Food or Not?

The debate about the worth of food reviews will long continue, I suspect, until the day when Dooyoo decide to alter policy again. Way back when it was argued that a food (or drink) product would only be included in the database if it was a luxury item and/or unusual. Store-cupboard items were definitely out. Then, gradually, we have day to day items added on a daily basis with dooyoo only just drawing the line at the likes of milk, fruit and veg.

It's argued (and accepted by most) that no one seeks to actively comparison shop for daily food items - that tesco value tomatoes in a tin are better (or worse) than Sainsburys and maybe a penny cheaper is not going to cause an individual to change their store. However, I've been thinking how I use food reviews. Whilst I don't comparison shop the items I have found myself making a purchase as a result of a review or at the very least, having a seed planted in my mind that I might like to try a certain product. I wonder, therefore, if that is where the value to the consumer lies - not in a comparative sense, per se, but as a resource that might just spark an idea for a purchase. Granted, 10000001 mars bar reviews are unlikely to have that effect but the first few reviews of a product might just.

Thoughts?

Taken a step further, might it be prudent for Dooyoo to limit the number of opinions written in such categories unless there is a change to the underlying product?

Just chewing the fat....

I think I'd be perfectly happy going back to the original system - luxury/unusual items only.

The current system is a joke and no use to man nor beast (except those "earning" 50p per crap review).

I don't think limiting the number of reviews of an item is fair to newer members - if dooyoo insist on leaving these categories on the site then everyone should be allowed to write in them.

I think definitely back to luxury items only.

I too can be influenced if I read them (which is not often) ...BUT... if the average review gets about 30 member reads (as many who churn out regular reviews do not get a lot of rates) then their impact is quite insignificant. THe same people who might buy something because they read about it will take other signals e.g. from tv advertising, magazine advertising, in store promotion and marketing, and from general chit chat with their friends and colleagues...and still buy, eventually. The reviews themselves are not all that important.

I disagree slightly - I don't pay attention to advertising. I don't scan the promotions. I do however find influence in opinion...

I guess for me it would depend on who wrote it and if I felt I "trusted" their opinion or not too. But that makes the likelihood of anything decision to purchase as a result of reading an opinion even less likely.

I guess the other key fact is is it worth dooyoo paying out all this money for those kind of reviews - as that is not their intention of the website - which is primarily aimed at non members.

(I appreciate that argument goes for some other categories or sub categories as well - which I would also rather see less of...)

...but those reviews are also open to view by non-members who might just happen upon them. I suspect it is a footfall thing...

I think they could still get the hits by stopping those food reviews and getting people to write on other subjects that can bring in more non-member readers, perhaps by removing the posting payment a la Speaker's Corner.

I occasionally will read a fod review, but not often and I might even make a mental note to try something after a review. But I would never research food. I think it is about time that it was made a non-paying category, along with others.

I vote for limited to luxury items, though the question remains - what defines a luxury item? Some biscuits, for example, could be seen as luxury, whilst digestives less so...

mattygroves wrote:

I vote for limited to luxury items, though the question remains - what defines a luxury item? Some biscuits, for example, could be seen as luxury, whilst digestives less so...

I think that is a good point and what is luxury to one person might not be to another. Each item would have to be carefully considered; that's why I personally favour removing the current incentive for so many to work their way through their store cupboard. I saw chewing gum reviewed the other day

Back to luxury items for me too. I would like dooyoo to cap food products at say five pounds and up. Anyone who researchs a Mars Bar has issues IMO.

I would agree at a price cap and £5 sounds reasonable and anything that can be consumed in a single session.

However what about food products with a claimed added benefit such as probiotic youghurt 9i'm not meaning every single flavour in the range reviewed) or a detox tea. Done well they would be of some merit to a consumer. The other non luxury items i am thinking of are substitutes for those with special dietary needs gluten free, wheat free etc. being a non meat eater I've tried some vile meat alternatives and some pretty good ones.

I would agree to a locking of products if the reviews became out of control and like ciao's payment on how searched for and how many reviews 9which they contradict with the POW)

Dusky wrote:

I would agree at a price cap and £5 sounds reasonable and anything that can be consumed in a single session.

However what about food products with a claimed added benefit such as probiotic youghurt 9i'm not meaning every single flavour in the range reviewed) or a detox tea. Done well they would be of some merit to a consumer. The other non luxury items i am thinking of are substitutes for those with special dietary needs gluten free, wheat free etc. being a non meat eater I've tried some vile meat alternatives and some pretty good ones.

I would agree to a locking of products if the reviews became out of control and like ciao's payment on how searched for and how many reviews 9which they contradict with the POW)

I would not make a distinction and just cap at a fiver. If you want specific reviews of specialist products ie vegetarian, gluten free that are low end then maybe look elsewhere.

If we cap human food do we also cap pe food and baby food? (sorry is that a silly question)

I would NOT cap at a fiver to solve the problem...although I appreciate it would eliminate some of the current churn.



I fear then we would just get reviews of mega packs of Nescafe coffee.....1600 tea bags.....and so on...!

I appreciate luxury is hard to define and one man's junk is another man's treasure and all that, but it might need a combination of both minimum spend and brand integrity....(otherwise the dairy milk reviews will become the 1mile long dairy milk bar reviews....!)

My food reviews usually come as a result of me being bored at work, which probably isn't the best reason in the world to write a review!

If dooyoo stopped paying for them then I'd probably stop writing them, I can't say it would really bother me either way. Mind you, I don't churn out 10 food reviews a day!

Personally I don't really see the difference between a food review and say a review of a bar of soap...if I want a bar of soap I'll buy it without reading a review first. I suppose the £5 idea could also be applied there.

On the other hand though I have bought food products (that I otherwise would have overlooked) as a direct result of reading dooyoo reviews and thinking that something sounds nice.

I agree that I dont think it is a purely food problem...not many people will research a bar of soap.....


as for buying, I understand the point, as a result of reading, but members are but a minority audience.... mind you dooyoo seems to be a bottomless pit of money lately, where suggestions are concerned.

No I would never research something like soap or shower gel either, but I think there might be some things in that category that people might research, e.g. if they have skin problems, hair problems etc.

Whereas I am not convinced people would ever research food, even if dooyoo members(me included) will sometimes read these reviews.

And I don't think dooyoo could cope with treating products in the same category differently, I think that is why food gets picked on a little bit.