Quote:
Originally Posted by harriska2
I've had my issues with amazon's review process. We bought a Traeger Jr pellet BBQ at Costco. The design is one which could burn something down so we had to re-engineer it with a different switch. I posted that to Amazon and gave it a 2 start review. You could tell all the fake reviews there - generic, one name user, few previous reviews. But funny enough, people believed my review and it gained thumbs up (or whatever it they call it). Low and behold, a year later they no longer sell that model and modified it to do what we had suggested (and done ourselves) so it doesn't burn backwards into the pellet hopper.
The review process can work and I do think that the steps they are taking could end up being worthwhile.
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Here is a very good example of why reviews from people who haven't bought the product from Amazon can be extremely valuable.
Sure, the policy can breed fake reviews, but even if people have bought the product from Amazon, their reviews could be full of hidden agendas.
No matter whether the review is negative or positive or whether or not the person bought the product from Amazon, it's up to the consumer to use care and common sense when digesting all the opinions -- just as you would when presented with a pitch from a salesman in a store.
But all in all, I find the reviews at Amazon incredibly helpful -- more helpful than Consumer Reports in most cases. I use them all the time even when I buy the item elsewhere. They have saved me from lots of buying mistakes.
--Pat