Hi Angela,

I have a question for Ask the Expert. For the past six months or so I have done a few book reviews for a particular website. I understood when I signed on that there was no monetary compensation. I now realize that this is more time consuming and harder than I expected.

I assume the company running the website must get some compensation for their work. How do these types of businesses work? Do you think I am being taken advantage of doing reviews for free?

Another part of the situation is that I used to be able to pick a book whenever I had the time. Now they are sending the books whenever my hands are empty.

Thanks for your help

-T.

Yes, they’re taking advantage of you. Any company that asks others to work for free, and then profits from the content generated by those people, is taking advantage of others.

The site you’re writing for, which you provided to me under separate email, is pointing directly to Amazon on all book review pages. So whenever someone reads one of your reviews and clicks on that site to buy the book, the site owner receives money…and you receive nothing.