Do you count on Amazon customer reviews to help you choose diet products?

[Suzanne 3FC]

Can Amazon product reviews help you find a diet pill that works? Sadly, many are paid reviews that are not true.

When I buy anything on Amazon, I count on the customer reviews to help steer me in the right direction. For the most part, the reviewers are honest and unbiased. I enjoy reviewing everything from food to books to electronics.

I've often wondered about the reviews I've read of certain diet products because I knew that research had proven them ineffective. Why would anyone provide a positive review of something that other customers swear was useless or made them ill, and there is no research to back up the claims? Could it be the placebo effect?

As it turns out, there are companies out there that pay for reviews on Amazon. You can make about $2 for every review you post, and you do not need to even purchase the product. Many of these reviews come from other countries, with fake Amazon accounts. The reviewers are hired by a firm that is hired by the manufacturers to promote their products.

Amazon is not responsible for this. There are special websites that hire freelance writers, and some of them post jobs for Amazon reviewers. Amazon has no way of knowing which reviews are paid so they can't do anything about it.

If you consider diet products and feel swayed by published reviews, please be suspicious before you make the purchase. Find the list of ingredients and go to websites such as WebMD and search for info on those ingredients.

[tbills]

No I do not, and I'm glad to be here the site is grea. I do my reseach and this is a site I found to do my best and figure things out for me

[kaplods]

For all amazon book and product reviews, I always read the negative reviews with the most interest. I'm more likely to buy a product with a few negative reviews than only rave reviews, because the negative comments usually provide the most information (the "weakness" one person may describe may actually be something I'm looking for, or not concerned with).

It does annoy me though when the review isn't of the product itself, but of the seller.

[sensualappeal]

Wow, I had no idea people get paid to write reviews. I mean, I KNEW it's what people do but I guess it just never really clicked. I certianly do look at the negative reviews first though before looking at the good ones. I mean, it does always look fishy if a review includes ALL great positive things about a product and none bad - there usually are side effects, especially when it comes to diet pills. But this is an eye opening post, thanks!

[Dagny18]

I do read reviews on Amazon.com even if I am going to buy the item in a different store. Sometimes I even read them after I have bought a product, and these are for motivational purposes to see what results I might expect.
Now, things I buy are not things like pills and such but usually exercise products, dvds, equipment, ect. I try to decide if the item might be in my fitness range and not too difficult or easy for me. If it is exercise for inside, I try to gather information on how much space I might need to use this product or dvd. If I will be jumping up and down alot and might not have the room for it. If it is a dvd, I will read the reviews as well as try to find youtube trailers of scenes from it.
Typically I read reviews for dvds, sports equipment like bikes ect (though I have not bought one yet) and I just bought a heart rate monitor and was reading reviews on it.
I have bought a Total Gym at Kmart and spent almost a year researching it before buying it. It is the most expensive item I have bought to date, and was definitely not a spure of them moment purchase.

[bargoo]

I once received really bad service , and and equally bad attitude at a pharmacy over a prescription they had lost, misplaced or maybe never filled .
This store had a suggestion box, I filled out a complaint, name,date, everything and put it in the box. I never received any kind of a response . I believe they throw out the negative comments and only forward the good comments to the home office. Don't know for sure but it looks that way to me.

[grabec]

I love Amazon reviews and wish a lot of other places that sell things had them. It is so helpful to read other's experiences with different products, books etc I too did not know you could get paid to write a review but that is ok as long as you are not directed as to how to slant your review.