Equipment reviews

[bottletopburly]

I’ve always noticed whilst browsing suppliers websites such as first light optics and modern astronomy , there’s always a review tab but not many  user reviews , and I’m guilty of it sometimes too but I do go back and leave a review ,  but  it only takes a few minutes  and find it helpful when purchasing to read any reviews so come on guys and girls next time your browsing leave a review for the last item you bought  , think of it as helping each other . 

[LukeSkywatcher]

I'd never really thought about it before but you are right. The best way to learn about a product and what people think about it is to read reviews. Ive left a few reviews on Amazon about items i have used. This is ok, but you get emails from other people asking you questions about the item. The other day i had an email from someone asking me which size gloves they should order (i ordered a pair of wheelchair gloves a couple of weeks ago).

I just said i have HUGE hands and the large size fit me.

[Cleetus]

The question is, if someone wrote a stinking review of an item then would the website/retailer allow it knowing that it could impact sales. Let's assume there is a small refractor on a website and five customer reviews were not favourable. Don't think that would go down well.  Furthermore,  if that did happen then you have to ask why the dealer is selling a piece of junk. I always take reviews on websites with a pinch of salt so to me they are somewhat meaningless.

Amazon is different. I think they are too big to care and very often an item does attract bad reviews. 

[bottletopburly]

3 hours ago, Cleetus said:

The question is, if someone wrote a stinking review of an item then would the website/retailer allow it knowing that it could impact sales. Let's assume there is a small refractor on a website and five customer reviews were not favourable. Don't think that would go down well.  Furthermore,  if that did happen then you have to ask why the dealer is selling a piece of junk. I always take reviews on websites with a pinch of salt so to me they are somewhat meaningless.

Amazon is different. I think they are too big to care and very often an item does attract bad reviews. 

i combine reviews with info from forums regarding astro stuff ,every bit of info helps if there is anything negative about the product you will soon find it on the net ,especially if i was to buy more expensive items .

[Cleetus]

Yep, agree with you there. What makes me laugh though is the section on SGL about supplier eviews. You get so many " I ordered my (insert appropriate item) 10 am Monday and it was delivered the next day". Okay so the retailer boxed it up, put your name and address on the label, and then the courier collected it.  How difficult was that?  Why is that brownie points for a dealer? No, the measure of a good dealer, apart from unbiased help and advice, is how he behaves when things go wrong with equipment. Maybe that section should be renamed "Box Shifters and Courier Reviews?!!

[bottletopburly]

12 hours ago, Cleetus said:

Yep, agree with you there. What makes me laugh though is the section on SGL about supplier eviews. You get so many " I ordered my (insert appropriate item) 10 am Monday and it was delivered the next day". Okay so the retailer boxed it up, put your name and address on the label, and then the courier collected it.  How difficult was that?  Why is that brownie points for a dealer? No, the measure of a good dealer, apart from unbiased help and advice, is how he behaves when things go wrong with equipment. Maybe that section should be renamed "Box Shifters and Courier Reviews?!!

Yes you are spot on there , it’s  aftercare that counts , when something goes wrong or your looking  for a bit more info that sorts the wheat from the chaff .

[oobydooby]

Reviews are an unnecessary item on any web page in my opinion.

If I write to a company from whom I have placed an order it will be only to complain, so assuming the item arrived as it should and works as it should then the company must surely assume that all is well with the sale.

Most people have a pop up stopper to prevent unwanted pop ups from interrupting their browsing but most sellers and bank sites circumvent this by producing a pop up at first going to the site. For example saying "Would you like to add your opinion of our site" or "Please leave a comment before leaving" .  No! The only comment I have ever left is "Stop the pop-ups!" I never see my comment when I return to the website to read them, so my guess is bad comments are edited out.

[FLO]

On 16/02/2018 at 06:46, bottletopburly said:

I’ve always noticed whilst browsing suppliers websites such as first light optics and modern astronomy , there’s always a review tab but not many  user reviews , and I’m guilty of it sometimes too but I do go back and leave a review ,  but  it only takes a few minutes  and find it helpful when purchasing to read any reviews so come on guys and girls next time your browsing leave a review for the last item you bought  , think of it as helping each other . 

Well said that man  

No system is perfect but constructive reviews submitted by actual owners, written with the intention of helping others, are best. 

On 19/02/2018 at 16:07, Cleetus said:

The question is, if someone wrote a stinking review of an item then would the website/retailer allow it knowing that it could impact sales. Let's assume there is a small refractor on a website and five customer reviews were not favourable. Don't think that would go down well.  Furthermore,  if that did happen then you have to ask why the dealer is selling a piece of junk. 

There aren't many specialist astronomy retailers selling junk  

On 20/02/2018 at 22:16, Cleetus said:

Yep, agree with you there. What makes me laugh though is the section on SGL about supplier eviews. You get so many " I ordered my (insert appropriate item) 10 am Monday and it was delivered the next day". Okay so the retailer boxed it up, put your name and address on the label, and then the courier collected it.  How difficult was that?  Why is that brownie points for a dealer? No, the measure of a good dealer, apart from unbiased help and advice, is how he behaves when things go wrong with equipment. Maybe that section should be renamed "Box Shifters and Courier Reviews?!!

SGL's ADMIN already have this covered. See their post Posting Supplier Reviews from way back in 2013. 

HTH, 

Steve

[Tim]

On 2/21/2018 at 17:33, oobydooby said:

Reviews are an unnecessary item on any web page in my opinion.

Well, it is an interesting opinion, but it does stand opposed to modern retail practices.

Website, google, tripadvisor etc reviews are an integral part of modern consumer focused marketing, and a driving force for higher standards and transparency.

I would seriously question the motives behind any company who did not allow or encourage customer reviews, or who censor or hide the negative ones.

It is probably fair to say that when my wife and I purchase things online, consumer product reviews are our go-to source of independent information regarding the product, and the most influential on our decision.

[kirkster501]

I've never seen an astro magazine review truly slate something.  That's because either 1. Every product is superb (which I highly doubt) or 2. if a reviewer leaves a negative review then the supplier will be onto said reviewer asking why they gave it such a bad rap and they will not use that reviewer again.

I take it all with a pinch of salt.  What matters to me is what people on this forum say.  What I *do* pay attention to is reviewers where the reviewer themselves then buy that gear - as in the MESU reviewed by Olly and Steve.  What better advert could you get than that?

[tomato]

+1 for liking it so much you buy one. There is only one step up from that and that is to do a Victor Kiam and buy the company!

[Tomatobro]

I left a review on the latest Raspberry Pi saying it did not run the Atik air software so that is why I returned it. Gave it one star .

The review did not appear on their listings. 

[JonC]

11 minutes ago, Tomatobro said:

I left a review on the latest Raspberry Pi saying it did not run the Atik air software so that is why I returned it. Gave it one star .

The review did not appear on their listings. 

I don't blame them, Atik don't appear to have released an update for the software yet, the problem isn't with the pi, its with Atik Air. The latest version of the Pi was only released 4 weeks ago.

[25585]

10 hours ago, kirkster501 said:

I've never seen an astro magazine review truly slate something.  That's because either 1. Every product is superb (which I highly doubt) or 2. if a reviewer leaves a negative review then the supplier will be onto said reviewer asking why they gave it such a bad rap and they will not use that reviewer again.

For publications & their Web sites cheque book journalism has always been the way. 

SGL opinions I have found are very helpful with opinions & advice, though there are some areas where little ownership means less information. 

@John & other ocumages, advocating Pentax XW, Vixen anything eye pieces, and any Japanese glass + TakForce (you know who you are!), & others have steered me to quality optics I would have never have experienced otherwise. Magazines focus on Celestron, Meade, Sky Watcher & Explore Scientific mainly. 

AFA retailers, @FLO since buying my first item from them a year ago, have never not been polite, quick to reply & helpful. This should be as above for all, but in this age of ebay, Amazon, Gumtree & even ABS, reassurance of consideration is ***** service. 

[RayD]

Very good post and very well said, Sir.

As some will know I have a YouTube channel on which I provide reviews on items I buy, which invariably is from FLO as I have found their service to be second to none.  If I didn't do this by video I would definitely write reviews as, like others have mentioned, they are 100% my goto before buying anything.  Personally I like videos as for me I find I get a better feeling for the product, and it is often easier to explain things in videos than in print.  However, written reviews are hugely important, not only for us, the potential purchasers, but also for the retailer as they are often easier to write than a letter of complaint.

With regards to retailer feedback, that isn't necessarily what the customer feedback tabs are for as they are on each product page, meaning it is the product being reviewed.  However, retailer reviews are also incredibly important as, whilst FLO can manage to stick a box in the post, they do so whilst keeping the purchaser updated regularly, and noting accurate stock levels.  My experience of others includes an empty hole of silence following an order, with no idea when or if I am going to get my item, only to find out weeks later that it wasn't in stock in the first place.

If I am not going to do a video review of a product I will certainly leave a written one, so thanks for bringing this up, it's a really important subject.

 

[JeremyS]

17 minutes ago, RayD said:

As some will know I have a YouTube channel on which I provide reviews on items I buy

Interesting. Can you post a link RayD?

[RayD]

5 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Interesting. Can you post a link RayD?

If you just search for Simplified Astro Jeremy you'll come across it .  At the moment I am working on a first impression and long-term review of a Telegizmo 365 cover which I've just bought from FLO which I think is made easier by video.

[25585]

RayD saw your video on the SW 72ED. I thought it extemely comprehensive assessment for an unboxing!

I think (as for photography kit), follow up one month/year etc videos are useful too. With both you would learn what works, wore out, needed servicing, upgrading etc. 

How-to for using & maintaining mounts, is almost essential. Collimation ditto. 

[bingevader]

On 11/04/2018 at 12:09, FLO said:

There aren't many specialist astronomy retailers selling junk  

HTH, 

Steve

This is why I don't tend to leave a review.

When buying new, I know what I'm buying and I buy from a reputable supplier.

I come here (SGL) for the detailed reviews and comparisons that you are rarely going to get on a retailer's website.

[Tomatobro]

14 hours ago, JonC said:

I don't blame them, Atik don't appear to have released an update for the software yet, the problem isn't with the pi, its with Atik Air. The latest version of the Pi was only released 4 weeks ago.

But it shows that reviews are filtered, even when the statement is true.

[FLO]

6 hours ago, bingevader said:

I come here (SGL) for the detailed reviews and comparisons that you are rarely going to get on a retailer's website.

Then I guess we had better keep putting money in the meter  

Steve 

[bingevader]

I'm sure you'd agree that it has been a very worthwhile partnership.