The strange world of …….. in The odd entries from life …….

……... ‘Amazon Customer Reviews’

I’ve bought quite a lot from Amazon, especially since we moved to Cornwall, where shopping options are not as wide as Manchester, in Truro we have one well known music retailer, who’s range of music styles is easily overtaken by an outlet in the nearby market; so I often by from the market outlet and Amazon!

When I’m researching a purchase I dip into Amazon’s ‘Customer Reviews’ I must admit that most reviewers to a decent job of reviewing the services and products, but it didn’t take me to find my way to those one star – don’t buy it brigade! I have mentioned this wonderful area of Amazon before; but I read a review this morning.

It was a novel by an author who I like very much, so I read a few five and four star reviews, then I dropped down to the realm of the one star stars! I read about the packaging and then about the swift delivery then – ‘I’m looking forward to reading the book’ is it me, well it could be!

I can recall one book I bought and didn’t read for twenty years, when I read the book it was just I have moved from Shrewsbury to Stockport, and about the time we started holidaying on Anglesey. First page of ‘The Big Show’ a French pilots experiences in the RAF in World War Two, he is on a train in Shrewsbury Railway Station, on his way to RAF Valley on Anglesey! It was worth the wait, I enjoyed the book.

None of that above was related to Amazon Customer Reviews, Amazon was still some years off then. When I started using Amazon I dipped into the customer reviews, and it was a while until I realized what was down there among the single stars. Once more I must say that most have real complaints, and more than once they have changed my chose of purchase. I really got into reading down there when I was looking for a projection screen.

My old screen is – old! I have thousands of slides stored away and two nice Leica projectors and a lap-dissolve device. I found several useful looking screens, there were very few reviews, it might have been just the one review with just the one star, a quick read and I found that the screen would not fit in his car, and he had given the screen one star, he did mention that he ‘wised he had measured the space in his car’ I questioned if the single star was for the screen or the car!

Two years ago I researched a very small camera I wanted for a gift, this time I was reading a five star review, the review was glowing, the best camera he had ever bought and he or she is looking foreword to using it! Perhaps it is Amazon’s fault, I get reminders to review my percheses, and I do – mostly when I am pleased with an item, the latest is for a kindle book I have; I’ve only read a few pages so it will be a while until I award any stars.

All so I am careful to see the difference the between a awful item, and an item I don’t like, if it is suitable for use but not to my liking I say nothing; I think there is not enough fairness about these days!