The power of the online review

By Robbie Dale

Amazon.

Though in this instance, we’re talking about the website, rather than the rainforest. Or the Gladiator.

Seller of books, purveyor of electronic items, collator of near forgotten DVD box sets. The website that made us all fall in love with oversized brown cardboard packaging. And, the site currently at the centre of a scandal.

It emerged this weekend, that Orlando Figes, historian and writer, had been using profiles on the website to leave comments about both his own books, and those of his rivals. As you can imagine, the thoughts on his own works were a mite more positive than those of his peers. When I say a mite of course, I mean a lot.

Good old Amazon. Giving even highly educated academics a forum to play with that most mighty of forms, the online review.

Sadly, Figes’ attempt – even with the ongoing scandal and heartache – doesn’t make my top 3 of best uses for Amazon’s review feature:

1. Take the wonderful reviews of the humble Bic biro for example. There’s currently 195 reviews, and they expose every strength and weakness of the world’s favourite writing implement under such illuminating titles as ‘My poetry got worse with this pen’.

2. Then there’s the poetic justice in a scathing review that receives more kudos than the publication it tears apart. 11 pages of comments for a review? Now that’s taking customer feedback seriously…

3. Finally, I do enjoy browsing for 1 and 2 star reviews of the creative arts that are generally considered pretty decent. You know, little known works such as Hamlet or Sergeant Pepper. Sheer brilliance.

Just goes to show that no matter how simple the element seems, you can always do something different.

Any other favourites?

Like this?

Brought into the world on Monday, April 26th, 2010 and filed under 1000thoughts, News.

  • http://www.domesticsluttery.com Sian

    I write reviews online as part of my job (not for Amazon though) and I can't help but feel that they miss a trick with this. As an author or artist behind the work, you can have your own profile. You can have your say about your work and add more information – very handy if people are slating the ending. to the 500 pages you've poured years of your life into. Amazon don't really do much to promote this. I don't think I've seen any author use it. You also can't reply to reviews like some other services. I think it would be quite nice for an author to reply to someone's negative (and indeed positive) reviews. That might make me curious enough to read the book, and get people talking about it. Everyone wins.

    The bad online reviews are my favourite. I once read a review slating Greenwich (where I live, quite lovely)… because it was cold.

  • http://twitter.com/Monsty Rachel Steed

    Re: Orlando

    noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
    why?
    oh the shame!
    Not to mention, his writing speaks for itself (brilliant – highly recommend Natasha's Dance)

    Scathing anecdote extracted from the Guardian article you referenced – Robert Service, head of Russian History at Oxford “I am pleased and mightily relieved that this contaminant slime has been exposed to the light and begun to be scrubbed clean”

    “contaminant slime”!
    ouch. the rules of the Amazon are harsh – do not tamper with nature.

  • http://twitter.com/aogw Robbie Dale

    Indeed it would encourage conversation. And while you'll always get the odd ridiculous comment (see Hamlet), replies add a bit more context and, as you suggest, do more to lure you into the piece being discussed.