I regularly track consumer ratings and feedback from the bigger floral companies.
Over the last several months, the ratings for the big three have all been climbing in Google Shopping. Most of the national companies started at two stars or lower in the beginning of 2008, but they're all 3.5 to 4.5 stars these days.
I think I discovered why. Forum shopping.
It seems some of them cut off their products from affiliate sales to ratings sites if their review numbers drop too low. Note that TF left BizRate. (Not that BizRate is all that great for consumers since they heavily weight their reviews toward shopping experience vs fulfillment experience.)
I noted on Google Shopping that TF is down to only 3 sites reporting ratings:
BizRate.com
PriceGrabber.com
ResellerRatings.com
Their ratings on ResellerRatings are dismal (1.43 out of 10), just like they had been on Yahoo Shopping (until they partnered with the site below), and still show a 1.5 star rating on ePinions.
But, ahhhhh Price Grabber, that's a whole 'nother story. 633 positive reviews all appeared in the last 3 months (with only 29 negatives) and now they've rocketed to the top ratings in both Google's and Yahoo's shopping sections. Amazing how nearly every reviewer is giving his/her first review. And how neither FTD nor 1-800 managed to even get but 3 reviews on that site in the same time period .
Like I said.... things that make you go hmmmmmm....
Over the last several months, the ratings for the big three have all been climbing in Google Shopping. Most of the national companies started at two stars or lower in the beginning of 2008, but they're all 3.5 to 4.5 stars these days.
I think I discovered why. Forum shopping.
It seems some of them cut off their products from affiliate sales to ratings sites if their review numbers drop too low. Note that TF left BizRate. (Not that BizRate is all that great for consumers since they heavily weight their reviews toward shopping experience vs fulfillment experience.)
I noted on Google Shopping that TF is down to only 3 sites reporting ratings:
BizRate.com
PriceGrabber.com
ResellerRatings.com
Their ratings on ResellerRatings are dismal (1.43 out of 10), just like they had been on Yahoo Shopping (until they partnered with the site below), and still show a 1.5 star rating on ePinions.
But, ahhhhh Price Grabber, that's a whole 'nother story. 633 positive reviews all appeared in the last 3 months (with only 29 negatives) and now they've rocketed to the top ratings in both Google's and Yahoo's shopping sections. Amazing how nearly every reviewer is giving his/her first review. And how neither FTD nor 1-800 managed to even get but 3 reviews on that site in the same time period .
Like I said.... things that make you go hmmmmmm....
