VIPRE tested/rated...kinda murky

Well the latest newsletter from Sunbelt was pimping their latest praise. According to Sunbelt:
"PC Antivirus Reviews
Even though VIPRE Antivirus Premium is relatively new software in the highly competitive arena of antivirus firewall software, it still managed to out-perform the other top competitors in our 2010 antivirus tests.
-http://www.pcantivirusreviews.com/- "

Not sure why Sunbelt uses the phrase "our 2010 antivirus tests". But it sounds a little iffy. The link in the newsletter is actually -http://www.pcantivirusreviews.com/reviews/Vipre-Premium-Antivirus-Software.html-

Of course, VIPRE outperforms several other antivirus products in this review. Funny thing is if you see the "Buyer's Guide" on the right side of the page where VIPRE is listed, you can select #4 (Most Important) for the seven categories. When I do that and click "see results" the recommended antivirus products in order are BitDefender 2009, Kaspersky 2009 and Norton 2008.

 

just checked it, its clearly a sunbelt promo page. kinda funny to read : "How do you get real, unbiased opinions about which product really works and will really protect you?"

 

This hurts the Sunbelt credibility. What's next?

 

I have a feeling this is one of those untrustable antivirus testing company's but I do not thin Sunbelt put it out there.

 

it's an affiliate marketing thing. almost all the products you can "buy" link to the official online stores for their respective products w/an affiliate ID intact.

examples from the page:

Code:

http://www.sunbelt-software.com/sap/c/?[B]aff_id=69476[/B]&p=411&target=cart&subid=761562575dc534dd0bc416b697494af3

https://store.digitalriver.com/store/kasperus/en_US/buy/productID.147121400/quantity.1/pgm.33604300/Currency.USD/nextPage.ShoppingCartPage?[B]affiliate=oND_NAM&ClickID=bfu1yy1zessley6vgefszns1zuzdk1sdzvlv[/B]

http://us.mcafee.com/root/landingpages/affLandPage.asp?[B]affid=101&lpname=20052a[/B]&aco=0&cid=67835&siteID=YVB9zJkwdpo-1qbOb3vN5dgptUiGnxvOUg

http://home2.ca.com/servlet/ControllerServlet?Action=DisplayPage&Locale=en_US&[B]SiteID=caconsum[/B]&id=ProductDetailsPage&productID=138122000

http://store.trendmicro.com/store/tmamer/pd/productID.147812100/pgm.38796000?channel=[B]con_affiliate&WT_mc_id=CON15453800[/B]&ClickID=ap0ykkyznoownk5rsnpoztoyz0zvayovzrl

don't panic

 

Maybe they wont actually submit themselves to a reliable unbiased testing group?

 

I wouldn't trust these results either.

True, but they're not exactly alone there.
I can think of another even bigger name who refuses to as well.

 

Who?

Refusing is one thing, but telling customers that you will be in the next one, oh we didnt make it in this one, we will be in the next one, is totally scandalous and deceiving. I wouldnt trust my PC to a company who cant even tell "paying" customers the truth.

 

Didn't want to start a flame war or whatever so I didn't use the company name, but felt it only fair to mention that Sunbelt is not alone.
I will say that you currently have a product of theirs installed, unless your signature needs updated anyway.
Promising and then not delivering is a different concern though and I agree with your stance on that.

 

Thats my main beef with VIPRE. Instead of saying we dont feel like our company can pass the test so we wont waste money on it, they just give the end user the run around. Im not aware of any software I have install thats like that.

 

Maybe not "like that", I was just referring to the fact that other companies have chosen to steer clear of "a reliable unbiased testing group" as well.
Just thought of another, a valued vendor, but I won't name names outside of a PM.
I do understand why you don't take any/as much exception to these others though, and I can appreciate your view.