There is a difference between the quantifiable qualities (features) of a service and the points-of-view of consumers (reviews).  The impact of social proof often muddies the water between the two. 

Recently, I bought a longboard skateboard for my son and I to use.

This board is more of a stable design that’s great for people starting out on longboards.  You can get the board up to speed and it prevents wobbling or wheel bite.

However, there is a trade-off with this design.  The board is longer and has a drop deck that gets you closer to the ground.  This makes it harder to carve sharp turns – the board is generally not that nimble.

So what kind of product review does this skateboard deserve?  Is it five stars, two stars…?

I personally give it five stars.  I love the stability and solid feel of the board at speed.

My son is more in the three star range.  He prefers a board that is more freestyle and easier to make tight turns with.

Let me note that the quality of the board in terms of construction is excellent.  It’s also reasonably priced.

So what is a fair rating/review for this product?

It depends.  The board is better suited to my needs so I rated higher than my son would.

The Review Curve Ball

So this is the curve ball online reviews throw at us.  A review is not necessarily a description of the product’s quantifiable qualities.  Rather, it’s the point-of-view of one consumer.

These individual points-of-view can be biased.  What works great for one person is crap for somebody else.

The reality is that reviews are best at giving you a sense of how other consumers experienced a product or service.  They by no means ensure what your experience will be like.

Ultimately, a wide-array of reviews and opinions will reveal little consensus.  I looked into some other longboards and found that different credible sources simply had different opinions about what products are the best.

Indeed, we live a world today where there are so many “experts” sharing their points-of-view that you can find someone who both loves or hates just about anything.

So you know who’s point-of-view you have to consider?

Yours.

Look at the quantifiable features of the product and ask yourself, who is this for?

If you like spicy food, a restaurant review of that type of restaurant by someone who hates spicy food isn’t going to do you much good.

An expert longboarder who buys a board better suited to an beginner isn’t going to provide a useful review.

It’s a lot more complicated than just looking at a few star ratings.