Internet has become useless

dvx216

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Feb 1, 2012
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When it comes to a reviews on a product besides forums like this where do you get product information without a advertisement on the same product.
 
Google pays the bills with ad revenue but there are plenty of boating forums. I like "the hull truth".
 
When it comes to a reviews on a product besides forums like this where do you get product information without a advertisement on the same product.
Lot's-o-surfing. (is web surfing still a common term?) Sometimes I start with "X product doesn't work", "X product issues", etc. to try and weed through the sales BS. When I do find reviews, like Home Depot's 1-5, I click on the #3 which tends to be more descriptive of the truth on product performance.
 
I think that what is even worse is the amount of bad information and recommendations that is given out on most of the public forums (ie FB).

-Kevin
 
I think that what is even worse is the amount of bad information and recommendations that is given out on most of the public forums (ie FB).

-Kevin

That's really a function of the Internet isn't it? It seems there are two aspects to the question, one being where do you find unbiased information for a given product? And two, How do you evaluate any comments you do find. Afterall the value of free advice is directly proportional to its cost.
 
There are utilities that filter out fake reviews with algorithms. But I am sure they come with their own potential risks with privacy etc. I have used Fakespot but I don't trust it so I don't leave it installed. I use it and then delete it. There are probably others. Amazon has its own algorithms to remove fake reviews. How effective? Who knows.

I never trust reviews on a company's own website, although I am surprised that some companies like GE actually leave negative ones up.
 
I got a piece of mail yesterday from a company that I bought something from on Amazon recently.
They promised that if I gave them a 5 star review that they would give me a refund on it.
So there's that about Amazon reviews, and that's not the first time I've been solicited with something free for a 5 star review on Amazon.
 
I got a piece of mail yesterday from a company that I bought something from on Amazon recently.
They promised that if I gave them a 5 star review that they would give me a refund on it.
So there's that about Amazon reviews, and that's not the first time I've been solicited with something free for a 5 star review on Amazon.
Same experience with me on eBay. I refused. You can report that practice to them.
 
When it comes to a reviews on a product besides forums like this where do you get product information without a advertisement on the same product.

The only place you have a chance of honest opinion is sites like this.
Look for subject specific enthusiast sites.

Otherwise the current standing is a product needs greater than 100 reviews on AMAZON before you should have any trust in the star rating.

94% of ALL consumers have read a fake review in 2019 (date of study, bet even worse now)

Even a negative review, while less likely to be fake, may be fake if it is vague with no specific flaws noted.

edit:
People have a greater tendency to leave a negative review when a product makes you feel defrauded in some way. Even if that is actually a rare problem with a given product. This is what has lead venders to solicit 5 star ratings from "verified purchasers"
 
I gave a Yelp review a few years ago on an auto transport company that did me so right after a different one basically screwed me. Yelp marked it as not recommended because I praised them too much.
 
My daughter in law purchased a cordless vacuum on Amazon with great reviews well it was junk so the gave it a bad review week later the company said they would give them the more expensive best vacuum to try and if they where satisfied they could keep it if they removed the bad review. The vacuum was fantastic my DIL said she would pay the difference and leave the review on the first item they offered her 2 new vacuums for free and $30 cash to remove it.
 
tiara 3600.jpg

With any research effort the most important starting point is asking the right question. This is not as easy as it seems.
 
I got a piece of mail yesterday from a company that I bought something from on Amazon recently.
They promised that if I gave them a 5 star review that they would give me a refund on it.
So there's that about Amazon reviews, and that's not the first time I've been solicited with something free for a 5 star review on Amazon.
There was an article on some paper I don’t recall about this same thing.
 
My daughter in law purchased a cordless vacuum on Amazon with great reviews well it was junk so the gave it a bad review week later the company said they would give them the more expensive best vacuum to try and if they where satisfied they could keep it if they removed the bad review. The vacuum was fantastic my DIL said she would pay the difference and leave the review on the first item they offered her 2 new vacuums for free and $30 cash to remove it.

I am looking for a Vacuum cleaner today.

i agree with a Hughespat57. When I look at how many stars and reviews I want to see at least 100. Popular products 1,000’s.
 

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