Product Review Expectations?

[MythOfTheWild]

Hello ladies (and the occasional gentleman)! I'm looking for a little advice!

I was just contacted today by a company who asked me to do a review of their product. I had a look at their website before responding and decided that enough of their products were original enough that I'd be happy to feature them.

They let me choose an item to review (I assume it's also to keep - the item is personalised so I doubt there'd be much use for it afterwards either) and they're sending it out to me now.

What I want to know is just what is generally expected from product reviews.
I'll take my own pictures of the products I'm sent, and I'll also use pictures from their website. I'll explain what the quality and delivery is like, as well as the average prices, and also just why they're worth everyone's time, and perhaps a few scenarios in which their products would be perfect.

What else is expected? I'll be spreading the review around a few things like Facebook and Twitter but this is my first product review, and I want to be certain that I get things right for them - they're giving me one of their products for free, afterall, so it's not like it hasn't cost them anything.

[fivesixteenths]

I think that you've covered all the bases. I do think though that if I were reading from your blog about a certain thing I'd want to know what you are using it for & if it fits into your type of blog. Like, let's say that a company wants you to review a diaper bag & that you blog a lot about your children...I probably read your blog because I am a mom too & want to know what you do that I maybe want to try out too. So you should include a bit about why you'll use the Diaper bag, why you were excited to get it, why you like it better than the one you had before, etc. Since I too am in the same boat as you & thats why I read your blog, I'd want you to sell it to me so I buy one too.

A lot of bloggers just do reviews for free stuff & the stuff may not fit into what you normally blog about (I fell into this boat once & I know it didn't help me OR the company!) But you should make sure that you are benefiting your readers too.

I hope my example made sense, but you want your review to not only say how awesome the company is but to sell the product (sort of) to your readers so that hopefully someone will buy one & you've actually helped the company out!

Reviews are tricky things, but it seems like you've got it :) :)