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I am always surprised when people are surprised by a product not living up to their expectations. For years, we have had sites on the web to give us reviews on everything from books to roofing companies. These sites get tons of traffic, and even online stores have tried to capture some of the magic of customer reviews by placing them right next to their online offerings. Go to any online mega store and you will see a link to view and submit consumer ratings, right near the link to buy. On one hand this makes the company seem like they care about their customers and what they have to say, and on the other, they could just be tired of having to give refunds on expensive pieces of trash. If Bob from Idaho can warn Jim from California about the loud noise coming from his fridge, maybe Jim won’t have to waste Sears’ time in having them come back to pick up the heavy thing.

I find it funny that some of my friends, who are well versed in how to use the Internet, still don’t know about or use the sites out there when they go make their purchases. Maybe they don’t know about the sites, or maybe they don’t trust what other people have to say. Maybe they just think they know better and trust that the product description written by the company will always be truthful and not leave anything out. Yeah, right.

As a general rule, before I go out and buy anything that I would consider to be an investment, or spend any amount of money that would impact my family budget, I jump online and see what others are saying. Here is a list of some of my favorite sites and what types of info you’ll find there.

Kudzu.com – This site is the best place to get reviews on services and businesses in your area. I don’t hire anyone for anything until checking it out.

CNet.com – If you are looking for the latest gadget, TV, or other electronic device, CNet is my top choice in review sites. You get expert reviews from their editors, along with really detailed user reviews. Be careful not to get too lost in the many comments made on some of the more popular types of device, such as digital cameras.

ZDNet.com – Similar to CNet, but they also pull in reviews from across the web. This helps for items that have limited distribution or only sold in a certain chain.

Epinions.com – What you lack in expert reviews is more than made up for in the passion of the user base. You can get reviews here on just about anything you can think of.

ConsumerReports.com – The old guy on the block still has some juice when it comes to reviewing products and services. A good idea to see if what you are buying has a review here.

Written by Ben Hirsch