Choices offered with the growth of Internet and globalisation
The growth and development of the Internet together with globalisation have brought the whole world to our doorsteps. A huge range of services has become a lot more available and convenient to everyday users. You can pay your bills and do your banking online, talk to friends and share photos and videos with them, research and apply for jobs, study a recognised university degree and shop for anything you want from the comfort of your own home. These days, with our incredibly busy lives, internet helps to simplify it a little and give us back a little of our free time.
But as much as online access helps us solve a lot of our everyday issues and run our errands, it also creates new challenges for online shoppers. Consumers are now overloaded with choice of where to buy and what it is exactly they need. You can find an online store for every product range and whole online empires selling everything from pens to kitchen appliances and insurance. Buyers are simply bombarded with multiple options and often get lost in choices and differences between the products. This is where product review sites and forums come in and became hugely popular in the last 10 years as a result of our constant search for a better product.
Role of online product reviews
Customer review sites help sort through the bulk of information provided online. They are usually written by fellow consumers and are based on their shopping experiences. For instance, in regards to electronics you can always find an honest review from someone who already bought the product and can honestly say if it was worth the money or which features have been the most useful. You can also read all the pros and cons of a specific product and may find better suggestions for your specific needs. You can compare similar products based on price, ease of use, features and anything and everything else available.
Another great advantage of online product review sites and forums is that they represent honest and impartial opinions. They are not sales pitches by the stores or clever marketing campaigns that aim to sell you their specific product for a profit. These are real people sharing their experiences, whether they are good or bad. It may take a little extra time to sort through the reviews and all relevant information but wouldn’t you rather do that than waste your hard-earned cash on something you may not need, does not perform well or is from a scamming supplier?
One thing to keep in mind though when reading the reviews is the fact that any buyer will be more willing to leave a negative review and warn others from the same bad experience rather than comment on how happy they are with their purchase. If you try to remember this consideration and put an emphasis on analysing pros and cons you are sure to find the best suitable product for you.
Overall, online product reviews by fellow consumers will save you time and help avoid regret. So make sure you pass on your experiences to others as well.
