The Problem With Online Reviews
I recently broke the “free loop” on my smartband strap (and yes, I had to look that up to find the proper terminology). A quick search on Amazon verified that replacements were easily available. However, I couldn’t find any made by the manufacturer, Huawei, so I then started trawling through the third party clones. I narrowed the choice down to about three and then read their associated “reviews” made by those who may or may not (more on the latter shortly) have bought them. You wouldn’t think that something as innocuous as a silicon watch strap could engender such opprobrium and outrage. But apparently they do. As do so many other products and services. Hence the title of this post and my assertion that most online reviews are redundant. Perhaps it would be prudent to add a tenth level of hell to Dante’s Inferno which addresses this sorry issue.
I am going to compliment all of us by assuming that we all know exactly what the function of a product or service review is. Sadly, it is clear by the reviews and comments left on so many sites such as Amazon, Argos, Curry’s and many, many other online retailers that a lot of people don’t. For example, I see no correlation between the font used on a product’s packaging and its ability to perform the function for which it is created. Yet I have seen reviews that suggest this. I have also read reviews for the most trivial of products that have somehow managed to enrage the customer to levels comparable to a Klingon Blood Feud. Exactly how a poorly made, novelty coaster can be seen as a slur on your honour and that of your Shaolin Temple is beyond me. Yet you’ll find these sorts of reviews and comments everywhere. When I was last at the Science Museum in London, someone had left a strident complaint in the visitors book (in capital letters) that it was all a bit too “sciency”.
Now there is scope for this post to become a sprawling catalogue of amusing anecdotes but I don’t think that is really necessary to validate my point. In principle, allowing customers an option to leave feedback about the products they’ve bought is a sound idea. It is sadly hamstrung by the reality that those who feel most disposed to avail themselves of such services, are often those least equipped to do so. Naturally, you have to allow for a percentage of comments that are just pure trolling. However, if you filter those out, you still find a wealth of irate customers who seem to feel that they have been actively conspired against. Upon reflection, such comments and reviews paint a very worrying picture of our society. It brings into question such things as the state of critical thinking, emotional literacy and appropriate behaviour in our wider society.
A lot of people certainly do seem to have unrealistic expectations regarding the products they buy. Is it wise to presume commensurate standards between buying a laptop and buying a multipack of fat balls for your bird feeder. Also, mass production always has scope for some items to fail quality control. If you are unfortunate to have a broken item delivered is it really likely that the manufacturers planned this like a Bond villain in a volcano lair? Is wishing death and damnation to all associated with the company until the tenth generation, really an appropriate response? And then there are those people who happily admit that they haven’t bought the product in question but feel compelled to join in, get involved and “contribute” to the discussion. This particular group worries the hell out of me and seems to be a direct result of the 24/7 society and the way we are driven towards continuous engagement, whether we wish it or not.
I managed to choose a new strap, despite the various comments that the manufacturers were “utter bastards” and that the product was not handmade from the finest materials and brought to my door on a silver platter. I worked out how to attach it without resorting to using a bread knife to saw it off, as one review complained. So far the strap has not presented any problems. If it lasts a year it will have merited its £5 cost. Have I learned a lesson as a result of this experience? Yes I have. I am not going to totally ignore user reviews and comments in future. But I will use any filter function judiciously. “Sort by relevance” is quite effective. If they want to add a means to ignore all crazy comments, I’d happily embrace that functionality. In a modern democracy it is hard to stop the “furiously hard of thinking” from expressing their views. I’d rather not play to their fears of being “cancelled”. But if I can mute their existence during my online experiences I’d consider that a win.