Amazon shoppers: do you read or write reviews?

Those reviews are one of the reasons that I love Amazon. Now that I'm older I seem to have a harder time making up my mind (I'm more cautious?), and those reviews help a lot. Lately, I pay more attention to the bars, if the 5* bar is big (past 70%) and all the others are very short, then that is good enough for me. I have written some reviews, but am ashamed to say I should write more, pass on the favor to others.

There was one one-cup coffee maker that I bought. Most people complained that the top was hard to open, the base did not stay hot, and the button did not shut off and had to be manually shut off. I went and bought it anyway. I drink the coffee right after it's made and the on button is very bright so no chance of not noticing it. The cover being hard to open was a worry but not everybody said that. I had that problem but I learned to push the back down with one hand while pushing the button down at the same time and it always worked. I bought it in 2013 and it just died on me, made coffee 3 times a day during those 6 years. I was going to buy it again, but it was $16 then and $34 now, so I bought another one for $20, this one stays hot and shuts off automatically. We'll see how long this one lasts, it had 70% at 5 stars.
 

Keesha said:
Could you elaborate on this some because I have seen plenty of customer reviews where the reviewer clearly stated that they were given a free product to try if they’d leave a review. This never happens to me so how do you get this?
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I've never done it, but I think there's someplace on Amazon where you can find out about it. The reviewers get a free or discounted product and they're ''encouraged'' to give positive reviews but I've seen a few where they do complain about whatever but most are positive and they're supposed to note that they've received the item that way. I've read that is done when a product is new and the producer wants to get the word out there about their product.
 
PVC said:
I've never done it, but I think there's someplace on Amazon where you can find out about it. The reviewers get a free or discounted product and they're ''encouraged'' to give positive reviews but I've seen a few where they do complain about whatever but most are positive and they're supposed to note that they've received the item that way. I've read that is done when a product is new and the producer wants to get the word out there about their product.
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Thank you very much for writing all that out.
I think I’m going to check this out as I like the idea of getting free stuff and I write great reviews. It’s a win win for all as far as a see it. 😉
You’re a sweetie pie. 🥰
 

PVC said:
Those reviews are one of the reasons that I love Amazon. Now that I'm older I seem to have a harder time making up my mind (I'm more cautious?), and those reviews help a lot. Lately, I pay more attention to the bars, if the 5* bar is big (past 70%) and all the others are very short, then that is good enough for me. I have written some reviews, but am ashamed to say I should write more, pass on the favor to others.

There was one one-cup coffee maker that I bought. Most people complained that the top was hard to open, the base did not stay hot, and the button did not shut off and had to be manually shut off. I went and bought it anyway. I drink the coffee right after it's made and the on button is very bright so no chance of not noticing it. The cover being hard to open was a worry but not everybody said that. I had that problem but I learned to push the back down with one hand while pushing the button down at the same time and it always worked. I bought it in 2013 and it just died on me, made coffee 3 times a day during those 6 years. I was going to buy it again, but it was $16 then and $34 now, so I bought another one for $20, this one stays hot and shuts off automatically. We'll see how long this one lasts, it had 70% at 5 stars.
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As soon as I am interested in something I’m considering buying, I review it to death. I want to make absolutely sure that it’s a good buy and the reviews are what save me from any returns. In my opinion I think it’s a good practice to use in order to be a smart shopping consumer.
 
I both read and write them. When reading, I usually focus on the 2 and 3 stars to eliminate the "it's amazing" "it totally stinks" range.

I sort reviews by verified purchase and also--feel this is important--"most recent" first. Amazon defaults to listing reviews by "top reviews" first instead of "most recent" which gives bias to older reviews that will have received the most "helpful" clicks making them show as "top reviews". In my thinking, the older are more likely to be planted by the company than recent reviews, and recent reviews also reflect any changes in design or materials that may have occurred through the years.
 
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AnnieA said:
I sort reviews by verified purchase and also--feel this is important--"most recent" first.
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Excellent point!

Back in 2013 I bought a one-cup coffee maker by Black & Decker because it was a brand I trusted. It only lasted me 3 months. When I went back to re-read those excellent reviews, they were very old reviews and I learned that B&D was no longer made in the US but in Asia. So, now I click on the ''recent reviews'' to see what the reviews are NOW.
 
I've never bought anything on-line. if I do want something I'll ask my wife to order it and she takes care of the reviews. I rarely hear her complain and she does respond with her comments from what she tells me.

We do laugh at times when she gets the "you might also be interested in this". Mixed in with her regular orders they find that she also likes auto racing or wood lathes. etc..
 
PVC said:
I've never done it, but I think there's someplace on Amazon where you can find out about it. The reviewers get a free or discounted product and they're ''encouraged'' to give positive reviews but I've seen a few where they do complain about whatever but most are positive and they're supposed to note that they've received the item that way. I've read that is done when a product is new and the producer wants to get the word out there about their product.
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I am a Vine reviewer for Amazon. There is no way to "find out" about it; they contact individuals and offer the program. I have shopped with Amazon since 1996 and have always written reviews. I was contacted to be a part of the Vine Review program many years ago and happily accepted. Each month there is a selection of merchandise that a reviewer can order (for free), use and review. The reviews are never "encouraged" to be positive; they are supposed to be totally subjective and mine are.

A couple of years ago, the freebies became taxable and were to be reported as income after reaching a certain level, so I participate much less now than I used to. I got some very nice freebies over the years, including kitchen appliances, vacuum cleaners... you name it. I always posted an honest review, just as I do for products I purchase.
 
C'est Moi said:
I am a Vine reviewer for Amazon. There is no way to "find out" about it; they contact individuals and offer the program. I have shopped with Amazon since 1996 and have always written reviews. I was contacted to be a part of the Vine Review program many years ago and happily accepted. Each month there is a selection of merchandise that a reviewer can order (for free), use and review. The reviews are never "encouraged" to be positive; they are supposed to be totally subjective and mine are.

A couple of years ago, the freebies became taxable and were to be reported as income after reaching a certain level, so I participate much less now than I used to. I got some very nice freebies over the years, including kitchen appliances, vacuum cleaners... you name it. I always posted an honest review, just as I do for products I purchase.
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Thanks! I've never done it, what I said is just what I've read about it. I am a frequent buyer at Amazon, never enjoyed shopping, but I've never gotten contacted to be a Vine reviewer. I wonder how they choose the reviewers? Yes, that is one of the problems, most people who win stuff are not aware that they have to claim prizes as income.
 
I got an offer of a free product for a review a few years back. It was for bottles of essential oils, I think. So, I took them up on it. Got the products, my husband and I BOTH agreed we did not care for them. The scents were unappealing, and we could find nothing positive to say. So, they got a negative from me.
 
PVC said:
Thanks! I've never done it, what I said is just what I've read about it. I am a frequent buyer at Amazon, never enjoyed shopping, but I've never gotten contacted to be a Vine reviewer. I wonder how they choose the reviewers? Yes, that is one of the problems, most people who win stuff are not aware that they have to claim prizes as income.
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Actually, the freebies are only taxed when amounting to more than $600 a year and are not considered "prizes." Until a couple of years ago, it was not reported at all. I have no idea how the reviewers are chosen; I was just contacted out of the blue. I assume that the reviewer's previous reviews were evaluated before the offer was extended. (Reviews that say, "I LOVE it!!!" have very little value to anyone.) I have been in the Vine program for probably 15 years or so.
 
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Yes, I read a lot, and write a lot, and not just Amazon... think you have to today the ways things are produced... I find things today are not made as well as they were awhile ago... Used to buy things awhile ago that would last for nearly a lifetime, where things today don't... So think it is very important to read and write reviews...
 
I belonged to several sites that sold products at a great discount, in exchange you were asked to write a review on Amazon. Then, Amazon changed their rules, and said that if you were writing a review in exchange for a free or discounted item, that you had to say that in your review.

That didn’t work out well either, for Amazon, and I think that now they stopped letting companies do that at all.
That being said, you can still get bargains on amazon-sold items. I still belong to two of these and sometimes find something that I want at a good discount.

One of the websites is called Vipon.com, and the other one is jumpsend.com. You make an account there and then you can ask to purchase a product at the discount.
They usually only do a few of each item (at least on the ones with the highest discount), so you may or may not get an approval to purchase the item, but the savings are enough that it is worth at least asking to buy it.

I would love to be asked to join the Vine program, and we always write reviews of products we buy on Amazon, and read the reviews before we decide on which specific product is the best for our needs.

This is how the website for Vipon looks, and you can see some of the discounts there. I usually use the search function to find an item I am looking for, but you can also just choose a category and browse.


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C'est Moi said:
Actually, the freebies are only taxed when amounting to more than $600 a year and are not considered "prizes." Until a couple of years ago, it was not reported at all. I have no idea how the reviewers are chosen; I was just contacted out of the blue. I assume that the reviewer's previous reviews were evaluated before the offer was extended. (Reviews that say, "I LOVE it!!!" have very little value to anyone.) I have been in the Vine program for probably 15 years or so.
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These freebies are probably classified as other income because you "work" in some way in order to receive them. Game show prizes are also earned income (that was an unpleasant surprise for me), ditto sweepstakes and lottery winnings. The IRS is our BFF from the cradle to the grave. And beyond.

I find Vine reviews to be among Amazon's most helpful. They generally describe pros and cons, are clear, comprehensive, and well written.

How cool to be a Vine voice, CM!
 
I've been buying things from Amazon for years now and have
always had good results,Until this June.I ordered a recliner
and it arrived a few days earlier then expected. They left it
outside during a Thunderstorm. They didn't knock on the door
or ring the doorbell to let me know it arrived. When I saw it
the box was soaking wet and ripped. The chair was also very wet.
The chair I ordered was brown but the one they delivered was gray.
I went into Amazon and gave a rating and posted the picture of it.
Later that day when I looked in Amazon they had removed my rating.
Then I got a very nasty email from Amazon saying I should never
Have posted my complaint. It was a waste of $300.00 Now I will
no longer buy anything from Amazon.
 
I've written a few reviews. I always look at both positive and negative reviews. I want to see what people like or don't like. Amazon censors reviews to a point. I've seen some reviews which were outright hostile, and they are allowed to remain. I've posted some negative reviews that are tame compared to some other bad reviews. My negative reviews are often deleted. Inconsistency!
 
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