February 23, 2012

Review Before You Buy

When purchasing baby products it can be helpful to review before you buy and although there are usually many reviews out there, it’s important to be able to decipher which ones are more useful than the others.

Any time you go to purchase a product, whether in websites like http://www.direct.tv or at the local supermarket, it can be helpful to take a look at what others have to say before you make a decision, especially if it is a product you’re either not familiar with or aren’t sure between two similar items.

A good rule of thumb on checking out reviews is to look for reviews from real people who have nothing to gain or lose by reviewing the product. Let’s say you are looking at different strollers and can’t decide between two different styles or brands. If you check out the reviews from other people just like you, you may be able to differentiate between which one seems to be more liked or better. Although some people get compensated for reviews, most have to be reviewed in an honest manner so don’t discount those reviews just because someone was given the product.

On the other hand, an organic review that someone wrote just because they feel strongly about a certain item can be even more helpful because typically these people have nothing to gain from their review; they simply want to share how they feel about an item whether it’s positive or negatively.

If you were purchasing a new automobile you’d probably look at consumer reports and get referrals from others on their opinion so why should it be any different for any other item? Baby products aren’t always cheap so it’s a good idea to get the most information and knowledge that you can before you make a decision. Plus, you can read about information you may not even be aware of.

How To Get Valid Reviews on Products

When purchasing any kind of baby product you always want to make sure you have the very best and reading different reviews can be helpful in determining everything from car seats to strollers. What can be harder is knowing how to get valid reviews that are more organic in nature; meaning that the person writing the review has nothing to gain from sharing their experience with the product.

One way to get reviews that are more organic is to check out sites that sell the product and have an area for customer reviews. Don’t let a negative review fool you before you read about it. Some people will leave a bad review even if the product was fine. This can be in cases of the store they bought it giving them bad service or even shipping prices can influence a review. Be sure the read the bad reviews as well as the good ones to be sure it is a review that is based on the product and nothing else.

Look for reviews from people just like you. These are people who have bought the product and used it and have something to share about it with the rest of the world. Looking on the product’s website and seeing customer testimonials isn’t always the best idea in getting reviews that aren’t influenced in some way. This doesn’t mean the review isn’t good or valid but it can be more likely that the review was influenced by the site owner and this could be in the form of compensation or product exchange. However, don’t discount these reviews fully because they can be helpful as well; just don’t take them as the last word on your decision.

It is also a good idea to ask friends and family about their views on a product because they have nothing to gain from their information to you.

Becoming a Part of Team Mom

Did you know that you can actually get free products for you and your baby at no cost and all it takes it a few minutes of your time? When you become a part of Team Mom you get free products in exchange for a review of the product and all you have to do is apply and see if you are accepted.

Obviously there are criteria that determines whether you are qualified or not. One of the musts is a blog that you write on frequently. If you are already a mommy blogger then you have that part covered most likely. Your writing style is another way that they determine whether to accept you are not but if your blog is written with good grammer, decent content and something that people like to read then you at least have your foot in the door.

If you are accepted you will receive product samples or links no more than twice a month. You do have to write a review of the product in order to continue to receieve more products but how hard is that? An honest review of a product doesn’t take long to write and it helps other moms decide if they would like the product as well or if they should purchase a different product; all based on your review and reviews by others just like you. Not only will you get to test out products for free but you are potentially helping out other moms just like you.

There are certain rules like having to post within two weeks after getting the product and disclosing that you receieved a product for free but if you already run a blog then you’re pretty familiar with everything that has to be done so why not apply for a spot?