Poor Reviews and Influence

[Macfrommichigan]

Of course, the reviews I respect the most are the ones which echo my own narrow minded and biased views. Those are just stellar! Tee hee.

(Sometimes you just have to quote yourself!)

Flipping it, the ones I pay the least attention to are those from folks who are too certain about one product. You know how a small boy, given a hammer, tends to view everything as a nail? The equivalent in the shaving world is the person who thinks an Acme brush or Whizbang razor is the only answer to every question and the solution to every problem.

 

[bluesman 7]

Not necessarily with shaving products, but when buying on Amazon I usually make a point of reading the one and two star reviews to get some insight into a product. Then I decide if there is likely a quality problem or if it is a user issue.

 

[BigJ]

For me it depends on where I read the review!

A great review on Amazon or a vendor’s website carries much less weight than a ‘balanced’ review by one of the guys here on B&B!

 

[Pepin]

I try to "read between the lines" in some of the reviews.

Some reviews seem too comical and over-the-top to take seriously.
I try to find reviewers that have similar likes as I do and see how the item is reviewed.
It has worked very nicely for me; found Alt Innsbruck, Proraso and Myrsol products this way.

 

[Joe Namath]

Somebody once put Astra Superior Platinum in the 'Would never buy again' review.
Which tells you everything. When I first used them it was such a pleasure and I remember thinking that I had, at last, found the ideal blade for me. I'm not saying that he is wrong and I am right, but it does underline how differently an individual can view a product. (OK forget the diplomacy...he was wrong!) It is worth mentioning though that I only tried the Astra because of the positive reviews on Badger and Blade.

 

[xxvaleria]

Not necessarily with shaving products, but when buying on Amazon I usually make a point of reading the one and two star reviews to get some insight into a product. Then I decide if there is likely a quality problem or if it is a user issue.

I also do the same for sellers on eBay. I always read the neutral and negative reviews to see whether they sound reasonable or not, then decide.

 

[RayClem]

A review is only as good as the reviewer. If you read/watch enough reviews, you will learn which reviewers are reliable and which are not. However, because each of us is different, a review by someone whose needs and preferences are significant different to your may not be helpful. For example, Vic (Bluesman 7) frequently disagrees with my soap reviews. The reason is that his beard characteristics and face differs significantly from mine. A soap that I find to be wonderfully conditioning, he finds to be greasy as his skin type is different. His scent preferences also differ. Thus, he does not care for some soaps I consider to be top tier. That does not make my reviews invalid, but it does mean that they are most applicable to those who have a beard (fairly tough) and skin (pretty sensitive) similar to mine. When watching video reviews, I put more stock in those who have blue eyes and a ruddy complexion as I have similar characteristics. If they recommend a product, I am more likely to purchase it as there is a high probability it will work for me.

 

[fast shaver]

Somebody once put Astra Superior Platinum in the 'Would never buy again' review.
Which tells you everything. When I first used them it was such a pleasure and I remember thinking that I had, at last, found the ideal blade for me. I'm not saying that he is wrong and I am right, but it does underline how differently an individual can view a product. (OK forget the diplomacy...he was wrong!) It is worth mentioning though that I only tried the Astra because of the positive reviews on Badger and Blade.

That might have been me! After much tuggy not sharp shaves I hated them. Then I ordered some new Astra SP blades & these turned out to be sharp & smooth.! Bad Q.C. happens!

 

[Akis]

I don't care about reviews - this hobby is the most YMMV in the whole world.
I also don't "bite" for the new hyped products (soaps , razors etc) that come out with "blazing" reviews as being the best out there. (i take it with a grain of salt- especially when review comes from youtubers and other "influencers")
I just wait for a while for the dust to settle and then grab some samples, this way i've made my own mind and indeed saved a lot of money.

 

[fast shaver]

I don't care about reviews - this hobby is the most YMMV in the whole world.
I also don't "bite" for the new hyped products (soaps , razors etc) that come out with "blazing" reviews as being the best out there. (i take it with a grain of salt- especially when review comes from youtubers and other "influencers")
I just wait for a while for the dust to settle and then grab some samples, this way i've made my own mind and indeed saved a lot of money.

Stay tuned for Monday! Your in for a real surprise. Heh Heh

 

[Cal]

When watching video reviews, I put more stock in those who have blue eyes and a ruddy complexion as I have similar characteristics. If they recommend a product, I am more likely to purchase it as there is a high probability it will work for me.

Similarly, I pay much more note to folk who actually have whiskers to shave than those who appear to be BBS at the start of their shave.

 

[H4nk]

Obviously not. I still use Arko. People have different tastes. I think that is why PIF's exist. People tried it, didn't like it and sent it on. I have a couple of soaps that I like but other's did not.

 

[Scoutk21]

I went on a mission to try Tabac simply because of mixed reviews. The only way to know, is to try it yourself. I do however keep everyone's opinion in mind however I did grow up using foam and gels. I am old school, so I am a simple man but everything from here is always a step in the right direction.

 

[Luecke2326]

Honestly, I don't think I stay away from products so much because of bad reviews.... Maybe its because I'm not all that bright, but I still bought Crabtree & Evlyn shaving soap, Cadwell Massey shaving soap, Williams, etc. even though I was told they don't lather. I will say, some of the worst performing shave soaps I own are from positive reviews..... I have never been able to get a decent lather from MWF or any Sudsy Soapery.... Sighs.....

 

[jdp93]

Poor reviews sometimes influence my decision, but it largely depends on the thing being reviewed and the knowledge and experience of the reviewer. If a fragrance or the smell of a soap or aftershave is being reviewed, I give the reviews very little weight because of the subjective nature of scent and the fact that I like a lot of scents that many on here do not like. If the performance of a product is being reviewed, I give more weight to the guys who have been at this hobby for a while and have tried a lot of different stuff.

 

[sharpstar90]

No. My two favorite blades are Sharp Star and Rubie, both of which I saw reviewed as mediocre. Glowing reviews lead me to try Stirling, but they were very specific and logical. Plus they're quite a bit cheaper than Barrister and Mann. Tabac had plenty of negative reviews about the scent but I didnt let it deter me. I love it.

I actually didn't hear heads or tails of The Veg until I had already purchased it. I was able to smell it in a local shop. I loved it at first. Now I just think it's okay. Nothing to get riled up about, one way or another.

I think the one bit of hype I succumbed to was the Gillette Fatboy. Totally worth it, though. It's a razor that taught me to appreciate my Aristocrats.

 

[THall]

I put off getting a Tech for so long because of the reviews saying they were too mild. I learned at DE year 6, that my pre-war Tech is one of the best in my rotation. Thanks for the heads up Chris Evatt!

After that, I just ignore the comments about mild razors. At this point, I think good technique wins out for anything really. Same goes for the .68 Game Changer. Terrific razor. I have the .84 baseplate also, but I find the .68 is more friendly with any blade on daily shaves like the Tech.

 

[gadabout]

Atrocious reviews of Joshua Tree shave soap have actually made me WANT to try the product.
It really can't be as bad as they say, can it?

Yep, it sure is. Worst shaving product I’ve ever used.

 

[StillShaving]

Poor reviews do have an impact but it is all about context and price.

If I were looking for a new shaving soap there are so many choices that I could narrow my list down to only those which get good reviews and likely get something which I liked. Or I could be adventurous and get something that was very polarizing knowing that I might get something special or just accept the loss.

If buying a bigger ticket item like a new mattress, 4K OLED TV, automatic espresso machine, etc, the economic stakes are higher and the individual reviews harder to rely on because most people only purchase one of these things. Most of the reviews are about initial impressions or problems experienced due to poor quality control in the initial purchase experience.

 

[sharpstar90]

Poor reviews do have an impact but it is all about context and price.

If I were looking for a new shaving soap there are so many choices that I could narrow my list down to only those which get good reviews and likely get something which I liked. Or I could be adventurous and get something that was very polarizing knowing that I might get something special or just accept the loss.

If buying a bigger ticket item like a new mattress, 4K OLED TV, automatic espresso machine, etc, the economic stakes are higher and the individual reviews harder to rely on because most people only purchase one of these things. Most of the reviews are about initial impressions or problems experienced due to poor quality control in the initial purchase experience.

I agree totally with what you said about initial impressions. I wonder how many people don't like something at first (old school aftershave like pinaud, soap like tabac) and just post a bad review because it doesn't compute with what their experience.

Then they give it a chance, like it after a few weeks, then forget the bad review they posted!