Can You Trust The Opinions Of Review Sites?

No doubt you have seen countless amount of review sites appearing in Google or Bing search each time you have looked up a certain product. Whether it be a LCD television, a hunting rifle or a coffee machine, once you input the brand name of a particular product you will see a plethora of results amassing with reviews of your product. But can you always trust what you read?

The big shopping giants like Amazon, Ebay Sears & Dicks will of course list as many reviews as they can. This helps to create customer trust and also supplies a good forum of general opinion. In Amazon for instance, as the reviews are from customers who purchased the actual product, you can get a valid opinion of whether it holds up to the customer’s scrutiny. But don’t just look at the amount of stars an item has received. Look at what is said in the actual reviews. Sometimes it’s along the lines of – “wow new exercise bike has arrived today” – not very revealing.

Opinions, Opinions….

You also have to remember though that some customers are too quick to jump in with a glowing review of their product. They get their all-singing-all-dancing shiny new product and review it in the first week when they are still enamoured with their purchase. Love is a fickle thing. They haven’t actually lived with the product long enough to see if it holds up over the long haul.

With shopping site reviews, you will be able to get a general consensus as to the whether a product is a good buy or an absolute turkey. Bear in mind no matter what the product is, whether it’s a software to increase search engine traffic, an advanced gadget or a simple umbrella,, you will also find negative reviews around the internet somewhere. Someone will inevitably have a horror story and be only too willing to vent the red mist on the subject and the company in question.

Cash For Questions

Lots of websites also make commissions from referring their visitors to the main shopping sites that sell the products they have reviewed. Most will display a list of questions regarding as to how a product performs, it’s build quality and features. You can’t always expect an unbiased opinion. If you are gathering info on computer printers or treadmill prices, make sure the website you are on not only produces positive reviews, but also displays the negatives and alternatives to particular goods. If you see an earnings disclosure on a review site, just be aware that the site owners receive a commission if anyone clicks a link on their website and buys a product they recommend.

Where To Start Looking

The Consumer Search site is a good place to start with if you need some reviews on a particular item. But don’t restrict yourself to one opinion. Check out industry sites related to your product, and go online and check out a few forums. But be wary of forums that turn into a grumbling assault on everything under the sun. People have a tendency to be critical and extremely scathing behind the anonymous comfort of their computer monitors.

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