Answer:
Reading customer ratings and reviews of products and services can be helpful sometimes, and help you choose which product or service to purchase when looking for the best quality. However, it can sometimes be misleading, and you should always check the profile of the reviewer, to see if they are new to the company, verified to be telling the truth, and see if their contribution level is good or bad. I believe that these tools do help increase credibility of reviews and ratings.
Say you were looking at the reviews on a bag you've wanted to buy for some time. You also have a back up bag that you can buy that is cheaper. You see a bunch of reviews saying that the bag you really want rips/tears too easily, and is a little smaller than advertised. You check the verification on their profiles and see that they have been using those products for a few months now, and weren't satisfied with it. The back up bag you chose has better reviews and is said to be more durable. You check the verification on their profiles as well, and see that they are satisfied customers, and have been using those products for years.
So, instead, you buy the cheaper bag. You are happy with your decision, and the bag lasts for almost four years, and never fails you. Thanks to the reviews and comments, you have decided to change your decision.
Crowdsourcing can be a big help purchasing an item that is popular, or when you are looking for cheaper alternatives.
<em>I hope this answer has helped you :) </em>
