FAQ - Dmoz/Home/Consumer_Information
Table of Contents
| 1 | Q: |
What kinds of consumer information sites come from consumer organizations? | | A: |
Information provided by consumer organizations may have evaluations of a type of product or service, or emphasize information about specific features and functions. These sites may compare brands and companies, or may focus on price differences and "best buys". Some consumer-oriented sites will use experts to evaluate products/services, while others will rely upon consumers who donate their advice and opinions to the site. |
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by dmozmarch at 2000-10-20 15:09:31
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| 2 | Q: |
What could business sites contribute to this category? | | A: |
Consumer information from business sites have some of the following which would be good consumer information: - manufacturing information
- how the product is used
- specifications
- options
- features
- warranty information
- model numbers
- pricing
- selection criteria
Such information must be of substantial value to consumers if it is to be included in this category. |
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by dmozmarch at 2000-10-20 15:26:10
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| 3 | Q: |
How is the Consumer Information category organized? | | A: |
Most of the information in this category will be organized under product or service type, with products and services being together, under product type, when that works. Product and service categories are listed below the line, with certain kinds of information categories, e.g. Recalls, listed above the line. |
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by dmozmarch at 2000-10-20 15:26:52
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| 4 | Q: |
What kinds of subcategories should I use under a product or service category? | | A: |
In general, sites useful in making purchasing decisions about a product type or service should be listed together. Because so many sites include a mix of advice and reviews, do not generally subdivide categories by "advice", "reviews", "price comparisons", etc.
For example, reviews, tips and advice, and price comparisons about dishwashers can all be listed in the /Dishwashers category. Product sites and service sites can also be listed together, for example cell phone reviews and cell phone plan reviews. Do not make brand name or model number subcategories (except for vehicles, discussed below). |
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by dmozmarch at 2000-10-20 15:28:03
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| 5 | Q: |
Should I deeplink in Consumer Information ? | | A: |
Yes, within the guidelines presented below . Consumer information may reside within a site and be easy to use only if specific pages or sections are deeplinked. |
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by dmozmarch at 2000-10-20 15:16:53
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| 6 | Q: |
What are "megasites" or "consumer guides"? | | A: |
Epinions
ConsumerSearch
These megasites contain a lot of different kinds of information, from reviews and comparative prices to tips and advice. |
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by tschild at 2003-11-21 18:34:38
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| 7 | Q: |
Should I deeplink megasites? | | A: |
- You may deeplink these large guides down to the most specific product level available, if there is a category for it. (Except for vehicles, do not create brand name categories.)
Home/Consumer_Information/Appliances/Dishwashers
Active Buyer's Guide: Dishwashers - Unbiased product recommendations matched against buyer preferences.
ConsumerSearch: Dishwashers - Reviews the reviewers, recommending which reviews and products are best.
Epinions: Dishwashers - Consumers reviews on dishwashers, including brand names, price information, buying tips and advice.
- The product category available within a site for deeplinking may vary. For instance, some megasites may be deeplinked to a product category, e.g. /Dishwashers, while others may have only a general appliance category to which to deeplink.
Home/Consumer_Information/Appliances
Appliance 411.com - Purchase information about major home appliances.
- Sometimes, the megasite categories don't quite match our categories. Deeplink to the best match.
Home/Consumer_Information/…/Strollers
BabyGearReview: Carseat/Stroller Systems - Consumer reviews by brand name.
BabyGearReview: Single Stroller - Consumer reviews by brand name.
ConsumerSearch: Double Strollers - Reviews the reviewers, recommending which reviews and products are best.
- You can deeplink a megasite for as many product categories as match our taxonomy. That is, if "MegaConsumerRaves" has an appliance section, a dishwashers section, and a refrigerators section, all of these sections can be deeplinked to the corresponding Consumer Information categories of /Appliances, /Dishwashers, /Refrigerators.
- Except for vehicles discussed below, do not construct categories and then list sites at the brand name or model number level, that is, do not do any of these:
Home/Consumer_Information/Appliances/Dishwashers/Maytag
Maytag Dishwashers - Reviews of Maytag dishwashers written by consumers for Epinions.com.
Maytag Jetclean MDB9100 - Reviews of Maytag model MDB9100 written by consumers for Epinions.com.
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by tschild at 2004-01-02 10:59:18
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| 8 | Q: |
How should I list consumer information pages that are found in other kinds of sites? | | A: |
Some sites are about something else, but have consumer information pages that are valuable, even unique. An example might be consumer buying information for a kitchen appliance within a recipe site. If possible, deeplink the page appropriate for the Consumer Information category, not the homepage for the entire site.
Home/Consumer Information/Home and Garden/Appliances/Bread Machines
How to Choose a Bread Machine - From a general bread making recipe site, a section with reviews and tips on purchasing a bread machine. |
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by dmozmarch at 2000-10-20 16:20:39
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| 9 | Q: |
What about local business, merchant sales, or distributor sites? | | A: |
Some distributor or merchant sales sites may also have a page or section that gives consumer information about a product.
If the information is unique or especially well done, then this page can be deeplinked so that ODP users can easily access it. The information should be of substantial value for shoppers making purchasing decisions, and the site description should be used to note that the information is coming from a merchant sales site.
Family Wonder: Toy Reviews - A site which sells what it reviews, but includes toy descriptions, age appropriateness, skill levels needed, and whether best for quiet or active play.
Be cautious about listing such sites, making sure that what is available is more than just promotional.
Do not list such sites in Consumer Information if the manufacturer's brand name site covers essentially the same material (see below about brand name sites). |
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by dmozmarch at 2000-10-20 16:35:30
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| 10 | Q: |
What is the difference between a manufacturer's corporate site and a manufacturer's brand name site, and should either be listed? | | A: |
Manufacturers of products often have sites which have information which consumers need and which cannot be found elsewhere. While these brand name sites are produced as a marketing tool, they are useful to shoppers if they have substantial information that helps make purchasing decisions.- Such brand name consumer information should include at least several of the following:
- Specifications
- Warranty information
- Return and use policies
- Model numbers
- Features and options
- Consumer service contacts
- Pricing
- Make a distinction between corporate sites and brand name sites.
- Brand name product sites should be listed in Consumer Information:
GE Appliances - General Electric product information, rebates, special offers, service schedules, warranty information. - Corporate information sites should be listed in Business
General Electric - Conglomerate. Fairfield, Connecticut, USA. (NYSE: GE
- Care needs to be taken to find the correct site for the correct placement in either Consumer Information or Business.
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Brand name product sites often have an URL different from the corporate site:
Maytag brand name product site: http://www.maytag.com/
Maytag corporate site: http://www.maytagcorp.com/ - But sometimes the brand name product information site is part of the corporate site, with an URL root in common, and will need to be deeplinked.
KitchenAid Products - Part of the corporate homepage, this site offers product information, service contracts information, special promotions, and customer service contacts.
When adding this kind of deeplinked site, the description should explain to users that this corporate site is being included because it has consumer information about brand name products.
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by dmozmarch at 2000-10-20 17:10:59
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| 11 | Q: |
What if I find a site that discusses only one brand name or one model, and no others? | | A: |
A self-contained site, not part of a megasite or guide, which discusses only one brand name, or one particular model, may be listed if the editor believes its addition to a product category is useful. Except for vehicles, do not create a special brand name category. List the site under the most specific product category available.
Home/Consumer_Information/Computers/Hardware/Peripherals/Scanners
Mustek 600 II EP Scanner -Discusses this one model of plug and scan color flatbed scanner. |
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by dmozmarch at 2000-10-20 17:14:21
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| 12 | Q: |
How are we listing vehicles? | | A: |
For vehicles, a category may be constructed for the make, but not for the model number.
For vehicles, sites may be deeplinked down to the make, e.g. Lincoln or Harley Davidson, but not to the model.
Home/Consumer Information/Automobiles/.../Lincoln
Edmunds: Lincoln - Reviews, ratings, and vehicle information on a variety of used models from 1990-present. |
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by dmozmarch at 2000-10-24 12:58:21
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| 13 | Q: |
How should titles and descriptions be constructed in Consumer Information? | | A: |
To help sort and describe sites in a way that makes browsing easier for users, editors should use the following templates for titles and descriptions whenever possible. - Describing deeplinked megasites.
For deeplinked pages in megasites follow this pattern:
[Guide name]: [Product type] - [Non-promotional description.]
Home/Consumer_Information/…/Car_Seats
Active Buyer's Guide: Baby Car Seats - Unbiased product recommendations matched against buyer preferences.
ConsumerSearch: Infant Car Seats - Reviews, analyzes and ranks them.
ConsumerSearch: Toddler Car Seats - Reviews, analyzes and ranks them.
Epinions: Car Seats - Reviews written by consumers, with information on types, brands, prices, tips and advice. - Sites that discuss only one model or brand
For a single brand name or model number site, construct a title that makes the site most browsable even if it means altering slightly the site's actual title.
Mustek 600 II EP Scanner - Discusses this one model of plug and scan color flatbed scanner.
(Actual title: Users review of the new Mustek 600 II EP Plug and Scan Color Flatbed Scanner.) - Single page of consumer information.
For a single page with consumer information, one that is not part of a larger consumer guide, or mega-site, generally choose the title that is on the site and describe it in nonpromotional language.
How to Choose a Bread Machine - From a general bread making recipe site, a section with reviews and tips on purchasing a bread machine.
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by hotpink at 2000-11-07 21:02:10
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| 14 | Q: |
Should I put in links to Shopping? | | A: |
Yes. One of the purposes of this category is to help shoppers make informed choices. There should be links both ways, between Shopping and CI.
However, be careful to link to categories at roughly the same level of specificity.- Do link between these:
Home/CI/.../Appliances, and Shopping/.../Laundry/Appliances,and
Shopping/.../Kitchen and Dining/Appliances - But don't link between these:
Home/Consumer Information/.../Appliances/Dishwashers, and Shopping/.../Kitchen and Dining/Appliances.
Links should be in the form of @links and should say "Shopping" or "Consumer Information" as appropriate. |
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by dmozmarch at 2000-10-20 17:52:54
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| 15 | Q: |
Should I create links to Business categories? | | A: |
If there are categories in Business that help users find services, manufacturers, or other related information, then by all means create related links. |
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by dmozmarch at 2000-10-20 17:51:31
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| 16 | Q: |
How should I list sites in the Recalls category? Should they be deeplinked? | | A: |
Many recall sites have information or notices about many different products. Many of these notices come from governmental agencies or consumer information watchdog organizations.
CPSC Recalls and Other Press Releases - U.S. agency lists recall information by date, product, product category, and company.
Some recall sites focus on a particular class of product.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency Index of Recalls - Food recalls and allergy alerts issued by the Canadian Government warn the public about food safety problems.
List the entire recall site, as above. Editors may, if they choose, deeplink portions of sites in their respective categories.
Avoid listing newspaper articles or other sites which may not be permanent. |
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by dmozmarch at 2000-10-20 17:51:56
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| 17 | Q: |
How do I know when it is OK to list a shopping site? | | A: |
It is only OK to list a site that has shopping, merchant sales, or ordering information on it when there is substantial consumer information that is significantly useful. This means the information should help a user make an independent decision to select a product or service.
If the site is primarily a marketing tool, that is for persuading shoppers to buy their products using only promotional language to enable users to order products, then the site belongs in Shopping, not in Consumer Information.
Still, some sites that are constructed to primarily sell products/services will have useful consumer information. Editors need to use judgement, keeping in mind the purpose of the Consumer Information category, the usefullness of the information on the site, and the ease of access (e.g. is this information easily found or can it usefully be deeplinked?). |
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by dmozmarch at 2000-10-20 18:08:09
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