Internet appliance reviews... are the negative reviews over-represented?

LeeH · 05-04-2009, 09:43 PM

I've been messing around with appliances recently... Craigslist and garage sale dishwashers and a Goodwill Microwave. Each time I pick something up I try to read about them and all I see is negative reviews. It really has me wondering if the web sites like Epinions are even worth visiting.

If you buy a new appliance and everything is fine, how likely are you to tell the world? However, if you buy one that is a constant source of frustration then it seems like the chances are good you are going to want to write a negative review to warn others and possibly hurt the company who makes the offending machine.

We're looking a getting a new range and every one that I've looked up has had significantly more negative reviews than positive. Should I just buy one and keep my fingers crossed? Thoughts?

HardDrive · 05-04-2009, 10:14 PM

Its all about ratios.

Yep, WAY more people go online to complain rather than sing anyones praises. But some are certainly going to get more negative feedback than others. I had a marketing consultant tell me that satisfied customers will tell an average of 3 people if they had a very good experience, and an average of 20 if they had a very negative experience. Perhaps this is not accurate, but my experience shows its somewhat true.

Some of the horror stories you read, you gotta wonder if the problem is bad repair service rather than bad product.

Bill Douglas · 05-04-2009, 11:40 PM

Appliances change every year so reviews/information may not be current. The big thing is for manufactures (with a good name) to buy crap appliances from Italy or Asia and rebrand them.

I recently bought a suposedly OK one for a rental property but made them give me a 5 year warranty or I wouldn't buy it. This way the tennant calls the warranty people and if it's the tenants fault (blocked filter) they pay for it. If it's crapped out the warranty people pay for it. And the first time it dies after 5 years it's off to the scrap metal yard and same again.

Heel n Toe · 05-05-2009, 08:14 AM

Lee, one of the places I usually go to read reviews is Amazon.

I can usually get a good overall feel for the product, as well as tell which people never did any of the manufacturer's prescribed maintenance and are whining because it went bad and they're ticked that they aren't getting a new one free of charge after 5 years.

I know that's exaggeration/hyperbole, but if you'll read some reviews there, I think you'll see what I mean.

TerryH · TerryH's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Lee, one of the places I usually go to read reviews is Amazon.

I can usually get a good overall feel for the product, as well as tell which people never did any of the manufacturer's prescribed maintenance and are whining because it went bad and they're ticked that they aren't getting a new one free of charge after 5 years.

I know that's exaggeration/hyperbole, but if you'll read some reviews there, I think you'll see what I mean.

I agree with looking at Amazon's reviews, but be careful to note that some reviewers will give poor grades on shipping, customer service, DOA, wrong color, etc. This makes the overall score worse and has nothing to do with the product. I usually read the best and worst reviews and arrive at my own average.

What kind of ranges are you looking at, Lee? Maybe I can send you another snapshot.

Heel n Toe · 05-05-2009, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerryH

...be careful to note that some reviewers will give poor grades on shipping, customer service, DOA, wrong color, etc. This makes the overall score worse and has nothing to do with the product. I usually read the best and worst reviews and arrive at my own average.

I don't pay any attention to the numbers, the number of stars... any of that stuff... I just read as many reviews as I have time for and that usually gives me all I need to know.

Rot 911 · 05-05-2009, 09:43 AM

I agree that the best reviews I have found are over on Amazon.

legion · 05-05-2009, 10:22 AM

Amazon is very good at pestering me for reviews of products I've bought.

I've written dozens of reviews and I try to separate gripes with Amazon from gripes with the product.

I agree, the start rating system is pretty worthless, because you have to actually read the reviews to separate knowledgeable people from clueless people.