If you have ever wanted to write video game reviews that could potentially be read by thousands of people, K-Mart is about to make your dreams come true! Sort of.
Originally caught by Kotaku, starting today, every time you write a game review on K-Mart’s mykmart.com site, you may be writing something that will be placed on display next to the game you just wrote about. K-Mart’s idea is to use snippets of actual gamers’ reviews of the games, and allow potential buyers to read it in the store before deciding.
“We’d like to announce that starting today, if you write a qualifying video game review on MyKmart.com, there’s a chance your review could be featured on our store shelves!” The press announcement read.
It is an interesting idea that in the best case scenario, will connect customers with real people’s opinions to help them decide if the game they are considering is really the one for them. It could help bridge the gap between the retail section and the consumer, and allow people to truly influence the decisions, thanks to practical, hands-on experience with the game. On the other hand, it could quickly be abused all the way back to the drawing board.
While possibly a noble idea, it seems unlikely that a retailer that exists to sell you things, would display a negative review right in front of the object you are considering buying. That makes it seem likely that every review you read could be glowing. And as for the idea that each review is from a person that was in the customer’s shoes, anyone that has ever worked for a manufacturer can likely pass on stories about employees of the company anonymously writing how fantastic their product is on various review sites. Sometimes it is just an employee trying to defend the product that they sweat to create, other times it is an actual company directive.
“Since this is the first time we’re doing this, we will keep you appraised of our progress, announce when new reviews are out on shelves — we will do this every few months – and highlight well-written reviews from you, the Kmart gaming community.” The statement reads.
If it catches on, it could lead to a new wave of user reviews that carry weight to them. Or not.
