Do you shop online? If you do, online reviews are likely a crucial source of reference that helps you make your decisions. In an online review, the writer shares their experiences with the product and/or service, noting the advantages, disadvantages, and other unseen qualities that were not released by the manufacturer.
Technically, it’s the online version of ‘word-of-mouth,’ and the fact that there are so many reviews out there speaks volumes of its effectiveness. At times, users share advice in their reviews on how to find the best mobile shopping deals out of the merchandise or service, what works well with the product, or when the best time to cash in on an offered deal is.
Other times, reviews feature rants and complaints from disgruntled customers, giving you – the third person – a chance to reconsider before spending your money. why diverse opinions matter and they are not afraid to share it, but what really counts is what you do with that opinion.
Types Of Reviews
Reviews are abundant on the Internet but can be grouped into a few types:
1. The Full-Blown Essay
Reviews can come nestled in a paragraph with conveniently placed “trigger words.” These may be written by the manufacturer or by someone engaged by the seller to write about the product. They are mainly positive about the product or service sold and can help you pick the best choice, especially when you have hundreds of similar brands in the global market to choose from.
A similar source would be online reviews written in personal blogs. It’s fair to assume that these might not be unbiased reviews, but you can be sure that if there is a name attached to the review, it carries some level of honesty.
2. The Review Websites
There are also online review websites populated with reviews. Just to name a few, we have:
- Dpreview.com for digital camera enthusiasts,
- BoxOfficeMojo.com for movies,
- Tripadvisor.com for travel experiences,
- Bizrate.com for a wide range of merchandise including electronics, clothing, toys, and jewelry,
- Yelp.com for business reviews.
Amazon.com and Upwork.com let you rate service providers or people that use these portals to find their businesses.
3. Forum And Discussions
Lastly, you can find online reviews by running keywords through a search engine, e.g., “white bread vs whole meal.” Depending on the popularity of your search, you could easily find many discussions in online forums.
These are not as structured as the other types but may reveal the most information about what you are looking for despite the back-and-forth.
Distinguishing Genuine Reviews from Fake Ones
Like everything else on the Internet, given enough time, someone will turn it into something controversial. Despite the intentions of most reviewers, business organizations are quick to figure out that reviews from regular users can be turned into great marketing tools to improve their brand image or smear their rivals.
It’s not the least bit ethical, but the Internet makes it almost impossible to catch these rogue reviewers. What’s to stop them? All they need is a fake username to pose as a customer and write a review on the product or service page, either giving it a five-star review or an angry, albeit fake, tongue-lashing.
In fact, 5% of all online reviews are fake. Reviews can be bought for as low as $5.
These writers are real people, but they were never really there or have ever used the product. In September 2011, TripAdvisor.com was investigated for spreading advertising falsehoods. They were being investigated for not doing enough to ensure that their reviewers’ posts were genuine.
But how do you tell if a review is real or not?
Part Science, Part Gut Feeling
You know that knowledge is valuable when even academics are giving it due attention. Myle Ott of Cornell University has developed a computer algorithm to weed out fake reviews based on the words used. His research was so compelling that Google requested his resume.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kawamura of Edinburgh University believes that “Yes” or “No” reviews are the best benchmarks for trustworthy reviews. He found that when allowed to give subjective opinions, reviewers tend to exaggerate their claims for attention, making these reviews less credible.
For the rest of us, well…
When reading any review, take the time to consider the reviewer’s intention. Is the person too soft or too critical of the service? Was the assessment fair, or is the reviewer just being difficult? Does the review sound like a promotion rather than an honest opinion? Paying attention to these nuances can help you discern the truth or lies in a review. Dig deeper.
Another criterion is the reviewer’s credibility. A regular reviewer who is consistent in their stand (and username) holds more credibility compared to new users or the ‘housewife’ whose home coincidentally has every single appliance from the same manufacturer.
Reviewers may also agree or disagree among themselves. At times, these online altercations may reveal useful underlying information, like whether the reviewer is actually working for the company they are vouching for. Again, dig deeper.
The Best Policy
Despite the efficacy of online reviews, you should take every review with a pinch of salt. Opinions vary, and we all have different levels of tolerance and expectations. That doesn’t mean you should avoid online reviews altogether.
In fact, some of you are probably active reviewers on the Internet. You are free to vent, share, influence, grumble, justify, skewer, or condemn any product, service, or organization you have come in contact with.
We encourage you to do so as this can serve as an impetus for providers to improve and stay competitive. However, spare a thought for the effect of your review and choose your words wisely. And if you look forward to receiving pure, honest, and thoughtful reviews from others, do the same when you write your reviews.
The post How Online Reviews Can Save Your Shopping Experience appeared first on Hongkiat.
