Next Totally Unscientific Reader Poll

Sarah Zettel · 12-10-2009, 12:53 PM

Do people read reviews of ebooks when deciding what to buy? Would you be interested in a reliable, or at least entertaining, source of reviews?

pshrynk · 12-10-2009, 04:22 PM

I read reviews a lot and would be interested in a good source of them, especially if not linked to a commercial site.

kindlekitten · 12-10-2009, 04:24 PM

I think you need to actually make a poll to get poll type responses. mostly

Latinandgreek · 12-10-2009, 04:43 PM

I also read reviews a lot before buying books, or anything in general.

Moejoe · 12-10-2009, 04:51 PM

if it were a hardware item, such as a TV or new gadget, then reviews work well for me. With cultural items such as books, music and films, the only reason I ever read a review is for a chuckle.

Sarah Zettel · 12-10-2009, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

I think you need to actually make a poll to get poll type responses. mostly

Mostly I agree with you, which is why this is totally unscientific.

WT Sharpe · 12-10-2009, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarah Zettel

Do people read reviews of ebooks when deciding what to buy? Would you be interested in a reliable, or at least entertaining, source of reviews?

I sometimes read reviews, but ultimately it's the sample that sells me.

kindlekitten · 12-10-2009, 09:39 PM

ok, if we aren't having a poll...

I try to talk to users, super geeky son gives advice, read reviews etc. all for devices. for some books I'll read reviews, especially sci-fi

Sweetpea · 12-11-2009, 02:13 AM

I never read reviews... I won't give out reviews, except that I liked this or that book or that I didn't like it. I've read books that (afterwards) I found out everybody thought was horrible, and which I liked. And vice versa.

I do read extracts though. An extract gives you an idea how a book is written.

Darqref · 12-11-2009, 02:41 AM

I find reviews are best for one of the following reasons:
1. I'm looking for someone else (I find a lot of audio mysteries for my mother, which I don't read. reviews help me tell the amount of horror or gruesome, and generally what kind of book it is.)

2. I'm considering an author I've never seen before. again, reviews help, but not if I've actually got the book in my hands, and for this purpose, a sample helps better.

3. I'm calibrating a reviewer. If I can tell whether I consistently agree or disagree with a reviewer, I can use that reviewer to help winnow the chaff.

Stitchawl · 12-11-2009, 02:58 AM

I don't read reviews for books or movies. That being said, I do listen to people with much the same tastes as I have. I just don't base my actions on them. All to often have liked/disliked things that I've disliked/liked.

When someone posts the name of an author/book here, I usually download it immediately. Often I enjoy it. Just as often I delete it.

Stitchawl.

dsvick · 12-11-2009, 07:59 AM

For books and movies and other topics where the reviewers thoughts are going to be more subjective I will rarely pay much attention to a review or even read one. In most of those cases I'll read an excerpt, the back cover, watch a trailer, or whatever will let me make my own subjective decision.

For other things, hardware, and the like, I use reviews heavily. I'll read a few of the positive reviews but focus mainly on the negative ones and looks for trends and/or consistency between them. And then, every so often, go get the thing anyway

Sweetpea · 12-11-2009, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsvick

For other things, hardware, and the like, I use reviews heavily. I'll read a few of the positive reviews but focus mainly on the negative ones and looks for trends and/or consistency between them. And then, every so often, go get the thing anyway

If there is only one review, I'll dismiss it. I also tend to skip the positive ones and read the negative ones. Sometimes they think of something being negative, while I find it a positive... Or the reviewer is just negative for being negative

(when I was looking for reviews for the camera I wanted to buy, one gave it a negative review, because his DSL made better pictures than the camera he was reviewing, which was a compact...)

omk3 · 12-11-2009, 09:29 AM

Mostly I know or I can guess what I will like. If I'm on the fence about a book I know nothing about, I might read reviews but not rely on them. Like Sweetpea, I often find negative reviews more helpful, especially if I find that the reviewer is somebody I would disagree with. Sometimes I read reviews after I have finished a book, just to see what other people thought about it. But then it's less a "review" and more a "discussion", even if I don't answer back.

kindlekitten · 12-11-2009, 12:48 PM

I sure wish I had payed closer attention (believed) the reviews of Men Who Stare at Goats and The Fantasti Mr. Fox. four plus hours of my life I will never get back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

If there is only one review, I'll dismiss it. I also tend to skip the positive ones and read the negative ones. Sometimes they think of something being negative, while I find it a positive... Or the reviewer is just negative for being negative

(when I was looking for reviews for the camera I wanted to buy, one gave it a negative review, because his DSL made better pictures than the camera he was reviewing, which was a compact...)

wow! doing it that way you would surely never buy an ereader right about now!

12-10-2009, 12:53 PM	#1
Sarah Zettel Member Posts: 15 Karma: 28 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: Sony eReader, iPhone	Next Totally Unscientific Reader Poll Do people read reviews of ebooks when deciding what to buy? Would you be interested in a reliable, or at least entertaining, source of reviews?

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12-10-2009, 04:22 PM	#2
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	I read reviews a lot and would be interested in a good source of them, especially if not linked to a commercial site.

12-10-2009, 04:24 PM	#3
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	I think you need to actually make a poll to get poll type responses. mostly

12-10-2009, 04:43 PM	#4
Latinandgreek Warrior Princess Posts: 5,038 Karma: 9724231 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505; PRS-350, PRS-T1, iPad, Aura HD	I also read reviews a lot before buying books, or anything in general.

12-10-2009, 04:51 PM	#5
Moejoe Banned Posts: 5,100 Karma: 72193 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South of the Border Device: Coffin	if it were a hardware item, such as a TV or new gadget, then reviews work well for me. With cultural items such as books, music and films, the only reason I ever read a review is for a chuckle.

12-10-2009, 09:39 PM	#8
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	ok, if we aren't having a poll... I try to talk to users, super geeky son gives advice, read reviews etc. all for devices. for some books I'll read reviews, especially sci-fi

12-11-2009, 02:13 AM	#9
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I never read reviews... I won't give out reviews, except that I liked this or that book or that I didn't like it. I've read books that (afterwards) I found out everybody thought was horrible, and which I liked. And vice versa. I do read extracts though. An extract gives you an idea how a book is written.

12-11-2009, 02:41 AM	#10
Darqref space cadet Posts: 333 Karma: 2999999 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Seattle area Device: Rocket PRO, gen3, Pocketbook360	I find reviews are best for one of the following reasons: 1. I'm looking for someone else (I find a lot of audio mysteries for my mother, which I don't read. reviews help me tell the amount of horror or gruesome, and generally what kind of book it is.) 2. I'm considering an author I've never seen before. again, reviews help, but not if I've actually got the book in my hands, and for this purpose, a sample helps better. 3. I'm calibrating a reviewer. If I can tell whether I consistently agree or disagree with a reviewer, I can use that reviewer to help winnow the chaff.

12-11-2009, 02:58 AM	#11
Stitchawl Opsimath Posts: 12,344 Karma: 187123287 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand Device: Sony PRS-650, iPhone 5, Kobo Glo, Sony PRS-350, iPad, Samsung Galaxy	I don't read reviews for books or movies. That being said, I do listen to people with much the same tastes as I have. I just don't base my actions on them. All to often have liked/disliked things that I've disliked/liked. When someone posts the name of an author/book here, I usually download it immediately. Often I enjoy it. Just as often I delete it. Stitchawl.

12-11-2009, 07:59 AM	#12
dsvick Wizard Posts: 2,737 Karma: 635747 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Northeast Ohio, USA Device: PRS-900	For books and movies and other topics where the reviewers thoughts are going to be more subjective I will rarely pay much attention to a review or even read one. In most of those cases I'll read an excerpt, the back cover, watch a trailer, or whatever will let me make my own subjective decision. For other things, hardware, and the like, I use reviews heavily. I'll read a few of the positive reviews but focus mainly on the negative ones and looks for trends and/or consistency between them. And then, every so often, go get the thing anyway

12-11-2009, 09:29 AM	#14
omk3 Wizard Posts: 1,454 Karma: 37243 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Europe Device: pocketbook 360, kindle 4	Mostly I know or I can guess what I will like. If I'm on the fence about a book I know nothing about, I might read reviews but not rely on them. Like Sweetpea, I often find negative reviews more helpful, especially if I find that the reviewer is somebody I would disagree with. Sometimes I read reviews after I have finished a book, just to see what other people thought about it. But then it's less a "review" and more a "discussion", even if I don't answer back.

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