Throughout history there has been a group of people who believe that the stars and planets could predict your future (although with Pluto gone, I’d question the accuracy). However, the stars I am referring to are not in the sky, not even in a Starry Night. These are the stars you’re presented with on internet search engines when you’re looking for reviews of stores, designers, contractors, or just about anything or anyone.
These new stars, although smaller, are almost as important as the older ones you see above on a clear summer night. But unlike astronomical bodies, Internet stars must be interpreted for their accuracy, as they are subject to manipulation by unscrupulous stargazers.
i found that houzz and Angie’s List seems to have the most reliable comments, and interestingly, for two completely different reasons. All comments to send houzz its Review Department carefully checks its accuracy before posting comments. They confirm that the submissions really do relate to real projects in the right location and that the sender’s IP address (its location in the clouds) is also accurate and authentic.
Angie’s List differs from most review sites in that you must pay to become a member, which makes it an expensive proposition to post a multitude of fictitious reviews. Posted reviews come from people who are willing to pay to see legitimate reviews posted by others who have made their own financial commitment. This gives them a high degree of authenticity.
Other sites will accept reviews from anyone with limited or no research. One site (which says “Help”) claims to have a computer algorithm that determines whether a review is legitimate or fabricated. This site has been taken to court many times by companies who claim that when they refused to advertise on the site, their good reviews disappeared. Management claims that the decision was made by the algorithm to remove those reviews and they do not have the ability or inclination to question the decision. However, it seems that when the money changes hands, the criticism reappears.
Google Reviews can be very helpful, but should be carefully evaluated. Anyone who creates an email account can post a review on Google. While I’m sure most of the reviews on Google are legitimate, anyone who is determined can create ten or twenty new email accounts for free and post whatever they want. Who would do that? Maybe a crooked and corrupt provider, who has a lot of low star reviews to push.
And let’s not forget about the good old Better Business Bureau. I always thought they were above reproach, until I received a phone call and they told me that they had only heard good things about my company and decided guest to become a part of your auspicious community. I was so touched by him, as I had always held them in high regard, that I said I would be proud to be a part of such an organization. Until they told me I had to pay them $600 a year, and in return they would tell me I met their “accreditation standards.” I said, “No, thanks.”
So like everything else in this world, it’s best to use common sense when evaluating stars. Just as Nick Copernicus did when he charted the stars above, you should evaluate the sources of your information when you check the stars below. If your future has you Swinging on a star* And when making your choice for internet reviews, remember, the more legitimate the stars, the better.
*Crosby, Bing. “Swinging on a star”. Composed by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke. Oscar for best original song. Going My Way, 1944.