Trustpilot - How Trustworthy?

[bainbrig]

Reviews are becoming increasingly important in this internet shopping age, but how trustworthy are sites like Trustpilot?

Amazon have their ‘Verified purchase’ tag which gives its reviews more weight, but not Trustpilot.

Recently I was looking at insurance companies, and according to Trustpilot they all seemed to get 1 star, which strikes me as doubtful. The reviews seem too easy to manipulate.

BB

[bednobs]

Part of the problem is that people are more likely to complain than talk up a good service. Especially insurance companies. Most of the time i just hope I never get to find out how good mine are or aren't!

[bainbrig]

Yes, true, bednobs - but curiously a lot of the Amazon reviews aren’t simply complaints.

[KARL]

bednobs is quite correct and I share the cautionary thought. I would add however that I did have an extremely unpleasant experience with AXA - since then I carefully check whether they are in any way connected with any insurance contract I am considering. Unless nothing else is on offer I will not let AXA into my life.

[bainbrig]

I know the feeling, Karl. I'm the same with anything Hastings-related - bunch of crooks!

Which? used to be the place to go, so maybe I'll swallow and cough up the five quid they want (extra to my ordinary subscription) for their 'Money' recommendations.

It's the sort of advice that Citizens' Advice could usefully put on line - not how to avoid Axa and Hastings, but their recommendations for favoured (e.g.) insurance companies.

BB

[ladybirder]

Ha ha BB. I put up some Which BB's for you yesterday and you ignored them:-)). Your choice of course.

[bainbrig]

Ladybirder. If you think my answer "Thanks LadyB, useful. (We are on Which?, but not on Money Which )" amounts to ignoring something, then we're using different dictionaries.

BB

[wolf63]

Have you looked at this site for recommendations?

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/home-insurance/

[ladybirder]

Oh dear. That's not what I said but never mind, it's not important. I was just teasing, hence the smiley.

[bainbrig]

Thanks wolf, yes I did look at MoneySavingsExpert, ta.

BB

[Old_Geezer]

There's an insurance company somewhere worth more than 1 out of 5 ???

[choux]

I remember seeing a report including some disappointing info about trustpilot:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5672147/How-firms-buy-bogus-online-reviews-products.html

[douglas9401]

Every bit as trustworthy as Checkatrade I'm sure.

[bainbrig]

Thanks choux, that’s a very interesting article.

[choux]

You are welcome Bill. I said it was disappointing because I do like to check reviews as most of my shopping is done on line. I have posted reviews on trustpilot and they have always been fair and 100% accurate. I cannot imagine any firm paying me for writing reviews ;)