Cleveland Media Group (“CMG”) regularly produces independent and in-depth product reviews under ”The First Layer” brand, covering the entire range of Maker-focused products from 3D printer products over CNC-controlled machines down to manual tools and accessories.
Reviews published here are not simply recaps of a product’s spec sheet, any reviewed product has been thoroughly tested. The experiences and results from these tests are then shared in video or written form.
While all products are welcome, please note that there are a few rules that apply to any product review produced by CMG:
- Any results and opinions thereof presented in a review video or post are a truthful representation of our experiences with a product. Under no circumstances will payment or other compensation be accepted to influence the stated opinion about a product.
- Reviews conducted by CMG do not require payment. This allows us to maintain our journalistic integrity.
- You may, however, opt to purchase sponsorship independently of a review.
- Unless explicitly agreed on, CMG cannot guarantee a specific date for the release of a product review. Unexpected issues with a product might delay a review further as they are being resolved.
- If you require a product to be returned after review, please state so before providing a product.
- Up to a reasonable limit, CMG will try to resolve any issues that might arise during product testing. Please note that technical difficulties and challenges will need to be mentioned in a review.
- Cherry-picking products or providing non-standard product versions is discouraged. CMG has limited means to detect a cherry-picked product, so we need to trust product manufacturers and resellers to provide a product that is identical to the product an end user would receive.
- “Review guides” with pre-audited talking points are welcome for completeness, but will not be strictly adhered to.
- Reviews of pre-release products provide limited value to end users. Due to the additional overhead required to get an unfinished product to function correctly and the possibility of introducing additional changes before the product’s final release, CMG will not accept any pre-release hardware for review.
- Identical conditions apply to crowdfunded products. Due to a history of drastic changes between the campaign and the final release and the recent rise in crowdfunding fraud, CMG will also not review crowdfunded products that have not yet been completely fulfilled to customers.
- Products that are sent without prior announcement might not be accepted and will not be returned. CMG will choose an appropriate use for any unannounced deliveries.
- If you’re shipping from a non-CA country, please keep the appropriate import declaration guidelines in mind. Shipments that are improperly declared will be returned or destroyed by customs.
- Always state the actual value of the product you ship. Canadian imports do not accept invoices for zero-value samples.
- CMG is not required to accept any product for review and retains the right to decline review opportunities for any reason.
All cool? Send an email to info@thefirstlayer.com if you’re up for it!