Being cautious in your online search is very critical

Gone are the days when getting recommendations was solely done via word of mouth of friends and family. Today, people across the world rely on the internet to do their research for almost everything whether it’s buying a new gadget, looking for a service provider or considering dining options

With that comes a lot more opportunities for getting actual experiences that can help you save money and hassle when you hear from people who are sharing actual experiences. There are also some risks involved; many of the online reviews, articles and blogs may be paid or sponsored to promote a particular product. That is why being cautious in your online search is very critical.

Unlike family and friends, online reviewers don’t necessarily have your best interest at heart. If you resort to a board to ask questions or get recommendations, use your best judgement combined with sound research to ensure that you’re not being sold on certain products or services.

Here are a few points to keep in mind when you’re looking online.

Keep your information safe

Apart from criminals who are after personal information for fraudulent reasons, there are also lead-generation companies. These are individuals or companies that are trying to get your contact information to sell you on their products or their clients’ services.

Although it is common that you will be asked to enter some information such as your email address to verify that you’re an actual person, it is not a common — or safe — practice to submit personal information. As mentioned, any information you submit online can at least be used to contact you with offers not only from the one website that you initiated the contact with, but from many others who are willing to pay for your details as a potential lead.

Search for intentions

Although the lack of face-to-face contact makes it harder to figure the intentions of online reviewers and respondents, try to read between the lines to find if your contact is an actual user of the product or service or a paid promoter. If you read closely, you may notice some similarities in promotional language, overstated enthusiasm, call to action, or eagerness to discredit competitors’ products.

Remember, paid reviewers can be among bloggers and reporters of consumer publications, although many respectable ones will make sure that paid material is clearly marked. The point is you shouldn’t take a casual review always as an actual testimonial unless you’re familiar or able to verify the source.

Read negative reviews

Don’t always discredit negative reviews as exceptions. Yes, people are more likely to write a review if something has gone wrong, but in these reviews you may get some insight that help you formulate your objective opinion. For example, if you’re looking for a product and you find a consistent complaint about its warranty or durability, odds are there is a problem there. Getting to know this issue upfront can save you a good chunk of money.

In addition, reviews may draw comparison to similar products to service providers, which may in turn help you find alternatives to what you’re looking for. With that in mind, watch out for reviews that intentionally promote other products.

Source the information

The legitimacy of any information depends on the credibility of the source. So take a few moments to find out how genuine your source is. Many websites try to use formatting, style and even names that are similar to credible sites. So be careful not to take anything for granted without double checking.

That is particularly important when you’re paying for a service or a product. Before you enter your credit card information, look for any warning signs. You even may look up using any search engine the name of the website and the word scam or review. That will help you eliminate shady sources.

Rania Oteify, a former Gulf News Business Features Editor, is a Seattle-based editor.