What are product ratings?
Ciao's product ratings use a star system to show how good Ciao members
consider a particular product to be. The ratings are compiled from all
of the evaluations submitted on a particular product and are designed
to provide users with a quick quality measure. Further details can then
be obtained from reading the product reviews themselves.
Where does the product rating come from?
When a member writes a product review, he/she is also required to assess
the product according to particular criteria which vary from product to
product but may include ease of use, range of features and value for money.
At this point, they can also give an overall rating from 1 star (poor) to
5 stars (excellent). The ratings from all of the reviews written about a
particular product are averaged to obtain the overall rating displayed
next to the product.
How meaningful are the product ratings?
Obtained by averaging all of the ratings which have been awarded by members
for a given product, product ratings are a fair representation of the shopping
public's opinion, though obviously the more ratings which have been awarded and
averaged, the more representative the overall rating will be.
How does Ciao prevent misuse of the rating system?
Ciao employs a range of mechanisms designed to hinder and/or identify
misuse of the rating system and other Ciao functions, and strongly encourages
members to report any instances of abuse which they find on the site.
Please consult the "Reporting Abuse" page in the "Contact" section of
the Help Centre to find out more about what constitutes misuse and what
how we combat it.
Why aren't product ratings given for all products?
Ratings are only available for products that have been reviewed by at
least one Ciao member. If no reviews have been submitted, for example
for a product that has just been launched, no rating will appear next
to the product.
Can I rate the product too?
Sure - all Ciao members are warmly invited to rate products, but please bear
in mind that to do so, you will have to write a full review or a "quick review" to accompany and
justify the rating. Just click on the "Write a review" link next to the product
which you would like to review and follow the instructions given.
How reliable is the product information?
Though all product specifications are based on official manufacturer data,
we cannot guarantee complete data accuracy as human error cannot be avoided
when transferring data on to the website. If you find an error in any of the
product information listed, please inform us of it and we will endeavour to
correct the error as soon as possible.
Can I actually buy the products on Ciao?
No, Ciao does not sell the products listed in the catalogue itself.
However, we do work closely with a number of recommended online shops,
and links to their stores can be found in our price comparison tables.
Should you wish to buy a product second-hand, you can see current eBay
auctions by clicking on the "Auctions" tab from the product overview page.
