Reviews and Reviewing
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
October 14, 2010 7:49am CST
When shopping online for books or films, how much do you take into account the critical review and the customer reviews?
I think the official reviews are a good guideline a lot of the time, but not necessarily with movies. I often disagree with the critics and have seen several films that I enjoyed that they have panned.
That's why I like sites with customer reviews. There are some pointless comments, but usually someone who is interested in the genre will give a balanced review that you can really use more because it's a cross-section of the average customer. They also sometimes give you information on the product that isn't in the description, like the quality of the picture or what extras are on the DVD.
5 responses
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
14 Oct 10
I am the same way! I never take a crtics word or ratings where movies are concerned. I have loved movies with poor reviews and could barely stand to sit through a couple of golden globes. I do like to read what a customer has to say about a product though. I think I have saved myself disappointment by taking a few seconds to read what people that actually own or owned a product has to say.
1 person likes this
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
15 Oct 10
Haha! What do the critics know ay? 
I'm definitely not the only one that feels this way then. 
I'm definitely not the only one that feels this way then. 
As in a couldn't stand it anymore to sit through
Maybe..
@bounce58 (17385)
• Canada
19 Oct 10
In terms of movies, I always think that there is a 'disconnect' between the reviews and the people watching them. Sometimes I feel that critics fail to realize the objective of people in watching movies. I think most of them watch movies to get away, or forget their current problems. People don't go into cinemas or rent DVD's thinking that they will over analyze the story line of the film. If these moviegoers are transported to a different world for a couple of hours, then the movie has done its job, no matter what the critics, or what the review says.
1 person likes this
@NoWayRo (1061)
• Romania
14 Oct 10
Usually I search for a reviewer who gave the highest ratings to some of the movies and books I liked. It can be a professional reviewer or just a user, sometimes even not a very good one, it's important that he or she has the same taste and appreciates the same things in a movie or a book as I do.
If I find one and I like the first 5-6 picks I make based on the reviewer's recommendations, I stick with that.
1 person likes this
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
14 Oct 10
Sounds like the way I use review systems. Sometimes people will give a bad review because it's just not their type of thing and that's not helpful. There are some really good, personable reviewers out there that I really like to read because I know they have similar tastes. Thanks.
@ceasarette (145)
•
14 Oct 10
Wow, it's amazing that you go through some kind of system for shopping. When it comes to movies, I usually depend on the trailer. For books, it's the summary at the back or the covers for me. For just about everything else, I depend on the reviews given to me by my friends. I usually didn't have the time to check out online customer reviews, but it does sound interesting.
1 person likes this
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
14 Oct 10
Money is tight, so I really like to get a good sense of something before I buy it. The reviews are endlessly valuable, especially for more pricey items like electrical goods. I bought an air purifier once and I would have been lost without the customer reviews! Friends are good for recommendations too because they know you, obviously!
@namdaemun (283)
• Indonesia
16 Oct 10
For buying gadgets, I usually look for a great review about it. Well, to make sure that I won't regret and to make sure that I've made the correct decision. Information about the prices and features are vital for me
@Phaedra_Scythe (3325)
•
16 Oct 10
I'm not very techno savvy, so I really rely on customer and critical reviews for anything electronic. You're right, price comparisons are important too.
