Information on the opinions of others can be crucial; both outside experts and current customers. Experts are skilled at assessing home electronics products and know the market while current customers are living the experience.
What do the experts say
The opinion and ratings of "experts" is a starting point. When searching online there are innumerable sites that provide ratings, opinions, and reviews of home electronics products. Unfortunately, to gain these pearls of wisdom sometimes requires a fee. Certainly there are also sites that offer the information for no fee. However, it is sometimes questionable how unbiased the ratings might be as many of the sites posting this information may also be selling similar products. This does not always translate into biased information but consumers need to be aware of the potential.
The credibility of disinterested experts
Certainly some sites offer valuable information. Consumer Reports as an example is independent of any advertisers in order to avoid any bias, making their ratings and reviews of specific products credible. Sites and publications that have no vested interest in making a sale may be an option for finding unbiased information.
Additional information from experts who also market
However, some marketers online do have a strong background in the topic area of certain home electronics products and thus can provide great information to assist consumers in making a choice. In addition, such marketer run sites often allow users to ask questions and interact through blogs and fourms providing even more useful information. Consumers merely need to assess the information they read. Articles and reviews that merely provide information, a description of features, and so forth can be useful in making a selection, but information that appears to be a hard sell is probably no more than that.
What do current customers say
Even if the opinions of experts all seem to point toward a particular product and the features of the item match the individuals needs, it can be important to find out how the device performs; thus the opinions of current users can play an important role when shopping.
Real world feedback from forums
Online forums offer consumers the opportunity to provide and review feedback which is unbiased. Even in an open forum type setting however some online marketers will post their feedback. For some it is just another opportunity to sway buyers without their being aware while others offer expert advice. Thus, consumers need to evaluate the reliability of what they read, realizing that both consumers and some internet marketers may be posting there.
So how is a consumer to decide what is reliable feedback, and what is not, in a forum type of situation? Certainly getting to know the participants in a forum can help. As in any setting, gaining a respect for the knowledge of other participants can help in trusting their opinions. Another possibility is to ignore single posts and make note of the trends. Any product can have a dissatisfied customer or an eager internet marketer who makes a post in order to sway readers. However, if there are numerous people posting similar information, whether they are consumers or marketers, it would seem important to heed their messages.
The credible, but limited information from formal surveys
Formal market surveys are another tool that can be helpful in discovering what current customers really think about a particular company or service. They generally don't provide feedback regarding specific products but do provide a good indication about how current customers feel about the products or services of a particular company.
One example, JD Power, is a company that has been a leader in measuring customer satisfaction in a wide variety of industries for many years. Individuals can go to jdpower.com look at the results of their most recent surveys in areas such as telecommunications providers, home electronics manufacturers, and so forth. Looking at ratings for customer service, reliability, and similar items can certainly shed some light on how current customers view the performance of the products and services of these companies.
Although shopping in the world of home electronics can be a daunting task obtaining information through reviews, ratings, informational articles, and the opinions of both experts and current customers can provide guidance. With a bit of research and a discerning eye, consumers can find the information they need online to make the best choice.
About the Author
The world of home electronics is always changing, the author, Christine Peppler invites consumers to visit her website for simple, useful information and shopping for home electronics.
