There are a selection of periodicals out there that concentrate on supplying unbiased reviews on new wonder products and these are still operating very much as they always have. They both take an item, for example a washing machine and then look at five or six other makes so they have a very good range for comparisons. They then test them to death – they look at every programme and selection choices available with the various opt ins and opt outs; they do extensive tests on all sorts of filthy clothes, many are made even more disgusting than would naturally occur in every day scenarios. They have always stuck to a formula in that for this sort of product, they will use just one washing powder or gel, whatever, so that every washload they try will be compared across just the machinery and programming and it not be affected by the effectiveness of the cleaning products. These like-for-like tests have been carried out across the widest selection of products available at the time – though much pre planning has always featured in this industry. The two major review magazines/companies appear to be as straight, completely unbiased and unbribable as they have always been.
This is where they differ from the 1000s of reviews always available online for in the massive marketing conglomerate that seems to govern everything we buy. Whatever you want to buy, this huge concern will have reviews rated from 1 to 5 stars and you can click on the review info to see what folk have said about the product you’re thinking about. I always look at the one star reviews first. Well actually I look at how many reviews there are and what the rankings are. If the product has attracted a huger number of basically five stars but only a handful of one and two stars, I definitely read those first. then i go through some of the five stars and look back months prior. There is supposed to be some consumer protection to stop companies buying up reviews – after all that would be so disappointing to buy an expensive gadget, only to realise they had bought in all the five to three star rating. I do tend to review items that I have been encouraged to buy because of a particular article or advert. Sometimes however, if they send a request for feedback before I have had a chance to even unpack it, then I say so in my response. There is no testing under duress for the item and therefore it is just someone’s opionion which can be as variable as the weather. I do like the fact the consumer magazines way of testing from every angle – if they’re looking at an electrical item them will test and test and test it to almost destruction and we the consumer can go with their report with confidence that it is absolutely genuine and above board with no favouritism.