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Douglas Love (talk · contribs) has been paid by Consumer Reports. Their editing has included contributions to this article. Disclosed here

Request edit on 30 November 2018 by Consumer Reports employee

It is requested that edits be made to the following semi-protected pages:

P (edit · history · last · links · protection log)
Please see the reply section below for additional information about this request. (edit · history · last · links · protection log)

This template must be followed by a complete and specific description of the request, that is, specify what text should be removed and a verbatim copy of the text that should replace it. "Please change X" is not acceptable and will be rejected; the request must be of the form "please change X to Y".

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Hi Wikipedians - I would like to propose a few additional edits for review. As a reminder, to be completely transparent, I am disclosing my work affiliation, as a Consumer Reports employee, to alleviate any issues or concerns you may have.

+++

==Editorial Independence==
 There are four places where I’d like just a few words changed and additional sources added:

Current text: Consumer Reports says its staff purchases all tested products at retail prices, anonymously in "most cases",[6] and that they accept no free samples in order to prevent bias from bribery or from being given better than average samples.[3]

Proposed text: Consumer Reports says its secret shoppers ^[1]^[2] purchase all tested products at retail prices, anonymously, and that CR accepts no free samples in order to prevent bias from bribery or from being given better than average samples.^[3]

++

Current text: However, in order to review some products before they are publicly available CR does accept "press samples" from manufacturers but says it pays for the samples and does not include them in ratings.[6] 

Proposed text: Consumer reports pays a rental fee to manufacturers when using press samples to take a “first look” at products and does not include them in its product and service ratings.^[3]

++

Current text: In 2007, in response to errors in infant car seat testing, it began accepting advice from a wide range of experts on designing tests, but not on final assessments.[18]

Proposed text: In 2007, in response to errors in infant car seat testing, it began accepting advice from industry experts on designing tests, but CR would make the final assessment on its own.^[4]

++

Current text: Also, at times CR allows manufacturers to review and respond to criticism before publication.[4]

Proposed text: Also, CR allows manufacturers to respond to serious criticism before publication.^[5]

Douglas Love (talk)

References

^ Bearman, Sophie. "Here's why millions of people trust this testing group when it comes to TVs". CNBC.
^ Fleck, Alissa. "Consumer Reports Launches First Ad Campaign Highlighting How It Keeps Companies Honest". Adweek.
^ ^a ^b Fowler, Bree. "First Look: Samsung Galaxy Note8 Brings Size, Style, and Some Baggage". Consumer Reports.
^ Seelye, Katherine. "Magazine Will Begin Consulting With Experts". The New York Times.
^ Perez-Pena, Richard. "Success Without Ads". The New York Times.

Reply to edit request 05-DEC-2018

Below you will see where proposals from your request have been quoted with reviewer decisions and feedback inserted underneath, either accepting, declining or otherwise commenting upon your proposal(s). Please read the enclosed notes within the proposal review section below for information on each request. Spintendo 16:55, 5 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Proposal review 05-DEC-2018

Consumer Reports says its secret shoppers purchase all tested products at retail prices, anonymously, and that CR accepts no free samples in order to prevent bias from bribery or from being given better than average samples.
Approved.^{[note 1]}

Consumer reports pays a rental fee to manufacturers when using press samples to take a “first look” at products and does not include them in its product and service ratings.
Approved.^{[note 2]}

In 2007, in response to errors in infant car seat testing, it began accepting advice from industry experts on designing tests, but CR would make the final assessment on its own.
Clarification needed.^{[note 3]}

Also, CR allows manufacturers to respond to serious criticism before publication.
Clarification needed.^{[note 4]}

___________

^ This has been clarified to state that the secret shoppers purchase these products on CU's behalf.

^ The wording of this sentence has been altered to clarify that the rented products are not rated. This is because the products may have been "included" in some other fashion beyond the rating section.

^ If the CU has begun taking advice from industry experts on designing tests, and these industry-advised tests are used to arrive at decisions reflected in their outcome, then it cannot be stated that the CU has made the final assessment "on its own". That assessment will have been informed by CU's own actions as well as their consultations with informed experts in the subject areas where advice was given.

^ This part of the edit request proposal requires clarification because it is not clear what is meant by the term serious criticism and how the subjective serious qualification differs from other forms of criticism. Whether or not this would affect a manufacturer's ability to respond in the manner afforded by the CU is unknown.

@Spintendo: thank you for your help. Please see below for the 4th edit I proposed with a bit more clarification, as requested.

Current Text: Also, at times CR allows manufacturers to review and respond to criticism before publication. [4]

Proposed Text: Also, when CR finds safety or performance issues with products that will be mentioned in a review, CR contacts the manufacturer before the review is published with the test results, production and purchasing information, testing protocol, and photos if appropriate, and asks them for a comment. ^[1] ^[2] ^[3]

Douglas Love (talk) 15:13, 20 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Merger proposal

My name is Douglas Love and I work for Consumer Reports, Inc. Prior to 2016, the organization’s corporate name was “Consumers Union of United States, Inc.,” though many people referred to us as “Consumer Reports,” the name of our well-known magazine. The company also used the name “Consumers Union” to refer to our advocacy arm. “Consumers Union” and “Consumer Reports” have always been two ways to refer to the single entity, with a single building, staff, budget, and mission. The organization has now officially changed its name to "Consumer Reports", and is phasing out the “Consumers Union” name altogether. Therefore, we would like to merge every part of the Consumers Union article into this article. The article could describe "Consumer Reports” as the organization "formerly called Consumers Union". If there is consensus for this, then I can draft a simple merge which retains all content and deletes nothing. Thanks for any feedback anyone can give. Douglas Love (talk) 21:42, 4 February 2019 (UTC)[reply]

@Spintendo: I thought you might want an alert. Douglas Love (talk) 21:53, 4 February 2019 (UTC)[reply]

^ "Consumer Reports Newsguard Nutrition Label". NewsGuard.
^ Sommer, Cassy (27 August 2018). "These baby foods have disturbing levels of heavy metals, study says". SI Live.
^ Fleck, Alissa. "Consumer Reports Launches First Ad Campaign Highlighting How It Keeps Companies Honest". AdWeek.

[1] Bearman, Sophie. "Here's why millions of people trust this testing group when it comes to TVs". CNBC.

[2] Fleck, Alissa. "Consumer Reports Launches First Ad Campaign Highlighting How It Keeps Companies Honest". Adweek.

[”first-3] Fowler, Bree. "First Look: Samsung Galaxy Note8 Brings Size, Style, and Some Baggage". Consumer Reports.

[4] Seelye, Katherine. "Magazine Will Begin Consulting With Experts". The New York Times.

[5] Perez-Pena, Richard. "Success Without Ads". The New York Times.

[6] This has been clarified to state that the secret shoppers purchase these products on CU's behalf.

[7] The wording of this sentence has been altered to clarify that the rented products are not rated. This is because the products may have been "included" in some other fashion beyond the rating section.

[8] If the CU has begun taking advice from industry experts on designing tests, and these industry-advised tests are used to arrive at decisions reflected in their outcome, then it cannot be stated that the CU has made the final assessment "on its own". That assessment will have been informed by CU's own actions as well as their consultations with informed experts in the subject areas where advice was given.

[9] This part of the edit request proposal requires clarification because it is not clear what is meant by the term serious criticism and how the subjective serious qualification differs from other forms of criticism. Whether or not this would affect a manufacturer's ability to respond in the manner afforded by the CU is unknown.

[10] "Consumer Reports Newsguard Nutrition Label". NewsGuard.

[11] Sommer, Cassy (27 August 2018). "These baby foods have disturbing levels of heavy metals, study says". SI Live.

[12] Fleck, Alissa. "Consumer Reports Launches First Ad Campaign Highlighting How It Keeps Companies Honest". AdWeek.

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