Consumer Reviews: Who Knew?

Until recently, I often ignored the consumer reviews and ratings listed with a product that is showcased online. I don't know if it was my Freudian Id that wanted to make spontaneous and instantly gratifying purchases without doing the research and weighing the positives and negatives, or if it was simply a lack of attention to what other consumers were saying. Maybe I expected that the only people who were writing reviews about products were the consumers who were either extremely satisfied or extremely disappointed, leaving me confused and unsure as to which review I should listen to. Either way, social media has helped me learn how to be more in tune to what other consumers are saying about the products I'm interested in. It turns out, this stuff is incredibly helpful.... and addicting. Now that I have started reading consumer reviews, I am obsessed with reading reviews for every single product or service that I am slightly interested in. I start with the first comment and read every single one that is posted - no matter how many there are. If there are not any reviews, good or bad, I don't buy it anymore. This new practice helps me to feel informed and, even better yet, it helps me save money. With graduation rapidly approaching, I like to think of this as a baby step towards more responsible, adult-like (yikes!) buying habits.