ConsumerSearch

Information Outlook, Feb, 2005 by Carolyn J. Sosnowski

www.consumersearch.com/www/index.html

ConsumerSearch compiles product reviews and, well, reviews them. This site offers one-stop shopping for opinions from sources such as Consumer Reports, epinions.com, consumer magazines, and industry publications and organizations. Each dated product report lists the best review sources and the best products in that category as rated by the sources, and then summarizes each review's findings and gives a detailed comparison of the review information, including a chart. Editors use several criteria in rating reviews, including source credibility, reviewer experience, and extent of product comparison. Visitors can browse or search for products (from refrigerators to facial cleansers to cordless drills), and can link to the original reviews (if freely available) and to sites where they can buy the products. Although, unlike Consumer Reports, the site accepts advertising, each report is examined for objectivity.

By Carolyn J. Sosnowski, MLIS

Carolyn Sosnowski, MLIS, is an information specialist at SLA.