Do you discount reviews that have affiliate links due the the inherent conflict of interest? Accept them since they are ubiquitous? Reject the idea they impact reviews?
I don't trust reviews anyway. I look for mentions of features I might be interested in or aspects that would bother me, but I put zero weight on any "opinion" about something. That said, affiliate links make a site look really sleazy, it's essentially the lowest form of business model so it signals that the author is less likely to be someone who has put a good package of information together.<p>How do other people use (product) reviews? Are you putting value on the reviewer's opinion?
If the person doing the review isn't one that has already earned my trust, then the presence of affiliate links definitely makes me discount the review. The same for other forms of payment, such as them being provided with free items to review.<p>If the person doing the review has already earned my trust, my trust drops a notch, but I won't discount the review. I'll just be more vigilant about the reviewer into the future.
Catch-22<p>No affiliate links means they're paid to review. Affiliate links means they get paid for people visiting.<p>Basically someone gotta get paid to put in the work. It is increasingly bad as a practice to review things negatively. So generally incentives work towards good reviews.<p>One sign though that a review is very biased... If they give you a discount code. They are not reviewers, they are salesmen.
I have two criteria:<p>1. Reviews by that author/site are exhaustive, not one-paragraph reheated press releases.<p>2. Reviews by that author/site are sometimes negative. A site that has all positive reviews is just a marketing brochure.<p>I am also more forgiving of affiliate links when it's a random nobody/blogger/Youtuber who is making money solely from affiliate links. What's slimy is when big magazine brands double dip on affiliate links and display ads -- e.g., "Hey, REI: we'll push all our affiliate links to REI.com if you buy X number of ads on our website."
No, I don't. I also don't trust recommendations/suggestions from people if they give me an affiliate link, it doesn't feel genuine.