Confused
Pros: Supposed to be helpful
Cons: Not sure that it is
Reviewed: 5 months ago -- Saturday, March 8, 2008
Pet Service Reviewed by: susan9207
Supporting Shelter: Bobbi and the Strays
Supporting rescue: Rabbit Rescue and Rehab
Reviewed Service
Review Details
I find the new redesign of this website to be a little confusing and wonder why, now that we're nearly at the end of the competition, they decided to change it.
I see that my animals have points in Pet Wars, but don't know how to even see that competition.
I think it would be great if Zootoo would leave on reviews about noncommercial products that are helpful to animals. Even though boiled chicken or plain rice are not manufactured to be pet products, reading about how they've helped owners deal with their pets' stomache upsets, etc., is helpful.
I feel bad that I wrote to new Zootoo members and told them that the number of free samples that they'd be entitled to receive as they climbed the Zootoo ranks would increase when there are never more than a handful of samples available. I don't have any figures, but considering how this site has grown, it must average out to less than one sample being available for every 10,000 people who are eligible to receive one. It's very disappointing that as these individuals tried to rise the Zootoo ladder through hard work that Zootoo hasn't lived up to its promises.
-- additional:
[updated on 2008-03-08 20:16:36 GMT]:
By the way, this is a competition, so why does Zootoo require everyone to cast helpful points for a competing shelter in order to comment on a review. I'm sure there are many intelligent people out there who would like to respond to a comment, but who don't want to "shoot themselves in the foot" by awarding points to a competing shelter, and don't want to be dishonest by marking a helpful review as unhelpful. What a loss of potential input.
[updated on 2008-03-16 17:12:14 GMT]:
One of the other Zootooer's was kind enough to pass on directions on how to vote on Pet Wars. Rather than make you read all the way down to the instructions I've just posted, I thought I'd better add them up here.
On the orange bar you will see a tab marked "Pets and People." Click on it and then towards the right hand side you will find a tab marked "Pet Wars."
Just by posting a picture of your pet along with their profile, your baby is automatically entered into this competition. You don't have to do anything extra.
After you've clicked on the Pet Wars tab, you will be given the next set of choices...voting on All Pets, or by species category--horse, dog, cats, etc.
You will then be presented with two photos at a time and be asked to click on whichever one you think is cuter. The photos will keep on coming.
What I find is terribly unfair is that the animals who have been in this competition for months will never have a chance to win because it is impossible to win every "war." The way the competition is being run, the winners will be the pets whose photos have been added at the last minute. That way if they've only been in three wars and won all of them, they'll have a 100% rating as opposed to an animal who's been in 50 wars and has a 75% win rating.
It's totally skewed and unfair.
Still, good luck to all.
I see that my animals have points in Pet Wars, but don't know how to even see that competition.
I think it would be great if Zootoo would leave on reviews about noncommercial products that are helpful to animals. Even though boiled chicken or plain rice are not manufactured to be pet products, reading about how they've helped owners deal with their pets' stomache upsets, etc., is helpful.
I feel bad that I wrote to new Zootoo members and told them that the number of free samples that they'd be entitled to receive as they climbed the Zootoo ranks would increase when there are never more than a handful of samples available. I don't have any figures, but considering how this site has grown, it must average out to less than one sample being available for every 10,000 people who are eligible to receive one. It's very disappointing that as these individuals tried to rise the Zootoo ladder through hard work that Zootoo hasn't lived up to its promises.
-- additional:
[updated on 2008-03-08 20:16:36 GMT]:
By the way, this is a competition, so why does Zootoo require everyone to cast helpful points for a competing shelter in order to comment on a review. I'm sure there are many intelligent people out there who would like to respond to a comment, but who don't want to "shoot themselves in the foot" by awarding points to a competing shelter, and don't want to be dishonest by marking a helpful review as unhelpful. What a loss of potential input.
[updated on 2008-03-16 17:12:14 GMT]:
One of the other Zootooer's was kind enough to pass on directions on how to vote on Pet Wars. Rather than make you read all the way down to the instructions I've just posted, I thought I'd better add them up here.
On the orange bar you will see a tab marked "Pets and People." Click on it and then towards the right hand side you will find a tab marked "Pet Wars."
Just by posting a picture of your pet along with their profile, your baby is automatically entered into this competition. You don't have to do anything extra.
After you've clicked on the Pet Wars tab, you will be given the next set of choices...voting on All Pets, or by species category--horse, dog, cats, etc.
You will then be presented with two photos at a time and be asked to click on whichever one you think is cuter. The photos will keep on coming.
What I find is terribly unfair is that the animals who have been in this competition for months will never have a chance to win because it is impossible to win every "war." The way the competition is being run, the winners will be the pets whose photos have been added at the last minute. That way if they've only been in three wars and won all of them, they'll have a 100% rating as opposed to an animal who's been in 50 wars and has a 75% win rating.
It's totally skewed and unfair.
Still, good luck to all.
Review Helpfulness
69 out of 74 users found this review helpful.
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Discussion
26 comments found.
I also think the "helpfulness" points are more of a joke than a useful feature. Numerous people from the same shelter will indicate that a review is helpful when it is far from that. Some of these reviews are incomplete, extremely short to the point of not being a review, for the wrong product, and/or written without the product first being tried. When I read some of these reviews, I often think to myself, "You call that a review?" and "How, in the world, is this helpful?"
Thank you for providing this helpful information. I followed your directions and names came up, but no photos.
I think this is another Zootoo competition that isn't fair because when I checked it, the bird in first place hadn't lost a single competition, but it only was in two pet wars. How can that bird be in first when other birds have competed in 100 competitions?
It's the same with all of the animals. They should each be given an equal chance. They've all got to appear in the same number of "wars" in order for it to be a fair competition.
I think this is another Zootoo competition that isn't fair because when I checked it, the bird in first place hadn't lost a single competition, but it only was in two pet wars. How can that bird be in first when other birds have competed in 100 competitions?
It's the same with all of the animals. They should each be given an equal chance. They've all got to appear in the same number of "wars" in order for it to be a fair competition.
I had a hard time at first navigating some of the changes but I don't actually find it bad now - and after all the website doesn't end just because the contest does -so they are changing up the site itself for the future I would assume.. does take a little getting used to but just be like a 5 year old - not afraid to push the tabs or buttons :) and then you can find your way around
I have to agree with the poster. I am definitely confused about Pet Wars! How does it work? How does one vote? How does the photos get chosen for voting?
Also, the frees samples have dwindled to a trickle which is probably understandable given the amount of traffic on the site but an email advising the lack there of would be helpful.
Also, the frees samples have dwindled to a trickle which is probably understandable given the amount of traffic on the site but an email advising the lack there of would be helpful.
By posting a photo of your pet with their profile you have automatically entered your baby in the Pet Wars competition.
One of the other Zootooers was kind enough to explain what to do:
On the orange bar you will see a tab marked "Pets and People." Click that and towards the right hand side of the next set of tabs will appear "Pet Wars" click on that.
You will then be given the choice to vote on all pets, or by type--dog, cat, bird, horse, etc.
You will then be presented with two photos and have to click on which one you think is cuter. They'll keep coming until you get out of this site.
What I think is terribly unfair is this...
The animals are not given the same number of chances to be in Pet Wars. The first place animals have only been in a few of these competitions and if they've won three contests and lost none, they're on top with a 100% win rate. How is that fair to a pet who's been in 50 wars with a 75% win rate?
The way it is designed at the moment, the final winners will be those pets whose photos have been entered in the final days of the competition.
The way they're handling this is totally unfair.
One of the other Zootooers was kind enough to explain what to do:
On the orange bar you will see a tab marked "Pets and People." Click that and towards the right hand side of the next set of tabs will appear "Pet Wars" click on that.
You will then be given the choice to vote on all pets, or by type--dog, cat, bird, horse, etc.
You will then be presented with two photos and have to click on which one you think is cuter. They'll keep coming until you get out of this site.
What I think is terribly unfair is this...
The animals are not given the same number of chances to be in Pet Wars. The first place animals have only been in a few of these competitions and if they've won three contests and lost none, they're on top with a 100% win rate. How is that fair to a pet who's been in 50 wars with a 75% win rate?
The way it is designed at the moment, the final winners will be those pets whose photos have been entered in the final days of the competition.
The way they're handling this is totally unfair.
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