Online Reviews Aren't as Trustworthy as we Think

Before you buy something, what is the first thing you do?

You’re in the same financial situation as most of your peers if you said to check your bank account balance to determine if you’ll eat ramen noodles all week or have a little spending room. ​

The next thing you likely do is read reviews. Whether you’re dining at a new restaurant, booking an electrician, or needing an auto mechanic, online reviews give a little more insight into the company and its services. We trust reviews and information from strangers. But reviews aren't as trustworthy as you might think.

People who leave reviews aren’t necessarily lying, but their opinions are shaped by their own limited experiences. Because of this narrow viewpoint, reviews can often be misleading. Here are some key reasons why we shouldn't always trust reviews as much as we do.

Reviewers Are Angry

When was the last time you left a review? Were you praising the company, or upset that something went wrong? Our brains are programmed to talk about bad experiences when we’re angry. We want the world to know how this company wronged us, especially if we don’t feel we were made right. We do what we can to hit ‘em where it hurts, with an online review. The 2.4-star review may not accurately reflect the business, but may instead reflect emotion.

People Don’t Understand The Product

Sometimes people use a product or service incorrectly. We all know the jokes; we call tech support, and the rep asks us if the PC is plugged in...shockingly, 70% of the time, it’s not.

But for a customer, the cause of the problem is unimportant: the product didn’t work as intended. They’re upset, feel wronged by the company, and head to write a review. This happens more often than many realize. Such reviews make a perfectly good product look like trash.

Paid/Incentivized Reviews

We’ve all heard online content creators talk about a company or product being superior to its competitors, the only one they use, and otherwise selling it to an audience who trusts their word. Then, the creator tells us the company sponsored the video.

Can we really trust paid reviews? I’ve heard more than one content creator say they’ll promote any product if there’s a bag attached to it. Not to say every content creator does this. Many do represent fairness and strive to honestly promote products. However, incentives alter how a product appears, tastes, or feels, hands down.

Opinion, not Fact

What works well for me could be terrible for you. Reviews are opinions, not facts, and vary greatly from one person to the next. We are unique beings with different perspectives on just about every matter of life. The review claiming a restaurant is the ‘worst I’ve ever visited' or the computer “sucks for gaming” may not necessarily reflect your opinion of the product.

Should we Stop Using Reviews?

Look, I’m not saying every review is terrible or that you should avoid reading them. Reviews can guide decisions, but remember, they reflect human perspective and can be biased. Use them as references, but always be mindful that opinions are like assholes and everyone’s got one.