New York Times Uncovers Fraud in Online Reviews, ToolSelect.com Looks to Bring Trust Back to Consumers through Unbiased Power Tool Reviews
New York Times Uncovers Fraud in Online Reviews, ToolSelect.com Looks to Bring Trust Back to Consumers through Unbiased Power Tool Reviews
Grand Rapids, MI (PRWEB) February 06, 2012
According to the New York Times, the validity of online reviews has been under close scrutiny lately as the prevalence of fake reviews for everything from inexpensive trinkets to luxury hotel resorts are popping up all over the Internet. One new website people can be confident every review is authentic: toolselect.com.
“ToolSelect is a community, not a store,” says Tom Klein, vice president of marketing/merchandising with ToolSelect. “You can see and hear from real people in our video reviews. You can connect with reviewers on our discussion boards. The community exists to help each other make smarter purchasing decisions—we don’t sell any tools.”
Per this New York Times article, fake reviews on other sites are creating cynicism among consumers online. In these fake reviews, a company pays a customer for a good review, either through merchandise refunds, flat fees or even a pay-by-the-star system, in which reviewers receive more money for a four-star review than a three-star review, for example. These fake reviews can be misleading to consumers who trust user reviews to influence their purchases.
Because ToolSelect is an unbiased community that covers all aspects, types and brands of power tools, but does not actually sell any power tools, the user reviews on the site serve a real purpose: helping fellow community members. Experienced tradesmen share their secrets with novices. Do-it-yourselfers compare notes. People trade tips with their professional peers. Members debate their favorite tools, what they own and what they’d like to own. Every review comes from a real, genuinely motivated person who can easily be contacted by any other member for further advice or information.
“The members power ToolSelect,” says Klein. “The people reviewing our tools, both on video and within the community, do so because they want to help their fellow members. Their motivation is to help the community as a whole by mentioning a great new tool or advising people to stay away from a not-so-great tool.”
About ToolSelect
ToolSelect is an unbiased power tool-comparison website intended to help members make intelligent purchasing decisions.
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