Not so long ago, reviews used to show the real quality of a product. Overwhelmingly positive reviews suggested that you could trust an item. Bad reviews did the opposite.
Then some manufacturers and retailers discovered the power of reviews and began paying people for positive comments. Some malicious brands even hire commentators to say negative things about their competitors.
So, can you really trust online reviews? Yes, you can. Not every online review is fake or biased. You can still find objective reviews to help you make informed buying decisions. Use these tips.
1. Read Reviews at Trustworthy Sites
If you want to find credible reviews, use trustworthy review websites. Look for sites that have been reviewing products for months or years. Pay attention to sites that specialize in a specific niche. There’s a high chance the reviews are knowledgeable about these niches.
How do you know a review site can be trusted? Read the actual reviews. Credible buying guides tend to be informative. They share the details of a product without being biased.
Additionally, trustworthy review sites like bestreviews.guide tend to have clear guidelines on how they review products. In doing so, they help you know why a certain product has a higher rating than its rival. Or why you should avoid a specific brand entirely.
2. Read Multiple Reviews
Distinguishing genuine from fake reviews can be hard. However, it is easier to find true information about a product you want to buy by reading multiple reviews. Let’s say you find a review saying why you should buy a specific outdoor grill.
However, there’s a catch. The product has an expensive price tag. Before you spend your hard-earned money, read another review. Find if a different review says the same positive things about the grill.
If multiple reviews suggest that a product is worth its price tag, then you could go ahead and purchase it. Of course, find discounts. Use review sites to compare prices or find coupon codes.
3. Check Product Ratings
Yes, a review site says you should buy a certain weight loss pill. But what do the reviews on Amazon say? Do people like the product? Reviews always go hand-in-hand with ratings.
If a product is top-rated, you can find many reviews saying great things about it. If an item has a near-perfect rating in stores but review sites think the product is substandard, you should think twice before buying it.
Look at both the positive and negative aspects of a product before you make a buying decision. Find out why some reviewers think you shouldn’t buy a specific smartphone. If they have valid points, find a better device.
4. Check for Common Mistakes
Sometimes you can spot a fake review from a distance. This is especially true for short reviews published in the comment section of a well-known website. Fake reviews lack real information about the reviewer.
Most of them are published anonymously. You can’t see the picture, name or email address of the reviewer. In most cases, these people don’t have any other reviews published on the site.
Another way to spot a fake review is to read its content. Fake reviews don’t say anything helpful about a product or place. They’re usually one-word adjectives calling a product excellent, great or the best.
Also, look out for grammatical errors. Most people who pay for reviews pay peanuts to non-native speakers. The review writers don’t have a great command of the English language, which is reflected in their poor grammar.
5. Credibility
If you’re like many people, you probably trust reviews from friends and close family members. You trust them with a lot of things. So, you’re likely to take their word when they say a product is good.
The reason we trust reviews from friends is that we know them. It is also the same reason people buy products recommended by their favourite celebrities. Maybe you like an athlete. If the athlete recommends something related to sports, you’re likely to buy it.
Look for credibility in websites too. Check if a site is secure. Look at the quality of its content. Check if there’s a face behind these reviews. As we mentioned earlier, the best reviews come from people we trust.
