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  • Author Author: rscasny
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The New Members Blog Series HOW MUCH DO ROADTESTS COST?

rscasny

The New Members Blog Series is a collection of blogs for new members to help them better understand the element14 roadtest program.

Roadtesters do not pay anything to be a roadtester. Even when we ship products to the roadtester, element14 pays for shipping costs and customs fees

Now, there have been a couple of times since 2016 when some fees were "attempted" to be collected from the roadtester, but once the roadtester informed me, I had my assistant get on the phone with the shipper to figure out what was going on. element14 paid for the outstanding fees. The roadtester should never pay anything regarding the product being roadtested.

But the roadtester is required to have the resources and equipment to conduct a roadtest. Examples include test equipment, soldering equipment & solder, hook up wire, etc. element14 would not supply these sorts of things unless they were something the sponsor specified and wanted to include in the kit. 

Even though roadtesters do not pay anything to be a roadtester, there are costs associated with a roadtest that the sponsor of the roadtest incurs. The sponsor pays for the products (element14 pays for shipping to the roadtesters.) The sponsor also pays what amounts to an "administration fee" for the program. Roadtests require office/admin support, web designer support, and social media time to promote the roadtests.

Since our suppliers finance the roadtest program, the program depends on roadtesters completing their reviews. This is why sponsors are involved in the roadtest program: they want to get your feedback about the product. Sometimes this feedback is on the most practical level: something is not right with the documentation or something is not working properly. The other big reason sponsors participate in the roadtest program is the hope that you will help spread the word about their products.

element14 has to report to sponsor a bunch of metrics on a roadtest. The completion rate of the reviews per roadtest is closely watched. This is why you will receive follow up emails from my assistant asking for a mid-roadtest progress report. We don't mean to bug you or bother you. But I can ensure you that if we are asking you someone from the sponsor is asking me about your progress!

For everyone completes their review, I'd like to personally thank you. Your efforts keep the roadtest program viable and a great way to learn about new products for the hobbyist, maker and engineer.

Randall Scasny

RoadTest Program  Manager

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  • I haven't taken part in the road test program yet, not because I don't want to but because if I did I would like to do very well. And here comes the problem, what characterizes a good road test? I have in my memory some road test reports that for me are really surprising from a technical and educational point of view. But were they good for the sponsor?
    This text gives a tremendously important key for me, a good road test must meet the expectations of the sponsor. But, what does the sponsor want? A technical review of the product, the honest impression of the average user, an advertising report of the product... I think it is very important that the road testers, once chosen, are informed of the expectations of the sponsor, that would at least give me the security of working in the right direction, focusing efforts on meeting those expectations. I don't know if this would detract from the freshness of the reports.


    On the other hand, it bothers me a lot when I read comments indicating that the reports are not impartial or that they are paid by the sponsor without realizing that the person doing the road test is exposing himself to losing his credibility. If there is something that I like about the program, it is that I have not seen dishonest reports and when a report is below the high expectations that we all have, there is always a member of the community who invites and/or guides the tester to improve some aspect of their report or guides the tester to perform some additional test on the device.

    And finally congratulations to the team that manages the road test program for their hard work and dedication to the program.

  • in reply to javagoza

    Thanks your your comment. You makes some good points. I think I will answer WHAT MAKES FOR A GOOD ROADTEST? in a separate blog. 

    For now, I'll says that I believe the roadtest program reviews products very well  but not anywhere as rigorously as a testing lab such as IL, CSA, Intertek, among others. 

    I think if we frame a roadtest's purview from removing the product from its box, powering it up, conducting typical checks a user would perform, and in some cases use it in a project, then I feel roadtests can be objective, no matter how much subjective human nature comes into play.

    Of course, roadtesters like all human beings look at things from their point of view and often are subjective. I like to give the example of cars. When it comes to what I think is the perfect car, I say it is without question the Mazda Miata:  https://www.mazdausa.com/vehicles/mx-5-miata?semid=73734938332&providertag=MazdaSEM&servicetag=73734938332&k_keyword=mazda%20miata&k_matchtype=e&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0p2QBhDvARIsAACSOOO5oH1VYBl5JVGCjisjQSx78Y8V4P8pr2uGGTDsyKe_mMVFWcJL1UMaAt1_EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

    But I'm sure that there are people ( the car nuts and gearheads of e14) who would tell me all the flaws in a Miata. Despite the flaws, a Miata makes me feel good and my subjective mind makes me feel it is the best. Now, this example just illustrates the power and allure of subjectivity, and the pervasiveness of subjectivity. So, how do we deal with subjectivity in a roadtest? Simple answer, the pre-screening I have introduced into the selection process. I think the pre-screening tends to eliminate insincere people. In addition to that, I find that when people make a comment along the lines of I don't like this...or I didn't think this worked well...or this needs improvement, they often explain why. If they don't, I feel often times the commenters will call them out and ask them to explain themselves. 

    I read the reviews but I don't tell the roadtesters what to write. Our reviews are not moderated by an roadtest overseer. There have been some times when a sponsor wanted to pre-screen the review prior to it going live. I told them flat out No! Suppliers do not influence what is written about their product; however, they may ask that certain tests be included in every review, which I think is fair.

    Some roadtesters ask my opinion before the review is posted. I usually focus on the writing itself or the structure of the review, rather than commenting on their opinion unless they gave for instance the product all 1 stars, which is out of the ordinary. I feel our members who make comments are the best form of "moderation." 

Comment
  • in reply to javagoza

    Thanks your your comment. You makes some good points. I think I will answer WHAT MAKES FOR A GOOD ROADTEST? in a separate blog. 

    For now, I'll says that I believe the roadtest program reviews products very well  but not anywhere as rigorously as a testing lab such as IL, CSA, Intertek, among others. 

    I think if we frame a roadtest's purview from removing the product from its box, powering it up, conducting typical checks a user would perform, and in some cases use it in a project, then I feel roadtests can be objective, no matter how much subjective human nature comes into play.

    Of course, roadtesters like all human beings look at things from their point of view and often are subjective. I like to give the example of cars. When it comes to what I think is the perfect car, I say it is without question the Mazda Miata:  https://www.mazdausa.com/vehicles/mx-5-miata?semid=73734938332&providertag=MazdaSEM&servicetag=73734938332&k_keyword=mazda%20miata&k_matchtype=e&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0p2QBhDvARIsAACSOOO5oH1VYBl5JVGCjisjQSx78Y8V4P8pr2uGGTDsyKe_mMVFWcJL1UMaAt1_EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

    But I'm sure that there are people ( the car nuts and gearheads of e14) who would tell me all the flaws in a Miata. Despite the flaws, a Miata makes me feel good and my subjective mind makes me feel it is the best. Now, this example just illustrates the power and allure of subjectivity, and the pervasiveness of subjectivity. So, how do we deal with subjectivity in a roadtest? Simple answer, the pre-screening I have introduced into the selection process. I think the pre-screening tends to eliminate insincere people. In addition to that, I find that when people make a comment along the lines of I don't like this...or I didn't think this worked well...or this needs improvement, they often explain why. If they don't, I feel often times the commenters will call them out and ask them to explain themselves. 

    I read the reviews but I don't tell the roadtesters what to write. Our reviews are not moderated by an roadtest overseer. There have been some times when a sponsor wanted to pre-screen the review prior to it going live. I told them flat out No! Suppliers do not influence what is written about their product; however, they may ask that certain tests be included in every review, which I think is fair.

    Some roadtesters ask my opinion before the review is posted. I usually focus on the writing itself or the structure of the review, rather than commenting on their opinion unless they gave for instance the product all 1 stars, which is out of the ordinary. I feel our members who make comments are the best form of "moderation." 

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