is not instantaneous.
We try to do this as quickly as possible, though.
If your review has not been published after 5 working days, please contact community support.
