

Different sites skew toward different audiences. That may explain why products purchased from mobile devices get returned more often than those purchased from PCs, according to Pavlou.
#Are yelp reviewers a thing Pc#
Focusing in front of a PC means you’re more likely to think through your decision. Plus, when you’re using a mobile device you’re likely multitasking - sitting on the sidelines of a youth soccer game or on the subway commuting home. “When consumers make purchases on mobile devices they rely almost exclusively on the ratings,” Pavlou says. On mobile devices, it’s harder to scroll down and read long, informative reviews.

A responsible business that cares about its reputation is more likely to satisfy you,” Lappas says.Īlong with evaluating the reviews, these steps can help you make smart purchasing decisions: “A personalized response is a sign of commitment and vigilance. No responses or generic responses are a bad sign. Read the business’ response to negative comments.And sort for verified buyers if that’s possible. The most recent reviews are the most helpful, especially for restaurants and hotels, where quality can change quickly. They buy TVs, sweatshirts, and steak knives, too. And legit reviewers tend to review a range of products. A single review might not be fake, but it’s not trustworthy enough, Lappas says. Give less weight if a reviewer has only written one review, or only posts reviews in one category. Or, they may complain about the wait time in a restaurant, but that won’t factor in to your 4 p.m. For example, someone might balk at the high price of a pair of sandals, but you found them on sale. Keep in mind that the negative reviews might not matter to you. Instead of reading the first five or 10 reviews the site pops in front of you, read one or two from each star level. Buying a cordless vacuum? Search reviews for “battery life.” Thoughtful search terms will steer you toward the most relevant, useful reviews. Planning a large family dinner? Turn on the “good for groups” and “good for kids” filters. Drill through for the reviews that matter most to you. The right reviews can help you avoid purchasing products you won’t like and dealing with the expense and hassle of returns. How you weigh those reviews is up to you.“The average person reads about seven reviews before making a decision,” Lappas says. But, on some websites, you’ll see a label or badge next to the review that tells you the reviewer got an incentive.
#Are yelp reviewers a thing free#
You won’t always know if a reviewer got something - like a free product - in exchange for writing a review. Sometimes, a company might post fake negative reviews to harm a competitor. Remember that fake reviews are not always positive.For example, you already know to watch out for reviews that seem too positive to be real, but some fake positive reviews give less than the highest possible rating in order to seem more believable. Some reviews may look suspicious, and some may look real, but it can often be nearly impossible to tell for sure. Don’t assume that, just by looking, you can spot the difference between a real review and a fake one.If it seems that the reviewer has created an account just to write one review for one product, that review may be fake. If so, read those to get a better sense of how much to trust that reviewer. Check if the reviewer has written other reviews.That can sometimes mean the reviews are fake. Check how recent the reviews are, and watch for a burst of reviews over a short period of time.What do you know about this reviewer? Or about the site or platform where you’re reading the review? Using Reviewsįor years, the FTC’s main recommendation when considering reviews has been to look at a variety of sources, including well-known websites that have trustworthy and impartial expert reviews.

When you use online reviews to help you make decisions, consider the source of the information. Others involved reviews by people who might have been real customers or users of a product but didn’t say that they’d been paid to write a positive review. Some involved companies that posted fake reviews of their own products and services. The FTC has brought a number of cases involving online reviews - likely more than any law enforcement agency in the world.
