Hardware Reviews - Newegg

[Texun]

Just an observation about Newegg... I've posted feedback reviews for every item I have purchased from Newegg. Most of the time they are all positive but some have been upfront and included objective information about problems, defects, etc.

I've noticed that the positive reviews always get posted within a couple of days but the negative ones often get left out. Not all of them get left out. There are enough negative comments left about some products to keep the hardware from receiving a 5 star rating, but I know that not all negative reviews get posted. Newegg will rightfully omit any review that may hammer a competitor's name, but none of my reviews were submitted like that. Anyone else notice this?

Lesson learned: Newegg is still one of the best vendors, but don't place a lot of faith in the user reviews.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

That's weird I didn't think they moderated their reviews. I've seen so many reviews just bashing a product while admitting they never had it or used it...

 

[screw3d]

I think it is commonly acknowledged that Newegg does delete/leave out negative review..

 

[Cerb]

I've found when making bad product reviews, since it usualy invlves something with few votes, that my score is entered, but not the review itself.

 

[jjyiz28]

if you see an item with 5 stars, 80votes but something like 12 reviews, you know the rest of them were negs.

rather get an item with 4 stars, 80votes with 70 reviews.

 

[Texun]

Originally posted by: AyashiKaibutsu
That's weird I didn't think they moderated their reviews. I've seen so many reviews just bashing a product while admitting they never had it or used it...

I first noticed this when I tried to post a review of an ASUS board that was buggy. I posted but it never showed up. Posted the same review two more times and it never showed. I never mentioned price or brand comparisons, profanity, or anything even slightly subjective and it was still a no-show.

When I posted a glowing review a few days later it was there within 48 hours. Had the same experience with a few other products, but you're right about the bashing threads. I've seen several from dummies who bash the product or start overclocking threads in the review area and they get posted time and time again. I'm not sure what rule they use but it is important to remember that not all objective reviews are shown.

I recently replaced a LiteOn CDRW that died after six months, posted my experience and stated that it was my opinion that Litton's quality has slipped over the past year, that the drives don't feel as solid as they once did. Guess where my post went......

I don't use the reviews to make my selection, but at one time I did use them to see how others liked the product.

 

[apoppin]

Is ANYone surprised?

NewEgg is in the business of SELLING product. From their own caution:

Customer Review
Newegg.com is not a forum for product reviews. For product reviews, we recommend sites such as www.cnet.com, www.anandtech.com, and www.tomshardware.com. Newegg.com is a private site that conducts the business of selling computer hardware and as such, any specifications and information posted by Newegg.com regarding products for sale must be factual. However, customer comments in regards to their experience with said products are the opinions of the user. The customer opinion reviews are used at the discretion of Newegg.com as a marketing device for positive and constructive ways to share the benefit of the product. It is not used as a source for negative commentary as we cannot endorse the validity of any negative comment. Therefore, the Newegg.com site is moderated to remove any unproven biased negative comments. It is not the intention of Newegg.com to mislead any customer and therefore all purchase decisions should not be solely based on the customer review.

They are VERY UPfront.

 

[Texun]

Originally posted by: apoppin
Is ANYone surprised?

NewEgg is in the business of SELLING product. From their own caution:

Customer Review
Newegg.com is not a forum for product reviews. For product reviews, we recommend sites such as www.cnet.com, www.anandtech.com, and www.tomshardware.com. Newegg.com is a private site that conducts the business of selling computer hardware and as such, any specifications and information posted by Newegg.com regarding products for sale must be factual. However, customer comments in regards to their experience with said products are the opinions of the user. The customer opinion reviews are used at the discretion of Newegg.com as a marketing device for positive and constructive ways to share the benefit of the product. It is not used as a source for negative commentary as we cannot endorse the validity of any negative comment. Therefore, the Newegg.com site is moderated to remove any unproven biased negative comments. It is not the intention of Newegg.com to mislead any customer and therefore all purchase decisions should not be solely based on the customer review.

They are VERY UPfront.

This is not in question. Naturally they are in the business of selling, but to provide an option where end users can submit a review for others to read, and then selectively screen the bad from the good, negates the purpose of providing the review option as a unbiased means for the reporting of end user results.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Texun

Originally posted by: apoppin
Is ANYone surprised?

NewEgg is in the business of SELLING product. From their own caution:

Customer Review
Newegg.com is not a forum for product reviews. For product reviews, we recommend sites such as www.cnet.com, www.anandtech.com, and www.tomshardware.com. Newegg.com is a private site that conducts the business of selling computer hardware and as such, any specifications and information posted by Newegg.com regarding products for sale must be factual. However, customer comments in regards to their experience with said products are the opinions of the user. The customer opinion reviews are used at the discretion of Newegg.com as a marketing device for positive and constructive ways to share the benefit of the product. It is not used as a source for negative commentary as we cannot endorse the validity of any negative comment. Therefore, the Newegg.com site is moderated to remove any unproven biased negative comments. It is not the intention of Newegg.com to mislead any customer and therefore all purchase decisions should not be solely based on the customer review.

They are VERY UPfront.

This is not in question. Naturally they are in the business of selling, but to provide an option where end users can submit a review for others to read, and then selectively screen the bad from the good, negates the purpose of providing the review option as a unbiased means for the reporting of end user results.

So what do you want them to do? . . . allow people with BAD MOTIVES - perhaps a competitior - to DIS and slander a product - that would NOT be UNbiased.


REread their reasoning ands see if you can suggest a BETTER solution.

It is not used as a source for negative commentary as we cannot endorse the validity of any negative comment. Therefore, the Newegg.com site is moderated to remove any unproven biased negative comments.

If it bothers you follow their OTHER advice - visit a REPUTABLE review site.
(and their forums)

:roll:

 

[Sheriff]

I agree with apoppin as Newegg 1st line(s) also states:

Newegg.com is not a forum for product reviews. For product reviews, we recommend sites such as www.cnet.com, www.anandtech.com, and www.tomshardware.com.

 

[Bonesdad]

How can they endorse the validity of a POSITIVE comment then??? Maybe its posted by a fanboi or company employee...

 

[jwkuipers]

Most of my reviews never make it because they are negative. All though I have seen 2 products dissapear soon after I left the feedback, so they must look into the complaints even if they don't post them.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Bonesdad
How can they endorse the validity of a POSITIVE comment then??? Maybe its posted by a fanboi or company employee...

They don't.

:roll:

it's pretty clear they don't endorse ANY customer reviews.

They are there as a SALES TOOL - to get you 'excited' to buy. IF they posted NEGATIVE reviews, they would get in trouble with the Mfgs.

There are so many OTHER places to get RELIABLE reviews; if you DEPEND solely on CUSTOMER reviews, you are pretty lost.

. . . information posted by Newegg.com regarding products for sale must be factual. However, customer comments in regards to their experience with said products are the opinions of the user. The customer opinion reviews are used at the discretion of Newegg.com as a marketing device for positive and constructive ways to share the benefit of the product.

Clear enough

 

[Zebo]

All review sites are overly positive, get used to it. Just look at a place like gamespot reviews. 50% should be average but hardy any game gets below 70 unless it's horrendous. At least with newegg, looking at the star ratings, I won't touch a product with less than 4 stars because actual end-users who have nothing to gain by pimping a product are more honest. And if it has 4 stars you can bet it's a pretty good product.

Fine newegg deletes the negative narrative but at least the star ratings are maintained which in my experiance correlate very well with my experiance.

Edit: this gets more true with more reviews.

 

[drag]

Originally posted by: Bonesdad
How can they endorse the validity of a POSITIVE comment then??? Maybe its posted by a fanboi or company employee...

They don't endorse the validity of ANYTHING. That's what the disclamer at the beginning of every freaking review page states.

I've seen plenty of negative reviews on objects, so they don't weed out everything, but you can't be reselling a product and tell people on the same page that it sucks all get out.

Newegg.com is a decent company and always have done right for me. They ship quickly, don't dick you around with "it's on backorder" type crap and have reasonable prices and return policies.

That matters to me a lot more then what reviews they do and don't allow on their website in a effort not to completely piss of their business associates.

Think about it: They are a business, they make money from selling sh!t. Even if they tried to be completely honest they couldn't do it, because it's human nature. So they just come out and tell you not to trust the reviews and do your own research before buying anything. And they tell you that they edit them.

After all a lot of the people that do leave reviews, good and bad, are often fanboys and/or morons and have more factual errors then 13 years olds slamming intel proccessors on a anonymous IRC channels.

All in all this seems a bit nit-picky. At least they don't try to masquarade as a review site that sells stuff on the side like many dishonest websites. And they try to do good for their customers.

Occasionally you get broken stuff that you have to pay for the return of, but I don't think I've heard of newegg ripping anybody off, have you?

 

[Tab]

Heh, newegg reviews are useless anyway.

 

[Markfw]

Hey I agree with apoppin ! I have seen some negatives there, several in fact, and I think they were real, but didn't bother me, since they were pointing out features that the person didn't take into account when buying. The positive ones are real too and I know, seeing as I have probably spent $10-15,000 in the last two years there, so I am not talking out of my a$$. Read here, and read the reviews there, and you will see what I mean. (in depth)

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: Markfw900
Hey I agree with apoppin ! I have seen some negatives there, several in fact, and I think they were real, but didn't bother me, since they were pointing out features that the person didn't take into account when buying. The positive ones are real too and I know, seeing as I have probably spent $10-15,000 in the last two years there, so I am not talking out of my a$$. Read here, and read the reviews there, and you will see what I mean. (in depth)

Ya mark newegg leaves negatives that are detailed. I have a feeling many users get on there and write crap like "this motherboard sucks" and it should be deleted as it offers nothing to potential buyers.

Overall I like the reviews. everyone I've written, negitive or not, has been published on thier site because I detail. Wish more would since I think newegg really tries and put forth every review. Not only does it benefit them by knowing which products are worth stocking in thier warehouse, it benefits the end user by being happy with this service.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: Tabb
Heh, newegg reviews are useless anyway.

Not all of them are. I've found quite a few of them useful, and I tend to leave some on occasion.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: Tabb
Heh, newegg reviews are useless anyway.

They are what you make them. If this post is any indication, I agree, they are worthless.

 

[jadinolf]

The strangest review I ever saw was for a USB 2 card. The overall rating was pretty bad. One guy knocked it because he didn't like the color of the circuit board.

 

[SgtZulu]

The negative reviews are most likely posted by n00bs that don't know what they're doing.

 

[Jeff7]

This is not in question. Naturally they are in the business of selling, but to provide an option where end users can submit a review for others to read, and then selectively screen the bad from the good, negates the purpose of providing the review option as a unbiased means for the reporting of end user results.

Hey, there's talk radio hosts that have people screen their callers, so that only callers that will provide reinforcement to the point being made, rather than a counterpoint, will get through. And I don't hear any complaints about that...probably because of the screeners.

 

[cumhail]

Originally posted by: apoppin


They are there as a SALES TOOL - to get you 'excited' to buy. IF they posted NEGATIVE reviews, they would get in trouble with the Mfgs.

There are so many OTHER places to get RELIABLE reviews; if you DEPEND solely on CUSTOMER reviews, you are pretty lost
Clear enough

I've seen plenty of products with negative customer reviews and review averages on Amazon.com and on CircuitCity.com... and they, unless I'm mistaken, are in the process of "selling." Heck, I'd even be willing to go nuts and bet real money that they sell more than Newegg does... So what's the problem?

Dissuading most people from posting fake reviews isn't that hard. You make customers register in order to purchase items and investigate/confirm any reviews that seem to be fabricated (or that have been flagged/complained about) by contacting the posted when necessary. Alternatively, if you don't want to expend that kind of time and effort, you let the confirmed registration (only people who've actually made a purchase are eligible) suffice and let the chips fall where they may. And if any means of verification seems insufficient and they don't want to run the risk of negative reviews appearing on a product page, there's a very simple solution: don't post customer reviews at all. But if you're going to implement a system that is ostensibly there to provide potential customers with additional information that will help them in making a purchase, then you shouldn't be tainting the pool of information by hiding its impurities.

I like Newegg, by the way. I find they have good prices and are fairly trustworthy, unlike other so-called "vendors" one might find listed on Pricewatch and the like who just want your money, not your business. But if they're posting artificially inflated customer satisfaction ratings on products to get more people to buy them, then that's not the kind of behavior that instills a lot of confidence in me as a customer.

Just my thoughts on the matter,

cumhail

 

[Aolish]

this might of explained why i'm having alot of trouble with my antec 430w. if people have the time, perhaps one of you can look at my thread? thx for your time.