Editing Customer Product Reviews

How It All Began
Customer reviews has been around ever since the start of consumerism, but in a very different format from what we know today. Customers always had something to say about the products they got, but because there was no internet then, they can only tell their families and neighbours about it. Just like reviews today, feedbacks always had weight and will influence the next person’s buying decision. 
Internet Presence
The internet made the world smaller. In the past, people can only share their feedback on people they talk to, but that changed when the internet came. Because more and more people relied on other people’s reviews before buying anything, some sites are purely dedicated to showing reviews about different products. An example of this is Epinions which was established in 1999. 
Currently, products sold on big websites like Amazon.com heavily rely on consumer reviews to sell. Because people shopping online have no way of seeing the actual product before making a purchase, they listen to what people who had actually used the product have to say before making any decisions. 
Controversies
A lot of people question the reliability of online product reviews. This is due to the anonymity provided by the internet. Again, major players like Amazon were able to get around this by labelling reviews. Some reviews are labelled “verified purchase” to let the reader know that the reviewer actually bought the product. Some reviews are also labelled “real name” to show that the reviewer is not hiding behind a fake name. 
Of course, some websites accept “reviews” from just anybody about any product. These are usually spammy sites and should not be trusted.
Customer Reviews Now
Although people doubted product reviews at some point, these have become pretty influentiall that many companies even give away free product samples in return for reviews. Some of these free products are small tools like screwdrivers, while some are really expensive electronics like televisions. 
Overall, reviews can be extremely helpful. If you’re looking for the [http://www.amazon.com/Garlic-Press-Peeler-Set-Dishwasher/dp/B00I937QEI garlic press] online, for instance, sites with readily available customer feedback will let you know if the press is as really good as the manufacturer claims.