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Amazon disallows pointing out paid reviews

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Re: Amazon disallows pointing out paid reviews

#331

Post by segfaultbuserr »

xnyan wrote: post #303
csnover wrote: post #281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m not a hardware engineer, but my understanding is that a USB device isn’t supposed to draw that much current without performing either negotiation or sensing. Including a note that the user must use a 1A charger suggests that the device is violating the USB spec and will try to pull 1A no matter what. It then makes me worry about what other power safety systems are absent, since it’s a device with a lithium batter…

What is the specific unsafe condition are you worried about? I don’t know everything but I did evaluate consumer tech for Underwriters Laboratories to IEC 60950 and 62358. I think your caution is commendable but nothing you’ve described is inherently wrong. USB is just a connector. When the product said it needs 5w (I assume you mean 1A @ 4.8-5.1Vdc) by itself means nothing without more information. One really obviou…

> did the instructions say it’s a) dangerous with a power supply that can’t provide 1A or b) not/less functional without the 1a supply?

To me, the real red flag is: what happens when you plug it into an 3 A USB charger? Being a constant voltage supply, the load should only draw as much current as needed, and it should work with no problems (which is the usual expectation of 90% of consumer electronics with a USB port). The warning of "only use 1 A charger" notice is suspicious because it may suggest that the product doesn't include any internal overcurrent protection by itself (like a $0.1 polyfuse), and solely depends on the current limiting of the USB charger for its safety. While it's possible that it's not inherently wrong, but it's certainly a bad design practice.

Re: Amazon disallows pointing out paid reviews

#332

Post by higerordermap »

maxk42 wrote: post #210

I'm seeing similar things everywhere. I stood in line for a food truck a couple years ago that offered a promotion "$2 off your order if you show us your 5-star review of our truck on [site]." Obviously, you have to do this before you even order your food so I was intensely put-off by this. I gave them a 5-star review with no comment, received my discount, then after I tried the food I edited the review to 1-star wit…

I think the second thing falls into grey area. Users are often unkind and leave 1-star reviews on apps when it's often their fault.

Re: Amazon disallows pointing out paid reviews

#333

Post by interpol_p »

zwily wrote: post #277
maxk42 wrote: post #210

I'm seeing similar things everywhere. I stood in line for a food truck a couple years ago that offered a promotion "$2 off your order if you show us your 5-star review of our truck on [site]." Obviously, you have to do this before you even order your food so I was intensely put-off by this. I gave them a 5-star review with no comment, received my discount, then after I tried the food I edited the review to 1-star wit…

Unfortunately, that food truck operator is a victim too. They live and die by reviews, and if everyone else does it, they have to too to survive. The whole thing is jacked up.

Asking for a review is OK. Asking for a five-star review is not

I imagine that food truck operator would do a lot better by simply asking "Like or hate our food? Leave an honest review on for a discount"

If their food and service is good, they'll get the positive reviews they need

Re: Amazon disallows pointing out paid reviews

#334

Post by jjeaff »

Mistletoe wrote: post #321
maxk42 wrote: post #210

I'm seeing similar things everywhere. I stood in line for a food truck a couple years ago that offered a promotion "$2 off your order if you show us your 5-star review of our truck on [site]." Obviously, you have to do this before you even order your food so I was intensely put-off by this. I gave them a 5-star review with no comment, received my discount, then after I tried the food I edited the review to 1-star wit…

Almost every single item on Amazon and everywhere else is 4.5 stars. No matter how terrible. I can see one star after one star helpful review but it will still be 4.5 stars for items that just fall apart and are obviously defective. The sellers just game the reviews until they get to that magic 4.5. Goodhart's Law: “When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.” Luckily Amazon will take back anythi…

They are mostly just passing all the return costs off to the 3rd party sellers that sell most of their products these days. So it's no sweat off their back as long as they can be good enough to keep you coming back.

Re: Amazon disallows pointing out paid reviews

#335

Post by jjeaff »

radlad wrote: post #271
bradenb wrote: post #267

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I think you mostly played this right I also greatly dislike people leaving totally binary reviews. 1 star because they had sleazy review tactics? This is part of the problem. We need unbiased reviews now more than ever. So many people aren't going to share your principles so trying for force the issue by giving a misleading rating is not a good approach. I think it would have been much better to just review it…

You're implying the review is about the product. If the review is about the company (e.g. a restaurant), then a 1-star review is warranted, if you feel that a company which games reviews is a 1-star company. I certainly do.

Reviews about the company or service rather than the product are a pet peeve of mine for food. I want to know if it is good food first and foremost. I could care less if the waitress gave you a dirty look when you asked that your steak be cooked well done.

Re: Amazon disallows pointing out paid reviews

#336

Post by jjeaff »

interpol_p wrote: post #333
zwily wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, that food truck operator is a victim too. They live and die by reviews, and if everyone else does it, they have to too to survive. The whole thing is jacked up.

Asking for a review is OK. Asking for a five-star review is not I imagine that food truck operator would do a lot better by simply asking "Like or hate our food? Leave an honest review on for a discount" If their food and service is good, they'll get the positive reviews they need

I'd take that bet. There are so many people that will leave a 5 star review for a discount without thinking twice.

Re: Amazon disallows pointing out paid reviews

#337

Post by tertius »

interpol_p wrote: post #333
zwily wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, that food truck operator is a victim too. They live and die by reviews, and if everyone else does it, they have to too to survive. The whole thing is jacked up.

Asking for a review is OK. Asking for a five-star review is not I imagine that food truck operator would do a lot better by simply asking "Like or hate our food? Leave an honest review on for a discount" If their food and service is good, they'll get the positive reviews they need

You're responding to someone that agrees with you. But also states that everyone else is review-farming and that if they don't do it they will be left behind.

I.e. your plan is doomed to fail.

Re: Amazon disallows pointing out paid reviews

#338

Post by ggm »

If the only acceptable response is a 5 star review, or nothing, it's not a scale: its a binary measure.

If the review response is mandatory, its not a review.

Hoardes of people tell me to stick to 2 and 4 star reviews for honest assessment of the good and bad in things. I think they may be on to something.

Re: Amazon disallows pointing out paid reviews

#339

Post by [deleted] »

lhorie wrote: post #112
ilamont wrote: post #16

I purchased the same webcam for my high school sophomore in September 2020, as school restarted (all online for him). The box contained a $20 "gift card" if I emailed proof of my 5-star review. It looks identical to the one I received (including the email address). Only the reward is different. I didn't try to write a review, I notified customer service in an attempt to report the seller. I documented everything incl…

Sometimes, I semi-seriously wonder if it isn't better to just buy things from aliexpress.com. The products themselves mostly come from China anyways and many classes of items consistently seem to be marked up on amazon. And now we are left to wonder if the price deltas are helping middlemen retailers fund these review manipulation shenanigans, so why not just cut out the amazon exploit portion out of the equation?

[deleted]

Re: Amazon disallows pointing out paid reviews

#340

Post by jcomis »

lemoncucumber wrote: post #246
robotnikman wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The best place to find reviews it seems is through subscription paid independent reviewers. Consumer reports is one that comes to mind (they are also non-profit), as well as rtings. If you are looking for reviews for more niche products though, your pretty much on your own when it comes to finding out if its good or not.

A decent free option for reviews is Wirecutter from the New York Times. I've yet to buy anything that they recommended that was outright bad, and they have a surprising breadth of categories that they review. They make money through affiliate links, but they claim that the writers/reviewers have no knowledge of which companies have affiliate relationships with the Wirecutter so it doesn't bias their picks.

I do not trust their reviews for a second. I'm sure sometimes they do recommend the best thing. But can you find a single recommendation that isn't part of a major affiliate program? And just monitor any major rec page for a while and you'll see plenty of comments that are critical just vanish.
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