Otherwise it's gotten to the point everything needs so much research if you want it to be halfway decent.
So true. It's such a chore to buy anything anymore. I can't depend on the reviews. I can't depend on the brand or quality of the item. I can't depend on the seller. I can't depend on the e-commerce site. No one has a reputation at stake. And yet for a lot of products, I'm effectively trapped, since now I can't really get a lot of stuff locally.
I've been shifting my electronics (and a lot of other kinds of purchases) to Costco since I know I can at least rely on their return policy, and I know they at least try to stock decent products.
I finally ended up getting rid of Costco mainly because I moved and it was too inconvenient anymore. They were great on returns though. I think when it comes to brands now, very few of them even bother with a reputation. You can silence dissent online, buy good press, etc. and it's all cheaper than maintaining a reputation.
So true. It's such a chore to buy anything anymore. I can't depend on the reviews. I can't depend on the brand or quality of the item. I can't depend on the seller. I can't depend on the e-commerce site. No one has a reputation at stake. And yet for a lot of products, I'm effectively trapped, since now I can't really get a lot of stuff locally.
I've been shifting my electronics (and a lot of other kinds of purchases) to Costco since I know I can at least rely on their return policy, and I know they at least try to stock decent products.
I finally ended up getting rid of Costco mainly because I moved and it was too inconvenient anymore. They were great on returns though. I think when it comes to brands now, very few of them even bother with a reputation. You can silence dissent online, buy good press, etc. and it's all cheaper than maintaining a reputation.