After researching my brains out to decide on which pots and pans would be the best bang for my buck, I asked the Super Mommies over at the GOODEness Gracious Facebook Fan Page how they made big purchase decisions…
Super Mommy Cassidy asks everyone she knows, then heads online to read reviews and compare prices. Then she hits the stores to ask one last opinion of the store clerks. She also said that she recently asked the appliance repairman his opinion.
LOVE the idea of asking the repairman–brilliant!
Super Mommy Joy says that reviews play a BIG part in her decisions. She shares that her hubby researches things out until you can’t research anymore. Then they pray about it.
Super Mommy Jill does a Facebook survey and then a quick online survey. Then she is done. She shares that she doesn’t have tons of time for research.
’round these parts we are huge believers in Amazon reviews and Google. I have been burnt more than once by products that have BAD google raps or poor Amazon scores only to learn after the fact… usually when I am googling to find a solution to my problem…lol.
So, trying to learn from my mistakes, I make it a custom to check both and it turns out I am usually a MUCH happier camper. I sometimes do the facebook thing too… people are always so helpful!
Google even helped me discover this awesome site recently: Only Cookware
Love them! Wish they did more than cookware. But then again, they’d have to change their name now wouldn’t they…lol!
So how do you make big purchase decisions? Are you a brand person? Or, do you like a Review review? How do you decide?
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Cranberry Morning says
Interesting post. If I have a brand that has served me well, I tend to go back to that brand a second time. For example, my KitchenAid dishwasher was purchased twenty-one years ago. (Yes, you're reading that correctly!). Only once did we have any problem only to discover that there was dog hair in the impellar!! YIKES. Anyway, when we have to replace it, I will be looking at another KitchenAid. Same with my mixer. KitchenAid. Although, if I were making bread for a large family, I would probably go with a Bosch because of friends' testimonials to its ability to handle a huge batch of dough.
As for other things, I do go online and read reviews which help me make a decision.
Amy D says
I do on-line reviews, typically Amazon. It sure talks me out of a lot of purchases. LOL. If a product has an unusually large number of negative reviews, I will check with my friends. I have learned that people are more likely to complain about a product, than they are to praise one.
BigD says
We've long been subscribers to Consumer Reports. We keep them on the bookshelf for years, so we can always pull them out for reference when it's time to, say, paint.
We've done pretty well following their advice.
Except on cars.
They always seem to favor the Japanese cars and hate GM vehicles.
That's where we go astray.