Consumer Information

Product Reviews/Ratings

Professional or Unbiased Reviews

• Consumer Reports - last 10 years in the library by the adult non-fiction. Also from 1999 to today is online at General Reference Center Gold. Can use from home but will need to log in with a library card number.

Consumer Reviews

• Consumerreview.com - user-generated buying advice for outdoor sporting goods and consumer electronics.
• Epinions.com - a comparison shopping service that allows consumers to compare products from thousands of stores across the Web. The stores listed on Epinions pay to participate in Epinions'. Consumers who write reviews earn money when their review is considered helpful.

Both

• Consumer Search - combines reviews from consumers and from recognized review sources such as Consumer Reports and other product-specific sources. One of my favorites!
• Amazon - consumer reviews on all types of equipment, items, and books. Also contains editorial reviews by specialist and reviews from recognized resources on a particular item, i.e. Publisher's Weekly for books. Also has searchable database of printed catalogs.
• Tripadvisor.com - unbiased articles, guidebook reviews and user comments on cities, hotels and activities in a given destination.

Search tip

To find other reviews from specialized sources search Google. Use terms such as "review" or "rating" in the search. For example: digital video camera reviews will bring up specific resources that specialize in reviewing cameras.

Government Consumer Info

• Recalls.gov - gateway to find any government information from 6 different federal consumer agencies. Includes consumer products, motor vehicles, boats, food, medicine, cosmetics and environmental products.
• Federal Trade Commission for the Consumer - tons of information that every consumer should know...how to protect your credit, how to file a complaint on a product, taking care of your aging parents...you name it
• Federal Citizen Information Center - remember those government publications on newsprint. Now they're online and updated constantly. Information on everything!
• Michigan.gov website
  • verify whether the person you're hiring is licensed
  • verify whether an adult foster care home/senior center or day care center/ home is licensed
  • find a summer camp for your child
  • purchase state-owned land or foreclosed properties in some Michigan counties
  • find out if you have unclaimed property

Automobile RV Specific Websites

• Kelly Blue Book - has trade-in, retail and private party values on automobiles. Also has values for motorcycles, personal watercraft and snowmobiles. Has reviews and interesting information like which cars have the highest insurance premiums. Car values only go back to 1985.
• NADA - get values for new and used cars, including collectible/classic cars, RVs, boats and motorcyclces. Includes reviews.
• Carfax.com - do a search on a VIN before buying a used car.

Buying Online & Pricing Items

• Before giving any credit card or personal information online
  • Will need an email address
  • Lock in bottom right-hand corner
  • https in website address (indicator that this site is on a secure server)
• Froogle - A place to purchase anything sold online. Can limit by price range.
• Ebay - online auction house. This is a good place to get a baseline price on an item by searching for similar items which have already been sold. Ebay also contains a wealth of consumer reviews and buying guides. NOTE: You must have an account with Ebay to use this service.

Bonus Site:

• Yahoo's FareChase has really nice feature for pricing and getting good fares on hotels and flights.

Created by Joy Cichewicz, updated 2/12/07, http://brightonlibrary.info/learn/classes/consumerinfo.html