Overall, online reviews, spawned by e-commerce, have been a tremendous boon to consumers. They are easily accessible and provide a significant advantage when it comes to making wise choices on what we purchase. Prior to the dotcom boom, one had to traipse down to the public library to read product reviews in the Consumer Reports.
But online reviews must be objectively evaluated. Merely counting the stars doesn’t cut it. Be aware of the shortcomings, pitfalls and gotchas.