Question

Why is it important to do research prior to making a purchase? What types of sources can be helpful (or not helpful!)

Answer 1

Answer:

It is important to do research before making a purchase to avoid buyers remorse. It can be expensive to return an item as you can be charged shipping and restocking fees. Before jumping in and trying to find an item it is useful to stop and ask yourself "what do I want this item for?" this gives you a list of requirements to look for. Manufacturer's specifications are useful for finding out hard facts like how wide a fridge is or what colour ink a pen has. Subjective opinions on a product are also important as they can highlight common issues people are having with an item and if you are likely to encounter the same problems if you purchase the same item. The most unhelpful sources of information about an item are sponsored placements since most of the opinions presented will be a list of the manufacturer's talking points which are going to be biased towards showing the product in a positive light.