Reviews Not Influecing Buying?

[JoeGKushner]

Have you ever bought a book based on an online review?

I ask because when I was at Gen Con, several publishers told me that for the most part, online reviews while nice, did not translate into sales.

If you have bought a product due to an online review, if you could take a couple of miniutes to e-mail the publisher and provide a link to that review, that would be great.

I've used online reviews as a guide for purchasing many products. John Cooper has steered me towards some good buys and helped me avoid some terrible products. I never actually considered that most publishers would just dismiss the internet reviews altogether.

Now I'm not saying the internet is the end all or be all. It's still a small amount of role players and many role players never check out things like En World or the internet itself. However, I do believe that there is value in the various online reviews.

 

[Krieg]

I've purchased several products based on online reviews. However I rarely rely on a single review before making a choice to buy a product.

Redline, The Second World Sourcebook & Dark Inheritance were products that I first heard of through and decided to buy because of reviews.

PDF's are the primary beneficiary as there have been several that I would have never have known existed if not for their reviews...Joe's Book of Enchantment, Buy the Numbers, Character Customization, Deeds not Words, Elements of Magic & OGL Fantasy Lite.

 

[diaglo]

yes. i bought Of Sound Mind based on online reviews.

still waiting patiently for OSM2

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

Have you ever bought a book based on an online review?

I ask because when I was at Gen Con, several publishers told me that for the most part, online reviews while nice, did not translate into sales.

If you have bought a product due to an online review, if you could take a couple of miniutes to e-mail the publisher and provide a link to that review, that would be great.

I've used online reviews as a guide for purchasing many products. John Cooper has steered me towards some good buys and helped me avoid some terrible products. I never actually considered that most publishers would just dismiss the internet reviews altogether.

Now I'm not saying the internet is the end all or be all. It's still a small amount of role players and many role players never check out things like En World or the internet itself. However, I do believe that there is value in the various online reviews.

Sure, I have many times purchased or not purchased a book based on a review. Off the top of my head, i can't hink of particulars, but I check reviews of each book I buy, if possible. I'll start sending links to reviews for publishers as I buy stuff.

As a counterpoint to your observations at GenCon, I was specifically asked by 2 publishers to please write reviews of their books, as they were not getting them and would appreciate them, good or bad. One even gave me his latest book, and asked for me to do so and let him know when it was posted.

 

[Turanil]

Since I buy online, I base my decision on any info I can get, including reviews.

 

[JeffB]

I don’t pay any attention to them anymore, really. At least not the one’s here on ENWORLD. My tastes in gaming products seem to differ quite a bit from the average ENWorlder or Staff reviewer, and I’ve learned that I cannot “trust” most of the reviews.

For example, I‘ve seen some books that were very inspirational to me or very useful to me get slammed for editing, balance, or mechanics errors which didn’t bother me in the slightest. And just the same, I’ve seen multiple 4 & 5 star reviews of products I considered extremely bland and/or poor (AFAIC)

In addition, in the early days of D20, most of these companies were all very new, and we did not have any idea of the type of quality products they were putting out. Nowadays we know that the Malhavoc's, and Green Ronin’s and Necromancer's stuff is going to be of a certain level of quality. I know now for example, Necro products suit me to a T and I’m likely not to be disappointed with anything I purchase from them..sure I may like some products less or better than other’s but I know they will hit the bar, and usually clear it with plenty of room to spare. The opposite is true with some other products, like many of the WOTC products for instance. They just don’t cater to my needs anymore, and I know the WOTC “formula” for a supplement, and so I don’t bother reading reviews because I pretty much know what is going to be in the book, and not very useful for me.

I do still read the reviews however. Quite often. But only to gather general information on what is in a book or what it’s theme is.

EDIT: to answer your first question though, YES I have in the past. Like Diaglo, OSM was a "review" buy (and I'm also waiting for #2). But these days, I do not.

 

[Crothian]

Joe, you do know this is like going into a McDonalds and asking the people there if thet eat Hamburgers. Sure, many people here on line read and are influenced by reviews, but most gamers really aren't on line and don't have access or care about the reviews.

 

[mrswing]

Online reviews have definitely influenced my buying books: Master of Arms, for one, and the Denizens of Avadnu book, From Stone to Steel, Conan... I often wait for several reviews to have appeared before deciding to get a book. Knowing the reviewer bias also helps a lot in making me decide.

So yes, online reviews are definitely an influence, especially since there are almost no print mags left which do reviews of RPG products.

 

[Stockdale]

I use online reviews of game products all-the-time in making my purchasing decisions. The more reviews of the product, the better able I am to make the decision. (this is particuarly true for electronic publishers bceuase I cannot browse them at Borders). Further, in situtations were there are no reviews of a product that interests me, I will not buy the product (but I will contact the publisher and offer to review the product if they send me a copy).

 

[diaglo]

Joe, you do know this is like going into a McDonalds and asking the people there if thet eat Hamburgers.

i prefer homemade burgers put together in my own two hands.

edit: the burgers in the McD's of today aren't the Hamburgers that Ray Kroc used to serve.