The restaurant analogy is used so commonly it is hardly offense worthy but thanks for checking in. Your sense of courtesy is noted and appreciated.
It begs a good point but then again, I am not a big group-think person while I know other folks who live and die by what the group decides is popular so my perception of how to value something comes from a very different place than the mean average in most instances.
The website Y*lp! is a good example of what you are making a point with. The site is very successful (and I have used it, yes, but for me - mostly to find small, local businesses worth patronizing when I am traveling so I can avoid the predictability/safety of franchise operations. I believe in supporting community business that reinvests back into local community when I can.)
What it seems to build its success on is (1) the general population desire to minimize risks in the face of uncertainty or the unknown and, given the constant barrage of constant "sales" we are subject to, it CAN become exhausting trying to separate the hype from the actual reality and (2) the general public herd mentality that only places confidence in what other people see as valuable or acceptable. Fashion and tourist destinations are built on this particular phenomenon.
....
(Sorry this is so long winded. I type really fast so it is easy to write more than most folks)
....
But back to your proposition:
"if you were planning a special evening at an expensive restaurant, would you look only at the restaurant's menu and web site before you decide to spend several hundred dollars there, or would you look for reviews from people who had first-hand experience there to help you make your decision? "
Looking back at my own history in exactly those types of situations, I have gone with the menu, website and my gut feeling about it but this is typically because I am looking for specific things and I almost always know when it isn't a good fit for what I am looking for at that moment or, worse, when I am being sold something at a higher rate than it deserves only because it comes with "status" because other people over-value it. I am not a big brand name kind of person, maybe that is the difference.
But I know folks who take comfort in other people taking a risk first and reporting back what the rewards were. That is their reasoning for always going to Y*lp! first, for anything and never taking chances on anything not listed or not listed with stellar reviews. Adventurous is definitely not their middle name.
So there's my answer. I suppose how much weight we put in the group's opinion says alot about many things. Thanks for the input and dialogue about this. Much appreciated.
-- Modified on 9/29/2016 3:07:50 PM
-- Modified on 9/29/2016 3:08:18 PM