View Full Version : Do you believe online product reviews?
stuart.reinke
August 12th, 2009, 04:14 PM
I was shoping around for a new cell phone recently and found one that I liked. It was a brand that I have had luck with in the past and a reputable model line.
So, I ordered the phone.
I then found a website with user reviews. They were overwhelmingly negative. I thought "great, now what have I done"
Long story short. I got the phone and love it!
I seems to me that people rarely post a review unless they have a problem or unmet expectation.
Do you put any faith is user reviews found on the internet?
Any thoughts
coldReactive
August 12th, 2009, 04:17 PM
Sometimes, yes.
bear24rw
August 12th, 2009, 04:18 PM
i trust most reviews on newegg.com and some from amazon most other websites i have found that only people who have a problem post a review
balaknair
August 12th, 2009, 04:44 PM
When people post reviews(especially negative ones), imo it helps balance the product advertising and sales talk(ever read/hear anything negative in the manufacturer's ads or the salesperson's pitch?), and helps me make a better decision. Just need to remember neither is the whole truth.
Maheriano
August 12th, 2009, 04:50 PM
I base online purchases almost completely on the user reviews. I pieced together parts for a computer I built for my dad and there were reviews about the motherboard having a lot of RMA or a power supply that had a cheap price tag because of it missing a P4 connector that I didn't pick up on or something like that.
Tristam Green
August 12th, 2009, 05:04 PM
Generally speaking, the only online reviews I don't trust are hotel reviews.
cwnc
August 13th, 2009, 03:39 AM
There's nothing more useful than reviews from real people, but you need to understand that most people are complete idiots with technology.
You can't just use general recommendations for things like this - you need to have specific criteria in mind - build quality, features, specs, etc, and use reviews from a variety of sources to compare products based on these criteria.
In other words, don't be one of the idiots.
mamamia88
August 13th, 2009, 03:44 AM
sometimes if i have never used the brand before. but if i have consumed products from a company before i know what to expect and ignore user reviews. like any logitech product i know will be decent
FuturePilot
August 13th, 2009, 03:47 AM
It does help to see feedback from others, however you have to watch out for the ones like:
I DROPPED MY PHONE ON THE CONCRETE AND NOW IT SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY. DON'T BUY IT, IT'S A TERRIBLE PHONE!!!!!
I've seen way too many of those.
stuart.reinke
August 13th, 2009, 03:50 AM
There's nothing more useful than reviews from real people, but you need to understand that most people are complete idiots with technology.
You can't just use general recommendations for things like this - you need to have specific criteria in mind - build quality, features, specs, etc, and use reviews from a variety of sources to compare products based on these criteria.
In other words, don't be one of the idiots.
I hear you there. I just hate it when people complain about a product not having a specific feature when it was never there to begin with, nor was it advertised as such.
For example, I read several reviews with people complaining about a cell phone not having a mp3 player. If you want a mp3 player on your phone, make sure it is there when you purchase it.
However, if the mp3 player doesn't work like you expected then that is a helpful review.
cwnc
August 13th, 2009, 03:56 AM
but if i have consumed products from a company before i know what to expect and ignore user reviews. like any logitech product i know will be decent
This is a very, very good way to get ripped off, and feel cheated and used.
You can trust people, sometimes.
But trusting a brand name is like trusting a political party. A single bad management decision can make everything go horribly, horribly wrong.
MikeTheC
August 13th, 2009, 05:45 AM
No, I don't.
Icehuck
August 13th, 2009, 05:51 AM
I'll look at professional tech reviews on a product first and then check user reviews. I then draw my own conclusions from the differences between the editor and user.
Oh and consumer reports don't hurt either.
Katalog
August 13th, 2009, 05:53 AM
User reviews, like onn Amazon, maybe. Professional reviews I have a hard time with due to the possibility of corporate influence.
starcannon
August 13th, 2009, 05:57 AM
I use online product reviews as part of an informed decision, but I've never based a purchase completely on a review.
I usually try to look at 3 high quality versions of the product; then read reviews, and allow that to weigh in; then I do some google searchs on "how do I fix brand/model" and see how many people are trying to fix something on the brand/model I am shopping for.
GL
ShutterAce
August 13th, 2009, 06:08 AM
I do use them but you have to learn to read between the lines. In my opinion most bad reviews result from ridiculously high expectations or plain ignorance. Also pay attention to length of ownership. Almost all reviews written by people who just purchased the product are favorable. Nobody wants to believe they just made a bad purchase.](*,)
doorknob60
August 13th, 2009, 06:11 AM
On newegg, most definately. Other places, maybe...
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