Definition from Merriam Webster:

Gift cards for merely inquiring? And who is demanding "exorbitant" gifts or tips? These are not my experiences at all. Can you please elaborate?

I thought that you were trying to make peace with the Twitter Hotties?

Hell hath no fury like a BSU scorned. lol

nor do I think I am a lightning rod to unite them (for or against me).  

Your post, while using the word doesn't make clear if you know this. I'm not terribly familiar with the term as it's used in this world and am too lazy to look into it. But my impression is it's used by women who offer the bizarre "service" called financial domination, where their "wallet pigs" get off by suffering the humiliation of being "forced" to give them cash and usually not even have sex with them. Sounds to me like the most pathetic excuse for a "man" I can imagine.
From the UD:
Financial Domination
The fetish/fantasy/lifestyle act of one person being submissive with their finances (giving money) and the other person taking or demanding finances(receiving money).
I took his money and gave him nothing in return like a real mistress of Financial Domination does.
by Mistress Claire Dollface February 12, 2017

be, how much "tribute" did they get him for?

I've certainly not dropped names and pointed fingers, and "Twitter" is not a hive-mind. There are at least a few independent thinkers.  

I believe the FinDom afficionados refer to themselves as PayPigs.  

Multiple Choice:

Zen is on super-secret moderation and his responses are not showing up quickly enough to have any real dialogue to inform your "reading between the lines".

A. Probably true.
B. No Way. It will never happen.
C. Most likely true!!
D. Don' know nor care

We're not worthy of judging especially if we're not paying for the privilege.

"Millions for defense, but not a cent for tribute!" -- Robert Goodloe Harper

Zen,  

although there certainly used to be a balancing power in reviews.

It's just verbiage. Granted 'tribute' often shows up on FemDom sites but I'm not offended, threatened, or insulted by a choice of words.

I have had the amazing pleasure of seeing all types of escorts, from the more reasonably priced ones to the very expensive ladies who ask for quite a bit before seeing them (personal ID, deposits, etc) but at no time has any of them every said, or implied, I needed to send them a gift or tip just for "making an inquiry." Thats not to mean I haven't gifted and tipped on occasion, but never once did I ever feel pressured, or even asked, to do so and certainly not during the initial contact. Those gestures, that always came from me, were always received with gratitude. So without examples, I think you may be making this up as some sort of click bait.

I think it is experience and having been through several changes in the way the business works and it's drivers. This may correlate with age, but it isn't caused by age, per se.  

There are bitter old ladies who think they are "entitled" to perfect 9-10 type reviews even though they don't have the looks or service to justify 9-10 review scores.

if you believe that you alone are virtuous, giving and respectful. But you just do you, it seems to work for you.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. You haven't even attempted to provide ANY proof. I will stick with my initial assessment. Click bait.

He's never stood up for himself or done anything but kiss the cunts of the OTHFBC so this newfound independence of his is taking him some getting used to.