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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to wonder whether customer reviews are helpful?

31 replies

Bogeyface · 18/04/2013 10:31

Because it seems to most people dont bother to leave a review unless there is a problem!

I am after a summerhouse, have some money in the bank and am looking around. The problem is that no matter where I look, the vast majority of reviews are negative. If I took them all on face value then I would never ever get one! I had the same problem when I was buying my new carpet from a very reputable manufacturer and reseller, 90% of the reviews were negative.

As it is, I have no idea where to go, at least with the carpet I knew what I was looking at, but not with Summerhouses!

AIBU to think that only pissed off people leave reviews?

OP posts:

FacebookWanker · 18/04/2013 10:35

I guess it depends. I was going to buy a juicer that was reduced from £100 to £30. A couple of reviewers said that t didn't extract juice from the fruit so I think they saved me. I tend to mainly look at the negative reviews because sometimes the things that some people haven't liked, don't really matter to me.

Original poster

Bogeyface · 18/04/2013 10:40

There was one place where I read the reviews and thought "Well I wont buy that from there then", and then got the same at every other place I tried including the big expensive places!

Although I did notice that a couple of reviews were from people who had paid for cheap shiplap buildings and seemed to expect a log cabin! Arrgghh!!!!

OP posts:

scarredpierced · 18/04/2013 10:43

Agree that you are more likely to see a bad review - people seem to not bother with writing good ones.
However, if the bad reviews are highlighting the same issue over and over again then they might be food for thought and you have to wonder if the product is going to suit your needs.

Thewhingingdefective · 18/04/2013 10:49

People review only when they love or hate something so you only get extreme ends of the spectrum.

There is a bit if a Michael McIntyre stand up routine where he talks about scrolling through page after page of five star reviews on Trip Advisor for a hotel he is considering staying at, then he spots a single one star review about fifteen pages in and it puts him off.

Original poster

Bogeyface · 18/04/2013 10:58

www.trustpilot.co.uk/review/www.kybotech.co.uk

Well I wont be using those guys, their positive reviews seem rather suspicious!

OP posts:

Original poster

Bogeyface · 18/04/2013 10:58

Think I will go with B&Q on the basis that at least I know who they are!

OP posts:

CandidaDoyle · 18/04/2013 11:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 18/04/2013 11:17

I always check reviews as I like to get value for money and to make sure what I get does what I expect. I always look at negative first as like a PP said, something's won't apply to me anyway. And that if the same thing is flagged up several times then that's something to think about. I always say to myself that there's always going to be one or two that are faulty so o e negative review won't necessarily put me off but if it s a consistent problem that's raised even in the better reviews then .....

Lazyjaney · 18/04/2013 11:19

I do know that increasingly they are spammed by +ve boosters and -ve competitors, and there is a thread on AIBU right now where an OP has posted a fallacious negative review on tripadvisor, so I'd be quite wary unless it's a moderated site or something like Which.

I think if the same thing came up over and over it'd probably be worth noting though.

fluffyraggies · 18/04/2013 11:27

if the bad reviews are highlighting the same issue over and over again then they might be food for thought

^^ this

and

i think you have to read reviews as a rough guide and look 'between the lines' at who's doing the reviewing if poss. I recently reviewed a hotel very favorably and took a quick look at other reviews of the same place, same week. Big country house hotel.

Young couple: 10/10.
We had a lovely romantic break away. Pricey, but worth it for the luxury. We loved it. Log fires, fine food, lovely.

Mature couple: 2/10.
We stay away allot in this sort of place but wont go here again. We were disappointed that the covers weren't turned down for us before bed. Shoddy.

Would you stay there?
It was lovely.

Lazyjaney · 18/04/2013 11:32

That is priceless fluffyraggies, oh the shock of covers not being turned down - says it all :)

SouthernComforts · 18/04/2013 11:49

I agree op.

The problem is, one persons 'close to bars and restaurants' is another persons 'noisy'

I love reading reviews though, some people complain for the sake of it. I saw one recently complaining that the distance from a hotel to an attraction was incorrect on the website, by approximately 100m

Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 18/04/2013 11:59

I complained on a review once in all fairness I searched high and low for a hello kitty duvet set. One which had a pretty design and good reviews with regards to quality and fit. Well, stumbled into what I thought sounded fantastic. 4-5 star reviews, nice design and from a shop that was deemed at the time to have good quality stuff. Needless to say item was not of a good standard so I wrote as much. I also called customer services who were rubbish and couldn't tell me if it was a dodgy batch when I asked if I could swap it for the 5 star product everyone else appeared to receive

SarahAndFuck · 18/04/2013 14:02

I bought my kettle because most of the online reviews said the spout bit didn't leak water everywhere while you were pouring your water out.

We had one at work that left more water all over the counter and tray than in the cups, because the spout was weird and let water run down the kettle while also pouring into the cup. It did my head in.

And the reviews were right about the new one. It's not the kettle I would have chosen if I'd gone on looks alone and not reviews, but the water goes where it's meant to and it boils very quickly, so the reviews were worth it to me.

PenelopePipPop · 18/04/2013 14:40

No use to you OP (unless you are vv short) but I left a positive review for DD's wooden playhouse because it was excellent value for money and did point out that it took me and DH (who are clueless) quite a lot longer to put up than the manufacturers predicted but was nice and solid once complete. I didn't want to put anyone off, just make sure people buying it as a birthday present allowed themselves enough time for the paint to dry.

So maybe...

And on sites with huge numbers of reviews like Tripadviser the prevailing trend can be informative even if the fact that Gavin's Aunty booked the place for her Ruby Wedding anniversary and the food was served late but they still had a nice time considering does not tell you much.

FryOneFatManic · 18/04/2013 16:42

I look at reviews in relation to what I'm hoping the object will do, eg phone battery life as opposed to the fancy wallpapers, etc.

However, some reviews can be funny, and are deliberately so (Veet for Men and Bic for ladies, both products with hilarious reviews on Amazon) and sometimes I'll read reviews for the amusement factor

Original poster

Bogeyface · 18/04/2013 17:11

Penelope, where did you get it from? Do they supply other garden buildings?

OP posts:

PenelopePipPop · 18/04/2013 17:22

Waltons - don't think they have doctored the reviews or star-ratings looking at the comments.

Buzzardbird · 18/04/2013 17:25

Bogey I was recommended a company the other day if you would like the name? Apparently all their buildings are t and g instead of composite flooring, I checked online and their prices are good.

Original poster

Bogeyface · 19/04/2013 00:18

That would be great Buzza, thank you :)

I am currently looking at Waltons Penelope, thanks for the link :)

OP posts:

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 19/04/2013 01:36

Ooh I'm looking at the Waltons site and having shed envy.

We cleared a space in our garden and it's forlornley empty and just crying out for a shed/ space for me to hide my stuff in.

Thumbwitch · 19/04/2013 01:50

I like reading customer reviews when I'm planning on spending a lot of money on something - it helps me to decide whether or not it's worth it.

Last thing I checked up on was a new food processor - and what killed it for me was the shelf life, I know household goods are all short shelf-life now but 2-3y for a couple of hundred pounds piece of kit seems outrageous to me, especially as my last one was only just giving up the ghost after 20y! (and only cost ~£30 new)

OkayHazel · 19/04/2013 07:04

Sometimes companies offer incentives to review products - so they're not always negative then!

Buzzardbird · 20/04/2013 08:37

It was www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk

TarkaTheOtter · 20/04/2013 09:58

Haha buzzard that company is the same one with the dodgy reviews mentioned above!

Scroll to the bottom and you'll see all their "sister" websites.

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