Last but not least, there's the "We can't afford to give you our product for an extended period of time" response. Granted, the resource issue is very real, especially when it comes to major hardware products (10 Gigabit Ethernet switches, for instance). Vendors need to keep enough products in the pipeline for potential customers, and for trade-show exhibits and customer demos. Vendors also need to make a product manager and tech support people available to respond to installation and integration problems that might arise during our tests.
Still, those are costs well worth incurring. Better for us to tell our readers "We had a problem with XYZ but the vendor's tech support people responded quickly and effectively and now we can tell you how to avoid that pitfall," right?
Bottom line, vendors take a bigger risk by opting out of our reviews than by opting in. They stand to alienate potential customers by their absence, and that's bad for business.
How can you help your vendors see the light? Show them this column, and tell them you want to see their products reviewed alongside those of their competitors. Let them know you need more information--not less--to make a smart buy, especially in an emerging product category. Then, stand your ground.
Mike Lee; [email protected]
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