Reviews on Amazon

I shop on Amazon a LOT, in fact I just placed an order about an order ago. I like their superfast delivery.
Too many people just don't read the product descriptions/information/sizes etc or study the photos carefully. I read the questions if something I want to know is not in the product details, chances are someone else has already asked the same thing. I only leave product reviews if I think my comments might be helpful to other people, not simply to say that I liked something or the delivery was quick.

Last week I was looking for inkjet transparency sheets, and I was amazed how many people complained that they bought them to make PPE visors and they weren't suitable, too thin. Of course they were, that's not what they were meant for! But they work perfectly in my printer.

I'm sure some reviews on Amazon are not genuine (same as Ebay) but you just have to trust your instincts. What I do find disappointing is the vast number of cheap Chinese products being sold there. I flatly refuse to buy from China.

I have often reviewed items by saying "it does what its supposed to do quite well". Nothing more needs to be said.

I always read reviews to get an idea whether something is worth buying but often end up more confused, because they are so contradictory. How can some people say that the product works brilliantly and is very good value for money whilst others say it's badly made rubbish that fell to bits as soon as it came out of the box?

I try to weigh up the value of the reviews by the reasons for the criticism, particularly the one or two star reviews. This particularly applies to books. If they say it's badly written or the plot makes no sense, I am inclined to take them seriously but not if it is along the lines of"I didn't like the main character" or "I don't like historical novels." Well, don't read them, then. I feel sorry for the poor author when they get two stars because "the book is good but it didn't arrive in time for my nephew's birthday."

Some of the reviews for the classics are very amusing. Such as a Jane Austen novel which was "just people visiting each other's houses and talking." What were you expecting? A car chase? A serial killer?

I write reviews and I ask questions. I also answer questions. Oh and I read reviews. I do wonder about some. I have occasionally been put off buying because of a review.

I've always relied on Amazon reviews and have been put off buying some items as many reviewers have pointed out faults. Hence I try to always put fair reviews for things I have bought. I have to say I don't bother with things like post it notes or rolls of brown wrapping paper .

I’ve just bought a new iron based on the hundreds of positive reviews and I really dislike it. I have since read the few negative reviews and they basically complain about the same issues that I dislike. So I’m going to read the negative reviews first in future!

I like the ones that review the wrong item entirely. Reviewing a pillow: "It smelled strange when I plugged it in and even after 10 minutes the water had not boiled properly." Or a DVD: "There was a funny taste to this. I think it had gone off. "

Try being an author who depends on fair reviews for sales sigh...
I only have one 1* review, but the reviewer was complaining that it wasn't much of a murder mystery. Given that it's historical romance, she's absolutely correct sighs harder

* Witzend's quote* "My pet peeve re reviews, is the book ones, where some people seem to think ‘review’ means giving a long précis of the plot".

I find this so annoying. Why do reviewers feel the need to tell you the whole plot of the book! The least they could do was put 'spoiler alert' at the top of the review.

Doodlebug!
Laughing here with dh…..

I don't get too hung up about a few bad reviews because there is always someone who has a moan or a faulty item. If they come up highly rated by a lot of people then that is more important.

Doodledog, I laughed so much at those reviews!!

Doodledog that is hilarious!

I’ll get some for dh when he is having a problem!

Every time you buy something no matter how tiddly you get asked to do a review. This can get monotonous and annoying, and quite frankly sometimes you don’t know what to say. A propriety ink jet cartridge for example is what it is which is why some reviewers say it does or is what it says on the box.
With Amazon I have to sign in before reviewing. What a faff! Now I only review the larger items which I think will be helpful to potential buyers.

There is also a concern that not all reviews are genuine.

I know what you mean, but IMO they can be helpful.

More than one review of something I’d intended to buy for a little Gds for Christmas changed my mind - someone said it hadn’t even lasted until the turkey was out of the oven! So that was a no for a Gds still at the chuck-and-bash stage.

Ditto a mass of largely v good reviews for something I bought for a Gdd’s birthday recently - it was a very big hit.

My pet peeve re reviews, is the book ones, where some people seem to think ‘review’ means giving a long précis of the plot.

I find the Amazon questions annoying. People ask dozens of questions about the item which are already clearly stated in the description, or the question has already been asked and answered.
And even more stupid, people answering the question 'Sorry I don't know the answer to that'. Well why bother to answer at all! The person enquiring wants their question answered.?

My favourite was an overheard comment (not really a review) over breakfast on the Orient Express: ‘I had trouble getting to sleep. I do think they could do something about the train moving at night’.

You’d think if someone paid an awful lot of money to travel on a sleeper train, they’d expect it to move at night.

Some of these reviews are hilarious, if a bit crude!. You have to scroll down a bit to find them.

There's no cure for stupid. The reviews that irritate me are those that state: 'Five stars. I haven't used it yet but it looks good.'
'One star, it was delivered to the wrong address.' Er, this a comment on the postal service, not the product.
'One star' (for a book). 'The margins are too wide.'
'Five stars, arrived on time.'
I am also suspicious of products with an unlikely number of five star reviews.