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Okay, I admit sometimes I do tire of product rating requests…

The days following vacations are hectic. The luggage needs to be unpacked and laundry sorted, the grocery list needs attention, the pile of mail will require some time, and a few dozen of the hundreds of digital photos need to be printed. Nevertheless, within 24 hours of returning from my getaway, the requests for product reviews began rolling into my INBOX.

The VRBO or hotel is usually the first to request a review, sometimes as early as check out: “Was the space well-appointed?” Duh, yeah, the shower was in the bathroom and the stove was in the kitchen. We are given rating options for bedding, linens, cleanliness, views, and parking. Negative reviews such as “pool was closed for maintenance” during the warm weather may deter other travelers who count on such amenities. When we traveled to Amsterdam, we rated our VRBO as excellent regarding ‘location’ and top-notch for our hosts, both statements were true, but we didn’t mention the leak in the ceiling on a rainy day because we told our host about it in person.

If your hotel boasts of a continental breakfast amenity included, it wouldn't be fair to complain about the store-wrapped muffin and hardboiled egg. I'll pocket a yogurt and banana and since I prefer poached eggs with rye toast for breakfast, my comment would be "great location in close proximity to shops and eateries."

Eateries love postings on their website! Photos of the veal marsala with a star rating and comments are appreciated. Restaurants love reading “Staff was courteous and professional” and “Best Reuben ever.” A response from the owner is likely if your comment is: "Tables were set too close together and there was no privacy to conduct a conversation.” or “Cucumbers were soggy.” You may receive a comment that the matter was addressed.

I’ve found that airlines rarely ask for reviews but rental car businesses love ‘em. The Uber driver or airport transport service will happily take a star rating -- the more stars the higher the rating. Tips are, of course, expected and comments are optional. Truthfully, have you ever wanted to write, “Driver would not shut up,” during the 2 a.m. hour-long drive from the airport?

Name-brand retailers like REI ask for product reviews. If you give a lot of reviews, on Travelocity, for example, a “badge” will be assigned for your FB site. A bragging right, of sorts, I suppose.

More often I've been receiving surveys after a visit to my doctor or Urgent Care facility. Those I ignore.

Typical rating systems are 1 - 5 or 1 - 10. Some folk get confused with low versus high numbers. Shouldn’t 1 be considered top because it’s first? Or is it the other way around? I’m also seeing questions like, “How would you rate your experience with our product?” followed with multiple choice options: Very Satisfied, Satisfied, Neither agree or disagree, Dissatisfied, and Very Dissatisfied. The middle choice leaves me quite confused. One of these days I think I’ll select that answer just for the fun of it.

This talk of reviews brings me to Amazon book reviews. Yes, some of you saw this coming. Did you know that every time you post a review of a book, you become the little voice in the author’s ear that whispers “Don’t you quit.”

The best tip for receiving reviews? Make it easy to leave a review.

So, Here’s How to Post a Review of Calico Lane on Amazon

1) Sign into your Amazon account (Amazon requires that you have purchased at least $50 worth of products within the past year before you are able to leave a customer review.)

2) In the Search Amazon field at the top of the page, type “Calico Lane by Judy Kiehart”

3) Click on the image of the book’s cover

4) Scroll down past Editorial Reviews and Product Details to Customer Reviews

5) See “Review this product”

6) Click on “Write a customer review.

7) Select overall star rating (1 is lowest, 5 is highest)

8) Type a headline

9) Add a written review (tell what you liked or didn’t like about the book)

10) Press SUBMIT

Ta Da!

Please help me reach 100 Amazon reviews for Calico Lane before the two-year launch anniversary.

Cheers!

Judy