One of Santa ’ s Helpers lives in Stillwater
BY CHRIS PETERS STILLWATER STYLE
Some might say Scott Cooper is living every kid ’ s dream . But instead of testing wooden horses and dolls made by legions of elves in Santa ’ s workshop , Cooper reviews the latest gadgets and gizmos for BestBuy .
As a BestBuy Tech Insider , Cooper writes product reviews in exchange for the product itself . BestBuy and the manufacturer do not pay him , and he only needs to report the product ’ s value on his income taxes .
How did Cooper get recruited to be a BestBuy Tech Insider ?
Cooper received an email six years ago from BestBuy that landed in his spam folder . Before he deleted it , he decided to look up the Tech Insider program to check its legitimacy . The offer seemed almost too good to be true . They would send him products he could keep as long as he wrote a thorough review of the product for the BestBuy website .
16 Stillwater Style | WINTER 2021
He had written just a couple reviews on products he had purchased before from BestBuy . Collecting points as part of a different discount program . He never thought that would earn him the ability to become a Tech Insider .
As a Tech Insider , Cooper receives email notifications on which products BestBuy needs reviewing . Suppose a product interests him or his family , in that case , he needs to respond quickly in hopes he to be selected .
When it comes to the review itself , BestBuy is pretty hands off . They offer writing guidelines but never edit or alter the reviews . No matter if it ’ s a positive or negative review of the product .
One time Cooper and his wife wanted an air purifier , but Cooper hadn ’ t seen that type of product come up for review . But within a few months , one did , just like a kid putting a toy on their wish list , to then find one under the tree . They are currently wishing for a new refrigerator to replace their aging model .
Over the last six years , Cooper has reviewed 156 products , averaging 20-40 reviews a year . Some products are items he would have never purchased for himself , like an electric toothbrush that he loves and uses every day .