Reviews on GC/MF: Fake?

Think of it like me, in different scenarios:

A 14 year old gets a brand new Mapex M-Birch for his birthday, and upgrade from his CB, and is completely overjoyed.
Likely to write a bad review? Yes.

A 14 year old works all summer just to buy a M-Birch. He has a little more appreciation for the value of a dollar.
Likely to write a bad review? Possibly.

A 55 year old professional Jazz drummer gets his sponsors brand new series of hybrid drums, for free.
Likely to write a bad review? Possible, but very unlikely.

A hard working man with a family and bills to pay finally has enough money for a new kit. After months of vigorous research, he finally drops the 2k on a Gretsch New Classic.
Likely to write a bad review? I highly, highly doubt it.

The 14 year old who gets it from his parents: why would he write a bad review? If I got one for my birthday and was overjoyed, I would write an awesome review! I would be in a better mood!

However, reviews aren't black and white, good or bad. You can write a good review, and still point out some bad things about the product.

Or do you mean bad, as in uneducated about the product?

And the 14 year old who works all the summer -- are you KIDDING? If I worked all summer to buy a nice drum set, I wouldn't go to Guitarcenter.com and write a bad review of it!
 
The 14 year old who gets it from his parents: why would he write a bad review? If I got one for my birthday and was overjoyed, I would write an awesome review! I would be in a better mood!

However, reviews aren't black and white, good or bad. You can write a good review, and still point out some bad things about the product.

Or do you mean bad, as in uneducated about the product?

And the 14 year old who works all the summer -- are you KIDDING? If I worked all summer to buy a nice drum set, I wouldn't go to Guitarcenter.com and write a bad review of it!

He means an unreliable review, not a negative response.
 
I used to be married to a marketing communications professional. ALL of these online companies pay people to put up positive reviews of their products, especially targeting products they need/want to market more aggressively and products that have mediocre or negative reviews by actual customers. So while some of the reviews are for real, some are not. This is also true of other types of online services like Yelp and other ratings related sites. So there you go...
 
I used to be married to a marketing communications professional. ALL of these online companies pay people to put up positive reviews of their products, especially targeting products they need/want to market more aggressively and products that have mediocre or negative reviews by actual customers. So while some of the reviews are for real, some are not. This is also true of other types of online services like Yelp and other ratings related sites. So there you go...

Yes! I knew it!

In fact, I read that companies hire people to advertise products "on the street." By that, I mean, they'll stop people in the middle of the city and ask them to take a picture of them and their companion with a camera that they're getting paid to do it with.

There could even be some people on this forum who are paid to tell people, subtly of course, that a product is good.
 
I have posted several negative reviews on music and other types of sites over the years. The only company that posted my negative review was Apple. I commend them for that. I notice that they continue to allow bad reviews on their site. I look at all the reviews, pro and con and I make my decision about the product. Knowing about a con of a product ahead of time still doesn't always stop me from buying it if I feel that its something that won't bother me that much. I also don't feel disappointed because I knew about it before I bought. The pros out weigh the cons and I buy it.
 
To take it a step further, what's to stop companies from having someone come on the forums and post positive reviews for their products (or negative for the competition)?

imo, no matter what you read on the internet you have to keep your gaurd up.
 
Interesting. Welp, I stand (sit, actually) corrected...although I still think that most of the reviews are just overzealous players. Heck, I never knew how bad my Pearl Exports were until I played some high end kits.
 
...I bought my very first stereo over thirty years ago.

I still have the reciever, and It is played for at least an hour or so every day. If I were to write a review on it, it would be quite favorable, as it has stood the test of time.

I don't get too excited reading, or writing reviews on products that still have residual sticky from where the price tag has just been peeled off.

My favorite drum, cymbal, gear reviews are the ones that we post explaining how that old piece of gear has been from kit to kit as it is the thing that still makes us smile every time we hit it.

Barry
 
I don't really like horses alot......

Anyways.

I actually recieved a gift card for 25$ from GC today in the mail.

I will be going there soon.

And the reviews on the websites are probably fake, but i dont pay attention to them, because I buy what sounds good to me, not what other people like or dislike.

I got one of those too, because of the PDP I bought online several months ago. What should I get? New heads, or what?
 
do you still have the stock heads on them?

and $25 will only get you 1 head....maybe 2 at the most..

Alex

Yeah, I guess I'll just get two heads...1 for the snare, and a Remo Ebony Pinstripe to match the one I already have on the rack tom.

Also, did you get my message about the snare?
 
I have left a number of reviews on these sites - positive and negative - and never noticed them removed.

Not al review pages are credible. Whether positive or negative, I look for details. If the review is loaded down with lots of terms like "AWESOME" or "TOTALLY COOL" or "A PIECE OF JUNK" but never gives details as to why, that's useless to me.

DETAILS are important in any review.
 
I believe some are fake. It's just like reviews for motels. Unless there are plenty of reviews that are distributed and not the same then I won't even bother reading them.
 
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