If we're unsure about a potential product, its description won't always give all the answers we need to make an informed decision. After all, it was written either by the manufacturers or the sellers, and they might accentuate the positives and omit the negatives in order to make as many sales as possible.
No no, for an accurate picture we need reviews. Honest ones, coming from buyers who have already used the darn thing and know if it does the job. Luckily, people understand this and happily share their experiences with one another. Oftentimes finding the perfect words too.
The aptly titled subreddit 'Amazon Reviews' is the ultimate archive of these little online texts. Continue scrolling to check out the best pieces that its 132K members have gathered recently and for the older gems, fire up our first publication on it.
Also, we contacted one of the subreddit's moderators, u/pzreich, and book writing and publishing coach Lisa Tener, so don't miss the interesting insights they shared. (You'll find them between the images.)
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The Deep Exhausted Sigh At Baby #175
Well At Least He Now Has A Dog
Currently, the subreddit 'Amazon Reviews' has 7 moderators looking after it, and they have things to do. "Definitely the two most common issues we run into as mods are people trying to use our sub to advertise products and people trying to use the sub to complain or seek help about Amazon, such as with shipping or payment," u/pzreich told Bored Panda.
"The former gets an immediate permanent ban as advertising is against our rules, and the latter's posts are removed, and don’t face any bans. I'm generally sympathetic to anyone who has issues with Amazon since I have absolutely no love for the company, so I sometimes will redirect them to the official Amazon sub to see if they can get help for their issues. Generally, the commenters behave themselves which is nice!"
However, these few details aside, u/pzreich said that "modding this sub has been a breeze and given me many laughs over the past few years. It’s nice to see the creativity of strangers, products I didn’t know existed, and the collaborative efforts of the sub members to bring it all together."
I Should Try It
Normally I hate ppl writing in all caps, but understandable in this case
Wasn't Expecting To Laugh So Hard At A Review About A Plastic Strip That Helps You Remove Hair From Your Drain
A Review For Caliwhite Teeth Whitening Gel That Got Political Very Quickly.
Lately, u/pzreich has been wondering a lot why product reviews make such good writing prompts. "I think it boils down to a few factors. Product reviews, despite the fact that there's often a name or username attached, tend to feel rather anonymous, and people may feel a freedom to express their thoughts in a creative way, and to bring smiles to the faces of readers."
"People read reviews to get the honest thoughts of others, and may find themselves chuckling at especially imaginative feedback. Sometimes the situations you end up in while using a product are inherently funny, and sometimes the humor or interest comes out of the reviewer not understanding the product or getting mad at a specific element. Overall, there’s a very wide subject matter and an endless amount of people writing them, which leaves a wide range of potential reviews," the moderator explained.
Reviewer Changes His Mind About A Bezos Biography
Reality Check
Time Stops For No Man
She's Special
Lisa Tener is a leading authority in book proposal development and her clients have signed 5- and 6-figure book deals with HarperCollins, Random House, Yale University Press, Johns Hopkins University Press, HCI and other major publishers, as well as being self-published.
She agrees with u/pzreich, saying that, "Product reviews are an excellent way to practice writing because they help you a) think about your own experience and how you can bring it to life b) provide specific examples c) write for a particular reader/audience."
"In addition, if you can make a product review entertaining and engaging, it will help you with all your writing. For example, challenge yourself to come up with engaging headlines by using alliteration (words starting with the same letter or sound), humor, or a quirky detail. If you can write engaging headlines on your product reviews, you can do the same for blog posts, articles, social media posts, or even a book!" Tener added.
A Man And His Bidet
Ashtray Review Took A Hard Left Turn
But Did It Work?
Someone Made A Mistake
"There are a number of things you can do to express your thoughts more clearly through text," the author of The Joy of Writing Journal: Spark Your Creativity in 8 Minutes a Day told Bored Panda.
"Be clear about what your goals are. After writing the first draft, ask yourself whether your writing will likely produce the results you were going for."
"Focus on your target audience or readership. Who will be reading this review, article, email, text, or other writing? What are their goals? Their pain points? How can you help them? What language and examples will resonate for them?"
Yes Indeed
Rare Earth Magnets…ping!
Workwear Crocs
Angel Titties
I need this bra!!!! PLEASE TELL ME MORE. My boo bees need to be held up on cloud pillows!!!
To make our sentences more colorful, Tener suggests asking ourselves how can we bring our writing to life for our readers by providing examples and stories.
"Metaphors can often make writing vivid. And employing various senses (smell, taste, sound, touch, and visuals) will also make your writing vivid," she said.
"The more specific you can be, the more it illustrates your points and engages your readers."
Bread Slippers
I Appreciate Honest Reviews
Tina Watching Out For The Rest Of Us
This Review For A Book About Demons
And it's not like you have to sacrifice form if you want cohesive content. "Illustrative writing actually increases clarity when done correctly," Tener added.
"If you're not sure your writing is clear, ask a person in the target audience to read your writing and to let you know where they get bored or confused."
I Love Writing On A Subatomic Level!
Fishnets Are A Bad Influence
How Do I Turn This Monitor On
Looking To “Flatter Her Splatter Cannon”
To challenge yourself beyond routine product reviews, emails, and work reports, Tener suggests, "making lists and then using a prompt for an item on the list."
"For example, list ten things you love about your phone. Then pick one and write about it in a humorous or playful way," she explained."
Her most recent book, The Joy of Writing Journal: Spark Your Creativity in 8 Minutes a Day, is a great resource for these kinds of prompts as well as other creative, playful, and engaging tasks.
One Of My Personal Favorites
Monica’s Dark Energy
Ps5 Not Waterproof
Baked Bread & Had Sex
What Product Makes This Review Even Funnier?
I have noticed a downvoting troll on this page. Some people needlessly downvoted. Downvoting is not dislikes, downvoting can lead to people being banned, just for having opinions or making inoffensive jokes. Do not downvote, unless it is for the bots making "$400 an hour" or the obviously racist and hateful people.
If you see someone on minus numbers, show some love, upvote them, before the downvoting vultures strike.
Load More Replies...What I have learned from all of this is that I need to be a lot more creative with my Amazon reviews !
I already spend way too much time trying to comment something creative, and usually just end up deleting it and moving on 😂
Load More Replies...Am mildly disappointed I am not seeing the infamous Gummy Bear Review here. So here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/review/R2JGNJ5ZPJT4YC
I have noticed a downvoting troll on this page. Some people needlessly downvoted. Downvoting is not dislikes, downvoting can lead to people being banned, just for having opinions or making inoffensive jokes. Do not downvote, unless it is for the bots making "$400 an hour" or the obviously racist and hateful people.
If you see someone on minus numbers, show some love, upvote them, before the downvoting vultures strike.
Load More Replies...What I have learned from all of this is that I need to be a lot more creative with my Amazon reviews !
I already spend way too much time trying to comment something creative, and usually just end up deleting it and moving on 😂
Load More Replies...Am mildly disappointed I am not seeing the infamous Gummy Bear Review here. So here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/review/R2JGNJ5ZPJT4YC