Product Review Policy

Sample Reviews

 

 

Free Product Reviews:

I don’t do free product reviews anymore.  The cost of producing product reviews has more than tripled.  Consequently, free product reviews are a thing of the past.  Should I start doing them again at some point in the future, I will follow the policy detailed below.  In the meantime, you are welcome to visit our page for paying sponsors. 

Free Review Policy:

NOTE: I reserve the right to make changes to this policy at any time and without notice.

First, let me say that I am very grateful that you are considering sending a product for me to review. I’ve always thought that product reviews should be constructive.  So, if you are kind enough to send me a product to review, I’ll follow the simple guidelines detailed below.  However, there are three things you should be made aware of at the outset. 

1. What A Product Review Is and Isn’t:

    • A product review is an opportunity for me to take an honest look at a product and report my findings honestly to my viewers and listeners.
    • A product review is NOT a sponsorship, promotion, commercial, or paid ad for a product or service.  If you are interested in any of those things, please check out my sponsorship page for more information.

2. Where I Review Products:

I live and do business in both California and Arizona.  California is very restrictive with regard to firearms.  Arizona is not.  If your product is not legal in California, it may be legal in Arizona.  Consequently, you have two chances to win.  That said, your product MUST be 100% legal in one state or the other in order for me to review it. 

Here’s where it gets sketchy.  Folks want to skirt California law, so they create stuff that is legally questionable and want me to promote it on GunGuyTV.  If you have created a product that is legally questionable – particularly if it is likely to land you and anyone who possess it in court, then it is NOT 100% legal.  If your product is not 100% legal, please DO NOT send it to me.  I cannot review it.

3. Product Reviews Are Not Guaranteed:

Sending me a product to review does NOT create a binding contract or agreement between you and KBTN Inc., GunGuyTV, or me.  I am under no obligation to review your product.  I reserve the right NOT to review your product for any reason without explanation or obligation of any kind.  Likewise, the production and release timing of product reviews are entirely up to me.  Please be patient. 

Product Reviews:

I Always…

  1. I always review a product for what it is.  I do not expect it to be what it is not.  For example: I will not slam an inexpensive gun because it does not have the features or style of an expensive gun.
  2. I always review a product from at least these two points of view:
    • Do I like it and would I use it?
    • Regardless of whether I like it, would the product get the job done for the folks it is intend to serve?
  3. I always give constructive feedback.  If I think something about a product isn’t as good as it could be, I’ll say so.  Then I will give some constructive suggestions that I think might make the product better.
  4. I always tell the truth and shoot straight.  I don’t lie, cheat or do favors.  If you send me a product to review, I will give you an honest review and I will provide honest, respectful and constructive feedback.
  5. I always post the video reviews on all of the video distribution sites (YouTube, Rumble, etc.), and on GunGuy.TV.  Occasionally, I may talk about a product review on the audio podcast.  However, that depends upon the subject I am covering on the podcast at the time.

I Never…

  1. I never use profanity on GunGuyTV (or anywhere else, for that matter) and I will never use it in a review of a product.
  2. I never make insulting comments about a product or a manufacturer.
  3. I never post harsh, completely negative or derogatory reviews.  As stated above, if I think a product could be better, I’ll say so and I will explain how and why.  If I can’t say something constructive about a product, I won’t post anything at all.
  4. I never charge a fee to review a product.
  5. I never review incomplete or non-functional products.  If your product arrives without instructions for it’s use or if the product does not function properly out of the box for any reason, I will not review it.
  6. I never pay to return products.  If you want your product returned, you must send me a pre-paid return shipping label within 120 days of my having received the product.  If I do not receive a pre-paid return shipping label within that time period, the product may not be returned to you.
  7. I never bow to pressure regarding reviews.  

The Timing of Your Review:

I schedule reviews based upon the following considerations:

    1. Life. I am a husband, father, and grandfather.  The needs of my family come before the needs of GunGuyTV and product reviews.  Obviously, there are times when family needs push everything else to the side. 
    2. Work.  GunGuyTV is a labor of love, not my job.  I don’t make my living on GunGuyTV.  I make a living running our business (Practical Defense Systems) and managing our rental properties.  There are times when I must focus on business to the exclusion of GunGuyTV.
    3. Content flow and variation:  For example:  I will not review similar products one right after another.  Likewise, I do not produce a constant stream of product reviews.  Other content, such as interviews with gun rights organizations, vlogs, podcasts and instructional videos are also posted fairly regularly.
    4. Financial considerations:  Some reviews require a financial investment on my part to hire additional crew.  Such reviews may be postponed until both the finances and manpower are available.
    5. Weather:  Some reviews require a trip to Yuma Arizona.  In some cases, this is due to California legal restrictions.  In other cases, the review requires a venue that is not available to me in California, such as an open range or long distance range.  In those cases, we use the Adair Range in Yuma.  As you might imagine, summer temperatures in Yuma can approach 120 degrees.  Consequently, I generally schedule such reviews from late October through early June.
    6. Available time:  Producing quality videos and writing quality articles takes time.  As a result, production happens as quickly as possible given the available amount of time.
    7. Order received:  To the greatest degree possible, while taking the items listed above into consideration, I try to complete reviews in the order that products are received.  When I have a backlog of products to review, which is often, it may take a while for me to get to yours.  Please be patient.
    8. Sponsorships:  Paying sponsors come first.  If I have a sponsor’s video to produce, I will produce the sponsor’s video before I produce a free product review.

Things to consider prior to sending me your product:

  1. Contrary to popular belief, product reviews DO NOT make any money for me or for my channel.  YouTube demonetizes over 90% of all product reviews related to firearms and shooting. Producing product reviews actually costs me money, time, and effort.  I’m happy to do them, but now you’ll understand why things that generate revenue go to the head of the line.  I may not make my living on GunGuyTV, but I need it to pay for itself to the greatest degree possible.
  2. Some folks live by the motto, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” So, let me try to head that one off at the pass.  While I completely understand the desire to get the review published as soon as possible, I hope that the information above has helped to explain our process and why producing your review may take longer than you like.  I would ask you to remember that I don’t charge to review products.
  3. I apologize for being blunt with this one.  But, there is no nice way to say this.  I do not review junk products or cheap knock-offs.  Junk products and cheap knock-offs waste everyone’s time. Therefore, If your product is not a well-made and high-quality product or if it is a cheap knock-off, please DO NOT send it to me.  If you send it, I will not review it.
  4. I do not review products sent to me by folks who have Amazon affiliate stores or Ebay stores unless you are the manufacturer or authorized distributor of the product.  I only accept product review requests from manufacturers, distributors and legitimate retailers.
  5. Sending  your product to me for review is done at your own risk.  Your product may be lost in shipping, destroyed or damaged during the review, or otherwise rendered unusable or unrecoverable.  You assume complete and total responsibility for any and all losses you may incur as a result of sending me a product for review. 
  6. Any products that are not returned to you for any reason become the property of GunGuyTV.  They may be used by me, sold, given away, damaged, destroyed, or discarded at my sole discretion without warning, explanation, or obligation. 
  7. While I am happy to return your product to you, I am under no legal obligation to do so unless the product is a firearm that you do not intend for me to keep.  If you want me to return your product, you MUST follow the instructions below.

If you would like me to review something, please send me a note and then send your product to one of two places:

Shipping your product:

If it’s a gun:

To ship guns, please do the following:

  • NOTE: The firearm DOES NOT have to be California legal.  It will be sent to an Arizona FFL and reviewed in Arizona.  If you intend for me to keep the firearm after the review so that it can be featured in future videos, please let me know.  Since I am both a California and an Arizona resident, firearms can be legally transferred to me in Arizona.  They do not need to be California legal.
  • Contact us directly for shipping instructions and a copy of the appropriate FFL.  Since we are located in California where firearms are heavily restricted, we have established business relationships with FFLs in the neighboring state of Arizona.  We’ll need to send you the appropriate FFL and shipping information for the firearm you want reviewed.
  • Please include at least 50 rounds of ammunition with the firearm
  • Include a pre-paid return shipping label.  We cannot return the firearm to you without a pre-paid shipping label.
  • Include a brief description of the gun’s intended customer base.
  • Provide any web links that you want included in the review.
  • If the gun requires a detachable magazine, include at least one magazine to be used in the review.
If it’s NOT a gun:

To ship products other than firearms, send them directly to us.  Please use the contact form on this website to request the shipping address.

Include the following:

  • Pre-paid return shipping label if you want the product back.  We cannot return the product to you without a pre-paid shipping label.
  • Instructions for use.
  • Brief description of the product’s intended customers.
  • Provide any web links that you want included in the review.

How to get your product back:

If your product is a gun:
  • Since guns can only be shipped to an FFL, you must arrange for the return of your firearm with the FFL directly.
  • You must provide a pre-paid return shipping label to the FFL directly.  The FFL will NOT pay to return your firearm.
  • The FFL may have deadlines, rules, and/or restrictions regarding the return of a firearm.  GunGuyTV does not set those rules and is not responsible for whatever deadlines, rules, and/or restrictions that an FFL may set.  That is between you and the FFL.
If your product is NOT a gun:

NOTE: The return of products can be a source of considerable drama.  To avoid this, please read the following carefully:

  • I only return products to addresses within the United States.  If you ship a product to me from a country other than the United States, the product will NOT be returned to you.
  • You must provide a pre-paid return shipping label and the correct documentation from either FedEx, UPS, or the U.S. Postal Service.  If you provide a shipping label from any other company, I will not use it and your product will not be returned to you.
  • I do NOT pay for shipping, as my product reviews are free of charge.  Neither do I arrange the shipping for you.  You must pay the shipping company directly and provide me with all necessary and correct shipping labels and documents.  All I am going to do is take your product, labels, and documentation to my local Postal Annex and drop it off.  
  • You must arrange for return shipping within 30 days of your product review having been published or my having notified you that I will not be reviewing the product.  If you do not meet this deadline, the product will not be returned. 
  • If your product is lost or damaged during shipping, I am not responsible.  That is between you and the shipping company.
  • I will only make ONE attempt to ship your product back to you.  If your product is returned to me by the shipping company as undeliverable for any reason or if the shipping company deems the label and shipping documentation that you provided to be incorrect or insufficient, your product will not be returned to you. In plain English, you only have one shot at product returns.  Please make sure that your shipping labels and shipping documentation are correct and complete.