The clip covers an interesting problem of manipulating Amazon’s
algorithms responsible for promoting some products over their competitors’
offerings. Some of the tactics described are more than questionable from the
ethical standpoint. It also shows that our choices may be massively impacted by
other people’s will and their own incentives.
Questions:
1) When looking
for a product online, do you just browse through lists of different items or do
you employ some kind of a strategy?
2) Do you read
other buyers’ reviews as part of your research prior to purchase?
3) Are there any
products which you prefer to purchase in a conventional store? Why?
Comments
The first step I do while shopping online is to check prices on other websites and also to check the opinions of these websites. Then I buy a product if I'm sure of its source.
Of course, if the ratings are poor, there is no way I can buy a given product without any doubts. I am always impressed with grades and sometimes I will read them out of pure curiosity.
One of the products I don't order online is food. I don't want to order it by courier because it would be the top of laziness.
It’s obvious that I read other buyers reviews but If some product is more important for me or more expensive, I like to watch test on YouTube and then make a decision.
I prefer buying products in conventional store when they are really expensive.
I do like most people, I look at verified sites, I look at ratings and comments, then I search on other sites and compare prices.
2) Do you read other buyers’ reviews as part of your research prior to purchase?
Too lazy don't read reviews about the purchase, especially when it comes to clothing and size.
3) Are there any products which you prefer to purchase in a conventional store? Why?
It is best to buy shoes and clothes in stores, you can always look at the quality and fit it or not.
As was mentioned above I do read other buyers’ reviews. I do understand that there are a lot of paid comments but I try to filter out such comments.
I prefer buying food, clothes and some expensive products in a conventional store.
So when I'm buying a new product, I usually take into account some of the reviews might be fake. I usually try to buy from respected sellers and known companies, so I rarely have to compare some cheap Chinese product to some other cheap Chinese product. But I read reviews, both good and bad, to get a general feeling about the product I'm interested in. I also like to read reviews on independent web pages not created by internet users.
There are some things I wouldn't really buy on the internet. Boots, clothing in general, although I buy t-shirts on the internet sometimes. Food. But electronics, books, and entertainment I pretty much exclusively buy in e-shops.
Another buyer's opinion is very important for the purchase of a product from the online store and I always review the opinions of others about that product. Along with other sites, I will review the opinions of others as well as the site and comments of users.
Yes, products like a car, boat or electric lawn mower.
I am rather surfing provided content and I am not creating any strategy. However, I like to filter available products to the maximum, so I can narrow search results down to the minimum. Unless I am just exploring some online shop, the preceding rules apply.
2) Do you read other buyers’ reviews as part of your research prior to purchase?
Actually no, I am not suggesting on other buyer's reviews because they hardy ever match with my preferences. It also concerns movies or music ratings, so generally I collect information about interested thing from trusted friends with similar taste.
3) Are there any products which you prefer to purchase in a conventional store? Why?
Yes, I can name some things which I rather not to buy via online stores. I find shoes as a product, that should be tried before consumption. It is crucial to me to have comfortable shoes in which I could walk thousands miles. Another product I have in mind is a car; basically it is good to test anything you want to buy if the product is worth more than your multiple paychecks combined.
This is definitely an important part of the shopping, especially when I order something from abroad, because you never know what to send and it is difficult to return anything.
Yes, they are definitely pants, nowhere on the internet are perfect, pants are a kind of wardrobe, you have to wear them, unfortunately.
If some product which I want by is expensive or fragile and can be damaged during transferring I prefer to buy it on regular shop.
- I try to stick to places that ship from Poland. If the price is too low, description may not directly say that the package will come from China.
2) Do you read other buyers’ reviews as part of your research prior to purchase?
- Yes, between lot of useless stuff, sometimes you can find a helpful review
3) Are there any products which you prefer to purchase in a conventional store? Why?
- Probably groceries. I never know what exactly I'm going to buy before going there
Well maby I’m old fashioned but when I want to by something expensive that I know it could break I prefer to by it in big franchise with local stores. Why? Just in case. So I can be sure that they will not vanish from earth surface and I will have a problem what to do with broker equipment
Every time if I buy some technology, first I’m do the research on forums to get review of the product.
I think clothes, because I want to now how I’m feel in it.
Yes, I do read reviews before I buy anything to make sure I making a good choice.
I prefer buying food in regular conventional store rather than online.
or do you employ some kind of a strategy?
When I want to buy something, something like coat, shoes.
I keep an eye on many products for couple of months to wait for best deal, I don't buy stuff only because they
are on sale
2) Do you read other buyers’ reviews as part of your research prior to purchase?
Yes, but there are some companies that I buy from and trust them.
3) Are there any products which you prefer to purchase in a conventional store? Why?
Shoes, coats, generally clothes. Sometimes I just go to the conventional store to try stuff and
than I buy them online
That actually depends. If I am buying some clothes usually I choose same shops I used to buy before. Sometimes I see something in a shop and then I order it online.
When it comes to electronic devices I always do a research about the product before I buy it.
2) Do you read other buyers’ reviews as part of your research prior to purchase?
Yes, I do. Sometimes I watch youtube reviews or check comparisons between certain products.
3) Are there any products which you prefer to purchase in a conventional store? Why?
I think clothes. Sometimes I buy them online but mostly I go to a convetional store. I prefer to just try it out and see how it looks on me.
2. I read other buyers reviews and it is quite important to me when I am making decision if buy something or not.
3. Don't really. I don't like wasting time on walking to big malls because crowds exhaust me.
I'm always using filters when looking for something to buy. I always check many sites with the same products to check for best prizes and opinions :) And I have one rule of my own: I don't just scroll (for example) allegro just to find ANYTHING to buy, I buy only things that I need.
2) Do you read other buyers’ reviews as part of your research prior to purchase?
ALWAYS. It's really important and gives a lot of informations about the products and sellers. For example there is a known scammer: EXO-FACTORY. All of the internet is hating him cause he's a known scammer. His selling spiders, mantis and other living animals. He is sending other species of animals you bought, don't send them or sending it to you at the bad time which causes animal death.
3) Are there any products which you prefer to purchase in a conventional store? Why?
I like to buy clothes and shoes in conventional store, that's cause I like to try it on myself.
Same goes with animals which I have many (spiders, mantis), I can see the animal's health condition before buying :)
- I usually check if my favourite store has it if not I try to find the best price on ceneo.pl.
2) Do you read other buyers’ reviews as part of your research prior to purchase?
- No, I always read the review of the product from a source that I find reliable.
3) Are there any products which you prefer to purchase in a conventional store? Why?
- No, I but everything online because you can refund it if something is wrong with it.
When it comes to online retailing if u cannot take bad reviews, stories and all tat comes out when i google it is positive i think of manipulation and scammery.
I never buy clothes and food online, i also like to take a look at at any presents i wish to order online in physical store first.
It is very helpfull and I watch for every negative opinion about seller especially on platforms like aliexpres, allegro etc.
When thinking about products that I'd like to buy face-to-face, first thing that comes to my mind is perfumes, with this delicate purchase its crucial to pick the one you like the most, which suits you. You cannot feel the fragrance from the internet ( at least not now :) )
I would not call it a strategy but I always check different independent rankings for a given item in order to know that I am buying the best possible item in a given price range.
2) Do you read other buyers' reviews as part of your research prior to purchase?
Sometimes, but not that often. Unless "other buyers" will be treated as technological blogs, etc. then yes.
3) Are there any products that you need to buy in a conventional store? Why?
Ordinary food-related shopping. Although many stores offer such services, I still prefer to do it myself.
When I buy clothes of a new brand for the first time I go to the conventional store to make sure what sizes I have. Beside clothes, I buy everything online.
Yes, I am reading other buyers review as a part of my research prior to purchase.
Definitely, groceries are kind of products I prefer to purchase in a conventional store because I want to be certain that these products are fresh.
2. Yes, I do. It's always better to know other people opinions about something.
3. Shoes for sure. Many brands have their unique sizing, so it can be problematic.
When I'm looking a product online I watch youtube reviews and use some price comparison websites such as ceneo.
2) Do you read other buyers’ reviews as part of your research prior to purchase?
Yes, but I know that some of them can be not objective.
3) Are there any products which you prefer to purchase in a conventional store? Why?
Especially clothes like trousers or shoes.