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3 Reasons to Distrust Amazon Reviews

Thursday 03 April 2014 at 10:40 am

Being an ex-Amazonian I like to keep up with the innovation that Amazon keeps delivering. Recently the Amazon Fire TV was announced, and I decided to take a look.

Amazon Fire TV

When I first hit the product page I was surprised to see 56 Reviews already posted. My first thought was that people got preview devices to try out and review via the Vine Program.

Nope.

  • 1/5 by Skipalong: “I agree with most everyone. Most people won’t purchase this unless HBO GO and VUDU are added to the roster. I have several digital copies on VUDU that I like to view on occasion. If these two elements are added it may be a winner.”
  • 1/5 by J&J Wiley: “Any box that can’t support HBO GO is no modern streaming box. There are better options out there. Very disappointed in Amazon.”
  • 1/5 by Alex theodo: “You are kidding right? Zero stars right now until you get HBO GO, then we can start talking.”

None of these people own the Amazon Fire TV or have used it. None of the 1 Star Reviews are Amazon Verified Purchases either.

And while several of the 5 Star Reviews are verified purchases, we still have bozos posting reviews:

  • 5/5 by C: “My box is on order. I dumped Time Warner 4 years ago.and watch video on my laptop…rarely watching broadcast tv. This is a step forward to my mind. I do have s subscription to Acorn Tv and would love to see this on Amazon TV”
  • 5/5 by Panthera: “I just ordered one! Sounds perfect! Can’t wait to get it! I have several Apple TVs but this one could outshine them all! Leave it to Amazon to get things right!”

This is getting ridiculous. I’m starting to question whether there is value in the Amazon Review System. People use it like a forum where they can freely discuss their perceived view of a product they have never used, and Amazon Customers get the shaft in not being able to know what reviews are bull and which ones are valuable. Amazon has the data to filter out reviews that are voted as not helpful, but they don’t — they just add up the numbers, leaving you to sift through the often atrocious reviews to figure things out on your own.

My Top 3 Reasons to Distrust Amazon Reviews:

  1. Reviewers will write reviews when they simply have an opinion about the product, even if they have never owned it.
  2. Reviewers will give single star reviews due to shipping or delivery problems, having nothing to do with the product.
  3. For new and hot products, Reviewers use Amazon Reviews as a forum as a conversation, not a review.

UPDATE: An hour later there are 68 reviews. I’m sure they are amazingly detailed and awesome.


eight comments

It is nice to read your post and you give wonderful information. Please keep posting such kind of informative stuff. Interesting article share and this blog is impresses more people to reading that blog.
best essay writing service (Email) (URL) - 24 06 17 - 00:39

It is nice to read your post and you give wonderful information. Please keep posting such kind of informative stuff. Interesting article share and this blog is impresses more people to reading that blog.
best essay writing service (Email) (URL) - 24 06 17 - 00:43

It’ really a cool and useful piece of information. I glad that you simply shared this helpful information with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
Blade Runner Coat (Email) (URL) - 13 11 17 - 01:52

Thanks for sharing
send flowers to japan (Email) (URL) - 03 01 18 - 03:54

It’s really hard to trust anything you read on the internet nowadays. It’s just spam and spam everywhere you go! I think it’s better to just buy from some store out there than to look for stuff online. Although, I confess that I ‘d rather take the risk rather than to exert more effort and find the stuff on stores. I choose convenience over the risk. Just be careful you guys and remember to be very skeptical always so you can be more sure of the stuff you are checking on.
resume service online - 07 05 18 - 01:33

Nowadays, Most writers are looking for a great job, so this is the responsibility of a person, to write the best and good quality content with the best words which can not contain plagiarism because their tutors are not accepting it.
adilah bisar (Email) (URL) - 19 01 21 - 04:15

well I can agree to only some extent of it, and as an editor at e-commerce websites, I can say that reviews are the essential point which we can connect and can be aware about the listed product or services are offered on the site.
BilalAshraf (Email) (URL) - 20 01 21 - 01:25

I appreciate the valuable information on ex-Amazon employee, expresses skepticism about the Amazon review system for the Amazon Fire TV. They highlight instances where people provide feedback without owning the product or based on expectations rather than actual experiences. The author questions the value of the review system, citing issues such as reviewers using it as a forum for discussion and giving low ratings due to shipping problems unrelated to the product.
Hannah Walters (Email) (URL) - 23 12 23 - 06:07


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