What restaurant should I choose? Which dry cleaner is the best?
For answers to just about anything now days we turn to the internet and peer review sites like Yelp and Angie’s List to see what others have to say.
Scott Eggert is President of the Sacramento marketing firm MKTNG. Eggert says peer review sites can be quite helpful if you know how to sort through the clutter.
For example, some listings are "sponsored" -- so, watch for ones that look more like ads.
Some business pay to have their companies listed in a more visible location, making them easier to find. It doesn't mean the reviews aren't honest or reliable, Eggert says, it’s just something customers need to be aware of. And the more reviews the better, as it allows you to filter out the extremes.
"I try not to go to a place that has only two or three review, and I try not to judge it on weather the reviews are excellent or horrible. So look for a place that has a lot of reviews and feedback, and usually you can tell based on the average number of stars,” Eggert said.
Also, different sites are better for different things.
Angie's List, for example, is best for reviewing contractors. Specialized sites like glassdoor.com, where former employees can review their old employer, is great for job seekers. Yelp is more general, for just about everything from restaurants, large or small businesses and more.
"Because there is no good place to review their doctor, people have gone to Yelp. In a lot of major cities you can find physician information on Yelp just by going in and putting in your doctor's name and the town that you reside in," Eggert said.
As for the businesses themselves, Eggert says companies that respond to a customer’s negative review usually score well over time because it shows they're paying attention, and are willing to try and resolve an issue or complaint.
Eggert says direct product reviews on sites, like Amazon, can also be helpful because usually they’re from people who actually bought and used the product.
But he says be careful for reviews on smaller sites that sell maybe one or two items because those reviews are often filtered by the company.