There seems to be some confusion over the concept of "helpful."
You may have noticed that Amazon provides a nifty little button with every review for every Amazon product. It is a "helpful" button. At the end of every review, the reader is asked: "Was this review helpful to you?"
I must stress: This does not mean "Do you like this review?" It means exactly what it says: "Was this review HELPFUL to you?"
Actual definition of helpful: adj. providing assistance; useful*
If a review helps you decide the product is something you'd like, it is a helpful review. If a review helps you decide the product really isn't for you, it is a helpful review. If the review leaves you more confused than before you read it, it is NOT a helpful review. If the review gives away key plot points in a book or movie, it is NOT a helpful review.
And believe it or not, sometimes a review is neither helpful nor unhelpful.
4 comments:
Good suggestion, Jaimey. I think many people don't understand the 'helpful' tab.
Exactly! I seriously think some people believe it means "Do you LIKE this review?" It floors me sometimes.
I left a review for the most recent X-Files movie and got about 52 'not helpful' votes in the space of a couple of hours because I didn't think much of the film and had the audacity to say so. I removed the review because I wasn't up to taking on David Duchovny's fan club alone.
Sheesh, Gina. I know what you mean. And that right there is the reason I even posted on this topic.
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