buckworks - 12:17 am on Sep 18, 2010 (gmt 0)

Negative reviews can be uncomfortable, but in their own way they're just as important as the positive ones.

It's counterintuitive to think that having negative reviews could improve the bottom line, but shoppers who read about other people's problems as well as their praises are likely to (a) have more realistic expectations, and (b) make product choices better suited to their needs.

That can lead to fewer returns and reduced customer service costs, so that even if a negative review sometimes kills the sale, the sales you do get will have better profit margins.