The End of Reciprocity? In my previous Udemy Course Announcement, entitled “Piracy and a Simple Request,” I asked that dissatisfied students contact me so that I may answer any unresolved issues they had. I also asked that satisfied students spread news of the course by word of digital mouth and leave a good review. Such practice should be common courtesy; reciprocity for receiving something free as part of their purchase of a loss-leader.
Since then (over a month ago) the only review the course has received is from a fake account whose purpose, seemingly, is to drive down the ratings of rival #gamedev courses. Username Tom Appleby gave No-Code Video Game Development Using Unity and Playmaker a one-and-a-half star rating the same day he purchased the course. Without comment. He is also the proud owner of 11 other Unity #gamedev course, all bought prior to his No-Code purchase.
(Even if the account were legitimate its reviews would still warrant dismissal; if you can’t learn Unity from nearly a dozen courses, maybe that’s on you.)
A previous two star review is from Dean Walther, an account with a similar modus operandi. No picture, no contact, no comment. No response. Hoarder of #gamedev courses.
“But,” an internet troll would say, “maybe your course really isn’t any good. It’s rating is below average (trolls are prone to committing Word Crimes).” Not so. Udemy implemented two ratings systems. One is made public and prone to sabotage and one results from a survey (since discontinued). The survey was only available to students who were in the process of taking the course. While the public No-Code rating is slightly lower than the average #gamedev course, the survey’s satisfaction rating was three times that of other courses!
Why aren’t the people who are, obviously, benefiting from the course expressing its benefits publicly? Why aren’t they rating, liking, tweeting, and sharing? Why aren’t they practicing the common courtesy of reciprocity? Is this the end of reciprocity?
Oh, and hey, don’t be ironic. You can reciprocate for this informative post in any number of ways. Check the signature below, OK? 🙂