topic Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews in Community Chat

Pet Peeves About Reviews

reviewer from sc — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 18:39:01 GMT

This may have been a topic before, but it's worth repeating.

I'm in the process of purchasing some candles. Of course, you can't physically smell the candle. You have to either go by past experience (your favorites) or customer reviews.

One of my pet peeves about reviews--I really wish people would tell what the candle smells like. I absolutely hate reviews that say:

"this candle smells amazing!"

"this candle rocks!"

"this candle smells sooooooo goooood!" etc...

These are the reviews I mostly encounter. This tells me nothing! What smells "sooooo gooood" to you, may stink for me and other people.

I also hate when the review says "the candle smells fresh and clean". What? Lemon clean? Bleachy clean? Pine sol clean? Laundry clean? What does that mean? There are many types of "clean".

Tell me: It smells like cinnamon, apples, tide laundry, snuggle laundry, suntan lotion, green tea, stinky laundry, no scent at all, etc.

I'll say that I encounter the same thing when I'm purchasing perfume or shower gels/lotions. However, I mostly purchase these types of products in-store. I'll purchase online if I know the scent/product. It just bugs me when I'm purchasing candles and there's one after the other of "amazing" reviews. Thanks for letting me vent a little.

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

Kachina624 — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 18:43:24 GMT

Many people don't have the writing skills to adequately describe a smell. Its a very difficult thing to do since it depends heavily on the personal experience of the person doing the describing. Even the hosts often struggle with doing it verbally.

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

D Kay — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 18:56:13 GMT

Better that than all the "reviews" that are complaints about how long it took to receive something. I would take "smells amazing" over "smells awful".

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

PINKdogWOOD — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 19:01:26 GMT

It's not only about candles but about everything pretty much.

Clothes - I love it, fits great, color spot on - this tells me nothing

Dyson vacs - love it, really cleans up everything - I've owned only 2 Dysons, the orig which was the best in every way, easy to work with, EASY to lift. The other weighs a ton but I did not know this. It also does not fit under furniture which I also did not know. I still have it but I rarely use it.

The best are the ones from people who did not buy the item, does not own the item, knows nothing about the item regardless of what the item may be BUT for some reason decides to enter a review. They even say they did not buy it YET it gets posted.

Now I'm finished venting!!!!!!!

And your example of the candles is spot on too!

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

Angelmanmom — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 19:35:30 GMT

Goodness! Sounds like you should skip the reviews....if coud smell like rain to me and dirt to you so what good would it do to read my review?

I do agree that reviews from folks who haven't purchased the item but are speculating the merits thereof shouldn't be allowed.

Reviews are subjective and that's the point of one's personal experience

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

kaydee50 — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 19:48:17 GMT

I wouldn't buy an item where the smell is important without sniffing it in person. How can anyone buy perfume from TV unless they already know what it smells like????

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

rms1954 — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 20:17:34 GMT

It's hard to describe a smell. That's something you'd kind of have to experience yourself.

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

santorini — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 20:45:21 GMT

My favorite ... I'm short and I bought this in a medium. ??? It's not even offered in medium. It's offered in numeric sizes. And what does short have to do with anything when used in that context?

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

Etoile308 — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 20:48:30 GMT

I don't know if describing a smell would still be adequate. What smells like a lemon to me may smell like an apple to you. I may think something smells like a fresh cut Christmas tree while others think it's more like Pine-Sol.

I think if someone says a candle has a clean smell, that at least denotes to me that it's non-offensive. That works for me.

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

Magny — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 20:57:57 GMT

@santorini wrote:
My favorite ... I'm short and I bought this in a medium. ??? It's not even offered in medium. It's offered in numeric sizes. And what does short have to do with anything when used in that context?

Or how about bust, waist, hip & height measurements, but not what size she took?

Also, "It's a beautiful color", & doesn't mention what the color is!

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

Cakers3 — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 22:12:16 GMT

@reviewer from sc Which candles are you talking about??

Most descriptions will tell you about the scent.

Scents are listed on jars, e.g.

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

PhilaLady1 — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 22:41:26 GMT

There are reviews that leave me scratching my head. Just today, I was looking at the reviews for a Susan Graver item that is on clearance shown on this morning's show. Someone left a review disapproving of the shirt, stating how is she supposed to wash her hands because of the thumbholes.

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

Foxxee — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 23:59:51 GMT

I don't think it's possible to describe a scent the way you want it.

Harry Slatkin does his best, but the candle I received smelled nothing like his description. How can 5 different scents blended together be described accurately so you know exactly how it smells. Reviews may say it's lovely, but I did not like my first purchase at all.

Others may like something you don't, so reading reviews isn't helpful to me.

I'm only buying familiar scents now, those I chose in person years ago in stores.

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

reviewer from sc — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 00:14:19 GMT

@Cakers3

I was mostly buying candles from both Bath & Body Works and Goose Creek today. (By the way, Goose Creek has candles buy 3--get 4 free today 9/8 AND B&BW has all 3-wick candles $12.95 with free shipping on $50.)

It is true that most websites will have the notes listed on each candle's description. However, there are so many mixed together. I wonder which ingredient will stand out when the candle is being burned.

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

reviewer from sc — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 00:23:17 GMT

I've encountered some reviews that state:

"I've haven't received the item yet"

"This was a gift for so-and-so. I hope he/she likes it!"

"The shipping was so slow"

"I got the wrong color. I want a refund!"

"Will customer service tell me how to exchange such-and-such item?"

Oh my goodness! Reviews are NOT the place for such things. Reviews, for me, are supposed to guide other people as to why I should or should NOT purchase this item. I'm not just talking about candles--but any item.

As to the candle reviews, yes, smell is subjective. I can agree with that. It's just that you kind of go on a blind eye (or nose) when you purchase over the internet. I have wasted money on candles when everyone raves about a particular scent--and they all swear it's the best beach scent. I get the candle home, and it smells like old burning lard or something like that. What a waste of my money.

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

JoyFilled Warrior — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 02:22:53 GMT

A thought popped into my head, reading this topic.

Somewhere I read that suddenly there was a preponderance of "Yankee Candle" Reviews complaining that these Candles no longer had a scent! Yankee Candle was baffled, as they insisted, nothing had changed. Later, it was discovered, this sudden & long rash of "no scent" complaints were because many of these "reviewers" had been infected with the COVID, during the pandemic, where symptoms were oftentimes "loss of taste, &/or smell."

I also enjoy Reviews that have more "specific meat" in them as well.

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

Cakers3 — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 17:32:36 GMT

@reviewer from sc wrote:
@Cakers3

I was mostly buying candles from both Bath & Body Works and Goose Creek today. (By the way, Goose Creek has candles buy 3--get 4 free today 9/8 AND B&BW has all 3-wick candles $12.95 with free shipping on $50.)

It is true that most websites will have the notes listed on each candle's description. However, there are so many mixed together. I wonder which ingredient will stand out when the candle is being burned.

@reviewer from sc Ok now I understand.

However, I looked at Goose Creek and one of the Halloween candles depicts a mix of scents.

"Prominent scent notes:

Candy Corn, Marshmallows, Caramel & Vanilla"

I really do not think one scent will dominate over the others. They will blend well because of the type of scents.

I think a review saying "candy corn" comes through or "vanilla comes through" is all in perception and how we all perceive scents.

My suggestion is to decide when a candle has a mix if any of the scents might not be to your liking and stay with single scent candles.

I do not like candy corn so for me I would pass by that particular candle.

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

PINKdogWOOD — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 11:41:37 GMT

@PhilaLady1 Your post made me laugh outloud!!!! I agree, this would be totally annoying if I had shirt, used the thumb holes as they should be but then continuiously have to take thumbs out, pull shirt sleeves up in order to wash my hands!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm a fanatic with washing my hands so this totally would not work for me! I totally GET this review, still funny though.

Must be why I don't like shirts with thumb holes!!!!! Honestly I wouldn't have a shirt like this, besides not being able to wash my hands, I just don't like this look.

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

PINKdogWOOD — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 11:45:00 GMT

@Foxxee I'm with you on buying fragrances, scents in person albeit it perfumes, colognes, candles. I need to be able to get up close and personal with scents as they are imo very personal.

As far as Slotkin candles go, personally I think his are the worst I've ever smelled - that is, if and when you can even smell any scent in his. Either there simply is little or no scent or they just down right stink!

Re: Pet Peeves About Reviews

PhilaLady1 — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 12:04:20 GMT

@PINKdogWOOD

Your post made me laugh too! I think the joke's on me. Maybe I didn't fully understand the review. I was thinking that the reviewer was under the impression that once the shirt is pulled over her head with thumbs through the holes, she was stuck that way until she took the shirt off LOL!