Rant: The Current State of Amazon Customer Reviews

[Michael]

They set those at the top, right? I think you see them all the time but they don't make up a huge part of the sample.

It really depends. If there are thousands of reviews you're most likely okay, but I've seen some products with around 100 reviews and I'd say about half of them the product was provided for free.

[haltz]

I was just reading a couple of articles and the whole system seems nefarious and frought with bias.

[Jocephus]

what is meant by the "marketplace"...like, the independent folks?

[MrSaigon]

I'm rather surprised there isn't a culled review app or site. Maybe Amazon doesn't play well with people that would do that. There's an opportunity for someone there.

Rejecting reviews of the purchase/shipping experience or thoughtless 5s and 1s. Mining for common positives and negatives. Sorting reviewers by demographics as possible.

That kind of thing.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

I'm rather surprised there isn't a culled review app or site. Maybe Amazon doesn't play well with people that would do that. There's an opportunity for someone there.

Rejecting reviews of the purchase/shipping experience or thoughtless 5s and 1s. Mining for common positives and negatives. Sorting reviewers by demographics as possible.

That kind of thing.

Right. It doesn't seem too difficult.

Have a clear cut and concise accumulation of reviews that would look something like this:
Things people liked:
Things people didn't like:
Best attributes:
Worst attributes:
Parts most likely to break: (possibly have a % of reviews that showed this)

Same thing with trip advisor. I wish there was a summary of all the reviews with meals that were most liked/least liked at any given restaurant instead of combing through hundred of reviews trying to find that information.

[Tambourine Man]

I received a flyer with my latest purchase offering a $5 Amazon gift card if I leave a review.

[Secret Weapon]

I received a flyer with my latest purchase offering a $5 Amazon gift card if I leave a review.

What you said above should be your review. It's honest and you get 5 bucks.

[Tambourine Man]

I received a flyer with my latest purchase offering a $5 Amazon gift card if I leave a review.

What you said above should be your review. It's honest and you get 5 bucks.

LOL, I love this idea.

[MrSaigon]

Is Amazon more discretely selling through third parties now? Or are there a [expletive] ton more of them? I have had two real pains in my ass lately. Including a return that was 21 emails (most from me saying 'are you going to do this? really? when?) and 4 months from start to refund.

Anyway, I have to get in and review that seller, but sure seems like I've spent enough time with those crooks. And also be more thorough before clicking buy.

[Swirls]

Is Amazon more discretely selling through third parties now? Or are there a [expletive] ton more of them? I have had two real pains in my ass lately. Including a return that was 21 emails (most from me saying 'are you going to do this? really? when?) and 4 months from start to refund.

Anyway, I have to get in and review that seller, but sure seems like I've spent enough time with those crooks. And also be more thorough before clicking buy.

I've almost stopped buying entirely from Amazon. I got my notice a few weeks ago on my total Use Tax from the 10 months I lived in South Carolina. Added $1300 to my state return that caused me to go from a $20 refund to $1280 owed. Son of a [expletive].

In Minnesota, Use Tax isn't reported to the state unless you had somewhere around $750 in sales tax that wasn't paid. In South Carolina, it's reported to the state no matter how much you saved in sales tax (I had a Use Tax of like $75 when I did my tax return last Spring when I only lived in South Carolina for a couple months).

[expletive] Amazon.