Why Most Product Reviews Are Complete Garbage

Let's cut through the BS: 90% of product reviews online are bought and paid for. Not literally—most reviewers aren't taking briefcases of cash in dark alleys. But affiliate links and sponsored content have the same effect. When a YouTuber makes $50 every time you click their link, guess what? Suddenly that $2,000 e-bike becomes "essential" and that $800 smartwatch is "totally worth it."

I've been reviewing products for years, and the pattern is obvious once you know what to look for. Here's the playbook that ruins honest reviews:

Red Flag #1: Everything Gets 4-5 Stars

When a reviewer gives nearly everything high ratings, they're not being thorough—they're protecting their income stream. Real products have real flaws. If someone reviewed 20 items this year and gave 18 of them glowing recommendations, they're not a reviewer. They're a salesperson with a camera.

Red Flag #2: "Links in the Description" Appears Before Criticisms

Watch where the affiliate links show up. If they're plastered everywhere before any real criticism, that's your warning sign. Authentic reviewers bury their affiliate disclosures or avoid them entirely. Salespeople make sure you see them first.

Red Flag #3: Comparing Budget Items to Premium Brands

"This $89 Chinese bike computer is almost as good as the $600 Garmin!" Really? Then why does the navigation reroute you into a lake every third ride? These false equivalencies exist to push cheap products with high commission rates. The reviewer makes more money selling ten $89 items than one $600 item.

I've tested the GEOID CC 600 bike computer. Yes, it has impressive features for the price. But the navigation glitches are maddening, and no honest reviewer should claim it rivals Garmin. It's a budget alternative with budget problems.

Red Flag #4: Zero Long-Term Testing

Real products need real-world testing. I wore The North Face Glenclyffe boots for months before reviewing them. That's when the rubber upper started deteriorating. But most YouTubers get a product on Monday and publish a "full review" by Friday. They haven't tested durability, long-term comfort, or how it holds up after 100 uses.

How to Find the Truth:

Look for reviewers who trash products from major brands. If someone gave a 2-star review to a North Face product or called out Garmin's overpricing, they're probably being honest. Companies don't send free gear to critics.

Check the comment section. Real users expose BS fast. If the comments say "mine broke after two weeks" but the reviewer said it's "built like a tank," trust the comments.

Find reviewers who buy their own gear. When someone spends their own money, they care about value differently. I bought every product I review because I refuse to owe anyone anything.

The review industry is broken because money corrupted it. Affiliate commissions turned critics into salespeople. Sponsored content made honest opinions expensive.

You deserve better than algorithmic manipulation disguised as advice. That's why this site exists—no affiliate links, no sponsors, no pressure to recommend garbage just to make rent. If you're tired of fake reviews pushing overpriced products you don't need, you're in the right place.