Do you write reviews?

I found myself looking to TripAdvisor and Yelp so often to find restaurants, lodging, etc that I started writing reviews myself last year, mostly on Yelp.

Do you use review sites and do you write reviews?

I did one review on Amazon for the electric pressure cooker we bought. I don't consider myself a writer, so I tend to shy away from things like that. (Although you'd never know it by some of the books I find myself writing on the board!)

I don't buy anything anymore without finding something out about it, good or bad. Often I'll ask here for people's opinions, simply because I like tried'n'true. But if I can't find anything out from people here, then I'll go online and look around.

I review things. My friend is a lifestyle blogger with a semi-niche and has gotten me into it too. I told her I didn't like the term lifestyle because it's a condom but she said like it or not, that's the official jargon. in the blogosphere, unless you have 1 focus & 1 focus only, you fall into the lifestyle category

I do.  Mostly for kid toys, baby products and restaurants.  Oh and recipes!  

I do a lot of review reading before purchasing things that are pricy or for my kids.  Like right now my Dad gave me money to find a nice gift for my DD from him; more than I would spend on my own, so I am relying on those reviews.  

Since I always read online reviews before buying stuff, I feel guilty if I don't write some myself.

I have written reviews from QVC on certain items.  Most of the time they are positive but I did have a few negative reviews.  They send me an email asking to write a review so others have an idea of the product.  I don't write often though.

I got threatened with a lawsuit by a lawyer for writing a bad review of him on yelp - total bluff.

Oh yes. If I've had an exceptionally good, or an exceptionally bad experience, I will writer a review about it. 
 

I just want to add that I wish people would/could write more reviews of lawyers and doctors.

I've written only one review, about the mp3 player I purchased last spring.  And only because I was really pleased with the product. 

I write them through Hotels.com when I book through them. Sometimes I'll do Yelp, YP, UrbanSpoon, etc. I'll also try to review any products I buy off Amazon or something.

I feel like I should, since I enjoy reading the reviews and without them, how would we know what's good to buy? And I keep intending to, but always forget .

Some reviews I think are silly. Like reviews for buying TV show season DVDs critiquing the show. If someone didn't like the show, they probably wouldn't be buying the season DVDs! Review the DVD special features, the lack of captioning, the quality of the cases, etc. but I think we already know what the show's about, thanks .

ETA: OK, I think some critiquing reviews like "I think seasons 1, 2, and 4 are better than season 3" ARE useful, but not a full-on critique of the show. Really now.

Sometimes I do but I should do more of it. Sometimes I rely on reviews (especially when buying online) to help me make a decision on a purchase. So in return, I feel I should return the favor in kind. Been bad about it lately though.

aeevr said:

I just want to add that I wish people would/could write more reviews of lawyers and doctors.

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There is a site that allows you to rate your doctor.  I read the reviews on my current family doctor prior to my first visit with him.  And when I was interviewing doctors to be my family doctor (yes, I made appointments for a "meet and greet" before signing on.), I ran into a few jerks, so I was more than happy to give them the review and rating that I felt they seriously deserved! 

Yeah I've wrote a couple one on trip advisor for when I stayed away last year and then a few on amazon

If I really love or really hate the service or item, I would write a review. In between feelings I dont

What I've learned from my friend: If you're given discounts, free products (esp.), coupon codes,etc it behooves you to write a review because it's good karma and in some cases you can get future emails with deals/contests /coupons/first come first served. When a complimentary press product product is not to her liking or up to her standards she will tell the company privately versus writing any bad reviews. Companies seem to like that but it's a double edged sword in the sense that her blog is nothing but glowing reviews which adds a mild air of ...suspicion, for lack of a better word. But because I know her personally I know she does not like every product.

Reviews have decided plenty of times on a purchase I was going to make. For example : This is a decent radio, but it only uses batteries and has no ac plug option" now

many people over look things they just never bother to look for.  I review every purchase I make. I actually made a purchase on a radio because the transmitters

were illegal to use on some frequencies, so the radios would not pass code 97 of the USA FCC laws. since I'm FCC licensed as long as I do not use those frequencies to transmit, I am in 

all accordance's. So I bought a radio for 1/5 the price. So reviewers can actually help. I leave reviews every time.
 

I always read reviews if I'm looking for somewhere to stay, and I write about them (Trip Advisor) usually if I really liked the place. 

And I've written reviews when a product has been really bad if it's a big impersonal company, but when it is a small store or product I'll approach the people directly.

Amazon reviews have saved me money because in lots of cases I got scared after reading honest reviews and chose not to purchase