An Open letter to Product/Service Review Websites

Dear Product/Service Review Websites,

From times when I only trusted my close peers to the time when I am almost taking the word of any stranger who has tried a product/service atleast once,  reviews have gained a lot of prominence in my decision making, I must confess. I honestly love the concept of reviews you know! They give me a sneak peak into what I am up for, that too so effortlessly. I have had days when I decided to buy or to not buy a product/service by just reading these reviews from strangers. Now you are convinced that your reviews work right? Good! But not so good! You know why? because out of all the times i have read your reviews, for once i decided i should write one too! Just doing my part you see! However, it's really funny how you dear Websites make my job so hard, especially when my writing the review is more beneficial to you as a Review curating website than me. 

So, i want to post a review and i open your website. As I click on the " Post a Review" button, you want me to register. Eh! no, i just wanted to write a review and not build a long term relationship with you where you constantly keep pushing mails at me until one fine day i get tired and break up with you by presenting you the "SPAM" award. Ok fine I will register, may be your attempting to get a real review and not a fake one. Ok i got you, here you go i fill your login form and get my account created! Ya i also took the extra effort to verify my details by logging into my id! Cool let's have some peace now. I will write a "real" review and feel happy! Oh! So many questions? Pros, Cons, Title, Subject, Rating, blah blah? I thought all I had to do was express my opinion.

Fine! Fine! I will do it, don't call me short tempered now! Filled all those extra details before i came to the "Write your review" section. Aah! fees like an achievement. Ok wrote it, and i think one more button and it's done! Before I took on my "Yes, I did it" pose, you say the review should have atleast 300 characters? What? Why? Ok you do not always have to be logical, but have you tried being practical? What's with 300 characters? Have you assumed i am not capable of expressing myself in less than that!? Out of all the times i choose to be a silent satisfied customer, i for once decide to voice it out and see what happens!?

So, here's my sincere suggestion to you dear Websites, make things simpler for people who wish to write reviews! Don't be so demanding, most people might just leave half way through the process and never come back! Lack of real reviews will eventually force brands to create fake ones which i am sure will take down your credibility. Period.

P.S: For all those who wonder if i left it half way too, no i did not. I successfully wrote the review and then took on my Feeling-Accomplished pose.

(All images in this post have been sourced from Google Images, none belong to me)